PRINCETON,   N.  J. 


BX  8712  .T8.1883 
Swedenborg,  Emanuel,  1688- 

1772 

The  true  Christian  religion 


Digitized  by 

the  Internet  Archive 

in  2014 

https://archive.org/details/truechristianrel00swed_2 


THE 

TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION: 

« 

CONTAINING 
OF  THE 

NEW  HEAVEN  AND  THE  NEW  CHURCH, 


Cbe  Botc&  ©titttott. 


THE 


4 

w 


True  Christian  Religion 

,  CONTAINING  THE 

antiiersal  Cljeologp 


OF.  THE 


NEW  CHURCH, 

FORETOLD  BY  THE  LORD  IN  DANIEL  VII.  13,  14;  AND  IN 
REVELATION  XXI.  1,  2. 


By   EMANUEL  ^SWEDENBORG, 

SERVANT  OF  THE  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST 


in 


Sotdj  Bttton. 


2  PHILADELPHIA 

J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  &  COMPANY. 


DANIEL  VII.  13,  14. 

/  saw  in  the  night  visions,  and  behold  one  like  the  Son  of 
Man  came  with  the  clouds  of  the  heavens.  And  there  was 
given  Him  dominion,  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom  ;  and  all  people, 
nations,  and  languages  shall  serve  Him.  His  dominioti  is  an 
everlasting  dominion,  which  shall  not  pass  away,  and  His 
kingdom  that  which  shall  not  be  destroyed. 

APOCALYPSE  XXL  1,  2,  5,  9,  10. 

/  John  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth.  And  I  saw  the 
holy  city,  New  Jerusalem,  coming  down  from  God  out  of 
heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband.  And  an 
angel  talked  with  me,  saying,  Come  hither,  I  will  show  thee 
the  Bride,  the  Lamb's  Wife.  And  he  carried  me  away  in 
the  spirit,  upon  a  great  and  high  mountain,  and  showed  me 
that  great  city,  the  Holy  Jerusalem,  descending  out  of  heaven 
from  God. 

He  that  sat  upon  the  throne  said,  Behold,  I  make  all 
things  new.  And  He  said  unto  me,  Write  :  for  these  words 
aie  trice  and  faithful. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1877,  by 
SAMPSON  REED,  PELEG  W.  CHANDLER,  AND  THEOPHILUS  PARSONS 

(trustees), 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


GENERAL  INDEX 

OF 

THE  CONTENTS. 


THE  FAITH  OF  THE  NEW  HEAVEN  AND  THE  NEW 
CHURCH,  IN  THE  UNIVERSAL  FORM  AND 
IN  THE  PARTICULAR  FORM.    n.  1-3. 

CHAPTER  I. 
CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 

Concerning  the  Unity  of  God.    n.  5-15. 

L  The  whole  Sacred  Scripture,  and  thence  all  the  doctrines  of  the  churches 
in  the  Christian  world,  teach  that  there  is  a  God,  and  that  He  is  one.    n.  6,  7. 

II.  There  is  a  universal  influx  from  God  into  the  souls  of  men,  that  there 
is  a  God,  and  that  He  is  One.    n.  8. 

III.  Thence  it  is,  that  in  all  the  world  there  is  no  nation  having  religion 
and  sound  reason,  which  does  not  acknowledge  a  God,  and  that  God  is  one. 
n.  <> 

IV.  As  to  what  the  One  God  is,  nations  and  people  have  differed,  and  still 
differ,  from  several  causes,    n.  u. 

V.  Human  reason,  from  many  things  in  the  world,  may,  if  it  will,  per- 
ceive or  conclude  thai  there  is  a  God,  and  that  He  is  one.    n.  12. 

VI.  Unless  God  were  One,  the  universe  could  not  have  been  created  and 
preserved,    n.  13. 

VII.  The  man  who  does  not  acknowledge  a  God,  is  excommunicated  from 
the  church  and  condemned,    n.  14. 

VIII.  With  men  who  do  not  acknowledge  One  God,  but  more  than  one, 
nothing  of  the  church  coheres,    n.  15. 

Concerning  the  Divine  Esse,  which  is  Jehovah,    n.  18-24. 

I.  The  One  God  is  called  Jehovah  from  Esse,  thus  from  this,  because  Ho 
a.'one  is  [and  was]  and  will  be  ;  and  because  He  is  the  Eirst  and  the  Last,  tbr 
Hc^inning  and  the  End,  the  Alpha  and  the  Oincga.    n.  19. 


iv 


GENERAL  INDEX  OF  THE  CONTENTS. 


II.  The  One  God  is  Substance  itself  and  Form  itself,  and  angels  and  men 
are  substances  and  forms  from  Him,  and  as  far  as  they  are  in  Him  and  He  in 
them,  so  far  they  are  images  and  likenesses  of  Him.    n.  20. 

III.  The  Divine  Esse  is  Esse  in  itself,  and,  at  the  same  time,  Existere  in 
itself,    n.  21,  22. 

IV.  The  Divine  Esse  and  Existere  in  itself  cannot  produce  another  Divine 
that  is  Esse  and  Existere  in  itself ;  consequently,  another  God  of  the  same 
essence  is  not  possible,    n.  23. 

V.  A  plurality  of  Gods,  in  ancient  and  also  in  modern  times,  originated 
fn>m  no  other  cause  than  from  not  understanding  the  Divine  Esse.    n.  24. 

Concerning  the  Infinity  of  God,  or  His  Immensity  and  Eternity,    n.  27-34. 

I.  God  is  infinite,  since  He  is  and  exists  in  Himself,  and  all  things  in  the 
universe  are  and  exist  from  Him.    n.  28 

II.  God  is  infinite,  for  He  was  before  the  world,  thus  before  spaces  and 
times  arose,    n.  29. 

III.  God,  since  the  world  was  made,  is  in  space  without  space,  and  in  time 
without  time.    n.  30. 

IV.  God's  Infinity  in  relation  to  spaces  is  called  Immensity,  and  in  relation 
to  times  is  called  Eternity ;  and  although  there  are  these  relations,  still  there  is 
nothing  of  space  in  His  Immensity,  and  nothing  of  time  in  His  Eternity, 
n.  31. 

V.  Enlightened  reason,  from  very  many  things  in  the  world,  may  see  the 
Infinity  of  God  [the  Creator],    n.  32. 

VI.  Every  created  thing  is  finite,  and  the  Infinite  is  in  finite  things  as  in 
receptacles,  and  in  men  as  in  its  images,    n.  33. 

Concerning  the  Essence  of  God,  which  is  Divine  Love  and  Divine  Wisdom. 
n.  36-47. 

I.  God  is  Love  itself  and  Wisdom  itself,  and  these  two  make  His  essence, 
n.  37- 

II.  God  is  Good  itself  and  Truth  itself,  because  good  is  of  love,  and  truth 
is  of  wisdom,    n.  38. 

III.  God,  because  He  is  Love  itself  and  Wisdom  itself,  is  Life  itself,  which 
is  Life  in  itself,    n.  39,  40. 

IV.  Love  and  Wisdom,  in  God,  make  one.    n.  41,  42. 

V.  The  Essence  of  Love  is  to  love  others  outside  of  itself,  to  desire  to  be 
one  with  them,  and  to  make  them  happy  from  itself,    n.  43-45. 

VI.  These  [essentials]  of  the  Divine  Love  were  the  cause  of  the  creation 
of  the  universe,  and  they  are  the  cause  of  its  preservation,    n.  46,  47. 

Concerning  the  Omnipotence,  Omniscience,  and  Omnipresence  of  God. 
n.  49-70. 

I.  Omnipotence,  Omniscience,  and  Omnipresence,  belong  to  the  Divine 
Wisdom  from  the  Divine  Love.    n.  50,  51. 


GENERAL  INDEX  OF  THE  CONTENTS. 


V 


II.  There  cannot  be  cognition  of  God's  Omnipotence,  Omniscience,  and 
Omnipresence,  unless  it  be  known  what  Order  is,  and  unless  these  things  be- 
longing to  it  be  known,  namely,  that  God  is  Order,  and  that  at  the  creation  He 
introduced  order  into  the  universe,  and  into  all  and  every  part  of  it.   n.  52-55. 

in.  The  Omnipotence  of  God,  as  well  in  the  universe  as  in  all  and  every 
part  of  it,  proceeds  and  operates  according  to  the  laws  of  His  Order,  n.  56-58. 

IV.  God  is  Omniscient,  that  is,  perceives,  sees,  and  knows  all  and  every 
thing,  even  to  the  most  minute,  which  is  done  according  to  order ;  and  thence 
also  what  is  done  contrary  to  order,    n.  59-62. 

V.  God  is  Omnipresent  from  the  firsts  to  the  lasts  of  His  Order,   n.  63,  64. 

VI.  Man  was  created  a  Form  of  Divine  Order,    n.  65-67. 

VII.  Man  is  so  far  in  power  against  evil  and  falsity  from  the  Divine  Omnip- 
otence, and  so  far  in  wisdom  concerning  good  and  truth  from  the  Divine  Omni- 
science, and  so  far  in  God  from  the  Divine  Omnipresence,  as  he  lives  according 
to  Divine  Order,    n.  68-70. 

Concerning  the  Creation  of  the  Universe,    n.  75-80. 

No  one  can  obtain  for  himself  a  just  idea  concerning  the  creation  of  the 
universe,  unless  some  universal  cognitions,  previously  acquired,  put  the  under- 
standing in  a  state  of  perception,    n.  75. 

The  creation  of  the  universe  described  by  five  Relations,    n.  76-80. 


CHAPTER  II. 
CONCERNING  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 

I.  Jehovah  God  [the  Creator  of  the  universe]  descended  and  assumed  the 
Human,  that  He  might  redeem  and  save  men.    n.  82-S4. 

I I.  Jehovah  descended  as  the  Divine  Truth,  which  is  the  Word,  and  yet  He 
did  not  separate  the  Divine  Good.    n.  S5-88. 

III.  God  assumed  the  Human  according  to  His  Divine  Order,    n.  89-91. 

IV.  The  Human,  by  which  God  sent  Himself  into  the  world,  is  the  Son  of 
God.    n.  92-94. 

V.  The  Lord,  by  the  acts  of  Redemption,  made  Himself  Righteousness. 

n.  95,  96. 

VI.  The  Lord,  by  the  same  acts,  united  Himself  to  the  Father,  and  the 
Father  Himself  to  Him,  [also  according  to  Divine  Order],    n.  97-100. 

VII.  Thus  God  became  Man,  and  Man  God,  in  one  Person,    n.  101-103. 

VIII.  The  progress  to  union  was  the  state  of  His  Exinanition  and  the 
union  itself  is  the  state  of  His  Glorification,    n.  104-106. 

IX.  Hereafter  no  one  from  among  Christians  comes  into  heaven,  unless  he 
believes  in  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour,  and  goes  to  Him  alone,    n.  107,  108. 

X.  A  Corollary :  Concerning  the  state  of  the  church  before  the  Coming  o* 
the  Lord,  and  concerning  its  state  after  it.    n.  109. 


Vi  GENERAL  INDEX  OF  THE  CONTENTS. 


Concerning  Redemption,    n.  1 14-133. 

I.  Redemption  itself  was  a  subjugation  of  the  hells,  and  an  establishment 
of  order  in  the  heavens,  and  thereby  a  preparation  for  a  new  spiritual  church, 
n.  115. 

II.  Without  that  Redemption,  no  man  could  have  been  saved,  nor  could  the 
tngels  have  continued  to  exist  in  a  state  of  integrity,    n.  1 18-120. 

III.  The  Lord  thus  redeemed  not  only  men,  but  also  angels,    n.  121, 122. 

IV.  Redemption  was  a  work  purely  Divine,    n.  123. 

V.  This  Redemption  itself  could  not  have  been  effected,  but  by  God  Incar- 
nate,   n.  124,  125. 

VI.  The  Passion  of  the  Cross  was  the  last  temptation  which  the  Lord  as 
the  greatest  Prophet  sustained,  and  was  the  means  of  the  Glorification  of  His 
Human  ;  but  it  was  not  Redemption,    n.  126-13 1. 

VII.  The  belief  that  the  Passion  of  the  Cross  was  Redemption  itself  is  a 
fundamental  error  of  the  church ;  and  that  error,  together  with  the  error  con- 
cerning three  Divine  Persons  from  eternity,  has  perverted  the  whole  church,  so 
that  not  any  thing  spiritual  is  left  in  it.    n.  132,  133. 

THAPTER  III. 

CONCERNING  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  AND  CONCERNING  THE 
DIVINE  OPERATION. 

I.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  the  Divine  Truth,  and  also  the  Divine  virtue  and 
operation,  proceeding  from  the  One  God  in  Whom  is  the  Divine  Trinity,  thus 
from  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour,    n.  139-141. 

II.  The  Divine  virtue  and  operation  which  are  meant  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
are,  in  general,  reformation  and  regeneration ;  and,  according  to  these,  renova- 
tion, vivification,  sanctification,  and  justification  ;  and,  according  to  these,  puri- 
fication from  evils  and  remission  of  sins  and  finally  salvation,    n.  142-145. 

III.  That  Divine  virtue  and  operation  which  is  meant  by  the  sending  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  with  the  clergy  specially,  is  enlightenment  and  instruction, 
n.  146-148. 

IV.  The  Lord  operates  those  virtues  in  those  who  believe  in  Him.  n.  140- 
151. 

V.  The  Lord  operates  out  of  Himself  from  the  Father,  and  not  the  reverse, 
n.  153-155. 

VI.  Man's  spirit  is  his  mind,  and  whatever  proceeds  from  him.  n.  156,  157. 
A  Corollary  :  In  the  Word  of  the  Old  Testament,  it  is  nowhere  said  that  the 

prophets  spoke  from  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  from  Jehovah ;  but  otherwise  in  the 
New.    n.  158. 

Concerning  zhe  Divine  Trinity,    n.  163-184. 

L  There  is  a  Divine  Trinity,  which  is  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit 
n.  164,  165. 


GENERAL  INDEX  OF  THE  CONTENTS. 


vii 


II.  These  Three,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  are  the  three  Essentials 
of  one  God,  which  make  one,  as  the  soul,  body,  and  operation  in  Man.  n.  166- 
169. 

III.  Before  the  world  was  created,  there  tfas  not  this  Trinity  ;  but  after  the 
world  was  created,  when  God  became  incarnate,  it  was  provided  and  made ;  and 
then  in  the  Lord  God,  the  Redeemer  and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ,    n.  170,  171. 

IV.  A  Trinity  of  Divine  Persons  from  eternity,  or  before  the  world  was 
created,  is,  in  the  ideas  of  thought,  a  trinity  of  Gods ;  and  this  cannot  be  abol- 
ished by  the  oral  confession  of  one  God.    n.  172,  173. 

V.  A  trinity  of  Persons  was  unknown  in  the  Apostolic  Church  ;  but  was  first 
broached  by  the  Nicene  Council,  and  from  that  was  introduced  into  the  Roman 
Catholic  church,  and  from  this  into  the  churches  that  were  separated  from  it. 
n.  I 74-1 76, 

VI.  From  the  Nicene  trinity  and  the  Athanasian  together,  a  faith  arose 
which  had  perverted  the  whole  Christian  Church,    n.  177,  178. 

VII.  Thence  is  that  Abomination  of  desolation  and  the  affliction  such  as 
has  not  been  nor  ever  shall  be,  which  the  Lord  had  foretold  in  Daniel,  and  the 
Evangelists,  and  in  the  Apocalypse,    n.  179-181. 

VIII.  Thence  also  it  is  that  unless  a  New  Heaven  and  a  New  Church  are 
founded  by  the  Lord,  no  flesh  would  be  saved,    n.  182. 

IX.  From  a  Trinity  of  Persons,  each  one  of  whom  singly  is  God,  according 
to  the  Athanasian  Creed,  have  existed  many  discordant  and  heterogeneous  ideas 
about  God,  which  are  hallucinations  and  abortions,    n.  183,  184. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

CONCERNING  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE  OR  THE  WORp  OF 
THE  LORD. 

I.  The  Sacred  Scripture,  or  the  Word,  is  the  Divine  Truth  itself,  n.  189- 
192. 

II.  In  the  Word  there  is  a  spiritual  sense,  hitherto  unknown,    n.  193. 
(1.)  What  the  spiritual  sense  is.    n.  194. 

(2.)  From  the  Lord  proceeds  the  Heavenly  {Celestial}  Divine,  the  Spiritual 
Divine,  and  the  Natural  Divine,  one  after  another,    n.  195. 

(3. )  The  spiritual  sense  is  in  each  and  every  thing  in  the  Word.   n.  196-19S. 

(j.)  The  Lord  when  in  the  world  spake  by  correspondences,  thus  when  He 
spake  naturally  He  also  spake  spiritually,    n.  199. 

(5.)  It  is  from  the  spiritual  sense  that  the  Word  is  Divinely  inspired,  and 
holy  in  every  word.    n.  200. 

(6.)  The  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  has  been  hitherto  unknown,  but  it  was 
known  to  the  ancients  ;  also  concerning  Correspondences  among  them.  n.  201- 
207. 

(7.)  The  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  will  not  be  given  to  any  one  hereafter 
who  is  not  in  genuine  truths  from  the  Lord.    n.  208. 

(8.)  Wonderful  tilings  concerning  the  Word,  from  its  spiritual  sense,  n.  209. 


viii 


GENERAL  INDEX  OF  THE  CONTENTS. 


III.  The  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  is  the  basis,  the  contains,  and  the 
support  of  its  spiritual  and  heavenly  [celestial']  sense,    n.  210-213. 

IV.  Divine  Truth,  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  is  in  its  fulness, 
in  its  holiness,  and  in  its  power,    ri.  214-216. 

(1.)  The  truths  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  are  meant  by  the  precious  stones 
of  which  the  foundations  of  the  New  Jerusalem  consisted,  of  which  in  the 
Apocalypse;  and  this  from  correspondence,    n.  217. 

(2.)  The  goods  and  truths  of  the  Word  in  the  sense  of  its  letter  are  meant 
by  the  Urim  and  Thummim  on  the  Ephod  of  Aaron,    n.  218. 

(3. )  Truths  and  goods  in  the  ultimates,  such  as  are  in  the  sense  of  the  letter 
of  the  Word,  are  meant  by  the  precious  stones  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  where  the 
King  of  Tyre  is  said  to  have  been,  in  Ezekiel.    n.  219. 

(4.)  The  same  were  represented  by  the  curtains,  veils,  and  pillars  of  the 
Tabernacle,    n.  220. 

(5.)  Likewise  by  the  externals  of  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem,    n.  221. 

(6. )  The  Word  in  its  glory  was  represented  in  the  Lord  when  He  was  trans- 
figured,   n.  222. 

(7.)  The  power  of  the  Word  in  ultimates  was  represented  by  the  Nazarites. 
n.  223. 

(8.)  Concerning  the  inexpressible  power  of  the  Word.    n.  224. 

V.  The  Doctrine  of  the  Church  is  to  be  drawn  from  the  sense  of  the  letter 
of  the  Word,  and  confirmed  by  it.    n  225,  229,  230. 

(1.)  Without  doctrine  the  Word  is  not  understood,    n.  226-228. 

(2.)  Genuine  truth,  which  will  be  of  doctrine,  does  not  appear  in  the  sense 
of  the  letter  of  the  Word  to  any  but  those  who  are  in  enlightenment  from  the 
Lord.    n.  231-233. 

VI.  By  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  there  is  conjunction  with  the 
Lord,  and  consociation  with  the  angels,    n.  234-239. 

V 1 1*.  The  Word  is  in  all  the  heavens,  and  angelic  wisdom  is  from  it.  n.  240- 
242. 

VIII.  The  Church  is  from  the  Word,  and  it  is  such  with  man  as  his  under- 
standing of  the  Word  is.    n.  243-247. 

IX.  In  every  thing  in  the  Word  there  is  the  marriage  of  the  Lord  and  the 
Church,  and  thence  the  marriage  of  good  and  truth,    n.  248-253. 

X.  Heresies  may  be  taken  from  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  but  it  is 
hurtful  to  confirm  them.    n.  254-260. 

(1.)  Many  things  in  the  Word  are  appearances  of  truth  in  which  genuine 
truths  lie  concealed,    n.  257. 

(2.)  By  confirming  the  appearances  of  truth,  fallacies  exist,    n.  258. 

(3.)  The  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  is  a  guard  for  the  genuine  truths 
which  are  concealed  within,    n.  260. 

(4.)  The  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  was  represented  by  cherubs,  and  is 
signified  by  them  in  the  Word.    n.  260. 

XI.  The  Lord,  in  the  world,  fulfilled  all  things  of  the  Word,  and  thereby 
became  the  Word,  that  is,  the  Divine  Truth,  also  in  ultimates.    n.  261-263. 

XII.  Before  the  Word  which  is  in  the  world  at  this  day,  there  was  a  Word 
which  is  lost.    n.  264-266. 


GENERAL  INDEX  OF  THE  CONTENTS. 


IX 


XIII.  By  means  of  the  Word  those  also  have  light  who  are  out  of  the  church, 
and  have  not  the  Word.    n.  267-272. 

XIV.  If  there  were  not  a  Word,  no  one  would  have  a  knowledge  of  God, 
of  heaven,  and  hell,  of  the  life  after  death,  and  still  less  of  the  Lord.  n.  273- 
276. 

CHAPTER  V. 

THE  CATECHISM  OR  DECALOGUE  EXPLAINED  AS  TO  ITS 
EXTERNAL  AND  ITS  INTERNAL  SENSE. 

I.  In  the  Israelitish  Church  the  Decalogue  was  Holiness  Itself :  here  con- 
cerning the  holiness  of  the  Ark,  in  which  was  the  Law.    n.  283-286. 

II.  In  the  sense  of  the  letter  the  Decalogue  contains  the  general  precepts  of 
doctrine  and  life ;  but  in  the  spiritual  and  heavenly  [celestial]  senses,  all  univer- 
sally. 287-290. 

III.  The  First  Commandment:  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  God  before  My 
faces,    n.  291-296. 

IV.  The  Second  Commandment :  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  Name  of  Jehovah 
thy  God  in  vain ;  for  Jehovah  will  not  hold  him  guiltless,  that  taketh  His  name 
in  vain.    n.  297-300. 

V.  The  Third  Commandment :  Remember  the  Sabbath  Day,  to  keep  i( 
holy ;  six  days  thou  shalt  labor  and  do  all  thy  work  ;  but  the  seventh  day  is  a 
Sabbath  to  Jehovah  thy  God.    n.  301-304. 

VI.  The  Fourth  Commandment:  Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother,  that 
thy  days  may  be  prolonged,  and  that  it  may  be  well  with  thee  upon  the  earth. 
n-  3°5-3°8- 

VII.  The  Fifth  Commandment :  Thou  shalt  not  kill.    n.  309-312. 

VIII.  The  Sixth  Commandment :  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery,  n.  313- 
316. 

IX.  The  Seventh  Commandment :  Thou  shalt  not  steal,    n.  317-320. 

X.  The  Eighth  Commandment :  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness  against 
thy  neighbor,    n.  321-324. 

XI.  The  Ninth  and  Tenth  Commandments  :  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neigh- 
bor's house ;  thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor's  wife,  nor  his  man-servant,  nor 
his  maid-servant,  nor  his  ox,  nor  his  ass,  nor  any  thing  that  is  thy  neighbor' b. 
n.  325-328. 

XII.  The  Ten  Commandments  of  the  Decalogue  contain  all  things  which 
are  of  love  to  God,  and  all  things  which  are  of  love  toward  the  neighbor,  n.  329 
33' • 

CHAPTER  VI. 
CONCERNING  FAITH. 

Preface  :  Faith  is  first  in  time,  but  charity  is  first  in  end.    n.  336. 
I.  Saving  faith  is  in  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ    n.  337-339 
since  it  is  in  the  visible  God,  in  Whom  is  the  invisible,    n.  339. 


X 


GENERAL  INDEX  OF  THE  CONTENTS. 


II.  The  sum  of  Faith  is,  that  he  who  lives  well  and  believes  aright  is  saved 
by  the  Lord.    n.  340-342. 

The  first  [element]  of  faith  in  Him  is  the  acknowledgment  that  He  is  the 
Son  of  God.    n.  342. 

III.  Man  acquires  faith  by  going  to  the  Lord,  learning  truths  from  the  Word, 
and  living  according  to  them.    n.  343-348. 

Concerning  the  Esse  of  Faith  ;  concerning  the  Essence  of  Faith ;  concern- 
ing the  State  of  Faith ;  concerning  the  Form  of  Faith,  n.  344  and  the  fol- 
lowing. 

Concerning  merely  natural  faith ;  that  it  is  persuasion,  counterfeiting  faith. 
»•  345-348. 

IV.  An  abundance  of  truths,  coherent  as  if  bundled  together,  exalts  and 
perfects  faith,    n.  349-354. 

(1.)  The  truths  of  faith  may  be  multiplied  to  infinity,    n.  350. 
(2.)  The  disposition  of  the  truths  of  faith  is  into  series,  thus  as  it  were  into 
fascicles,    n.  351. 

(3.)  Faith  is  perfected  according  to  the  abundance  and  coherence  of  truths, 
n-  352>  353- 

(4.)  The  truths  of  faith,  however  numerous  they  are,  and  however  diverse 
they  appear,  make  one  from  the  Lord.    n.  354. 

(5.)  The  Lord  is  the  Word,  the  God  of  Heaven  and  Earth,  the  God  of  all 
Flesh,  the  God  of  the  Vineyard  or  Church,  the  God  of  Faith,  Light  itself,  the 
Truth,  and  Life  eternal;  shown  from  the  Word.    n.  354. 

V.  Faith  without  charity  is  not  faith,  and  charity  without  faith  is  not  charity  • 
and  neither  lives  except  from  the  Lord.    n.  355-361. 

(1.)  Man  can  acquire  faith  for  himself,    n.  356. 
(2.)  Man  can  acquire  charity  for  himself,    n.  357. 

(3.)  Man  can  also  acquire  for  himself  the  life  of  faith  and  charity,    n.  358. 

(4. )  Yet  nothing  of  faith,  and  nothing  of  charity,  and  nothing  of  the  life  of 
either,  is  from  man,  but  from  the  Lord  alone,    n.  359. 

(5.)  The  distinction  between  natural  faith  and  spiritual  faith;  the  latter  is 
inwardly  in  the  former  from  the  Lord.    n.  360,  361. 

VI.  The  Lord,  charity,  and  faith,  make  one,  like  life,  will,  and  understand- 
ing in  man ;  and  if  they  are  divided,  each  perishes,  like  a  pearl  reduced  to 
powder,    n.  362-367. 

(1.)  The  Lord,  with  all  His  Divine  Love,  with  all  His  Divine  Wisdom,  thus 
with  all  His  Divine  Life,  flows  in  with  every  man.    n.  364. 

(2.)  Therefore  the  Lord  with  all  the  essence  of  faith  and  charity  flows  in 
with  every  man.    n.  365. 

(3.)  Those  things  which  flow  in  from  the  Lord,  are  received  by  man  accord- 
ing to  his  form.    n.  366. 

(4.)  But  the  man  who  divides  the  Lord,  charity,  and  faith,  is  not  a  form 
receiving  but  a  form  destroying  them.    n.  367. 

VII.  The  Lord  is  Charity  and  Faith  in  man,  and  man  is  charity  and  faith 
.n  the  Lord.    n.  368-372. 

(1.)  It  is  by  conjunction  with  God  that  man  has  salvation  and  eternal  life, 
n  369- 


GENERAL  INDEX  OF  THE  CONTENTS. 


xi 


(2.)  Conjunction  with  God  the  Father  is  not  possible,  but  with  the  Lord, 
and  through  Him  with  God  the  Father,    n.  370. 

(3.)  Conjunction  with  the  Lord  is  reciprocal,  that  is,  the  Lord  is  in  man, 
and  man  in  the  Lord.    n.  371. 

(4. )  This  reciprocal  conjunction  of  the  Lord  and  man  is  effected  by  charity 
and  faith,    n.  372. 

VIII.  Charity  and  Faith  are  together  in  good  works,    n.  373-377. 

[u)  Charity  is  to  will  well,  and  good  works  are  to  do  well  from  willing  well, 
n-  374- 

(2.)  Charity  and  faith  are  only  mental  and  perishable  things,  unless  they  are 
determined  to  works  and  coexist  in  them,  when  possible,    n.  375,  376. 

(3.)  Charity  alone  does  not  produce  good  works,  still  less  faith  alone,  but 
charity  and  faith  together.  377. 

IX.  There  is  a  true  faith,  a  spurious  faith,  and  a  hypocritical  faith,   n.  378- 

The  Christian  church  began  from  the  cradle  to  be  infested  and  divided  by 
schisms  and  heresies,    n.  378. 

( 1 . )  The  true  faith  is  the  one  only  faith ;  it  is  faith  in  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  and  is  with  those  who  believe  Him  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  the  God 
of  Heaven  and  Earth,  and  one  with  the  Father,    n.  379. 

(2.)  Spurious  faith  is  all  faith  that  departs  from  the  true,  which  is  the  one 
only  faith  ;  and  it  is  with  those  who  climb  up  some  other  way,  and  regard  the 
Lord  not  as  God  but  only  as  a  man.    n.  380. 

(3.)  Hypocritical  faith  is  no  faith,    n.  381. 

X.  There  is  no  faith  with  the  evil.    n.  382-384. 

(1.)  The  evil  have  no  faith,  because  evil  belongs  to  hell,  and  faith  belongs  to 
heaven,    n.  383. 

(2.)  All  those  in  Christendom  have  no  faith  who  reject  the  Lord  and  the 
Word,  although  they  live  morally,  and  speak,  teach,  and  write  rationally,  even 
about  faith,    n.  384. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

CONCERNING  CHARITY,  OR  LOVE  TOWARDS  THE  NEIGH- 
BOR, AND  CONCERNING  GOOD  WORKS. 

I.  There  are  three  universal  loves,  the  love  of  heaven,  the  love  of  the  world, 
and  the  ]ove  of  self.    n.  394-396. 

(1.)  Uf  the  Will  and  the  Understanding,    n.  397. 
(2.)  Of  Good  and  Truth,    n.  398. 
(3.)  Of  Love  in  general,    n.  399. 

(4.)  Of  the  Love  of  Self  and  the  Love  of  the  World  in  particular,    n.  400, 
(5.)  Of  the  Internal  and  the  External  Man.    n.  401. 
(6.)  Of  the  merely  Natural  and  Sensual  Man.    n.  402. 

II.  These  three  loves,  when  rightly  subordinated,  perfect  man;  but  when 
they  are  not  rightly  subordinated,  they  pervert  and  invert  him.    n.  403-405. 


xii 


GENERAL  INDEX  OF  THE  CONTENTS. 


III.  Every  man  individually  is  to  be  loved,  but  according  to  the  quality  ol 
his  good.    n.  406-411. 

IV.  Man  collectively,  or  a  smaller  and  a  greater  society,  and  the  man  into 
whose  composition  societies  enter,  or  one's  country,  is  the  neighbor  that  is  to  be 
loved,    n.  412-414. 

V.  The  church  is  the  neighbor  that  is  to  be  loved  in  a  higher  degree,  and  the 
Lord's  kingdom  in  the  highest,    n.  415,  416. 

VI.  To  love  the  neighbor,  viewed  in  itself,  is  not  to  love  the  person,  but  the 
good  that  is  in  the  person,    n.  417-419. 

VII.  Charity  and  good  works  are  two  distinct  things,  like  willing  well  and 
doing  well.    n.  420,  421. 

VIII.  Charity  itself  is  to  act  justly  and  faithfully  in  the  office,  business,  and 
work  in  which  any  one  is,  and  with  whomsoever  he  has  any  intercourse,  n.  422- 
424. 

IX.  The  Benefactions  of  Charity  are,  giving  to  the  poor,  and  relieving  the 
needy  ;  but  with  prudence,    n.  425-428. 

X.  There  are  Debts  of  Charity;  some  public,  some  domestic,  and  some 
private,    n.  429-432. 

X  I.  The  Diversions  of  Charity  are  dinners,  suppers,  and  social  gatherings, 
n-  433>  434- 

XII.  The  first  thing  of  charity  is  to  put  away  evils,  and  the  second  is  to  do 
goods  which  are  of  use  to  the  neighbor,    n.  435-438. 

XIII.  In  the  exercises  of  charity  man  does  not  place  merit  in  works  while  he 
believes  that  all  good  is  from  the  Lord.    n.  439-442. 

XIV.  Moral  life  when  it  is  at  the  same  time  spiritual,  is  charity,    n.  443-445. 

XV.  The  friendship  of  love  contracted  with  a  man  without  regard  to  his 
quality  as  to  the  spirit,  is  detrimental  after  death,    n.  446-449. 

XVI.  There  is  a  spurious  charity,  a  hypocritical  charity,  and  a  dead  charity, 
n.  45°~453- 

XVII.  The  friendship  of  love  among  the  evil  is  intestine  hatred  of  each 
other,    n.  454,  455. 

XVIII.  The  conjunction  of  love  to  God  and  love  toward  the  neighbor, 
n.  456-458. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
CONCERNING  FREE-WILL. 

I.  The  precepts  and  dogmas  of  the  present  church  respecting  free-will 
n.  463-465. 

II.  That  two  trees  were  placed  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  one  of  life,  and  the 
other  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  signifies  that  free-will  in  spiritual  things 
was  given  to  man.    n.  466-469. 

III.  Man  is  not  life,  but  is  a  receptacle  of  life  from  God.    n.  470-474. 

IV.  As  long  as  a  man  lives  in  the  world,  he  is  kept  in  the  middle  between 
heaven  and  hell,  and  there  in  spiritual  equilibrium,  which  is  free-will.  n.  475- 
478. 


GENERAL  INDEX  OF  THE  CONTENTS. 


xiii 


V.  From  the  permission  of  evil,  in  which  permission  every  one's  interna* 
man  is,  it  is  clearly  manifest  that  man  has  free-will  in  spiritual  things,  n.  479- 
482. 

VI.  Without  free-will  in  spiritual  things,  the  Word  would  be  of  no  use,  and 
consequently  the  church  would  be  nothing,    n.  483-485. 

VII.  Without  free-will  in  spiritual  things  there  would  be  nothing  pertaining 
to  man  by  which  in  his  turn  he  could  conjoin  himself  with  the  Lord  ;  and  conse- 
quently there  would  be  no  imputation,  but  mere  predestination,  which  is  detest- 
able,   n.  485. 

Detestable  things  made  known  concerning  predestination,    n.  486-488. 

VIII.  If  there  were  no  free-will  in  spiritual  things,  God  would  be  the  cause 
of  evil,  and  so  there  would  be  no  imputation,    n.  489-492. 

IX.  Every  spiritual  thing  of  the  church  that  enters  in  freedom,  and  is  re- 
ceived from  freedom,  remains  ;  but  not  the  reverse,    n.  493-496. 

X.  Man's  will  and  understanding  are  in  this  freedom  {libcro  arbitrio) ;  but 
in  both  worlds,  the  spiritual  and  the  natural,  the  doing  of  evil  is  restrained  by 
laws,  inasmuch  as  otherwise  society  would  perish  on  both  sides,    n.  497-499. 

XI.  If  men  had  not  free-will  in  spiritual  things,  all  in  the  whole  world  might 
have  been  led  in  a  single  day  to  believe  in  the  Lord ;  but  this  cannot  be  done 
for  the  reason  that  what  is  not  received  by  man  from  free-will  does  not  remain, 
n.  500-502. 

Miracles  are  not  now  wrought,  for  the  reason  that  they  take  away  free-will  in 
spiritual  things,  and  they  compel,    n.  501. 

CHAPTER  IX. 
CONCERNING  REPENTANCE. 

I.  Repentance  is  the  first  of  the  church  with  man.    n.  510,  511. 

II.  The  contrition  which  at  this  day  is  said  to  precede  faith,  and  to  be  fol- 
lowed by  the  consolation  of  the  Gospel,  is  not  repentance,    n.  512-515. 

III.  The  mere  oral  confession  that  one  is  a  sinner,  is  not  repentance, 
n.  516-519. 

IV.  Man  is  born  to  evils  of  every  kind;  and  unless  by  repentance  he  re- 
moves them  in  part,  he  remains  in  them  ;  and  he  who  remains  in  them  cannot 
be  saved,    n.  520-524. 

What  the  Fulfilment  of  the  Law  is.    n.  523,  524. 

V.  Cognition  of  sin,  and  the  examination  of  some  sin  in  oneself,  begin 
repentance,    n.  525-527. 

VI.  Actual  repentance  is  to  examine  oneself,  to  recognize  and  acknowledge 
one's  sins,  to  make  supplication  to  the  Lord,  and  begin  a  new  life.    n.  528-531. 

VII.  True  repentance  is,  to  examine  not  only  the  acts  of  one's  life,  but  also 
the  intentions  of  his  will.    n.  532-534. 

VIII.  They  repent  also,  who  do  not  examine  themselves  but  yet  desist  from 
'ivils  because  they  are  sins  ;  and  they  repent  in  this  way  who  from  religion  do 
the  works  of  charity,    n.  535-537. 


xiv 


GENERAL  INDEX  OF  THE  CONTENTS. 


IX.  Confession  ought  to  be  made  before  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour,  acd 
then  supplication  for  aid  and  power  to  resist  evils,    n.  538-560. 

X.  Actual  repentance  is  an  easy  work  for  those  who  have  sometimes  prac- 
tised it ;  but  it  finds  very  great  resistance  in  those  who  have  not.    n.  561-563. 

X I .  One  who  has  never  practised  repentance,  or  has  not  looked  into  and 
searched  himself,  at  length  does  not  know  what  damnable  evil  is,  and  what 
saving  good  is.    n.  564-566. 

CHAPTER  X. 
CONCERNING  REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION. 

I.  Unless  a  man  is  born  again,  and,  as  it  were,  created  anew,  he  cannot  enter 
into  the  Kingdom  of  God.    n.  572-575. 

II.  The  new  birth  or  creation  is  effected  by  the  Lord  alone  through  charity 
and  faith  as  the  two  means,  man  co-operating,    n.  576-578. 

III.  Because  all  have  been  redeemed,  all  can  be  regenerated,  each  according 
to  his  state,    n.  579-582. 

IV.  Regeneration  is  effected  in  a  manner  analogous  to  that  in  which  man  is 
conceived,  carried  in  the  womb,  born,  and  educated,    n.  583-586. 

V.  The  first  act  in  the  new  birth  is  called  reformation,  which  is  of  the  under- 
standing ;  and  the  second  is  called  regeneration,  which  is  of  the  will  and  thence 
of  the  understanding,    n.  587-590. 

VI.  The  internal  man  is  to  be  reformed,  and  through  this  the  external,  and 
man  is  so  regenerated,    n.  591-595- 

VII.  While  this  is  taking  place,  a  combat  arises  between  the  internal  and  the 
external  man,  and  the  one  that  conquers  rules  over  the  other,    n.  596-600. 

VIII.  The  regenerate  man  has  a  new  will  and  a  new  understanding,  n.  601- 
606. 

IX.  A  regenerate  man  is  in  communion  with  angels  of  heaven,  and  an  unre- 
generate  man  in  communion  with  spirits  of  hell.    n.  607-610. 

X.  So  far  as  man  is  regenerated  sins  are  removed,  and  this  removal  is  the 
remission  of  sins.    n.  611-614. 

X  J .  Regeneration  cannot  take  place  without  free-will  in  spiritual  things, 
n.  615-617. 

X  i ! .  Regeneration  cannot  take  place  without  truths,  by  which  faith  is  formed, 
and  with  which  charity  conjoins  itself,    n.  618-620. 

Some  things  concerning  a  masculine  sex  and  a  feminine  in  the  vegetable 
kingdom,    n.  585. 

CHAPTER  XI. 
CONCERNING  IMPUTATION. 

I.  The  faith  of  the  present  church  (which  is  said  alone  to  justify)  and  impu- 
tation make  one.    n.  626,  627. 

II.  The  imputation  which  belongs  to  the  faith  of  the  present  clay  is  twofold, 


GENERAL  INDEX  OF  THE  CONTENTS.  XV 


the  imputation  of  Christ's  Merit,  and  the  imputation  of  salvation  {sahis)  there- 
from,   n.  628-631. 

III.  The  faith  which  is  imputative  of  the  Merit  and  Righteousness  of  Christ 
the  Redeemer,  first  arose  from  the  decrees  of  the  Council  of  Nice,  concerning 
three  Divine  Persons  from  eternity,  which  faith  has  been  received  by  the  whole 
Christian  world  from  that  time  to  the  present,    n.  632-635. 

IV.  The  faith  imputative  of  Christ's  Merit  was  unknown  in  the  Apostolic 
Church,  which  existed  earlier,  and  it  is  nowhere  meant  in  the  Word.   n.  636-639. 

V.  The  Imputation  of  Christ's  Merit  and  Righteousness  is  impossible, 
n.  640-642. 

VI.  There  is  an  imputation,  but  it  is  that  of  good  and  evil,  and  at  the  same 
time  of  faith,    n.  643-646. 

VII.  The  faith  and  imputation  of  the  New  Church  can  by  no  means  be 
together  with  the  faith  and  imputation  of  the  former  church ;  and  if  they  are 
together,  such  collision  and  conflict  result,  that  every  thing  of  the  church  with 
man  perishes,    n.  647-649. 

VIII.  The  Lord  imputes  good  to  every  man,  and  hell  imputes  evil.  n.  650- 
$53- 

IX.  The  faith  with  that  to  which  it  conjoins  itself,  makes  the  sentence.  If 
Vue  faith  conjoins  itself  with  good,  sentence  is  made  for  eternal  life ;  but  if  the 
<aith  conjoins  itself  with  evil,  sentence  is  made  for  eternal  death,    n.  654-657. 

X.  Thought  is  not  imputed  to  any  one,  but  will.    n.  658-660. 

CHAPTER  XII. 
CONCERNING  BAPTISM. 

I.  Without  an  apprehension  {cognitio)  of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  no 
one  can  know  what  the  two  sacraments,  Baptism  and  the  Holy  Supper,  involve 
and  effect,    n.  667-669. 

II.  By  the  washing  that  is  called  Baptism  is  meant  spiritual  washing,  which 
is  purification  from  evils  and  falsities,  and  thus  regeneration,    n.  670-673. 

III.  Baptism  was  instituted  in  the  place  of  circumcision,  because  the  circum- 
cision of  the  heart  was  represented  by  the  circumcision  of  the  foreskin,  in  order 
that  an  internal  church  might  succeed  the  external  church  which  in  all  things  and 
in  every  single  thing  figured  the  internal  church,    n.  674-676. 

IV.  The  first  use  of  Baptism  is  introduction  into  the  Christian  Church,  and 
at  the  same  time  insertion  among  Christians  in  the  spiritual  world,  n.  677- 
680. 

V.  The  second  use  of  Baptism  is,  that  the  Christian  may  know  and  acknowl- 
edge the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Redeemer  and  Saviour,  and  follow  Him.  n.  6S1- 
683. 

VI.  The  third  use  of  Baptism,  which  is  the  final  use,  is  that  man  maybe 
regenerated,    n.  684-687. 

VII.  By  the  Baptism  of  John  a  way  was  prepared,  so  that  Jehovah  the  I,ord 
cnuld  descend  into  the  world  and  work  out  redemption,    n.  6SS-690. 


Xvi        GENERAL  INDEX  OF  THE  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
CONCERNING  THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 

I.  Without  acquaintance  with  the  correspondences  of  natural  with  spiritual 
things,  no  one  can  know  the  uses  and  benefits  of  the  Holy  Supper,    n.  698-701. 

II.  From  an  acquaintance  with  correspondences  it  is  known  what  is  meant  by 
the  Lord's  Flesh  and  Blood,  and  that  the  bread  and  wine  have  a  similar  mean- 
ing ;  that  by  the  Lord's  Flesh  and  by  the  bread  is  meant  the  Divine  Good  of 
His  Love,  also  all  the  good  of  charity ;  and  by  the  Lord's  Blood  and  by  the 
wine  is  meant  the  Divine  Truth  of  His  Wisdom,  also  all  the  truth  of  faith  ;  and 
by  eating  is  meant  appropriation,    n.  702-710. 

What  is  meant  by  flesh,  shown  from  the  Word.    n.  704,  705. 
AVhat  by  blood,    n.  706. 
What  by  bread,    n.  707. 
What  by  wine.    n.  708. 

III.  From  understanding  what  has  been  already  shown,  it  may  be  compre- 
hended that  the  Holy  Supper  contains  all  things  of  the  church  and  all  things  of 
heaven,  universally  and  severally,    n.  711-715. 

IV.  The  Lord  is  in  the  Holy  Supper  in  His  fulness,  with  His  whole  redemp- 
tion,   n.  716-718. 

V.  The  Lord  is  present  and  opens  heaven  to  those  who  approach  the  Holy 
Supper  worthily ;  and  He  is  also  present  with  those  who  approach  unworthily, 
but  does  not  open  Heaven  to  them ;  consequently,  as  Baptism  is  an  introduc- 
tion into  the  church,  so  the  Holy  Supper  is  an  introduction  into  heaven,  n.  719- 
721. 

VI.  They  approach  the  Holy  Supper  worthily,  who  have  faith  in  the  Lord 
and  are  in  charity  toward  the  neighbor,  thus  who  are  regenerate,    n.  722-724. 

VII.  They  who  approach  the  Holy  Supper  worthily  are  in  the  Lord  and 
the  Lord  is  in  them ;  consequently  conjunction  with  the  Lord  is  effected  by  the 
Holy  Supper,    n.  725-727. 

VIII.  The  Holy  Supper,  to  those  who  approach  it  worthily,  is  like  a  signa- 
ture and  seal  that  they  are  sons  of  God.    n.  728-730. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

CONCERNING  THE  CONSUMMATION  OF  THE  AGE;  CON- 
CERNING THE  COMING  OF  THE  LORD;  AND  CONCERN- 
ING THE  NEW  HEAVEN  AND  THE  NEW  CHURCH. 

[.  The  consummation  of  the  age  is  the  last  time  or  the  end  of  the  church, 
n.  753-756. 

II.  The  present  day  is  the  last  time  of  the  Christian  church,  which  was 
foretold  and  described  by  the  Lord  in  the  Evangelists  and  in  the  Apocalypse, 
n.  757-759- 


GENERAL  INDEX  OF  THE  CONTENTS.  xvii 


III.  This  last  time  of  the  Christian  church  is  the  very  night  into  which 
former  churches  have  gone  down.    n.  760-763. 

IV.  After  this  night  follows  morning,  and  the  Coming  of  the  Lord  is  the 
morning,    n.  764-767. 

V.  The  Coming  of  the  Lord  is  not  His  Coming  to  destroy  the  visible  heaven 
and  the  habitable  earth,  and  to  create  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth,  as  many, 
from  not  understanding  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  have  hitherto  supposed, 
n.  768-771. 

VI.  This  Coming  of  the  Lord,  which  is  the  second,  takes  place  in  order  that 
the  evil  may  be  separated  from  the  good,  also  that  those  may  be  saved  who  have 
believed  and  do  believe  in  Him,  and  also  that  a  New  Angelic  Heaven  may  be. 
formed  from  them,  and  a  New  Church  on  earth ;  and  without  this  no  Flesh  could 
be  saved  (Matt.  xxiv.  22).    n.  772-775. 

VII.  This  Second  Coming  of  the  Lord  is  not  in  Person,  but  is  in  the  Word, 
which  is  from  Him  and  is  Himself,    n.  776-778. 

VIII.  This  Second  Coming  of  the  Lord  takes  place  by  means  of  a  man  before 
whom  He  has  manifested  Himself  in  Person,  and  whom  He  has  filled  with  His 
Spirit,  to  teach  the  Doctrines  of  the  New  Church  through  the  Word  from  Him. 
n.  779,  780. 

IX.  This  is  meant  by  the  New  Heaven  and  the  New  Jerusalem  ( Apoc.  xxi.) 
n.  781-785. 

X.  This  New  Church  is  the  Crown  of  all  the  Churches  that  have  hitherto 
existed  on  earth,   n.  786-791. 


SUPPLEMENT. 

1.  Concerning  the  spiritual  world ;  its  quality,    n.  792-795. 

2.  Concerning  Luther  in  the  spiritual  world,    n.  796. 

3.  Concerning  Melancthon  in  the  spiritual  world,    n.  797. 

4.  Concerning  Calvin  in  the  spiritual  world,    n.  798,  799. 

5.  Concerning  the  Dutch  in  the  spiritual  world,    n.  800-805. 

6.  Concerning  the  English  in  the  spiritual  world,    n.  806-812. 

7.  Concerning  the  Germans  in  the  spiritual  world,    n.  813-816. 
8  Concerning  the  Papists  in  the  spiritual  world,    n.  817-821. 

9.  Concerning  the  Popish  Saints  in  the  spiritual  world,    n.  822-827. 

10.  Concerning  the  Mohammedans  in  the  spiritual  world,    n.  828-834. 

11.  Concerning  the  Africans  in  the  spiritual  world;  and  also  something  coo- 
cerning  Gentiles,    n.  835-840. 

12.  Concerning  the  Jews  in  the  spiritual  world,    n.  841-845. 


THE 

f       *  H  E  Q  L  0  6*  0 
TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION: 

CONTAINING 
OF  THE 

NEW  HEAVEN  AND  THE  NEW  CHURCH 


THE  FAITH  OF  THE  NEW  HEAVEN  AND  THE 
NEW  CHURCH. 

1.  The  Faith,  in  a  universal  and  a  particular  form,  is 
prefixed,  that  it  may  be  as  a  face  before  the  work  which 
follows ;  and  as  a  gate,  through  which  entrance  is  made 
into  a  temple ;  and  a  summary,  in  which  the  particulars 
which  follow  are  in  their  measure  contained.  It  is  said, 
the  Faith  of  the  New  Heaven  and  the  New  Church,  because 
heaven  where  angels  are,  and  the  church  in  which  men 
are,  make  one,  as  the  internal  and  the  external  with  man. 
Thence  it  is,  that,  as  to  the  interiors  of  his  mind,  the  man 
of  the  church,  who  is  in  the  good  of  love  from  the  truths  of 
faith,  and  in  the  truths  of  faith  from  the  good  of  love,  is  an 
angel  of  heaven  ;  wherefore,  after  death,  he  also  comes  into 
heaven,  and  there  enjoys  happiness  according  to  the  state 
of  their  conjunction.  It  should  be  known  that  in  the  New 
Heaven  which  the  Lord  is  at  this  day  establishing,  this  faith 
is  its  face,  gate,  and  summary. 

2.  The  Faith  of  the  New  Heaven  and  the  New 
Church,  in  the  universal  Form,  is  this :  That  the  Lord 
from  eternity,  Who  is  Jehovah,  came  into  the  world,  that 
He  might  subjugate  the  hells  and  glorify  His  Human  ;  and 

VOL.  [.  I 


2 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


that,  without  this,  no  mortal  could  have  been  saved;  and 
that  those  are  saved  who  believe  in  Him. 

It  is  said,  in  the  universal  form,  because  this  is  the  uni- 
versal of  faith ;  and  a  universal  of  faith  is  that  which  will 
be  in  the  whole  and  every  part.  It  is  a  universal  of  faith, 
that  God  is  one  in  essence  and  in  person,  in  Whom  is  a 
Divine  Trinity,  and  that  He  is  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ.  It  is  a  universal  of  faith,  that  no  mortal 
could  have  been  saved  unless  the  Lord  had  come  into  the 
world.  It  is  a  universal  of  faith,  that  He  came  into  the 
world  that  He  might  remove  hell  from  man,  and  that  He 
did  remove  it,  by  means  of  combats  against  it  and  victories 
over  it ;  thus  He  subjugated  it  and  reduced  it  to  order  and 
under  obedience  to  Himself.  It  is  a  universal  of  faith,  that 
He  came  into  the  world,  that  He  might  glorify  His  Human, 
which  He  assumed  in  the  world,  that  is,  might  unite  it  with 
the  Divine,  from  which  it  proceeded ;  thus  He  holds  hell  in 
order  and  under  obedience  to  Himself  forever.  Since  this 
could  not  have  been  done  but  by  means  of  temptations 
admitted  into  His  Human,  even  to  the  last  of  them,  and 
the  last  was  the  passion  of  the  cross,  therefore  He  under- 
went that.  These  are  the  universals  of  faith  concerning 
the  Lord. 

The  universal  of  faith,  on  man's  part,  is,  that  he  should 
believe  in  the  Lord ;  for  by  believing  in  Him,  conjunction 
with  Him  is  effected,  by  which  is  salvation.  To  believe  in 
Him,  is  to  have  confidence  that  He  saves  :  and  because  no 
one  can  have  this  confidence  but  he  that  lives  well,  there- 
fore this  also  is  meant  by  believing  in  Him.  This  the  Lord 
also  says  in  John  :  This  is  the  Father's  will,  that  every  one 
that  believeth  in  the  Son,  may  have  eternal  life  (vi.  40) ;  and  in 
another  place,  He  that  believeth  in  the  Son,  hath  eternal  life; 
but  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son,  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath 
of  God  abideth  on  him  (iii.  36). 

3.  The  Faith  of  the  New  Heaven  and  the  New 
Church,  in  the  particular  Form,  is  this :  That  Jehovah 


THE  FAITH  OF  THE  NEW  HEAVEN,  ETC.  3 


God  is  Love  itself  and  Wisdom  itself,  or  that  He  is.  Good 
itself  and  Truth  itself:  and  that  He,  as  to  Divine  Truth, 
which  is  the  Word,  and  which  was  God  with  God,  descended 
and  assumed  the  Human,  to  the  end  that  He  might  reduce 
to  order  all  things  which  were  in  heaven,  and  all  things 
which  were  in  hell,  and  all  things  which  were  in  the  church ; 
since,  at  that  time,  the  power  of  hell  prevailed  over  the 
power  of  heaven,  and,  upon  earth,  the  power  of  evil  over 
the  power  of  good,  and  thence  a  total  damnation  stood 
before  the  door  and  threatened.  This  impending  damna- 
tion Jehovah  God  removed  by  means  of  His  Human,  which 
was  Divine  Truth,  and  thus  He  redeemed  angels  and  men ; 
and  afterwards  He  united,  in  His  Human,  Divine  Truth 
with  Divine  Good,  or  Divine  Wisdom  with  Divine  Love, 
and  thus,  together  with  and  in  the  glorified  Human,  re- 
turned into  His  Divine,  in  which  He  was  from  eternity. 
These  things  are  meant  by  this  passage  in  John,  Hie  Word 
was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God:  a  fid  the  Word  became 
flesh  (i.  1,  14) ;  and  in  the  same,  I  came  forth  from  the  Father, 
and  have  co??ie  into  the  world:  again  I  leave  the  world,  and 
go  to  the  Father  (xvi.  28)  :  and  also  by  this,  We  know  that 
the  Son  of  God  hath  co?ne,  and  given  us  an  understanding, 
that  we  may  hnow  Him  that  is  true;  and  we  are  i?i  Him  that 
is  t7'ue,  in  His  Son  yesus  Christ :  This  is  the  true  God  and 
eternal  Life  (1  John  v.  20).  From  these  passages  it  is 
manifest  that,  without  the  coming  of  the  Lord  into  the 
world,  no  one  could  have  been  saved.  It  is  similar  at 
this  day :  wherefore,  unless  the  Lord  comes  again  into  the 
world,  in  Divine  Truth,  which  is  the  Word,  no  one  can  be 
saved. 

The  particulars  of  faith,  on  man's  part,  are,  1.  That 
God  is  One,  in  Whom  is  a  Divine  Trinity,  and  that  He 
is  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ;  2.  That  sav- 
ing faith  is  to  believe  in  Him  ;  3.  That  evils  should  not 
be  done,  because  they  are  the  devil's  and  from  the  devil ; 
4.  That  goods  should  be  done,  because  they  are  God's  and 


4  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


from  God;  5.  And  that  these  should  be  done  by  man  as 
from  himself;  but  that  it  should  be  believed,  that  they 
are  from  the  Lord,  with  man  and  through  him.  The  first 
two  are  of  faith,  the  next  two  are  of  charity,  and  the  fifth 
is  of  the  conjunction  of  charity  and  faith,  thus  of  the  Lord 
and  man. 


CHAPTER  FIRST. 


CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 

4.  The  Christian  Church,  since  the  time  of  the  Lord,  had 
passed  through  the  several  stages  from  infancy  to  extreme 
old  age.  Its  infancy  was  in  the  time  when  the  apostles 
lived,  and  preached  throughout  the  world  repentance  and 
faith  in  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour.  That  they  preached 
these  two  things,  is  evident  from  these  words  in  the  Acts 
of  the  Apostles  :  Paul  testified,  both  to  the  Jews  and  to  the 
Greeks,  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  i?i  oicr  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  (xx.  21).  It  is  worthy  of  remembrance,  that  the 
Lord,  some  months  ago,  called  together  His  twelve  disci- 
ples, now  angels,  and  sent  them  forth  into  all  the  spiritual 
world,  with  the  command  that  they  should  there  preach  the 
gospel  anew,  since  the  church  which  was  established  by  the 
Lord  through  them,  has  at  this  day  become  so  fully  consum- 
mated, that  scarcely  any  remains  of  it  are  left ;  and  that 
this  has  come  to  pass,  because  they  divided  the  Divine 
Trinity  into  three  persons,  each  one  of  them  being  God 
and  Lord  j  and  that  thence  a  sort  of  frenzy  has  gone  forth 
into  the  whole  of  theology,  and  thus  into  the  church,  which, 
from  the  Lord's  Name,  is  called  Christian.  It  is  said  a 
frenzy,  because  the  minds  of  men  have  been  driven  by  it 
into  such  a  delirium,  that  they  do  not  know  whether  there 
is  one  God,  or  whether  there  are  three ;  there  is  one  in  the 
speech  of  the  lips,  but  three  in  the  thought  of  the  mind, 
wherefore  there  is  a  disagreement  between  their  mind  and 
lips,  or  between  their  thought  and  speech;  from  which  dis- 
agreement comes  the  conclusion  that  there  is  no  God.  The 
naturalism  which  reigns  at  this  day  is  from  no  other  source. 
Consider,  if  you  please,  while  the  lips  speak  of  one,  and  the 


6 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I. 


mind  thinks  of  three,  whether  the  one  does  not,  inwardly, 
as  they  meet,  in  turn  expel  the  other ;  thence  it  is  that  man 
scarcely  thinks  otherwise  concerning  God,  if  he  thinks  at 
all,  than  from  the  mere  word  God,  without  any  sense  of  its 
meaning  which  involves  cognition  of  Him.  Since  the  idea 
concerning  God,  with  all  conception  of  Him,  has  been  thus 
torn  to  pieces,  I  propose  to  treat,  in  their  order,  of  God  the 
Creator,  of  the  Lord  the  Redeemer,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
the  Operator,  and  lastly  of  the  Divine  Trinity;  to  the  end 
that  what  is  torn  to  pieces  may  again  be  made  whole  j  which 
is  effected  while  the  reason  of  man  is  convinced,  from  the 
Word  and  the  light  thence  proceeding,  that  there  is  a 
Divine  Trinity,  and  that  it  is  in  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  as  the  soul  and  the  body  and  the  proceeding 
[life]  in  man ;  and  thus  that  this  article  in  the  Athanasian 
Creed  is  true,  —  That  in  Christ,  God  and  Man,  or  the  Divine 
and  the  Human,  are  not  two,  but  in  one  person  •  and  that,  as 
the  rational  soul  and  flesh  is  one  man,  so  God  and  Man  is  one 
Christ, 

CONCERNING  THE  UNITY  OF  GOD. 

5.  Since  the  acknowledgment  of  God  from  cognition  of 
Him,  is  the  very  essence  and  soul  of  all  things  in  universal 
theology,  it  is  necessary  that  an  exordium  should  be  made 
concerning  the  Unity  of  God,  which  will  be  demonstrated 
in  order  by  these  articles :  I.  The  whole  Sacred  Scripture, 
and  thence  the  doctrines  of  the  churches  in  the  Christian  world, 
teach  that  God  is  one.  II.  There  is  a  universal  influx  [from 
God]  into  the  souls  of  men,  that  there  is  a  God,  a?id  that  He  is 
one.  III.  Thence  it  is  that,  in  all  the  world,  there  is  no  nation, 
having  religion  and  sound  reason,  which  does  not  achnowledge 
a  God,  and  that  God  is  one.  IV.  As  to  what  the  one  God  is, 
nations  and  people  have  differed  and  still  differ,  from  several 
causes.  V.  Human  reason,  from  many  things  in  the  world, 
may,  if  it  will,  perceive  or  conclude  that  there  is  a  God,  and 
■  that  He  is  one.    VI.  Unless  God  were  one,  the  universe  could 


No.  6.]        CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


7 


not  have  been  created  and  preserved.  VII.  The  man  who  does 
not  ack?wwledge  a  God,  is  excommunicated  fro?n  the  church  and 
condemned.  VIII.  With  the  man  who  does  not  acknowledge 
one  God,  but  more  than  one,  nothing  of  the  chicrch  coheres.  But 
these  articles  shall  be  unfolded  one  by  one. 

6.  I.  The  whole  Sacred  Scripture,  and  thence 
all  the  Doctrines  of  the  Churches  in  the  Chris- 
tian WORLD,   TEACH   THAT  THERE   IS  A   GOD,  AND  THAT 

He  is  one. 

The  whole  Sacred  Scripture  teaches  that  there  is  a  God, 
because,  in  its  inmosts,  it  is  no  other  than  God,  that  is, 
the  Divine  which  proceeds  from  God ;  for  it  was  dictated 
by  God ;  and  nothing  else  can  proceed  from  God,  than  that 
which  is  Himself,  and  is  called  Divine ;  this  the  Sacred 
Scripture  is  in  its  inmosts.  But  in  its  derivatives,  which  are 
below  and  from  the  inmost,  that  Holy  Scripture  is  accom- 
modated to  the  perception  of  angels  and  men ;  in  these  it 
is  likewise  Divine,  but  in  another  form,  in  which  it  is  called 
Heavenly  [Celestial],  Spiritual,  and  Natural-Divine,  which 
are  no  other  than  coverings  of  God ;  since  God  Himself, 
such  as  He  is  in  the  inmosts  of  the  Word,  cannot  be  seen 
by  any  creature.  For  He  said  to  Moses,  when  he  prayed 
that  he  might  see  the  glory  of  Jehovah,  that  no  one  can  see 
God  and  live.  It  is  similar  with  the  inmosts  of  the  Word, 
where  God  is  in  His  esse  and  in  His  essence.  But 
still  the  Divine,  which  is  the  inmost,  and  is  covered  with 
such  things  as. are  accommodated  to  the  perceptions  of 
angels  and  men,  shines  forth,  like  light  through  crystalline 
forms ;  but  variously,  according  to  the  state  of  mind  which 
man  has  formed  for  himself,  from  God  or  from  himself.  To 
every  one  who  has  formed  the  state  of  his  mind  from  God/ 
the  Sacred  Scripture  is  like  a  mirror  before  him,  in  which 
he  sees  God ;  but  each  one  in  his  own  way.  The  truths 
which  he  learns  from  the  Word,  and  with  which  he  becomes 
imbued  by  a  life  according  to  them,  compose  that  mirror. 


8 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I. 


From  these  things,  in  the  first  place,  it  is  evident,  that  the 
Sacred  Scripture  is  the  fulness  of  God.  That  it  not  only 
teaches  that  there  is  a  God,  but  also  that  God  is  one,  is 
evident  from  the  truths,  which,  as  was  said,  compose  that 
mirror,  in  that  they  cohere  in  one  series,  and  make  man 
incapable  of  thinking  of  God  but  as  one.  Thence  it  is, 
that  every  one  whose  reason  is  imbued  with  any  sanctity 
from  the  Word,  knows  as  from  himself  that  God  is  one, 
and  perceives  that  it  is  like  madness  to  say  that  there  are 
more.  The  angels  cannot  open  their  lips  to  pronounce 
the  word  Gods ;  for  the  heavenly  aura,  in  which  they  live, 
opposes  it.  That  God  is  one,  the  Sacred  Scripture  teaches 
not  only  thus  universally,  as  has  been  said,  but  also  in  many 
particular  passages,  as  in  the  following :  Hear,  O  Israel; 
Jehovah  our  God  is  one  Jehovah  (Deut.  vi.  4) ;  and  in  like 
manner,  Mark.  xii.  29.  Surely  God  is  in  thee,  and  there  is 
710  God  beside  Me  (Isa.  xlv.  14).  A?n  not  I  Jehovah  ?  and 
there  is  no  God  else  beside  Me  (xlv.  21).  I  am  Jehovah  thy 
God,  and  thou  shall  know  no-  God  beside  Me  (Hos.  xiii.  4). 
Thus  saith  Jehovah,  the  Kiftg  of  Israel,  I  a?n  the  First  and 
the  Last,  and  beside  Me  there  is  no  God  (Isa.  xliv.  6).  In 
that  day  Jehovah  shall  be  King  over  all  the  earth  ;  in  that 
day  Jehovah  shall  be  one,  and  His  7iame  one  (Zech.  xiv.  9). 

7.  It  is  known  that  the  doctrines  of  the  churches  in  the 
Christian  world  teach  that  God  is  one;  they  teach  this 
because  all  their  doctrines  are  derived  from  the  Word,  and 
they  cohere  so  far  as  one  God  is  acknowledged  not  only 
with  the  lips,  but  also  in  the  heart.  To  those  who  confess 
one  God  with  the  lips  only,  and  in  heart  three,  as  is  the  case 
with  very  many  at  this  day  in  Christendom,  God  is  nothing 
but  a  mere  word  of  the  mouth ;  and  every  thing  relating 
to  theology  is,  to  them,  but  as  an  idol  of  gold  enclosed  in 
a  shrine,  the  key  to  open  it  being  in  the  possession  of  the 
priests  only  j  and  when  they  read  the  Word,  they  do  not  per- 
ceive any  light  in  it  or  from  it,  and  not  even  that  God  is  one. 
The  Word,  with  such  persons,  is  as  if  it  were  spotted  with 


No.  8.]        CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


9 


blots ;  and,  as  to  the  unity  of  God,  entirely  covered.  These 
are  they  who  are  described  by  the  Lord  in  Matthew :  By 
hearing  ye  shall  hear,  and  shall  not  understand ;  and  seeing 
ye  shall  see,  and  shall  not pe?'ceive :  their  eyes  they  have  closed, 
lest  they  should  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their  ears, 
and  should  widerstand  with  their  heart,  and  turn  themselves 
about,  and  I  should  heal  them  (xiii.  14,  15).  All  such  per- 
sons are  like  those  who  shun  the  light,  and  enter  chambers 
where  there  are  no  windows,  and  feel  about  the  walls,  and 
search  for  food  and  for  money,  and  at  length  acquire  a 
vision  like  that  of  birds  of  the  night,  and  see  in  darkness. 
They  are  like  a  woman  having  several  husbands,  who  is 
not  a  wife  but  a  lascivious  harlot ;  and  like  a  virgin  who 
accepts  rings  from  several  suitors,  and  after  the  nuptials 
bestows  her  favors  upon  one  and  also  upon  the  others. 

8.  II.  There  is  a  universal  Influx  from  God  into 
the  Souls  of  Men,  that  there  is  a  God,  and  that 
He  is  one. 

That  there  is  an  influx  from  God  into  man,  is  evident 
from  the  confession  of  all,  that  all  good  which  in  itself  is 
good,  and  is  in  man,  and  is  done  by  him,  is  from  God ;  in 
like  manner  all  of  charity  and  all  of  faith ;  for  it  is  read, 
A  man  ca?i  take  nothing,  except  it  be  given  him  from  heaven 
(John  iii.  27)  ;  and  Jesus  said,  Without  Me  ye  can  do  nothing 
(xv.  5) ;  that  is,  not  any  thing  which  is  of  charity  and  of 
faith.  That  this  influx  is  into  men's  souls,  is  because 
the  soul  is  the  inmost  and  highest  part  of  man,  and  the 
influx  from  God  enters  into  that,  and  descends  thence  into 
those  things  which  are  below,  and  vivifies  them  according 
to  reception.  The  truths  which  will  be  of  faith,  indeed, 
flow  in  by  hearing,  and  so  are  implanted  in  the  mind,  thus 
below  the  soul.  But  man,  by  these  truths,  is  only  disposed 
tor  receiving  the  influx  from  God  through  the  soul ;  and  as 
the  disposition  is,  such  is  the  reception,  and  such  the  trans- 
formation of  natural  faith  into  spiritual  faith.    That  there 

1* 


IO  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  L 

is  an  influx  from  God  into  the  souls  of  men,  that  God  is 
one,  is  because  all  the  Divine,  taken  universally  as  well  as 
particularly,  is  God ;  and  because  all  the  Divine  coheres  as 
one,  it  cannot  but  inspire  into  man  the  idea  of  one  God ; 
and  this  idea  is  corroborated  daily,  as  man  is  elevated  by 
God  into  the  light  of  heaven ;  for  the  angels,  in  their  light, 
cannot  force  themselves  to  say  Gods ;  wherefore,  also,  their 
speech,  at  the  end  of  every  sentence,  terminates  as  to 
accent  in  unity,  which  is  from  no  other  cause  than  from 
the  influx  into  their  souls,  that  God  is  one.  The  reason 
that,  although  it  flows  into  the  souls  of  all  men  that  God  is 
one,  still  many  think  that  His  Divinity  is  divided  into  more 
than  one  of  the  same  essence,  is  because  when  that  influx 
descends  it  falls  into  forms  not  correspondent,  and  the 
form  itself  varies  it,  as  is  the  case  in  all  the  subjects  of  the 
three  kingdoms  of  nature.  It  is  the  same  God  who  vivifies 
man,  that  vivifies  every  beast ;  but  the  recipient  form  causes 
beast  to  be  beast,  and  man  to  be  man.  It  is  similar  with 
man  while  he  induces  on  his  mind  the  form  of  a  beast. 
There  is  a  similar  influx  from  the  sun  into  every  tree,  but 
it  is  varied  according  to  the  form  of  each ;  what  flows  into 
the  vine  is  similar  to  what  flows  into  the  thorn  ;  but  if  the 
thorn  is  ingrafted  into  a  vine,  the  influx  is  inverted,  and 
proceeds  according  to  the  form  of  the  thorn.  The  case  is 
similar  in  the  subjects  of  the  mineral  kingdom ;  the  light 
flowing  into  lime-stone  and  into  the  diamond  is  the  same, 
but  the  latter  is  translucent  and  the  former  is  opaque. 
As  to  human  minds,  they  are  varied  according  to  their 
forms,  which  inwardly  are  spiritual  according  to  faith  in 
God,  and  at  the  same  time  a  life  from  God,  and  those  forms 
become  translucent  and  angelic  by  faith  in  one  God ;  but  on 
the  contrary,  they  become  dark  and  bestial  by  faith  in  more 
than  one  God,  which  differs  but  little  from  faith  in  no  God. 

9.  III.  Thence  it  is,  that  in  all  the  World  there 
is  no  Nation  having  Religion  and  sound  Reason, 


No.  9.]       CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


I  I 


WHICH  DOES  NOT  ACKNOWLEDGE  A  GOD,  AND  THAT  GOD 
IS  ONE. 

From  the  divine  influx  into  the  souls  of  men,  treated  of 
just  above,  it  follows,  that  there  is  an  internal  dictate  with 
every  man  that  there  is  a  God,  and  that  He  is  one.  That 
still  there  are  those  who  deny  God,  and  who  acknowledge 
nature  as  God,  and  who  acknowledge  more  Gods  than  one, 
and  also  who  worship  images  as  Gods,  is  because  they  have 
filled  up  the  interiors  of  their  reason  or  understanding  with 
worldly  and  corporeal  things,  and  thereby  have  obliterated 
the  primitive  idea  or  the  idea  of  infancy  concerning  God ; 
and,  at  the  same  time,  they  then  rejected  religion  from  the 
breast  to  the  back.  That  Christians  acknowledge  one  God 
(and  in  what  manner),  appears  from  the  general  Confession 
of  their  faith,  which  is  as  follows  :  The  Catholic  faith  is  this, 
that  we  should  worship  one  God  in  a  Trinity,  and  the  Trinity 
in  Unity ;  there  are  three  Divine  Persons,  the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  yet  there  are  not  three  gods,  but 
there  is  one  God;  and  there  is  one  Person  of  the  Father,  another 
of  the  Son,  and  another  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  their  Divinity 
is  one,  their  glory  equal,  and  their  majesty  coeternal ;  thus  the 
Father  is  God,  the  Son  is  God,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  is  God : 
but  although  we  a7~e  compelled  by  Christian  verity  to  confess 
each  Person,  one  by  one,  to  be  God  a?id.Lord,  yet  we  are  for- 
bidden by  the  Catholic  religion  to  say  three  Gods,  and  three 
Lords.  Such  is  the  Christian  faith  concerning  the  unity  of 
God  j  but  that  the  trinity  of  God  and  the  unity  of  God  in 
that  Confession  are  inconsistent  with  each  other,  will  be 
seen  in  the  chapter  on  the  Divine  Trinity.  The  other 
nations  in  the  world  who  have  religion  and  sound  reason, 
agree  in  acknowledging  that  God  is  one ;  all  the  Mahome- 
tans in  their  empires ;  the  Africans  in  many  kingdoms  of 
their  continent ;  and  also  the  Asiatics  in  many  of  theirs  J 
and  moreover  the  Jews  at  this  day.  Of  the  most  ancient 
people  in  the  golden  age,  those  who  had  any  religion, 
worshipped  one  God,  whom  they  called  Jehovah  ;  in  like 


12 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I. 


manner  the  ancient  people  in  the  following  age,  before 
monarchical  governments  were  formed,  when  worldly  and 
at  length  corporeal  loves  began  to  close  up  the  higher  parts 
of  their  understanding,  which  before  were  open,  and  were 
then  as  temples  and  sacred  recesses  for  the  worship  of  one 
God.  But  the  Lord  God,  that  He  might  open  them  again, 
and  so  restore  the  worship  of  one  God,  instituted  a  church 
among  the  posterity  of  Jacob,  and  prefixed  to  all  the  pre- 
cepts of  their  religion  this  :  Thou  s halt  have  no  other  Gods 
before  Me  (Ex.  xx.  3).  Jehovah,  also,  the  name  by  which 
He  called  Himself  anew  before  them,  signifies  the  supreme 
and  only  Being  from  Whom  is  every  thing  that  is  and  exists 
in  the  universe.  Ancient  Gentiles  acknowledged  Jove  as 
the  supreme  God,  so  called  perhaps  from  Jehovah ;  and 
many  others,  who  composed  his  court,  they  also  clothed 
with  divinity;  but  the  wise  men  in  the  following  age,  as 
Plato  and  Aristotle,  confessed  that  these  were  not  gods, 
but  so  many  properties,  qualities,  and  attributes  of  one 
God,  which  were  called  gods  because  in  each  of  them 
there  was  divinity. 

10.  All  sound  reason,  although  not  imbued  with  religion, 
sees  that  every  thing  which  is  divided,  unless  it  depend 
upon  one,  would  of  itself  fall  to  pieces ;  for  instance,  man, 
composed  of  so  many  members,  viscera,  and  organs  of  mo- 
tion and  sensation,  unless  he  depended  upon  one  soul ; 
and  the  body  itself,  unless  it  depended  upon  one  heart.  In 
like  manner,  a  kingdom,  unless  it  depended  upon  one  king ; 
a  household,  unless  upon  one  master ;  and  every  office,  of 
which  there  are  many  kinds  in  every  kingdom,  unless  upon 
one  officer.  What  would  an  army  avail  against  the  enemy, 
without  a  leader,  having  supreme  power,  and  officers  sub- 
ordinate to  him,  each  of  them  having  his  proper  command 
over  the  soldiers  ?  It  would  be  similar  with  the  church, 
unless  it  acknowledged  one  God,  and  also  with  the  angelic 
heaven,  which  is  as  a  head  to  the  church  upon  earth,  in  both 
of  which  the  Lord  is  the  very  Soul.    Wherefore,  heaven 


No.  ii.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  1$ 

and  the  church  are  called  His  body ;  which,  if  they  did  not 
acknowledge  one  God,  would  both  of  them  be  like  a  life- 
less corpse,  which  being  of  no  use  would  be  cast  away  and 
buried. 

ii.  iv.  as  to  what  the  one  god  is,  nations  and 
People  have  differed  and  still  differ,  from  several 
Causes. 

The  first  cause  is,  that  cognition  concerning  God,  and 
thence  an  acknowledgment  of  Him,  is  not  attainable  with- 
out revelation  j  and  cognition  concerning  the  Lord,  and 
thence  an  acknowledgment  that  in  Him  dwelleth  all  the 
fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily,  is  not  attainable  except 
from  the  Word,  which  is  the  crown  of  revelations ;  for 
man,  by  the  revelation  which  is  given,  is  able  to  approach 
God  and  to  receive  influx,  and  so  from  natural  to  be- 
come spiritual.  The  revelation  belonging  to  the  first  age 
pervaded  all  the  world,  and  the  natural  man  had  per- 
verted it  in  many  ways  ;  whence  arose  the  disputes,  dis- 
sensions, heresies,  and  schisms  of  religions.  The  second 
cause  is,  that  the  natural  man  cannot  perceive  any  thing 
concerning  God,  but  only  something  concerning  the  world, 
and  apply  this  to  himself ;  wherefore  it  is  among  the 
canons  of  the  Christian  Church,  that  the  natural  man  is 
opposed  to  the  spiritual,  and  that  they  fight  against  each 
other.  Thence  it  is,  that  those  who  have  recognized,  from 
the  Word  or  other  revelation,  that  there  is  a  God,  have 
differed  and  still  differ  concerning  the  quality  of  God, 
and  also  concerning  His  unity.  Wherefore,  those  whose 
mental  sight  depended  on  the  senses  of  the  body,  and 
who  still  wished  to  see  God,  formed  for  themselves,  as 
idols,  images  of  gold,  silver,  stone,  and  wood,  that  under 
these,  as  objects  of  sight,  they  might  worship  God  ;  and 
others,  who  rejected  artificial  images  from  their  religion, 
formed  for  themselves  ideal  images  of  God  in  the  sun  and 
moon,  in  the  stars,  and  in  various  things  upon  the  earth. 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


But  those  who  supposed  themselves  to  be  wise  above  the 
common  people,  and  who  still  remained  natural,  from  the 
immensity  and  omnipresence  of  God  in  creating  the  world, 
acknowledged  nature  as  God,  some  in  its  inmost,  some  in 
its  outmost  parts  :  and  some,  that  they  might  separate  God 
from  nature,  conceived  an  idea  of  something  most  uni- 
versal, which  they  called  the  Ens  of  the  universe ;  and 
because  they  know  nothing  more  of  God,  this  Ens  becomes 
with  them  a  thing  of  reasoning,  which  signifies  nothing. 
Who  cannot  comprehend  that  cognitions  concerning  God 
are  mirrors  of  God,  and  that  those  who  know  nothing  con- 
cerning God,  do  not  see  God  in  a  mirror  with  its  face 
turned  towards  their  eyes,  but  in  a  mirror  with  its  back 
towards  them,  which,  being  covered  with  mercury,  or  some 
dark,  glutinous  substance,  does  not  reflect  but  extinguishes 
the  image  ?  The  faith  of  God  enters  into  man  through  a 
prior  way,  which  is  from  the  soul  into  the  higher  parts  of 
the  understanding;  but  cognitions  concerning  God  enter 
through  a  posterior  way,  because  they  are  imbibed  from 
the  revealed  Word,  by  the  understanding,  through  the 
senses  of  the  body ;  and  there  is  a  meeting  of  the  influxes 
in  the  midst  of  the  understanding ;  and  natural  faith,  which 
is  only  persuasion,  there  becomes  spiritual,  which  is  real 
acknowledgment;  wherefore  the  human  understanding  is 
as  a  refining  vessel,  in  which  the  change  is  effected. 

12.  V.  Human  Reason,  from  many  Things  in  the 
World,  may,  if  it  will,  perceive  or  conclude  that 
there  is  a  God,  and  that  He  is  One. 

This  truth  may  be  confirmed  by  innumerable  things  in 
the  visible  world ;  for  the  universe  is  like  a  stage,  upon 
which  are  continually  exhibited  testimonies  that  there  is  a 
God,  and  that  He  is  one.  But  to  illustrate  this,  I  will  adduce 
this  memorable  relation  from  the  spiritual  world.  Once, 
while  I  was  conversing  with  angels,  there  were  present  some 
newly  arrived  spirits  from  the  natural  world.    Seeing  them, 


No.  12.J      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


15 


I  bade  them  welcome,  and  related  many  things,  before  un- 
known, concerning  the  spiritual  world  \  and  after  some  con- 
versation, I  inquired  of  them  what  knowledge  they  brought 
with  them  from  the  world  concerning  God  and  nature. 
They  said,  This,  that  nature  is  the  operator  in  all  things  that 
are  done  in  the  created  universe ;  and  that  God,  after  crea- 
tion, induced  and  impressed  upon  nature  that  faculty  and 
power ;  and  that  God  only  sustains  and  preserves  them  lest 
they  should  perish ;  wherefore  all  things  that  exist,  which 
are  produced  and  reproduced  upon  the  earth,  are  at  this 
day  ascribed  to  nature.  But  I  replied,  that  nature  of  itself 
is  not  the  operator  in  any  thing,  but  God  through  nature ; 
and  because  they  asked  for  proof,  I  said,  Those  who  believe 
the  Divine  operation  to  be  in  every  thing  of  nature,  can, 
from  very  many  things  which  they  see  in  the  world,  confirm 
themselves  in  favor  of  God  much  more  than  in  favor  of 
nature ;  for  those  who  confirm  themselves  in  favor  of  the 
Divine  operation  in  every  thing  of  nature,  attend  to  the 
wonderful  things  which  are  seen  in  the  productions  of 
plants  as  well  as  of  animals.  —  In  the  Productions  of 
Plants  :  They  observe  that,  from  a  little  seed  sown 
in  the  ground,  there  goes  forth  a  root,  and  by  means  of 
the  root,  a  stem,  and  successively  branches,  buds,  leaves, 
flowers,  and  fruits,  even  to  new  seeds,  just  as  if  the  seed 
knew  the  order  of  succession,  or  the  process  by  which  it 
was  to  renew  itself.  What  rational  man  can  think  that  the 
sun,  which  is  pure  fire,  knows  this,  or  that  it  can  endue 
its  heat  and  light  with  power  to  effect  such  things,  and  that 
it  can  intend  uses  ?  The  man  whose  rational  faculty  has 
been  elevated,  while  he  sees  and  properly  considers  those 
things,  cannot  think  otherwise  than  that  they  are  from 
Him  who  has  infinite  wisdom,  thus  from  God.  They  who 
acknowledge  the  Divine  operation  in  every  thing  of  nature , 
ilso  confirm  themselves  in  the  acknowledgment  when  they 
see  those  things;  but,  on  the  contrary,  they  who  do  not 
acknowledge  it,  do  not  see  such  things  with  the  eyes  of 


l6  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 

their  reason  in  the  forehead,  but  in  the  back  of  the  head ; 
who  are  such  as  derive  all  the  ideas  of  their  thought  from 
the  senses  of  the  body,  and  confirm  the  fallacies  of  the 
senses,  saying,  "  Do  you  not  see  the  sun  operating  all  those 
things  by  its  heat  and  light  ?  What  is  that  which  you  do  not 
see?  is  it  any  thing?"  —  They  who  confirm  themselves 
in  favor  of  the  Divine,  attend  to  the  wonderful  things 
which  they  see  in  the  Productions  of  Animals  :  To  speak 
here  first  with  regard  to  eggs,  that  in  them  the  chicken  is 
concealed,  in  its  seed,  with  every  thing  requisite  for  its 
formation,  and  also  with  every  thing  for  progress  after  its 
exclusion,  even  until  it  becomes  a  bird  in  the  form  of  the 
parent.  Moreover,  if  we  attend  to  winged  creatures  in 
general,  such  things  are  presented  to  the  mind  which  thinks 
deeply,  as  excite  astonishment ;  as  that  in  the  least  as  well 
as  in  the  greatest  of  them,  in  the  invisible  as  well  as  in  the 
visible,  that  is,  in  little  insects  as  well  as  in  great  birds  and 
beasts,  there  are  organs  of  the  senses,  which  are  those  of 
sight,  smell,  taste,  and  touch ;  also  organs  of  motion,  which 
are  muscles,  for  they  fly  and  walk  ;  as  also  viscera  con- 
nected with  the  heart  and  lungs,  which  are  actuated  by 
the  brains.  They  who  ascribe  all  things  to  nature  see 
such  things,  indeed,  but  they  think  only  that  they  are,  and 
say  that  nature  produces  them ;  and  they  say  this  because 
they  have  turned  away  the  mind  from  thinking  of  the 
Divine  :  and  those  who  have  turned  themselves  away  from 
the  Divine,  while  they  behold  the  wonderful  things  in  na- 
ture, cannot  think  rationally  concerning  them,  still  less 
spiritually;  but  they  think  sensually  and  materially;  and 
then  they  think  in  nature  from  nature,  and  not  above  it ; 
with  only  this  difference  from  beasts,  that  they  possess 
rationality,  that  is,  that  they  are  able  to  understand  if  they 
will.  Those  who  have  turned  themselves  away  from  think- 
ing of  the  Divine,  and  have  thereby  become  corporeal-sens- 
ual, do  not  consider  that  the  sight  of  the  eye  is  so  gross 
and  material  that  it  sees  many  little  insects  as  one  obscure 


No.  12.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


17 


object  j  and  yet  every  one  of  them  is  organized  for  feel- 
ing and  for  moving  itself,  and  so  is  gifted  with  fibres  and 
vessels,  and  also  with  a  little  heart,  pulmonary  tubes,  little 
viscera,  and  brains ;  and  that  these  are  woven  together 
from  the  purest  things  in  nature,  and  that  those  contex- 
tures correspond  to  life  in  its  lowest  degree,  by  which  the 
minutest  of  them  are  distinctly  actuated.  Since  the  sight 
of  the  eye  is  so  gross  that  many  insects,  with  the  innu- 
merable parts  of  each,  appear  to  it  as  a  small,  obscure 
thing,  and  yet  sensual  men  think  and  conclude  from  that 
sight,  it  is  manifest  how  very  gross  their  mind  is,  and  thence 
in  what  darkness  they  are  with  respect  to  spiritual  things. 

Every  man,  if  he  will,  may  confirm  himself  in  favor  of 
the  Divine,  from  the  things  visible  in  nature \  and  also  he 
does  confirm  himself,  who  thinks  concerning  God,  and  His 
omnipotence  in  creating  the  universe,  and  concerning  His 
omnipresence  in  preserving  it :  whilst,  for  instance,  he  ob- 
serves the  fowls  of  the  air,  how  each  species  of  them 
knows  its  proper  food  and  where  it  is ;  recognizes  its  fel- 
lows from  sound  and  sight ;  how  among  the  birds  they 
can  distinguish  which  are  their  friends,  and  which  their 
enemies  \  that  they  know  how  to  couple  j  that  they  take 
their  mates,  build  nests  with  art,  there  lay  their  eggs,  sit 
upon  them,  know  the  time  of  incubation  j  which  being 
ended,  they  help  the  young  from  the  shell ;  loving  them 
most  tenderly,  cherishing  them  under  their  wings,  offering 
them  food,  and  nourishing  them  until  they  are  able  to  pro- 
vide for  themselves  and  to  do  similar  things.  Every  man, 
who  is  willing  to  think  of  the  Divine  influx  through  the 
spiritual  world  into  the  natural,  may  see  it  in  those  things ; 
and  he  may  also  say  in  his  heart,  if  he  will,  that  such  knowl- 
edge cannot  be  given  to  them  from  the  sun  by  its  heat  and 
light ;  for  the  sun  from  which  nature  takes  its  rise  and  its 
essence,  is  pure  fire ;  and  thence  the  effluxes  of  its  heat 
and  light  are  altogether  dead  ;  and  thus  they  may  conclude 
that  such  things  are  from  the  Divine  influx  through  the 
spiritual  world  into  the  ultimates  of  nature. 


18  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 

Every  one,  from  the  things  visible  in  nature,  may  con- 
firm himself  in  favor  of  the  Divine,  while  he  sees  those 
worms,  which,  from  the  enjoyment  in  a  certain  love,  seek 
and  aspire  after  a  change  of  their  earthly  state  into  one 
analogous  to  the  heavenly  state  ;  and  for  this  purpose 
crawl  into  suitable  places,  envelop  themselves  with  a  cov- 
ering, and  thus  put  themselves  into  the  womb,  that  they 
may  be  born  again,  and  thus  become  chrysalises,  aureliae, 
nymphs,  and  at  length  butterflies  ;  and  when  they  have  un- 
dergone these  changes  of  form,  and,  according  to  their 
species,  have  been  clothed  with  beautiful  wings,  they  fly 
abroad  into  the  open  air  as  into  their  heaven,  and  there 
indulge  in  pleasant  sports,  take  their  mates,  lay  eggs,  and 
provide  for  themselves  a  posterity  •  and  at  that  time  they 
nourish  themselves  with  pleasant  and  sweet  food  from 
flowers.  Who  that  confirms  himself  in  favor  of  the  Divine, 
from  the  things  visible  in  nature,  does  not  see  some  image 
of  the  earthly  state  of  man  in  them  as  worms,  and  an  im- 
age of  the  heavenly  state  in  them  as  butterflies  ?  But  those 
who  confirm  themselves  in  favor  of  nature,  see  those  things 
indeed,  but,  because  they  have  rejected  the  heavenly  state 
of  man  from  the  mind  (animus),  they  call  them  mere  opera- 
tions of  nature. 

Every  one,  from  the  things  visible  in  nature,  may  con- 
firm himself  in  favor  of  the  Divine,  while  he  attends  to  the 
things  which  are  known  concerning  bees,  that  they  know 
how  to  gather  wax  from  roses  and  from  blossoms,  and  to 
suck  out  honey,  and  to  build  cells  like  little  houses,  and 
arrange  them  in  the  form  of  a  city  with  streets  through 
which  they  may  come  in  and  go  out ;  that  from  afar  they 
smell  the  flowers  and  herbs  from  which  they  may  gather 
wax  for  their  houses  and  honey  for  their  food ;  and  that, 
laden  with  these,  they  fly  back  in  the  right  direction  to 
their  hive  ;  and  so  they  provide  for  themselves  food  for  the 
coming  winter,  as  if  they  foresaw  it.  They  also  set  over 
themselves  a  mistress  as  queen,  from  whom  a  posterity 


No.  £2.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR 


19 


may  be  propagated  ;  and  build  for  her,  as  it  were,  a  palace 
above  them,  guarded  round  about.  When  the  time  of  bring- 
ing forth  has  come,  she  goes,  accompanied  by  her  attend- 
ants called  drones,  from  cell  to  cell,  and  lays  her  eggs,  which 
her  attendants  cover  with  a  sort  of  ointment,  that  they 
may  not  be  injured  by  the  air.  Hence  arises  a  new  race. 
Afterwards,  when  this  has  reached  the  proper  age  and  is 
able  to  do  like  things,  it  is  expelled  from  the  hive ;  the 
swarm  first  gathers  itself  into  a  band,  that  it  may  not  be 
divided  and  dispersed,  and  afterwards  flies  abroad  to  seek 
for  itself  a  habitation.  About  the  time  of  autumn,  those 
drones,  because  they  have  brought  in  no  wax  nor  honey, 
are  led  forth  and  deprived  of  their  wings,  that  they  may 
not  return  and  consume  the  food  which  they  took  no  pains 
to  provide.  Many  other  things  might  be  added.  Whence 
it  is  evident,  that,  on  account  of  the  use  which  they  per- 
form to  the  human  race,  they  have,  from  the  Divine  influx 
through  the  spiritual  world,  a  form  of  government  such  as 
there  is  with  men  on  earth,  yea,  with  angels  in  the  heavens. 
What  person  of  sound'reason  does  not  see  that  such  things 
with  them  are  not  from  the  natural  world  ?  What  has  the 
sun  from  which  nature  is,  in  common  with  a  government 
the  rival  and  the  analogue  of  heavenly  government  ?  From 
these  and  similar  things  observable  in  brute  animals,  the 
advocate  and  worshipper  of  nature  confirms  himself  in 
favor  of  nature  ;  whilst  the  advocate  and  worshipper  of 
God,  from  the  same  things  confirms  himself  in  favor  of 
God :  for  the  spiritual  man  sees  in  them  spiritual  things, 
and  the  natural  man  sees  in  them  natural  things ;  thus  each 
according  to  his  quality.  As  to  myself,  such  things  have 
been  to  me  evident  indications  of  the  influx  of  the  spirit- 
ual world  into  the  natural  from  God.  Consider  also 
whether  you  can  think  analytically  concerning  any  form  of 
government,  or  concerning  any  civil  law,  or  concerning  any 
moral  virtue,  or  concerning  any  spiritual  truth,  unless  the 
Divine,  from  His  wisdom,  flows  in  through  the  spiritual 
world.    As  to  myself,  I  never  could,  nor  can  I  now  ;  for  I 


20 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  L 


have  perceptibly  and  sensibly  observed  that  influx  now  for 
twenty-six  years,  continually;  wherefore  I  say  this  from 
what  has  been  witnessed. 

Can  nature  have  use  as  the  end,  and  dispose  uses  into 
orders  and  forms  ?  This  can  be  done  only  by  one  who  is 
wise ;  and  the  universe  can  be  thus  ordered  and  formed 
only  by  God,  whose  wisdom  is  infinite.  Who  else  can  fore- 
see and  provide  for  men  things  serviceable  for  food  and 
clothing  ;  their  food  from  the  harvests  of  the  field,  the 
fruits  of  the  earth,  and  from  animals ;  and  their  clothing 
from  the  same  ?  It  is  among  the  wonderful  things,  that 
those  petty  worms  called  silk-worms,  should  clothe  with  silk 
and  magnificently  adorn  both  women  and  men,  from  kings 
and  queens  even  to  maid-servants  and  man-servants ;  and 
that  those  petty  insects  called  bees,  should  furnish  wax  for 
lights,  by  which  temples  and  palaces  are  illuminated. 
These  and  many  other  things  are  standing  proofs  that 
God,  from  Himself  through  the  spiritual  world,  operates 
all  things  which  are  done  in  nature. 

To  these  things  it  is  proper  to  add,  that,  in  the  spiritual 
world,  have  been  seen  those  who,  from  the  things  visible 
in  the  world,  confirmed  themselves  in  favor  of  nature  to 
such  a  degree  that  they  became  atheists  j  and  that  their 
understanding  in  spiritual  light  appeared  open  below  and 
closed  above,  because  in  thought  they  looked  downwards 
to  the  earth  and  not  upwards  to  heaven.  Above  the  sen- 
sual, which  is  the  lowest  of  the  understanding,  there  ap- 
peared, as  it  were,  a  veil  sparkling  with  infernal  fire  ;  in 
some  cases  black  as  soot,  in  others  livid  like  a  corpse. 
Let  every  one,  therefore,  beware  of  confirmations  in  favor 
of  nature  j  but  let  him  confirm  himself  in  favor  of  Gcd ; 
material  is  not  wanting. 

13.    VI.  Unless  God  were  one,  the  Universe  could 

NOT  HAVE  BEEN  CREATED  AND  PRESERVED. 

That  God's  unity  may  be  inferred  from  the  creation  ot 
the  universe,  is  because  the  universe  is  a  work  cohering  as 


No.  13.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


21 


one  from  firsts  to  lasts;  also  that  the  universe  depends 
upon  one  God,  as  the  body  on  its  soul.  The  universe  is  so 
created,  that  God  may  be  everywhere  present,  and  hold  all 
and  every  part  of  it  under  His  direction,  and  hold  it  together 
as  one  perpetually,  which  is  to  preserve  it.  Hence  also  it 
is,  that  Jehovah  God  says,  That  He  is  the  First  and  the  Last, 
the  Beginning  and  the  End,  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega  (Isa. 
xliv,  6 ;  Apoc.  i.  8,  17) ;  and,  in  another  place,  That  He  mak- 
eth  all  things,  spreadeth  out  the  heavens,  and  stretcheth  out  the 
earth  by  Himself  (Isa.  xliv.  24).  This  great  system,  which 
is  called  the  universe,  is  a  work  cohering  as  one  from  firsts 
to  lasts,  because  God  in  creating  it  had  one  end  in  view, 
which  was  an  angelic  heaven  from  the  human  race  ;  and  all 
things  of  which  the  earth  is  composed  are  means  to  that 
end  j  for  lie  who  wills  an  end  also  wills  the  means ;  where- 
fore he  who  contemplates  the  world  as  a  work  containing 
means  to  that  end,  may  contemplate  the  created  universe 
as  a  work  cohering  as  one,  and  may  see  that  the  world  is  a 
complex  of  uses  in  successive  order  for  the  human  race, 
from  which  is  the  angelic  heaven.  The  Divine  Love  can 
intend  no  other  end  than  the  eternal  blessedness  of  men 
from  Its  own  Divine ;  and  Its  Divine  Wisdom  can  produce 
nothing  else  than  uses  which  are  means  to  that  end.  From 
the  world  surveyed  with  this  universal  idea,  every  wise  man 
may  comprehend  that  the  Creator  of  the  universe  is  one, 
and  that  His  essence  is  Love  and  Wisdom  :  wherefore  there 
is  not  a  single  thing  in  the  universe,  in  which  is  not  hidden 
a  use,  more  or  less  remote,  for  man.* 

Those  who  view  some  things  in  the  world  singly,  and  not 
all  things  universally  in  a  series  in  which  are  ends,  mediate 
causes,  and  effects,  and  who  do  not  deduce  creation  from 
the  Divine  Love  through  the  Divine  Wisdom,  cannot  see 
that  the  universe  is  the  work  of  one  God,  and  that  He 
dwells  in  every  use,  because  He  dwells  in  the  end;  for 

•  Several  lines  are  here  omitted  in  the  translation  ;  as  they  are 
found  in  No.  12,  and  seem  to  have  been  repeated  accidentally. 


22  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 

every  one  who  is  in  the  end,  is  also  in  the  means ;  for  the 
end  is  most  internally  in  all  the  means,  actuating  and 
directing  them.  Those  who  do  not  contemplate  the  uni- 
verse as  the  work  of  God,  and  as  the  habitation  of  His 
love  and  wisdom,  but  as  the  work  of  nature,  and  the  habi- 
tation of  the  heat  and  light  of  the  sun,  close  the  higher 
regions  of  their  mind  towards  God,  and  open  its  lower 
regions  for  the  devil ;  and  thereby  they  put  off  the  na- 
ture of  man,  and  put  on  the  nature  of  beasts ;  and  they 
not  only  believe  themselves  to  be  like  the  beasts,  but  they 
also  become  so ;  for  they  become  foxes  in  cunning,  wolves 
in  fierceness,  leopards  in  treachery,  tigers  in  cruelty,  and 
crocodiles,  serpents,  owls  and  other  birds  of  the  night,  ac- 
cording to  the  nature  of  these  animals.  In  the  spiritual 
world,  those  who  are  such  also  appear  in  the  distance  like 
those  wild  beasts ;  their  love  of  evil  so  figures  itself. 

14.  VII.  The  Man  who  does  not  acknowledge  a 
God,  is  excommunicated  from  the  Church  and  con- 
demned. 

That  the  man  who  does  not  acknowledge  a  God,  is  ex- 
communicated from  the  church,  is  because  God  is  the  all 
of  the  church,  and  divine  things  which  are  called  theologi- 
cal constitute  the  church ;  wherefore  a  denial  of  God  is  a 
denial  of  all  things  of  the  church ;  and  this  denial  itself 
excommunicates  him ;  thus  the  man  himself,  and  not  God, 
is  the  author  of  his  excommunication.  He  is  also  con- 
demned, because  whosoever  is  excommunicated  from  the 
church,  is  also  excommunicated  from  heaven  ;  for  the 
church  upon  earth  and  the  angelic  heaven  make  one,  like 
the  internal  and  external,  and  like  the  spiritual  and  natural 
in  man.  For  man  has  been  so  created  by  God,  as  to  be 
in  the  spiritual  world  as  to  his  internal,  and  in  the  natural 
world  as  to  his  external ;  thus  he  has  been  created  a  native 
of  both  worlds,  in  order  that  the  spiritual,  which  is  of  heaven, 
may  be  implanted  in  the  natural,  which  is  of  the  world,  as 


No.  14.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


-5 


seed  is  planted  in  the  ground ;  and  that  thus  man  may  ac- 
quire a  fixed  and  everlasting  existence.  The  man  who, 
by  a  denial  of  God,  has  excommunicated  himself  from  the 
church  and  thus  from  heaven,  has  closed  up  his  internal 
man  as  to  the  will,  and  thus  as  to  his  genial  love ;  for 
man's  will  is  the  receptacle  of  his  love,  and  becomes  its 
habitation.  But  he  cannot  close  up  his  internal  man  as  to 
the  understanding  j  for,  if  he  could  and  should  do  this,  the 
man  would  be  no  •  longer  man.  But  the  love  of  his  will 
infatuates  the  higher  regions  of  the  understanding  with 
falsities;  whence  the  understanding  becomes  as  it  were 
closed  as  to  the  truths  which  are  of  faith,  and  as  to  the 
goods  which  are  of  charity ;  thus  more  and  more  against 
God,  and  at  the  same  time  against  the  spiritual  things  of 
the  church ;  and  thus  he  is  excluded  from  communion  with 
the  angels  of  heaven ;  and,  when  thus  excluded,  he  enters 
into  communion  with  the  satans  of  hell  and  thinks  in  unity 
with  them ;  and  ail  satans  deny  a  God,  and  think  foolishly 
concerning  God  and  the  spiritual  things  of  the  church; 
so  too  does  the  man  who  is  conjoined  with  them.  When 
he  is  in  his  spirit,  as  he  is  when  left  to  himself  at  home,  he 
suffers  his  thoughts  to  be  led  by  the  enjoyments  of  evil  and 
falsity,  which  he  has  conceived  and  brought  forth  in  him- 
self ;  and  then  he  thinks  that  there  is  no  God,  but  that  what 
is  called  God  is  only  a  word  sounded  from  the  pulpits,  to 
bind  the  common  people  to  obedience  to  the  laws  of  jus- 
tice, which  are  laws  of  society.  He  also  thinks  that  the 
Word,  from  which  ministers  proclaim  a  God,  is  a  collection 
of  visionary  stories,  the  sanctity  of  which  is  derived  from 
authority ;  and  that  the  Decalogue  or  Catechism  is  a  little 
book,  which,  after  it  has  been  well  worn  by  children's  hands, 
may  be  thrown  away ;  for  it  ordains  that  we  should  honor 
our  parents,  that  we  should  not  do  murder,  nor  commit  adul 
tery,  nor  steal,  nor  bear  false  testimony ;  and  who  does  not 
know  the  same  things  from  the  civil  law?  Concerning  the 
church,  he  thinks  it  is  an  assemblage  of  simple,  credulous 


24 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap,  t 


weak-minded  people,  who  see  what  they  do  not  see.  Re- 
specting man,  and  himself  as  a  man,  he  thinks  as  he  does 
of  a  beast ;  and  concerning  the  life  after  death,  he  thinks 
as  he  does  of  a  beast's  life  after  death.  So  his  internal  man 
thinks,  however  differently  the  external  man  speaks ;  for, 
as  was  said,  every  man  has  an  internal  and  an  external ;  and 
his  internal  constitutes  the  man,  which  is  called  the  spirit, 
and  which  lives  after  death ;  and  the  external,  in  which  by 
a  semblance  of  morality  he  plays  the  hypocrite,  is  buried ; 
and  then,  on  account  of  his  denial  of  God,  he  is  condemned. 
'  Every  man,  as  to  his  spirit,  is  consociated  with  his  like  in 
the  spiritual  world,  and  is  as  one  with  them ;  and  it  has 
often  been  given  me  to  see  in  societies  the  spirits  of  per- 
sons still  living,  some  in  angelic  societies  and  some  in 
infernal ;  and  I  have  also  been  permitted  to  converse  with 
them  for  days  j  and  have  wondered  that  man  himself  while 
he  lives  in  his  body  should  know  nothing  at  all  of  this. 
Thence  it  was  manifest,  that  whoever  denies  a  God,  is  al- 
ready among  the  condemned,  and  after  death  is  gathered 
to  his  companions. 

15.  VIII.  With  Men  who  do  not  acknowledge  one 
God,  but  more  than  one,  nothing  of  the  Church 

COHERES. 

He  who  in  faith  acknowledges  and  in  heart  worships 
one  God,  is  in  the  communion  of  saints  on  earth,  and  in 
the  communion  of  angels  in  the  heavens ;  they  are  called 
communions ',  and  they  are  so  because  they  are  in  one  God, 
and  one  God  is  in  them.  The  same  are  also  in  conjunction 
with  the  whole  angelic  heaven,  and  I  might  venture  to  say 
with  all  and  every  one  there,  for  they  are  all  as  the  chil- 
dren and  descendants  of  one  father,  whose  minds,  manners, 
and  faces  are  similar,  so  that  they  mutually  recognize  each 
other.  The  angelic  heaven  is  arranged  into  societies  ac- 
cording to  all  the  varieties  of  the  love  of  good;  which 
varieties  aim  at  one  most  universal  love,  which  is  love  to 


No.  16.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


25 


God ;  from  this  love  have  been  generated  all  those  who  in 
faith  acknowledge,  and  in  heart  worship,  one  God,  the  Cre- 
ator of  the  universe,  and  at  the  same  time  the  Redeemer 
and  Regenerator.    But  the  case  is  altogether  different  with 
those  who  do  not  approach  and  worship  one  God,  but  more 
than  one ;  and  also  with  those  who  profess  one  with  their 
lips,  and  at  the  same  time  think  of  three,  as  do  those  in  the 
church  at  this  day  who  distinguish  God  into  three  persons, 
and  declare  that  each  person  by  himself  is  God,  and  attrib- 
ute to  each  separate  qualities  or  properties  which  do  not 
belong  to  either  of  the  others.    Hence  it  comes  to  pass 
that  not  only  the  unity  of  God  is  actually  divided,  but  also 
theology  itself,  and  likewise  the  human  mind,  in  which  it 
should  reside ;  what  thence  can  result  but  perplexity  and 
incoherency  in  the  things  of  the  church  ?    That  such  is  the 
state  of  the  church  at  this  day,  will  be  demonstrated  in  the 
Appendix  to  this  work.    The  truth  is,  that  the  division  of 
God,  or  of  the  Divine  essence,  into  three  persons,  each  of 
whom  by  himself,  or  singly,  is  God,  leads  to  the  denial 
of  God.    It  is  as  if  one  should  enter  a  temple  in  order  to 
worship,  and  should  see,  on  a  tablet  'above  the  altar,  one 
God  painted  as  the  Ancient  of  days,  another  as  the  High 
Priest,  and  a  third  as  the  flying  ^olus,  with  this  inscription 
beneath,  "  These  three  are  one  God ;  "  or  as  if  he  should  there 
see  the  Unity  and  Trinity  painted  as  a  man  with  three  heads 
upon  one  body,  or  with  three  bodies  under  one  head,  which 
is  the  form  of  a  monster.    If  any  one  should  enter  heaven 
with  such  an  idea,  he  would  certainly  be  cast  out  head 
long,  though  he  should  say  that  the  head  or  heads  signified 
essence,  and  the  body  or  bodies,  distinct  properties. 

16.  To  the  above  I  shall  add  a  Relation  [Memora- 
bile].  I  saw  some  new  comers  from  the  natural  into  the 
spiritual  world,  talking  together  about  three  Divine  Persons 
from  eternity  ;  they  were  dignitaries  of  the  church,  and  one 
of  them  a  bishop.  They  came  up  to  me,  and  after  some 
conversation  concerning  the  spiritual  world,  of  which  they 
vol.  1.  2 


26 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


before  had  not  known  any  thing,  I  said,  "  I  heard  you  talk- 
ing about  three  Divine  Persons  from  eternity ;  and  I  be- 
seech you  to  open  to  me  this  great  mystery,  according  to 
your  ideas  which  you  conceived  in  the  natural  world,  from 
which  you  have  lately  come."     Then  the  primate  look- 
ing at  me  said,  "  I  see  that  you  are  a  layman ;  wherefore  I 
will  open  the  ideas  of  my  thought  concerning  this  great 
mystery,  and  teach  you.    My  ideas  always  have  been  and 
still  are  that  God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and  God  the 
Holy  Spirit,  sit  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  upon  magnificent 
and  lofty  seats  or  thrones ;  God  the  Father,  upon  a  throne 
of  the  finest  gold,  with  a  sceptre  in  His  hand ;  God  the 
Son,  at  His  right  hand,  upon  a  throne  of  the  purest  silver, 
with  a  crown  on  His  head ;  and  God  the  Holy  Spirit,  near 
them,  upon  a  throne  of  shining  crystal,  holding  a  dove  in 
His  hand ;  and  that  lamps,  hanging  round  about  them  in 
triple  order,  were  glittering  with  precious  stones  ;  and  that, 
at  a  distance  from  this  circle,  were  standing  innumerable 
angels,  all  worshipping  and  singing  praises ;  and,  more- 
over, that  God  the  Father  is  continually  conversing  with 
His  Son  concerning  those  who  are  to  be  justified;  and  that 
they  together  decree  and  determine  who,  upon  earth,  were 
worthy  to  be  received  by  them  among  the  angels,  and 
crowned  with  eternal  life ;  and  that  God  the  Holy  Spirit, 
having  heard  their  names,  instantly  hastens  to  them  over 
all  parts  of  the  earth,  carrying  with  Him  the  gifts  of  right- 
eousness, as  so  many  tokens  of  salvation  for  those  who  are 
to  be  justified ;  and,  as  soon  as  He  arrives  and  breathes 
upon  them,  He  disperses  their  sins,  as  a  ventilator  dis- 
perses the  smoke  from  a  furnace  and  makes  it  white ;  and 
also  He  takes  away  from  their  hearts  the  hardness  of  stone, 
and  puts  into  them  the  softness  of  flesh ;  and  at  the  same 
time  He  renews  their  spirits  or  minds,  and  regenerates 
them,  and  induces  upon  them  the  countenances  of  infants ; 
and  at  last  marks  their  foreheads  with  the  sign  of  the 
cross,  and  calls  them  the  elect,  and  children  of  God"  The 


No.  i6.j      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


2/ 


primate,  having  finished  this  discourse,  said  to  me,  "  Thus 
I  unravelled  this  great  mystery  in  the  world ;  and,  because 
most  of  our  order  there  applauded  my  opinions  on  this  sub- 
ject, I  am  persuaded  that  you  also,  who  are  a  layman,  give 
them  credit."  After  these  things  were  said  by  the  primate, 
I  looked  at  him,  and,  at  the  same  time,  at  the  dignitaries 
with  him,  and  observed  that  they  all  favored  him  with  their 
full  assent :  wherefore  I  began  to  reply,  and  said,  "  I  have 
well  considered  the  declaration  of  your  faith,  and  have 
thence  collected  that  you  have  conceived  and  still  cherish 
a  merely  natural  and  sensual,  yea,  material  idea  concerning 
the  triune  God,  whence  inevitably  flows  the  idea  of  three 
Gods.    Is  it  not  to  think  sensually  of  God  the  Father,  that 
He  sits  upon  a  throne  with  a  sceptre  in  His  hand  ?  and  of 
the  Son,  that  He  sits  upon  His  throne  with  a  crown  on  His 
head?  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  He  sits  upon  His,  with 
a  dove  in  His  hand,  and  that,  according  to  what  He  hears, 
He  runs  throughout  the  world  ?    And  because  such  an 
idea  thence  results,  I  cannot  believe  what  you  have  de- 
clared j  for,  from  my  infancy,  I  have  not  been  able  to  admit 
into  my  mind  any  other  idea  than  that  of  one  God  ;  and 
since  I  have  received  and  still  retain  only  this  idea,  all 
that  you  have  said  has  no  weight  with  me.    And  then  I 
saw  that,  by  the  throne  upon  which,  according  to  the 
Scripture,  Jehovah  is  said  to  sit,  is  meant  kingdom ;  by 
the  sceptre  and  crown,  government  and  dominion  \  by  sit- 
ting on  the  right  hand,  the  omnipotence  of  God  by  His 
Human;  and  by  those  things  which  are  related  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  the  operations  of  the  Divine  omnipresence.  Assume, 
sir,  if  you  please,  the  idea  of  one  God,  and  revolve  it  well 
in  your  rational  mind  \j\itiocinio\  and  you  will  at  length 
clearly  perceive  that  it  is  so.    Indeed,  you  also  say  that 
there  is  one  God,  and  this  because  you  make  the  essence 
of  those  three  persons  one  and  indivisible  j  yet  you  do  not 
allow  any  one  to  say  that  the  one  God  is  one  Person,  but 
lhat  still  there  are  three  j  and  this  you  do,  lest  the  idea  of 


28 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I 


three  Gods,  such  as  yours  is,  should  be  lost ;  and  you  also 
ascribe  to  each  a  character  separate  from  that  of  another : 
do  you  not  thus  divide  your  Divine  essence  ?  Since  it  is 
so,  how  can  you  at  the  same  time  think  that  God  is  one  ? 
I  could  overlook  it  if  you  should  say  that  the  Divine  is 
one.  When  any  one  hears  that  the  Father  is  God,  the  Son 
is  God,  the  Holy  Spirit  is  God,  and  that  each  Person  singly  is 
God,  how  can  he  conceive  that  God  is  one  ?  Is  it  not  a 
contradiction  which  can  never  be  believed?  That  this 
cannot  be  called  one  God,  but  similar  Divinity,  may  be 
illustrated  by  these  examples :  It  cannot  be  said  of  sev- 
eral men  who  compose  one  senate,  synod,  or  council,  that 
they  are  one  man;  but  while  they  are  all  and  each  of 
them  of  one  opinion,  it  may  be  said  that  they  think  one 
thing.  Neither  can  it  be  said  of  three  diamonds  of  one 
substance  that  they  are  one  diamond,  but  that  they  are 
one  as  to  substance ;  and  also  each  diamond  differs  from 
the  others  in  value,  according  to  its  own  weight;  but  it 
would  not  be  so,  if  they  were  one,  and  not  three.  But  I 
perceive  that  the  reason  why  you  call  the  three  Divine  per- 
sons, each  of  whom  by  Himself  or  singly  is  God,  one  God, 
and  why  you  insist  that  every  one  in  the  church  should  so 
speak,  is  that  sound  and  enlightened  reason,  throughout 
the  whole  world,  acknowledges  that  God  is  one ;  and  there- 
fore you  would  be  covered  with  shame,  if  you  also  should 
not  speak  in  like  manner.  But  even  while  you  utter  with 
your  lips  one  God,  although  you  entertain  the  idea  of  three, 
still  the  shame  does  not  keep  those  two  forms  of  expres- 
sion within  your  lips,  but  you  speak  them  out."  After  this 
conversation,  the  bishop  retired  with  his  clerical  attendants, 
and  in  retiring  he  turned  about,  and  wished  to  exclaim, 
"There  is  one  God;"  but  he  could  not,  because  his  thought 
drew  back  his  tongue ;  and  then,  with  open  mouth,  he 
breathed  out,  "Three  Gods."  Those  who  were  standing 
by  laughed  loudly  at  the  strange  sight,  and  departed. 
17.  Afterwards  I  inquired  where  I  might  find,  amongst 


No.  17.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  2G 

the  learned,  those  who  are  of  the  most  acute  genius,  and 
who  maintain  that  there  is  a  Divine  Trinity  divided  into 
three  persons ;  and  three  presented  themselves,  to  whom  I 
said,  "  How  can  you  divide  the  Divine  Trinity  into  three 
persons,  and  assert  that  each  person  by  himself,  or  singly, 
is  God  and  Lord  ?  Is  not  such  a  confession  of  the  mouth 
that  God  is  one,  as  distant  from  the  thought  as  the  south 
is  from  the  north  ?  "  To  which  they  replied,  "  It  is  not  in  the 
least,  because  the  three  persons  have  one  essence,  and  the 
Divine  Essence  is  God.  We  were,  in  the  world,  guardians 
of  a  Trinity  of  persons  ;  and  the  ward  under  our  care  was 
our  faith,  in  which  each  divine  person  had  his  office  :  God 
the  Father,  the  office  of  imputation  and  donation  j  God  the 
Son,  that  of  intercession  and  mediation  j  and  God  the  Holy 
Spirit,  that  of  effecting  the  uses  of  imputation  and  media- 
tion." But  I  asked,  "  What  do  you  mean  by  the  Divine 
Essence  ?  "  They  said,  "  We  mean  omnipotence,  omni- 
science, omnipresence,  immensity,  eternity,  equality  of  maj- 
esty." To  which  I  said,  "  If  that  essence  makes  one  out 
of  several  Gods,  you  may  add  still  more,  as,  for  example, 
a  fourth  who  is  mentioned  in  Moses,  Job,  and  Ezekiel, 
and  is  called  God  Shaddai.  In  like  manner  also  did  the 
ancients  in  Greece  and  Italy,  who  ascribed  equal  attrib- 
utes and  thus  similar  essence  to  their  gods,  as  to  Saturn^ 
Jupiter,  Neptune,  Pluto,  Apollo,  Juno,  Diana,  Minerva, 
yea,  also  to  Mercury  and  Venus ;  but  still  they  could  not 
say  that  all  these  were  one  God.  And  also  you,  who  are 
three,  and,  as  I  perceive,  of  similar  learning,  and  so  of  sim- 
ilar essence  as  to  that,  still  are  not  able  to  combine  your- 
sehes  into  one  learned  man."  But  at  this  they  laughed, 
saying,  "You  are  jesting;  it  is  otherwise  with  the  Divine 
Essence  ;  this  is  one,  and  not  tripartite,  and  it  is  indivisible, 
and  so  not  divided ;  partition  and  division  do  not  reach 
it."  To  this  I  rejoined,  "Let  us  come  down  to  this  ground, 
and  argue  the  subject."  And  I  asked,  "  What  do  you  mean 
by  person,  and  what  does  the  word  signify  ?  "  And  they  said, 


30 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  L 


"  The  appellation  Pei'son  signifies  not  a  part  or  quality  in  an- 
other, but  what  subsists  by  itself  [proprie  subsistit].  Thus  do 
all  the  principal  doctors  of  the  church  define  person,  and  we 
agree  with  them."  And  I  said,  "  Is  this  the  definition  of 
person  ?  "  And  they  replied,  "It  is."  To  which  I  answered, 
"  Then  there  is  not  any  part  of  the  Father  in  the  Son,  nor 
any  of  either  in  the  Holy  Spirit  j  whence  it  follows,  that 
each  has  His  own  judgment,  right,  and  power ;  and  so  there 
is  not  any  thing  which  joins  them  together  except  the  will, 
which  is  proper  to  each,  and  thus  is  communicable  at  pleas- 
ure :  are  not  the  three  persons  thus  three  distinct  Gods  ? 
Again,  you  have  also  defined  person,  that  it  is  what  subsists 
by  itself  :  consequently  it  follows  that  there  are  three  sub- 
stances into  which  you  divide  the  Divine  Essence;  and 
yet  this,  as  you  also  say,  is  incapable  of  division,  because 
it  is  one  and  indivisible ;  and,  moreover,  to  each  substance, 
that  is,  to  each  person,  you  attribute  properties  which  are 
not  in  another,  and  which  cannot  be  communicated  to  an- 
other, such  as  imputation,  mediation,  and  operation ;  and 
what  else  thence  results,  than  that  the  three  persons  are 
three  Gods  ?  "  At  these  words  they  withdrew,  saying,  "  We 
will  discuss  these  things,  and,  having  discussed  them,  we 
will  answer."  There  stood  by  a  certain  wise  man,  who, 
hearing  these  things,  said,  "  I  do  not  wish,  by  such  subtle 
speculations  [subfiles  transennas\  to  look  into  this  high  sub- 
ject ;  but  leaving  those  subtilties,  I  see  in  clear  light  that, 
in  the  ideas  of  your  thought,  there  are  three  Gods ;  but, 
because  it  would  be  to  your  shame  to  publish  them  to  all 
the  world  (for  if  you  should  publish  them  you  would  be 
called  madmen  and  idiots),  therefore,  to  avoid  that  dis- 
grace, it  is  expedient  for  you  to  confess  with  your  lirs 
one  God."  But  the  three  disputants,  still  tenacious  of 
their  own  opinion,  paid  no  attention  to  these  words  ; 
and,  in  going  away,  they  muttered  out  some  terms  bor- 
rowed from  metaphysical  science ;  whence  I  perceived, 
that  that  was  their  tripod,  from  which  they  wished  to 
give  answers. 


No.  19. J      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


31 


CONCERNING  THE  DIVINE  ESSE,  WHICH  IS 
JEHOVAH. 

18.  We  shall  treat  first  of  the  Divine  Esse,  and  after- 
wards of  the  Divine  Essence.  It  appears  as  if  these  two 
were  one  and  the  same  ;  but  still  esse  is  more  universal 
than  essence,  for  an  essence  supposes  an  esse,  and  from  esse 
essence  is  derived.  The  Esse  of  God,  or  the  Divine  Esse, 
cannot  be  described,  because  it  is  above  every  idea  of 
human  thought,  into  which  nothing  else  falls  than  what 
is  created  and  finite,  but  not  what  is  uncreate  and  infinite, 
thus  not  the  Divine  Esse.  The  Divine  Esse  is  Esse  itself, 
from  which  all  things  are,  and  which  must  be  in  all  things, 
that  they  may  be.  A  further  notion  of  the  Divine  Esse  may 
flow  in  from  the  following  articles  :  I.  The  one  God  is  called 
Jehovah  from  Esse  [to  be],  thus  from  this,  because  He  alone  is, 
was,  and  will  be,  and  because  He  is  the  First  and  the  Last,  the 
Beginning  and  the  End,  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega.  II.  The 
one  God  is  Substance  itself  and  For?7i  itself,  and  angels  and 
men  are  substances  and  forms  from  Him  ;  and  as  far  as  they 
are  in  Him  and  He  in  them,  so  far  they  are  images  and  like- 
nesses of  Hun.  III.  27ie  Divine  Esse  is  Esse  [to  be]  in  itself 
and  at  the  same  time  Ex  is  te  re  [to  exist]  in  itself  IV.  The 
Divine  Esse  and  Existere  in  itself  cannot  produce  another 
Divine  which  is  Esse  and  Existere  i?i  itself ;  consequently, 
there  cannot  be  another  God  of  the  same  essence.  V.  A  plu- 
rality of  gods  in  ancient  and  also  in  modern  times,  existed  from 
no  other  cause  than  fro?n  fiot  understanding  the  Divine  Esse. 
But  these  articles  are  to  be  elucidated  one  by  one. 

19.  I.  The  one  God  is  called  Jehovah  from  Esse, 

THUS  FROM  THIS,  BECAUSE  He  ALONE  IS  [AND  WAS]  AND 
WILL  BE  j  AND  BECAUSE  He  IS  THE  FlRST  AND  THE  LAST, 

the  Beginning  and  the  End,  the  Alpha  and  the 
Omega. 

That  Jehovah  signifies  I  am  and  To  be,  is  known  \  and 


32 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


that  God  was  so  called  from  the  most  ancient  times  is  evi- 
dent from  the  book  of  Creation,  or  Genesis,  where,  in  the 
first  chapter,  He  is  named  God,  but  in  the  second  and  the 
following,  Jehovah  God;  and  afterwards,  when  the  descend- 
ants of  Abraham  by  Jacob,  during  their  sojourning  in  Egypt, 
forgot  the  name  of  God,  it  was  recalled  to  their  remem- 
brance ;  concerning  which  it  is  thus  written :  Moses  said 
unto  God,  What  is  thy  name  ?  God  said,  I  AM  THAT  I 
AM.  Thus  shalt  thou  say  to  the  children  of  Israel,  I  AM 
hath  sent  me  unto  you  ;  and  thou  shalt  say,  Jehovah,  the  God 
of  your  fathers,  hath  sent  me  unto  you  ;  this  is  My  ?iame  for 
ever,  and  this  My  memorial  from  generation  to  ge7ieration 
(Ex.  iii.  13,  14,  15).  Since  God  alone  is  the  I  AM,  and 
the  Esse,  or  Jehovah,  therefore  there  is  not  any  thing  in 
the  created  universe  which  does  not  derive  its  esse  from 
Him  ;  but  in  what  manner  will  be  seen  below.  The  same 
is  also  meant  by  these  words  :  I  am  the  First  and  the  Last, 
the  Beginning  a?id  the  End,  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega  (Isa. 
xliv.  6 ;  and  Apoc.  i.  8,  11  ;  xxii.  13) ;  by  which  is  signified, 
Who  is  the  Itself  and  the  Only,  from  firsts  to  lasts,  from 
which  are  all  things. 

That  God  is  called  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega,  the  Begin- 
ning and  the  End,  is  because  Alpha  is  the  first  and  Omega 
is  the  last  letter  in  the  Greek  alphabet ;  and  thence  they 
signify  all  things  in  the  complex :  the  reason  is,  because 
every  alphabetic  letter  in  the  spiritual  world  signifies  some- 
thing; and  a  vowel,  which  serves  for  tone,  something  of 
affection  or  love :  from  this  origin  is  spiritual  or  angelic 
speech,  and  also  writing  there.  But  this  is  an  arcanum 
hitherto  unknown ;  for  there  is  a  universal  language,  in 
which  all  angels  and  spirits  are  ;  and  this  has  nothing  in 
common  with  any  language  of  men  in  the  world :  every 
man  comes  into  this  language  after  death,  for  it  is  im 
planted  in  every  man  from  creation;  wherefore  all  can  un- 
derstand each  other  throughout  the  whole  spiritual  world. 
It  has  been  given  me  often  to  hear  that  language,  and  I 


No.  20-1      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


35 


have  compared  it  with  languages  in  the  world,  and  have 
found  that  it  does  not  even  in  the  least  degree  make  one 
with  any  natural  language  upon  earth :  it  differs  from  them 
in  its  first  principle,  which  is,  that  every  letter  of  every 
word  signifies  a  thing.  In  consequence  of  this,  God  is 
called  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega,  by  which  is  signified  that 
He  is  the  Itself  and  the  Only,  from  firsts  to  lasts,  from 
which  are  all  things.  But  concerning  this  language,  and 
the  writing  of  it,  flowing  from  the  spiritual  thought  of  angels, 
see  the  work  concerning  Conjtjgial  Love  (n.  326-329),  and 
also  the  following  pages. 

20.   II.  The  one  God  is  Substance  itself  and  Form 

ITSELF,   AND    ANGELS    AND    MEN    ARE    SUBSTANCES  AND 

Forms  from  Him  j  and  as  far  as  they  are  in  Him 

AND  HE  IN  THEM,  SO  FAR  THEY  ARE  IMAGES  AND  LIKE- 
NESSES of  Him. 

Since  God  is  Esse,  He  is  also  Substance,  for  an  esse, 
unless  it  be  a  substance,  is  only  a  thing  of  reasoning  j  for 
substance  is  the  thing  which  subsists :  and  whoever  is  a 
substance  is  also  a  form,  for  substance,  unless  it  be  a  form, 
is  a  thing  of  reasoning ;  wherefore  both  can  be  predicated 
of  God,  but  so  that  He  is  the  only,  the  very,  and  the  first 
Substance  and  Form.  That  this  form  is  the  very  Human, 
that  is,  that  God  is  very  Man,  all  things  of  whom  are 
infinite,  is  demonstrated  in  the  "  Angelic  Wisdom  concern- 
ing the  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom,"  published  at  Amster- 
dam in  the  year  1763  :  in  like  manner,  that  angels  and 
men  are  substances  and  forms,  created  and  organized 
for  receiving  the  Divine  things  flowing  into  them  through 
heaven  ;  wherefore,  in  the  book  of  Creation,  they  are  called 
images  and  likenesses  of  God  (Gen.  i.  26,  27);  and  in  other 
places,  His  sons,  and  born  of  Him ;  but  in  the  course  of  this 
work  it  will  be  fully  demonstrated  that,  as  far  as  man  lives 
under  the  Divine  influence,  that  is,  suffers  himself  to  be  led 
by  God,  so  far  he  becomes  an  image  of  Him,  more  and 


34 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


more  interiorly.  Unless  an  idea  be  formed  of  God,  that 
He  is  the  first  substance  and  form,  and  of  His  form,  that  it 
is  the  very  human,  the  minds  of  men  would  readily  imbibe 
idle  fancies,  like  spectres,  concerning  God  Himself,  the 
origin  of  man,  and  the  creation  of  the  world  :  of  God  they 
would  conceive  no  other  notion  than  as  of  the  nature  of  the 
universe  in  its  firsts,  thus  of  the  expanse  of  the  universe,  or 
as  of  emptiness  or  nothing ;  of  the  origin  of  men,  as  of  the 
conflux  of  the  elements  into  such  a  form  by  chance  ;  of  the 
creation  of  the  world,  that  the  origin  of  its  substances  and 
forms  is  from  points,  then  from  geometrical  lines,  which, 
because  nothing  can  be  predicated  of  them,  are  therefore 
in  themselves  not  any  thing.  With  such  persons,  every 
thing  of  the  church  is  like  the  Styx,  or  the  thick  darkness 
of  Tartarus. 

21.   III.  The  Divine  Esse  [to  be]  is  Esse  in  itself, 

AND,  AT  THE  SAME  TlME,  ExiSTERE  [TO  EXIST]  IN  ITSELF. 

That  Jehovah  God  is  Esse  in  itself,  is  because  He  is  the 
I  AM,  the  Itself,  the  Only  and  the  First,  from  eternity 
to  eternity,  from  which  is  every  thing  which  is,  that  it  may 
be  any  thing ;  thus,  and  not  otherwise,  He  is  the  Beginning 
and  the  End,  the  First  and  the  Last,  and  the  Alpha  and  the 
Omega.  It  cannot  be  said  that  His  Esse  is  from  itself,  be- 
cause this  from  itself  supposes  what  is  prior,  and  thus 
time,  which  is  not  applicable  to  the  Infinite,  which  is  called 
"from  eternity  and  also  it  supposes  another  God,  who  is 
God  in  Himself,  thus  a  God  from  God,  or  that  God  formed 
Himself,  and  so  could  not  be  uncreate  or  infinite,  because 
thus  He  made  himself  finite  from  Himself  or  from  another. 
Prom  this,  that  God  is  Esse  in  itself,  it  follows  that  He  is 
Love  in  itself,  Wisdom  in  itself,  and  Life  in  itself,  and  that 
He  is  the-  Itself,  from  which  are  all  things,  and  to  which  all 
tilings  refer  themselves,  that  they  may  be  any  thing.  That 
God  is  Life  in  itself,  and  thus  God,  is  evident  from  the 
Lord's  words  in  John  v.  26  ;  and  in  Isaiah,  /  Jehovah 


Nj .22  J      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


35 


make  all  things,  and  spread  out  the  heave?is  alone,  and  stretch 
out  the  earth  by  Myself  (xliv.  24)  ■  and  that  He  alone  is  God, 
and  beside  Him  there  is  no  God  (xlv.  14,  15,  21,  22;  Hos 
xiii.  4). 

That  God  is  not  only  Esse  in  itself,  but  also  Existere  in 
itself,  is  because  an  esse,  unless  it  exist,  is  not  any  thing ; 
and,  in  like  manner,  an  existere,  unless  it  be  from  an  esse  ; 
wherefore,  one  being  given,  the  other  is  given :  in  like  man- 
ner, a  substance  is  not  any  thing,  unless  it  be  also  a  form  ; 
of  a  substance,  unless  it  be  a  form,  nothing  can  be  predi- 
cated ;  and  this,  because  it  has  no  quality,  is  in  itself  noth- 
ing. The  reason  why  we  here  say  Esse  and  Existere,  and 
not  Essence  and  Existence,  is  because  a  distinction  is  to  be 
observed  between  Esse  and  Essence,  and  thence  between 
Existere  and  Existe?ice,  as  between  what  is  prior  and  what 
is  posterior ;  and  what  is  prior  is  more  universal  than  what 
is  posterior.  Infinity  and  eternity  are  applicable  to  the 
Divine  Esse,  but  to  the  Divine  Essence  and  Existence 
Divine  Love  and  Divine  Wisdom  are  applicable,  and,  by 
means  of  these  two,  omnipotence  and  omnipresence  ;  of 
which,  therefore,  we  shall  treat  in  their  order. 

22.  That  God  is  the  Itself,  the  Only  and  the  First, 
which  is  called  Esse  and  Existere  in  itself,  from  which  are 
all  things  that  are  and  exist,  the  natural  man  by  his  own 
reason  cannot  possibly  discover ;  for  the  natural  man  by 
his  own  reason  can  apprehend  nothing  else  than  what  is 
of  nature ;  for  this  squares  with  his  essence,  because  from 
nis  infancy  and  childhood  nothing  else  has  entered  into  it. 
But  since  man  was  created  to  be  spiritual,  also  because  he 
is  to  live  after  death,  and  then  among  the  spiritual  in  their 
world,  therefore  God  has  provided  the  Word,  in  which  He 
has  not  only  revealed  Himself,  but  also  that  there  is  a 
heaven  and  a  hell ;  and  that  in  one  or  the  other  of  these 
every  man  is  to  live  to  eternity,  each  according  to  his  life 
and  his  faith  together.  He  has  also  revealed  in  the  Word 
that  He  is  the  I  AM,  or  the  Esse,  and  the  Itself,  and  the 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  L 


Only,  which  is  in  itself,  and  so  the  First  or  the  Beginning, 
from  which  are  all  things.  It  is  from  this  revelation  that 
the  natural  man  can  elevate  himself  above  nature,  thus 
above  himself,  and  see  such  things  as  are  of  God;  but  vet 
only  as  from  afar,  although  God  is  nigh  to  every  man,  for 
Fie  is  in  him  with  His  essence ;  and,  because  it  is  so,  He 
;-  nigh  to  those  who  love  Him  •  and  those  love  Him  who 
live  according  to  His  commandments  and  believe  in  Him  ; 
these,  as  it  were,  see  Him ;  for  what  is  faith,  but  a  spiritual 
sight  that  He  is  ?  And  what  is  a  life  according  to  His 
commandments,  but  an  actual  acknowledgment  that  from 
Him  is  salvation  and  eternal  life  ?  But  those  who  have  not 
spiritual  faith,  but  natural,  which  is  only  knowledge,  and 
have  thence  a  similar  life,  see  God,  indeed,  but  from  afar, 
and  this  only  when  they  are  speaking  of  Him.  The  differ- 
ence between  the  former  and  the  latter  is  like  that  between 
those  who  stand  in  clear  light,  and  see  men  close  to,  and 
touch  them,  and  those  who  stand  in  a  thick  fog,  from  which 
they  cannot  distinguish  men  from  trees  or  stones.  Or  it  is 
like  the  difference  between  those  who  stand  upon  a  high 
mountain  where  there  is  a  city,  and  who  go  hither  and 
thither  and  talk  with  their  fellow  citizens,  and  those  who 
look  down  from  that  mountain  and  know  not  whether  the 
objects  which  they  see  are  men,  or  beasts,  or  statues.  Yea, 
it  is  like  that  between  those  who  stand  upon  some  planet- 
ary orb,  and  see  their  companions  there,  and  those  who 
are  in  another  planet,  with  telescopes  in  their  hands,  and 
look  thither,  and  say  that  they  see  men  there,  when  yet 
they  only  see,  in  general,  the  earthy  parts  as  lunar  bright- 
ness, and  the  watery  parts  as  spots.  There  is  a  similar 
difference  between  seeing  God  and  the  Divine  things  which 
proceed  from  Him  in  their  mind,  with  those  who  are  in 
faith  and  at  the  same  time  in  the  life  of  charity,  and  with 
(hose  who  are  only  in  knowledge  about  them  ;  consequently, 
between  natural  and  spiritual  men.  But  those  who  deny 
the  Divine  sanctity  of  the  Word,  and  still  carry  the  things 


No.  23.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


37 


which  are  of  religion,  as  it  were,  in  a  sack  upon  the  back, 
do  not  see  God,  but  they  only  utter  the  word  God,  differing 
little  from  parrots. 

23.  IV.  The  Divine  Esse  and  Existere  in  itself 
cannot  produce  another  dlvine  that  is  esse  and 
Existere  in  itself  ;  consequently,  another  God  of 
the  same  Essence  is  not  possible. 

That  one  God,  who  is  the  Creator  of  the  universe,  is 
Esse  and  Existere  in  itself,  thus  God  in  Himself,  has 
already  been  shown :  thence  it  follows  that  a  God  from 
God  is  not  possible,  because  the  very  essential  Divine, 
which  is  Esse  and  Existere  in  itself,  is  in  Him  incommuni- 
cable. It  is  the  same,  whether  it  be  said  "begotten  by 
God,"  or  "  proceeding  from  Him ; "  in  either  case,  there 
would  be  "produced  by  God;"  and  this  differs  but  little 
from  being  created.  Wherefore,  to  introduce  into  the 
church  the  faith  that  there  are  three  Divine  persons,  each 
of  whom  singly  is  God,  and  of  the  same  essence,  and  one 
born  from  eternity,  and  a  third  proceeding  from  eternity, 
is  wholly  to  abolish  the  idea  of  the  unity  of  God,  and  with 
this  all  notion  of  Divinity,  and  so  to  cause  all  the  spiritual 
of  reason  to  be  banished  into  exile  \  thence  man  becomes 
no  longer  man,  but  totally  natural,  differing  from  a  beast 
only  in  possessing  the  power  of  speech ;  and  he  is  opposed 
to  all  the  spiritual  things  of  the  church,  for  these  the  natu- 
ral man  calls  foolishness  j  hence,  and  only  hence,  have 
originated  heresies  concerning  God  so  enormous.  Where- 
fore a  Divine  Trinity,  divided  into  persons,  has  brought 
into  the  church  not  only  night  but  also  death.  That  an 
identity  of  three  Divine  Essences  is  an  offence  to  reason, 
appeared  evident  to  me  from  the  angels,  who  said,  that  they 
could  not  even  utter  "  three  equal  Divinities ;n  and  if  any 
one  should  come  to  them,  and  wish  to  utter  that  expression, 
he  could  not  but  turn  himself  away;  and  after  having  given 
it  utterance,  he  would  become  like  the  trunk  of  a  man,  and 


33 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I. 


would  be  cast  out,  and  afterwards  would  go  away  to  those 
in  hell  who  do  not  acknowledge  any  God.  The  truth  is 
that,  to  implant  in  infants  and  children  an  idea  of  three 
divine  persons,  to  which  inevitably  adheres  the  idea  of 
three  Gods,  is  to  take  away  from  them  all  spiritual  milk, 
and  afterwards  all  spiritual  meat,  and  lastly  all  spiritual 
reason,  and  to  bring  upon  those  who  confirm  themselves 
in  it  spiritual  death.  The  difference  is  this  :  Those  who 
in  faith  and  in  heart  worship  one  God,  the  Creator  of  the 
universe,  and  Him  at  the  same  time  the  Redeemer  and 
Regenerator,  are  as  the  city  of  Zion  was  in  the  time  of 
David,  and  as  the  city  of  Jerusalem  in  the  time  of  Solo- 
mon after  the  temple  was  built  j  but  the  church  which 
believes  in  three  persons,  and  in  each  as  a  distinct  God,  is 
like  the  city  of  Zion  and  Jerusalem  destroyed  by  Vespasian, 
and  the  temple  there  burnt.  Moreover,  the  man  who  wor- 
ships one  God,  in  whom  is  the  Divine  Trinity,  thus  who  is 
one  Person,  becomes  more  and  more  a  living  and  angelic 
man ;  but  he  who  confirms  himself  in  a  plurality  of  Gods, 
from  a  plurality  of  persons,  gradually  becomes  like  a  statue 
made  with  movable  joints,  within  which  Satan  stands,  and 
speaks  through  its  jointed  mouth. 

24.  V.  A  Plurality  of  Gods,  in  ancient  and  also 
in  modern  Times,  originated  from  no  other  Cause 
than  from  not  understanding  the  dlvine  esse. 

That  the  unity  of  God  is  most  interiorly  inscribed  on  the 
/nind  of  every  man,  since  it  is  in  the  midst  of  all  the  things 
which  flow  into  the  soul  of  man  from  God,  has  been  shown 
above  (n.  8)  •  but  that  still  it  has  not  descended  therefrom 
into  the  human  understanding,  is  because  there  have  been 
wanting  the  cognitions  by  means  of  which  man  ought  to 
ascend  to  meet  God ;  for  every  one  should  prepare  the  way 
for  God,  that  is,  should  prepare  himself  for  reception,  and 
this  should  be  done  by  means  of  cognitions.  The  cogni- 
tions which  have  hitherto  been  wanting  to  enable  the  un- 


No.  24.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


39 


derstanding  to  penetrate  where  it  might  see  that  God  is  one, 
and  that  only  one  Divine  Esse  is  possible,  and  that  all  things 
of  nature  are  from  that,  are  the  following:  1.  That  hitherto 
no  one  has  known  any  thing  concerning  the  spiritual  world, 
where  spirits  and  angels  are,  and  into  which  every  man 
comes  after  death.  2.  Also,  that  in  that  world,  there  is  a 
sun,  which  is  pure  love  from  Jehovah  God,  who  is  in  the 
midst  of  it.  3.  That  from  that  sun  proceeds  heat  which  in 
its  essence  is  love,  and  light  which  in  its  essence  is  wisdom. 
4.  That  thence  all  things  which  are  in  that  world  are  spir- 
itual, and  affect  the  internal  man,  and  make  its  will  and 
understanding.  5.  That  Jehovah  God,  out  of  His  sun, 
not  only  produced  the  spiritual  world  and  all  its  spiritual 
things,  which  are  innumerable  and  substantial,  but  that 
He  also  produced  the  natural  world,  and  all  its  natural 
things,  which  are  also  innumerable  but  material.  6.  That 
hitherto  no  one  has  known  the  distinction  between  the 
spiritual  and  the  natural,  nor  even  what  the  spiritual  is  in 
its  essence.  7.  Nor  that  there  are  three  degrees  of  love 
and  wisdom,  according  to  which  the  angelic  heavens  are 
arranged.  8.  And  that  the  human  mind  is  distinguished 
into  as  many  degrees,  to  the  end  that  it  may  be  elevated 
after  death  into  one  of  the  three  heavens,  which  is  effected 
according  to  man's  life  and  faith  conjointly.  9.  And,  finally, 
that  all  those  things  could  not  have  existed  as  to  a  single 
point  but  from  the  Divine  Esse,  which  in  itself  is  the  Itself, 
and  so  the  First,  and  the  Beginning,  from  which  are  all 
things.  These  cognitions  have  hitherto  been  wanting;  yet 
they  are  the  means  by  which  man  may  ascend  and  have 
cognition  of  the  Divine  Esse.  It  is  said  that  man  ascends; 
but  it  is  meant  that  he  is  raised  up  by  God ;  for  man  has 
free  will  in  providing  himself  with  cognitions ;  and  as  he 
provides  himself  with  them  from  the  Word  by  means  of 
tin'  understanding,  he  thus  prepares  the  way  by  which  God 
descends  and  elevates  him.  The  cognitions  by  means  of 
which  the  human  understanding  ascends,  being  upheld  and 


40 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


led  by  God,  may  be  compared  to  the  steps  of  the  ladder 
seen  by  Jacob,  which  was  set  on  the  earth,  whose  top  reached 
to  heaven,  and  by  which  the  angels  ascended,  and  jfehovah 
stood  above  it  (Gen.  xxviii.  12,  13).  But  it  is  quite  other- 
wise when  those  cognitions  are  wanting,  or  when  man 
despises  them ;  then  the  elevation  of  the  understanding 
may  be  compared  to  a  ladder  raised  from  the  ground  to 
the  windows  of  the  first  story  of  a  magnificent  palace,  where 
men  have  their  habitations,  and  not  to  the  windows  of  the 
second  story  where  spirits  are,  and  still  less  to  the  win- 
dows of  the  third  story  where  angels  are.  Thence  it  comes 
to  pass  that  man  abides  in  the  atmospheres  and  material 
things  of  nature,  in  which  he  keeps  his  eyes,  ears,  and 
nostrils ;  from  which  he  derives  no  other  ideas  of  heaven, 
and  of  the  Esse  and  Essence  of  God,  than  such  as  are  of 
the  atmosphere  and  of  matter ;  and  whilst  a  man  thinks 
from  these,  he  does  not  form  any  judgment  concerning 
God,  whether  He  exists  or  not,  or  whether  He  is  one  or 
more ;  and  still  less  what  He  is  as  to  His  Esse  and  as  to 
His  Essence.  Thence  arose  a  plurality  of  gods  in  ancient 
and  also  in  modern  times. 

25.  To  the  above  I  shall  add  this  Relation  :  Some  time 
since,  having  awaked  from  sleep,  I  fell  into  profound  medi- 
tation concerning  God  ;  and  when  I  looked  up,  I  saw  above 
me  in  heaven  a  very  bright  light,  in  an  oval  form  j  and 
when  I  fixed  my  gaze  upon  that  light,  the  light  receded  to 
the  sides  and  entered  into  the  circumferences ;  and  then, 
lo,  heaven  was  opened  to  me,  and  I  saw  magnificent  things, 
and  angels  standing  in  the  form  of  a  circle  on  the  southern 
side  of  the  opening,  and  they  were  talking  together  j  and 
because  I  had  an  ardent  desire  to  hear  what  they  were  say- 
ing, it  was  therefore  given  me  first  to  hear  the  tone,  which 
was  full  of  heavenly  love,  and  afterwards  the  speech,  which 
was  full  of  wisdom  from  that  love.  They  were  talking  to- 
gether about  the  one  God,  and  about  conjunction  with 
Him,  and  thence  salvation.    They  spoke  ineffable  things, 


No.  25.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


41 


most  of  which  cannot  be  expressed  in  the  words  of  any 
natural  language  j  but  because  I  had  sometimes  been  in 
company  with  angels  in  heaven  itself,  and  then  in  a  similar 
speech  with  them,  because  in  a  similar  state,  I  was  there- 
fore able  now  to  understand  them,  and  to  select  from  their 
conversation  some  things  which  may  be  rationally  expressed 
in  the  words  of  natural  language.  They  said  that  the  Di- 
vine Esse  is  One,  the  Same,  the  Itself,  and  Indivis- 
ible. This  they  illustrated  by  spiritual  ideas,  saying  that 
the  Divine  Esse  cannot  be  communicated  to  several,  each  of 
whom  has  the  Divine  Esse,  and  still  itself  be  One,  the  Same, 
the  Itself,  and  Indivisible ;  for  each  one  would  think  from 
his  own  Esse  from  himself,  and  singly  by  himself;  if  then 
also  from  the  others  and  by  the  others,  unanimously,  there 
would  be  several  Gods  of  one  mind,  and  not  one  God ;  for 
unanimity,  because  it  is  the  agreement  of  several,  and  at  the 
same  time  of  each  one  from  himself  and  by  himself,  does 
not  accord  with  the  unity  of  God,  but  with  a  plurality,  — 
they  did  not  say  of  Gods,  because  they  could  not ;  for  the 
light  of  heaven  from  which  was  their  thought,  and  the  aura 
fn  which  their  discourse  was  uttered,  opposed  it.  They 
said,  also,  that  when  they  wished  to  pronounce  the  word 
Gods,  and  each  one  as  a  person  by  himself,  the  effort  of 
pronouncing  was  instantly  directed  to  One,  yea,  to  the 
Only  God.  To  this  they  added,  that  the  Divine  Esse  is  a 
Divine  Esse  in  Itself,  not  from  itself ;  because  from  itself 
supposes  an  Esse  in  itself  from  another  prior;  thus  it  sup- 
poses a  God  from  God,  which  is  not  possible.  What  is 
from  God  is  not  called  God,  but  is  called  Divine;  for  what 
is  a  God  from  God  ?  thus,  what  is  a  God  born  of  God  from 
eternity  ?  and  what  is  a  God  proceeding  from  God  through 
a  God  born  from  eternity,  but  words  in  which  there  is  noth- 
ing of  light  from  heaven  ?  They  said,  moreover,  that  the 
Divine  Esse,  which  in  itself  is  God,  is  the  Same,  not  the 
same  simply,  but  infinitely;  that  is,  the  Same  from  eternity 
to  eternity:  it  is  the  Same  everywhere,  and"  the  Same  with 


42 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


every  one,  and  in  ever}7  one ;  but  that  all  variableness  and 
changeableness  is  in  the  recipient ;  the  state  of  the  recipi- 
ent makes  this.  That  the  Divine  Esse,  which  is  God  in 
Himself,  is  the  Itself,  they  illustrated  thus :  God  is  the 
Itself,  because  He  is  Love  itself  and  Wisdom  itself,  or  be- 
cause He  is  Good  itself  and  Truth  itself,  and  thence  Life 
icself,  which,  unless  they  were  the  Itself  in  God,  would  not 
be  any  thing  in  heaven  and  the  world,  because  there  would 
not  be  any  thing  in  them  having  relation  to  the  Itself. 
Every  quality  has  its  quality  from  that  which  is  the  Itself 
from  which  it  is,  and  to  which  it  has  relation  that  it  may  be 
such  as  it  is.  This  Itself,  which  is  the  Divine  Esse,  is  not 
in  place,  but  is  with  those  and  in  those  who  are  in  place, 
according  to  reception ;  since  of  Love  and  Wisdom,  or  of 
Good  and  Truth,  and  thence  of  Life,  which  are  the  Itself 
in  God,  yea,  God  Himself,  place  cannot  be  predicated,  nor 
progression  from  place  to  place,  whence  is  Omnipresence ; 
wherefore  the  Lord  says  that  He  is  in  the  midst  of  them  ; 
also  that  He  is  in  them,  and  they  in  Hi?n.  But  because  He 
cannot  be  received  by  any  one  as  He  is  in  Himself,  He 
appears,  as  He  is  in  His  essence,  as  a  sun  above  the  angelic 
heavens ;  the  proceeding  from  which  as  light  is  Himself 
as  to  wisdom,  and  the  proceeding  as  heat  is  Himself  as  to 
love;  that  sun  is  not  Himself;  but  the  Divine  Love  and  the 
Divine  Wisdom  emanating  from  Him,  proximately,  round 
about  Him,  appear  to  the  angels  as  a  sun.  He  within  the 
sun  is  Man  ;  He  is  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  both  as  to 
the  Divine  from  which  [are  all  things],  and  also  as 
to  the  Divine  Human  ;  since  the  Itself,  which  is  Love 
itself  and  Wisdom  itself,  was  a  soul  to  Him  from  the 
Father ;  thus  the  Divine  life,  which  is  life  in  itself.  It  is 
otherwise  in  every  man ;  in  him  the  soul  is  not  life,  but  a 
recipient  of  life.  The  Lord  also  teaches  this,  saying,  I  am 
the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  Life  ;  and  in  another  place,  As 
the  Father  hath  life  in  Himself,  so  also  hath  he  given 
to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  Himself  (John  v.  26).    Life  in 


No.  26.]      CONCERN IXG  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


43 


Himself  is  God.  To  this  they  added  that  those  who  are 
in  any  spiritual  light  may  perceive  from  these  things  that 
the  Divine  Esse,  because  it  is  One,  the  Same,  the  Itself, 
and  thence  Indivisible,  cannot  be  in  more  than  one  j  and 
that,  if  it  should  be  said  to  be,  manifest  contradictions 
would  result. 

26.  When  I  had  heard  these  things,  the  angels  perceived 
in  my  thought  the  common  ideas  of  the  Christian  chinch, 
concerning  a  trinity  of  persons  in  unity  and  their  unity  in 
the  trinity,  relating  to  God ;  and  also  concerning  the  birth 
of  the  Son  of  God  from  eternity ;  and  then  they  said, 
u  What  are  you  thinking  ?  Do  you  not  have  those  thoughts 
from  natural  light,  with  which  our  spiritual  light  does  not 
agree  ?  Wherefore,  unless  you  remove  them  from  your 
mind,  we  shut  up  heaven  to  you,  and  depart."  But  then  I 
said,  "  Enter,  I  beseech  you,  more  deeply  into  my  thought, 
and  perhaps  you  will  see  an  agreement."  They  did  so,  and 
saw  that  by  three  persons  I  understood  three  proceeding 
Divine  attributes,  which  are  Creation,  Redemption,  and 
Regeneration  j  and  that  they  are  attributes  of  one  God  \ 
and  that  by  the  birth  of  the  Son  of  God  from  eternity  I 
understood  His  birth  foreseen  from  eternity  and  provided 
in  time  j  and  that  it  is  not  above  what  is  natural  and  ra- 
tional, but  contrary  to  what  is  natural  and  rational,  to  think 
that  any  Son  was  born  of  God  from  eternity  j  but  not  so, 
that  the  Son,  born  of  God  by  the  Virgin  Mary  in  time,  is 
the  only  Son  of  God,  and  the  only  begotten  j  and  that  to 
believe  otherwise  is  an  enormous  error.  And  then  I  told 
them  that  my  natural  thought  concerning  the  trinity  of  per- 
sons and  their  unity,  and  concerning  the  birth  of  a  Sen  of 
God  from  eternity,  was  from  the  doctrine  of  faith  in  the 
church,  which  has  its  name  from  Athanasius.  Then  the 
angels  said,  "Well."  And  they  requested  me  to  say  from 
their  mouth  that,  if  any  one  does  not  approach  the  very 
God  of  heaven  and  earth,  he  cannot  come  into  heaven,  be- 
cause heaven  is  heaven  from  this  only  God,  and  that  this 


44 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  [Chap.) 


God  is  Jesus  Christ,  Who  is  the  Lord  Jehovah,  from  eternity 
Creator,  in  time  Redeemer,  and  to  eternity  Regenerator ; 
thus  Who  is  at  once  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  and  that  this  is  the  gospel  which  is  to  be  preached. 
After  these  things  the  heavenly  light,  which  was  before 
seen  over  the  opening,  returned,  and  gradually  descended 
thence,  and  filled  the  interiors  of  my  mind,  and  enlightened 
my  ideas  concerning  the  trinity  and  unity  of  God.  And 
then  I  saw  the  ideas  at  first  entertained  concerning  them, 
which  had  been  merely  natural,  separated  as  chaff  is  sepa- 
rated from  wheat  by  winnowing,  and  carried  away  as  by  a 
wind  to  the  northern  region  of  heaven,  and  dispersed. 

CONCERNING  THE  INFINITY   OF  GOD,  OR  HIS 
IMMENSITY  AND  ETERNITY. 

27.  There  are  two  things  peculiar  to  the  natural  world, 
which  cause  all  things  there  to  be  finite ;  one  is  Space,  and 
the  other  is  Time  ;  and  because  this  world  was  created  by 
God,  and  spaces  and  times  were  created  together  with  this 
world  and  make  it  finite,  therefore  it  is  proper  to  treat  of 
their  two  beginnings,  which  are  Immensity  and  Eternity  ; 
for  the  immensity  of  God  has  relation  to  spaces,  and  Hib 
eternity  to  times ;  and  Infinity  comprehends  both  im 
mensity  and  eternity.  But  because  infinity  transcends 
what  is  finite,  and  the  cognition  of  it  transcends  a  finite 
mind,  therefore,  that  it  may  in  some  measure  be  perceived, 
it  is  to  be  treated  of  in  this  series :  I.  God  is  infinite,  since 
He  is  and  exists  in  Himself,  and  all  things  in  the  unwerse  are 
and  exist  from  Him.  II.  God  is  infinite,  for  He  was  before  the 
world,  thus  before  spaces  and  times  arose.  III.  God,  since  the 
world  was  made,  is  in  space  without  space,  and  in  time  with- 
out time.  IV.  [God's]  Infinity,  in  relation  to  spaces  is  called 
immensity,  and  in  relation  to  times  is  called  eternity;  and, 
although  there  are  these  relations,  still  there  is  nothing  of 
space  in  His  immensity,  and  nothing  of  time  in  His  eternity. 


No.  28.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  45 


V.  Efilightened  reason,  from  very  many  things  in  the  world, 
may  see  the  infinity  of  God  the  Creator.  VI.  Every  created 
thing  is  finite,  and  the  infinite  is  in  finite  things  as  in  its  re- 
ceptacles, and  in  men  as  in  its  images.  But  these  things  shall 
be  explained  one  by  one. 

28.  I.  God  is  infinite,  since  He  is  and  exists  in 
Himself,  and  all  Things  in  the  Universe  are  and 
exist  from  Him. 

It  has  already  been  shown  that  God  is  One,  and  that 
He  is  the  Itself,  and  that  He  is  the  first  Esse  of  all  things, 
and  that  all  things  which  are,  exist,  and  subsist  in  the  uni- 
verse, are  from  Him ;  thence  it  follows  that  He  is  infinite. 
That  human  reason  may  see  this  from  very  many  things  in 
the  created  universe,  will  be  demonstrated  in  the  sequel. 
But  although  the  human  mind  from  those  things  may  ac- 
knowledge that  the  first  Being,  or  the  first  Esse,  is  infinite, 
still  it  cannot  know  what  that  is,  and  therefore  it  cannot 
define  it  otherwise  than  that  it  is  the  Infinite  All,  and  that 
it  subsists  in  itself,  and  thence  that  it  is  the  very  and  the 
only  Substance,  and,  because  nothing  is  predicable  of  a 
substance,  unless  it  be  a  form,  that  it  is  the  very  and  the 
only  Form.  But  still  what  are  these  things  ?  It  does  not 
thus  appear  what  the  Infinite  is;  for  the  human  mind,  how- 
ever highly  analytical  and  elevated,  is  itself  finite,  and  the 
finiteness  in  it  cannot  be  removed  ;  wherefore  it  is  by  no 
means  capable  of  seeing  God's  infinity  as  it  is  in  itself, 
thus  God;  but  it  may  see  Him  in  the  shade  from  behind, 
as  it  is  said  of  Moses,  while  he  prayed  to  see  God,  that  he 
was  put  in  the  hole  of  a  rock,  and  saw  His  back  parts 
(Ex.  xxxiii.  20  to  23).  By  the  back  parts  of  God  are  meant 
the  things  visible  in  the  world,  and  especially  the  things 
perceptible  in  the  Word.  Hence  it  is  manifest  that  it  is 
vain  to  wish  to  have  cognition  of  what  God  is  in  His  esse 
or  in  His  substance ;  but  that  it  is  enough  to  acknowledge 
Him  from  finite,  that  is,  created  things,  in  which  He  is 


46  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 

infinitely.  Whosoever  is  anxious  to  know  more  may  be 
compared  to  a  fish  drawn  up  into  the  air,  or  to  a  bird  put 
into  the  receiver  of  an  air-pump,  which,  as  the  air  is  pumped 
out,  gasps  for  breath,  and  at  last  expires.  He  may  also  be 
compared  to  a  ship,  which,  when  it  is  overcome  by  a  tem- 
pest and  does  not  obey  the  rudder,  is  carried  upon  the 
rocks  and  quicksands.  So  it  is  with  those  who  wish  to 
have  cognition  of  the  infinity  of  God  from  within,  not  con- 
tented that  they  may  acknowledge  it  from  without,  from 
manifest  tokens.  It  is  related  of  a  certain  philosopher 
amongst  the  ancients  that  he  cast  himself  into  the  sea, 
because  he  could  not  see  in  the  light  \lume?i\  of  his  mind, 
or  comprehend,  the  eternity  of  the  world ;  what  would  he 
have  done  if  he  had  desired  to  comprehend  the  infinity  of 
God? 

29.  II.  God  is  infinite,  for  He  was  before  the 
World,  thus  before  Spaces  and  Times  arose. 

In  the  natural  world  there  are  times  and  spaces,  but  in 
the  spiritual  world,  not  so  actually,  but  still  apparently. 
The  reason  why  times  and  spaces  were  introduced  into  the 
worlds  was,  that  one  thing  might  be  distinguished  from 
another,  great  from  small,  many  from  few ;  thus  quantity 
from  quantity,  and  so  quality  from  quality;  and  that,  by 
means  of  them,  the  senses  of  the  body  might  be  able  to 
distinguish  their  objects,  and  the  senses  of  the  mind  theirs, 
and  thus  might  be  affected,  think,  and  choose.  Times  were 
introduced  into  the  natural  world  by  the  rotation  of  the 
earth  about  its  axis,  and  by  the  progression  of  those  rota- 
tions, from  station  to  station,  along  the  zodiac ;  while  these 
changes  appear  to  be  made  by  the  sun,  from  which  the 
whole  terraqueous  globe  derives  its  heat  and  light.  Thence 
are  the  times  of  the  day,  which  are  morning,  noon,  evening, 
and  night ;  and  the  times  of  the  year,  which  are  spring,  sum- 
mer, autumn,  and  winter ;  times  of  clays  for  light  and  dark- 
ness, and  times  of  years  for  heat  and  cold.    But  spaces 


No.  29.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


47 


were  introduced  into  the  natural  world  by  the  earth's  being 
formed  into  a  globe,  and  filled  with  various  kinds  of  matter, 
the  parts  of  which  were  distinguished  from  each  other, 
and  at  the  same  time  extended.  But  in  the  spiritual  world 
there  are  not  material  spaces,  and  times  corresponding  with 
them ;  but  still  there  are  appearances  of  them,  which  ap- 
pearances are  according  to  the  differences  of  the  states  in 
which  are  the  minds  of  spirits  and  angels  there ;  wherefore, 
times  and  spaces  there  conform  themselves  to  the  affections 
of  their  will,  and  thence  to  the  thoughts  of  their  understand- 
ing ;  but  those  appearances  are  real,  because  constant  ac- 
cording to  their  state.  The  common  opinion  concerning 
the  state  of  souls  after  death,  and  thence  also  of  angels 
and  spirits,  is,  that  they  are  not  in  any  extense,  and,  conse- 
quently, not  in  space  and  time ;  according  to  which  idea  it 
is  said  of  souls  after  death,  that  they  are  in  an  undeter- 
mined somewhere,  and  that  spirits  and  angels  are  aerial 
beings  [pneumatd],  of  which  no  other  idea  is  entertained 
than  as  of  ether,  air,  vapor,  or  wind;  when,  nevertheless, 
they  are  substantial  men,  and  live  together,  like  men  of  the 
natural  world,  upon  spaces  and  in  times,  which,  as  was  said, 
are  determined  according  to  the  states  of  their  minds.  If 
it  were  not  so,  that  is,  if  there  were  no  spaces  and  times, 
that  whole  world  where  souls  are  gathered  after  death,  and 
where  spirits  and  angels  dwell,  might  be  drawn  through  the 
eye  of  a  needle,  or  concentrated  upon  the  point  of  a  single 
hair.  This  would  be  possible  if  there  were  no  substantial 
extense  there  ;  but  since  this  is  there,  therefore  angels  dwell 
separately  and  distinctly  from  each  other,  yea,  more  dis- 
tinctly than  men  who  have  a  material  extense.  But  times 
there  are  not  distinguished  into  days,  weeks,  months,  and 
years,  because  the  sun  there  does  not  appear  to  rise  and 
set,  nor  to  be  borne  along,  but  it  remains  stationary  in  the 
east,  in  the  middle  degree  between  the  zenith  and  the  hori- 
zon. They  also  have  spaces,  because  all  things  in  that 
world  are  substantial,  as  in  the  natural  world  they  are  mate- 


48 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


rial ;  but  concerning  these  things,  more  will  be  said  in  the 
Lemma  of  this  chapter,  concerning  Creation.  From  what 
has  been  said  above,  it  may  be  comprehended  that  spaces 
and  times  make  finite  all  and  every  thing  in  both  worlds, 
and  thence  that  men  are  finite,  not  only  as  to  their  bodies, 
but  also  as  to  their  souls ;  and  in  like  manner  angels  and 
spirits.  From  all  these  things  it  may  be  concluded  that 
God  is  infinite,  that  is,  not  finite  ;  because  He,  as  the  Crea- 
tor, Maker  and  Former  of  the  universe,  made  all  things 
finite ;  and  He  made  them  finite  by  means  of  Hib  rvn,  in 
the  midst  of  which  He  is,  and  which  consists  of  the  Divine 
Essence,  which  proceeds  as  a  sphere  from  Him.  There 
and  thence  is  the  first  of  finiteness,  and  its  progression 
extends  even  to  ultimates  in  the  nature  of  the  world.  It 
follows  that  He  in  Himself  is  infinite,  because  He  is  un- 
created. But  what  is  infinite  appears  to  man  as  not  any 
thing,  because  man  is  finite,  and  thinks  from  what  is  finite  ; 
wherefore,  if  the  finite  which  adheres  to  his  thought  were 
taken  away,  it  would  seem  to  him  as  if  the  residue  were  not 
any  thing ;  yet  the  truth  is  that  God  is  infinitely  all,  and 
that  man,  respectively,  is  of  himself  not  any  thing. 

30.  III.  God,  since  the  World  was  made,  is  in 
Space  without  Space,  and  in  Time  without  Time. 

That  God,  and  the  Divine  which  proceeds  immediately 
from  Him,  is  not  in  space,  although  He  is  omnipresent, 
and  with  every  man  in  the  world,  and  with  every  angel  in 
heaven,  and  with  every  spirit  under  heaven,  cannot  be  com- 
prehended by  a  merely  natural  idea,  but  it  may  to  some 
extent  by  a  spiritual  idea.  The  reason  why  it  cannot  be 
comprehended  by  a  merely  natural  idea,  is  because  in  that 
idea  there  is  space  ;  for  it  is  formed  from  such  things  as  are 
in  the  world,  in  all  and  in  every  one  of  which  that  is  visible 
to  the  eye,  there  is  space  :  every  thing  great  and  small  there 
is  of  space  j  every  thing  long,  broad,  and  high  there  is  of 
space  j  in  a  word,  every  measure,  figure,  and  form  there  is 


\o.  30.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


49 


of  space.  But  still  man  may  to  some  extent  comprehend 
this  by  natural  thought,  provided  he  admit  into  it  some- 
thing of  spiritual  light.  But,  in  the  first  place,  something 
shall  be  said  concerning  an  idea  of  spiritual  thought.  This 
derives  nothing  from  space,  but  it  derives  its  all  from  state. 
State  is  predicated  of  love,  of  life,  of  wisdom,  of  affections, 
of  joys,  in  general  of  good  and  truth  ;  a  truly  spiritual  idea 
concerning  these  things  has  nothing  in  common  with  space ; 
it  is  above,  and  looks  down  upon  the  ideas  of  space  under 
it,  as  heaven  looks  down  upon  the  earth.  The  reason  why 
God  is  present  in  space  without  space,  and  in  time  without 
time,  is  because  God  is  always  the  same  from  eternity  to 
eternity;  thus  such  since  the  world  was  created  as  He  was 
before  it ;  and  in  God  and  in  the  sight  of  God  there  were 
no  spaces  nor  times  before  creation,  but  after  it;  where- 
fore, because  He  is  the  same,  He  is  in  space  without  space, 
and  in  time  without  time  :  thence  it  follows  that  nature 
is  separate  from  Him,  and  yet  He  is  omnipresent  in  it; 
scarcely  otherwise  than  as  life  is  in  every  substantial  and 
material  part  of  man,  although  it  does  not  mingle  itself 
therewith ;  comparatively  as  light  in  the  eye,  sound  in  the 
ear,  taste  in  the  tongue,  or  as  ether  in  the  land  and  water, 
by  means  of  which  the  terraqueous  globe  is  held  together 
and  made  to  revolve,  and  so  on  ;  and  if  these  agents  should 
be  taken  away,  the  things  substantiated  and  materialized 
(substantiate  et materiata ;  see  "Divine  Love  and  Wisdom," 
n.  229,  &c.)  would  in  a  moment  fall  to  pieces  or  be  dispersed  ; 
yea,  the  human  mind,  if  God  were  not  everywhere  and  at  all 
times  present  in  it,  would  be  dissipated  like  a  bubble  in 
the  air;  and  both  spheres  of  the  brain,  in  which  it  acts  from 
its  principles,  would  go  off  into  froth  ;  and  thus  every  thing 
human  would  become  dust  of  the  earth,  or  an  odor  flying 
in  the  atmosphere.  Since  God  is  in  all  time  without  time, 
therefore  in  His  Word  He  speaks  of  the  past,  and  of  the 
future,  in  the  present,  as  in  Isaiah  :  Unto  us  a  Child  is  born : 
unto  us  a  Son  is  ghv/i,  Whose  name  is  Mighty,  the  Prificc  of 
vol.  1.  3 


50 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


Peace  (ix.  6)  ;  and  in  David  :  I  will  declare  the  decree,  Jeho- 
vah said  to  me,  Thou  art  my  Son  ;  this  day  have  I  begotten 
Thee  (Ps.  ii.  7).  These  words  are  concerning  the  Lord,  who 
was  to  come  :  wherefore  it  is  also  said  in  the  same,  A  thou- 
sand years  in  thy  sight  are  as  yesterday  (Ps.  xc.  4).  That 
God  is  everywhere  present  in  the  whole  world,  and  yet  not 
any  thing  proper  to  the  world  is  in  Him,  that  is,  not  any 
lliing  which  is  of  space  and  time,  may  be  clearly  seen  from 
very  many  other  passages  in  the  Word,  by  those  who  look 
and  are  watchful,  as  from  this  passage  in  Jeremiah :  Am  I 
a  God  at  hand,  a?id  not  a  God  afar  off?  Can  any  hide  him- 
self in  secret  places,  that  I  shall  not  see  him  ?  Do  not  I fill 
heave?i  and  earth  1  (xxiii.  23,  24.) 

31.  IV.  God's  Infinity  in  Relation  to  Spaces  is 
called  Immensity,  and  in  Relation  to  Times  is  called 
Eternity  ;  and  although  there  are  these  Relations, 
still  there  is  Nothing  of  Space  in  His  Immensity, 
and  Nothing  of  Time  in  His  Eternity. 

That  the  infinity  of  God  in  relation  to  spaces  is  called 
immensity,  is  because  immense  is  predicated  of  whatsoever 
:s  great  and  large,  and  also  of  what  is  extended,  and  of  what 
is  spacious  in  extense.  But  that  the  infinity  of  God  in  rela- 
tion to  times  is  called  eternity,  is  because  "to  eternity"  is 
predicated  of  things  progressive  (which  are  measured  by 
times),  and  without  end ;  as,  for  example,  the  things  which 
are  of  space  are  predicated  of  the  terraqueous  globe  viewed 
in  itself ;  and  the  things  which  are  of  time  are  predicated 
of  its  rotation  and  progression ;  the  latter  also  make  times, 
and  the  former  make  spaces ;  and  they  are  thus  presented 
from  the  senses  in  the  perception  of  reflecting  minds.  But 
in  God  there  is  nothing  of  space  and  time,  as  was  shown 
above ;  and  yet  the  beginnings  of  these  are  from  God ; 
thence  it  follows  that  His  infinity  in  relation  to  spaces  is 
meant  by  immensity,  and  that  His  infinity  in  relation  to  times 
is  meant  by  eternity.    But  in  heaven  the  angels  perceive  by 


No.  3i.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  5 1 

the  immensity  of  God  Divinity  as  to  Esse,  and  by  eternity 
Divinity  as  to  Existere ;  and  also  by  immensity  Divinity  as 
to  Love,  and  by  eternity  Divinity  as  to  Wisdom.  The  rea- 
son is,  because  the  angels  abstract  spaces  and  times  from 
Divinity,  and  then  these  notions  result.  But  since  man 
cannot  think  otherwise  than  from  ideas  derived  from  such 
things  as  are  of  space  and  time,  he  cannot  perceive  any 
thing  concerning  God's  immensity  before  spaces,  and  His 
eternity  before  times ;  yea,  when  he  wishes  to  perceive 
them,  it  is  as  if  his  mind  were  falling  into  a  swoon ;  almost 
like  one  who,  having  fallen  into  the  water,  is  at  the  point 
of  sinking,  or  like  one  settling  down  in  an  earthquake,  on 
the  eve  of  being  swallowed  up ;  yea,  if  he  should  persist  in 
penetrating  into  those  things  he  might  easily  fall  into  a  de- 
lirium, and  from  this  be  led  to  a  denial  of  God.  I  also  was 
once  in  a  similar  state,  while  thinking  what  God  was  from 
eternity ;  what  He  did  before  the  world  was  created ;  whether 
He  deliberated  concerning  creation  and  thought  out  the  plan 
of  it  j  whether  deliberate  thought  were  possible  in  a  pure 
vacuum  ;  beside  other  vain  things.  But  lest  by  such  things 
I  should  become  delirious,  I  was  elevated  by  the  Lord  into 
the  sphere  and  light  in  which  the  interior  angels  are ;  and 
after  the  idea  of  space  and  time,  in  which  my  thought  was 
before,  was  there  a  little  removed,  it  was  given  me  to  com- 
prehend that  the  eternity  of  God  is  not  an  eternity  of  time, 
and  that,  because  time  was  not  before  the  world,  it  was 
utterly  vain  to  think  any  such  things  concerning  God  ;  and 
also  because  the  Divine  from  eternity,  thus  abstracted  from 
all  time,  does  not  involve  days,  years,  and  ages,  but  all 
these  are  to  God  an  instant,  I  concluded  that  the  world 
was  created  by  God,  not  in  time,  but  that  times  were  intro- 
duced by  God  with  creation.  To  these  things  I  shall  add 
this  memorable  circumstance  :  There  appear,  at  one,  ex- 
tremity of  the  spiritual  world,  two  statues,  in  monstrous 
human  form,  with  mouths  wide  open,  and  jaws  dilated,  by 
which  those  seem  to  themselves  to  be  devoured  who  think 


52  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 

vain  and  foolish  things  concerning  God  from  eternity ;  but 
they  are  the  fantasies  into  which  those  cast  themselves 
who  think  absurdly  and  improperly  concerning  God  before 
the  world  was  created. 

32.  V.  Enlightened  Reason,  from  very  many 
Things  in  the  World,  may  see  the  Infinity  of  God 
[the  Creator]. 

Some  things  shall  be  enumerated  from  which  human 
reason  may  see  the  infinity  of  God,  which  are,  I.  That  in 
the  created  universe  there  are  not  two  things  which  are  the 
same :  that  such  identity  does  not  exist  in  simultaneous 
things,  human  learning  from  reason  has  seen  and  proved ; 
and  yet  the  substantial  and  material  things  in  the  universe, 
considered  individually,  are  infinite  in  number.  And  that 
there  is  not  an  identity  of  two  effects  in  things  which  are 
successive  in  the  world  may  be  concluded  from  the  rota- 
tion of  the  earth,  in  that  its  eccentricity  at  the  poles  causes 
that  there  is  never  a  return  of  the  same  thing.  That  it  is 
so  is  evident  from  human  faces,  in  that  throughout  the 
whole  world  there  is  not  any  one  face  wholly  like  another's 
or  the  same  as  another's,  neither  can  there  be  to  eternity  j 
this  infinite  variety  could  not  by  any  means  exist,  but 
from  the  infinity  of  God  the  Creator.  II.  That  the  mind 
[animus]  of  one  is  never  exactly  like  another's ;  where- 
fore it  is  said,  "Many  men,  many  minds;"  consequently 
the  mind  [mens],  that  is,  the  will  and  the  understanding, 
of  one,  is  never  wholly  like  another's  or  the  same  as  an- 
other's ;  hence,  also,  neither  is  the  speech  of  one,  as  to  the 
tone  and  as  to  the  thought  whence  it  proceeds,  nor  his 
action,  as  to  the  gesture  and  as  to  the  afrection,  exactly 
similar  to  that  of  another ;  from  which  infinite  variety,  also, 
the  infinity  of  God  the  Creator  may  be  seen  as  in  a  mirror. 
III.  That  there  is  a  kind  of  immensity  and  eternity  inher- 
ent in  every  seed,  as  well  of  animals  as  of  plants ;  an 
immensity,  in  that  it  may  be  multiplied  to  infinity;  and  an 


No.  32.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


53 


eternity,  in  that  such  multiplication  has  continued  hitherto, 
without  interruption,  from  the  creation  of  the  world,  and 
continues  perpetually.  From  the  animal  kingdom  take, 
for  example,  the  fishes  of  the  sea,  which,  if  they  should 
multiply  according  to  the  abundance  of  their  seed,  within 
twenty  or  thirty  years  would  fill  the  ocean  so  that  it  would 
consist  of  mere  fishes ;  thence  its  water  would  overflow 
and  so  destroy  all  the  earth ;  but,  lest  this  should  hap 
pen,  it  was  provided  by  God  that  one  fish  should  be 
food  for  another.  It  is  similar  with  the  seeds  of  plants  J 
if  as  many  of  them  as  annually  arise  from  one  should  be 
planted,  within  twenty  or  thirty  years  they  would  cover  the 
surface  not  only  of  one  earth,  but  also  of  several ;  for  there 
are  shrubs  of  which  every  single  seed  produces  a  hundred 
and  a  thousand  others.  Try  it  by  calculation,  reckoning 
the  product  of  a  single  seed  in  a  series  of  twenty  or  thirty 
terms,  and  you  will  see.  From  both  cases,  of  plants  and 
of  animals,  the  divine  immensity  and  eternity*,  from  which 
a  resemblance  cannot  but  be  produced,  may  be  seen  as  in 
a  common  face.  IV.  The  infinity  of  God  may  appear  to 
the  eye  of  enlightened  reason,  from  the  infinity  to  which 
every  science  may  grow,  and  thence  the  intelligence  and 
wisdom  of  every  man ;  both  of  which  may  grow  as  a  tree 
from  seeds,  and  as  forests  and  gardens  from  trees  j  for 
there  is  no  end  to  them ;  the  memory  of  man  is  their 
ground,  and  the  understanding  is  where  their  germination, 
and  the  will  is  where  their  fructification,  takes  place ;  and 
these  two  faculties,  the  understanding  and  the  will,  are 
such  that  they  may  be  cultivated  and  perfected  in  the 
world  to  the  end  of  life,  and  afterwards  to  eternity. 
V.  The  infinity  of  God  the  Creator  may  also  be  seen 
from  the  infinite  number  of  stars,  which  are  so  many  suns  ; 
and  thence  so  many  systems.  That  in  the  starry  heaven, 
also,  there  are  earths,  upon  which  are  men,  beasts,  birds,  and 
plants,  has  been  shown  in  a  little  work  describing  things 
seen.   VI.  The  infinity  of  God  has  appeared  still  more  evi- 


54 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


dent  to  me  from  the  angelic  heaven,  and  also  from  hell,  see- 
ing that  they  are  both  of  them  ordered  and  arranged  into 
innumerable  societies  or  congregations,  according  to  all  the 
varieties  of  the  love  of  good  and  of  evil,  and  that  every  one 
obtains  a  place  according  to  his  love ;  for  there  all  of  the 
human  race,  since  the  creation  of  the  world,  have  been  col- 
lected, and  are  to  be  collected  to  ages  of  ages ;  and  seeing 
that,  although  every  one  has  his  own  place  or  habitation, 
still  all  there  are  so  joined  together  that  the  whole  angelic 
Heaven  represents  one  Divine  Man,  and  all  hell  one  mon- 
strous devil.  From  these  two,  and  from  the  infinite  won- 
ders in  them,  the  immensity,  together  with  the  omnipotence 
of  God,  is  manifestly  exhibited  to  view.  VII.  Who  also 
cannot  understand,  if  he  elevates  the  rational  powers  of  his 
jnind  a  little,  that  the  life  to  eternity,  which  every  man  has 
after  death,  is  not  communicable  but  from  an  eternal  God  ? 
VIII.  Besides  those  things,  there  is  a  sort  of  infinity  in 
many  things  which  fall  into  natural  light  \fumen\  and  into 
spiritual  light  \lume?i\  with  man.  Into  natural  light  \Iumen\ 
—  that  there  are  various  series  in  geometry  which  go  on 
to  infinity;  that,  between  the  three  degrees  of  height, 
there  is  a  progress  to  infinity,  in  that  the  first  degree, 
which  is  called  natural,  cannot  be  perfected  and  elevated 
to  the  perfection  of  the  second  degree,  which  is  called 
spiritual,  nor  this  to  the  perfection  of  the  third,  which 
is  called  heavenly  [celestial].  The  case  is  similar  with  re- 
spect to  end,  cause,  and  effect ;  as  that  the  effect  cannot 
be  perfected  so  that  it  may  become  as  its  cause,  nor  the 
cause,  so  that  it  may  become  as  its  end.  This  may  be 
illustrated  by  the  atmospheres,  of  which  there  are  three 
degrees ;  for  the  highest  is  the  aura,  under  this  is  the 
ether,  and  below  this  is  the  air ;  and  no  quality  of  the  air 
can  be  elevated  to  any  quality  of  the  ether,  nor  any  of  this 
to  any  quality  of  the  aura  ;  and  yet  an  elevation  of  perfec- 
tions to  infinity  is  possible  in  each.  Into  spiritual  light 
\lumen\  —  that  natural  love,  which  is  that  of  a  beast,  can- 


No.  33  ]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


5  5 


not  be  elevated  into  spiritual  love,  which  from  creation 
was  implanted  in  man :  the  case  is  similar  with  the  natural 
intelligence  of  a  beast  in  relation  to  the  spiritual  intelli- 
gence of  a  man ;  but  these  things,  because  they  are  as  yet 
unknown,  will  be  explained  in  another  place.  From  these 
things  it  is  evident  that  the  universals  of  the  world  are 
perpetual  types  of  the  infinity  of  God  the  Creator ;  but  in 
what  manner  particulars  resemble  universals,  and  repre- 
sent the  infinity  of  God,  is  an  abyss ;  and  it  is  an  ocean,  in 
which  the  human  mind  may,  as  it  were,  sail ;  but  it  must 
beware  of  the  tempest,  arising  from  the  natural  man,  which, 
from  the  helm  where  the  natural  man  stands  confident  in 
himself,  will  submerge  the  ship  with  its  masts  and  sails. 

33.  VI.  Every  created  Thing  is  finite,  and  the 
infinite  is  in  finite  things  as  in  receptacles,  and 
in  Men  as  in  its  Images. 

Every  created  thing  is  finite,  because  all  things  are 
from  Jehovah  God,  by  means  of  the  sun  of  the  spiritual 
world,  which  proximately  encompasses  Him  ;  and  that  sun 
is  of  the  substance  which  has  gone  forth  from  Him,  the 
essence  of  which  is  love ;  out  of  that  sun,  by  means  of  its 
heat  and  light,  the  universe  was  created,  from  the  firsts  to 
the  lasts  of  it.  But  to  set  forth  in  order  the  progress  of 
creation,  does  not  belong  to  this  place :  some  scheme  of  it 
will  be  given  in  the  following  pages.  It  is  important  here 
only  to  know  that  one  thing  was  formed  from  another,  and 
that  thence  were  made  degrees,  three  in  the  spiritual  world, 
and  three  corresponding  to  them  in  the  natural  world,  and 
as  many  in  the  quiescent  things  of  which  the  terraque- 
ous globe  consists.  But  whence  and  what  those  degrees 
are  has  been  fully  explained  in  the  "Angelic  Wisdom 
concerning  the  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom,"  published  at 
Amsterdam  in  the  year  1763  ;  and  in  a  small  treatise  con- 
cerning "The  Intercourse  of  the  Soul  and  Body,"  pub- 
lished at  London  in  the  year  1769.     It  is  by  means  of 


56 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


these  degrees  that  all  posterior  things  are  receptacles  of 
prior  things,  and  these  of  things  still  prior,  and  thus,  in 
order,  receptacles  of  the  primitives  of  which  the  sun  of  the 
angelic  heaven  consists,  and  thus  that  finite  things  are  re- 
ceptacles of  the  infinite.  This  also  coincides  with  the  wis- 
dom of  the  ancients,  according  to  which  all  and  every  thing 
is  divisible  to  infinity.  The  common  idea  is  that,  because 
what  is  finite  does  not  comprehend  what  is  infinite,  finite 
things  cannot  be  revseptacles  of  the  infinite.  But,  from 
those  things  which  are  said  concerning  the  creation  in  my 
works,  it  is  evident  that  God  first  made  His  infinity  finite, 
by  substances  emitted  from  Himself,  from  which  existed  His 
proximate  encompassing  sphere,  which  makes  the  sun  of 
the  spiritual  world ;  and  that  afterwards,  by  means  of  that 
sun,  He  perfected  other  encompassing  spheres,  even  to  the 
last,  which  consists  of  things  quiescent ;  and  that  thus,  by 
means  of  degrees,  He  made  the  world  finite  more  and  more. 
These  things  are  adduced  in  order  that  human  reason  may 
be  satisfied,  which  does  not  rest  unless  it  see  the  cause. 

34.  That  the  Infinite  Divine  is  in  men,  as  in  its  images, 
is  evident  from  the  Word,  where  this  is  read  :  And  God 
said,  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after  our  likeness ;  so 
God  created  man  i?ito  His  own  image,  into  the  image  of  God 
created  He  him  (Gen.  i.  26,  27):  from  which  it  follows  that 
man  is  an  organ  recipient  of  God,  and  that  he  is  an  organ 
according  to  the  quality  of  the  reception.  The  human  mind, 
from  which  and  according  to  which  man  is  man,  is  formed 
into  three  regions,  according  to  three  degrees :  in  the  first 
degree  it  is  heavenly  [celestial],  in  which  also  are  the  an- 
gels of  the  highest  heaven  j  in  the  second  degree  it  is 
spiritual,  in  which  also  are  the  angels  of  the  middle  heaven 
and  in  the  third  degree  it  is  natural,  in  which  also  are  the 
angels  of  the  lowest  heaven.  The  human  mind,  organized 
according  to  those  three  degrees,  is  a  receptacle  of  the 
Divine  influx ;  but  still  the  Divine  flows  in  no  further  than 
as  man  prepares  the  way,  or  opens  the  door ;  if  he  does 


No.  34.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CRE  /TOR.  57 

this  even  to  the  highest  or  heavenly  [cebstial]  degree,  then 
man  becomes  truly  an  image  of  God,  and  after  death  he 
becomes  an  angel  of  the  highest  heaven  ;  but  if  he  prepares 
the  way,  or  opens  the  door,  only  to  the  middle  or  spiritual 
degree,  then,  indeed,  man  becomes  an  image  of  God,  but 
not  in  that  perfection,  and  after  death  he  becomes  an  angel 
of  the  middle  heaven  ;  but  if  he  prepares  the  way,  or 
opens  the  door,  only  to  the  lowest  or  natural  degree,  then 
man,  if  he  acknowledges  God  and  worships  Him  with 
actual  piety,  becomes  an  image  of  God  in  the  lowest  de- 
gree, and  after  death  he  becomes  an  angel  of  the  lowest 
heaven.  But  if  he  does  not  acknowledge  God  and  does 
not  worship  Him  with  actual  piety,  he  puts  off  the  image  of 
God,  and  becomes  like  some  animal,  except  that  he  enjoys 
the  faculty  of  understanding  and  thence  of  speech.  If  he 
then  shuts  up  the  highest  natural  degree,  which  corresponds 
to  the  highest  heavenly  [celestial],  he  becomes  as  to  love 
like  a  beast  of  the  earth ;  but  if  he  shuts  up  the  middle 
natural  degree,  which  corresponds  to  the  middle  spiritual, 
he  becomes  as  to  love  like  a  fox,  and  as  to  the  sight  of 
the  understanding  like  a  bird  of  the  evening;  but  if  he 
also  shuts  up  the  lowest  natural  degree  as  to  its  spiritual 
part,  he  becomes  as  to  love  like  a  wild  beast,  and  as  to 
the  understanding  of  truth  like  a  fish.  The  Divine  life, 
which  by  influx  from  the  sun  of  the  angelic  heaven  actu- 
ates man,  may  be  compared  with  the  light  from  the  sun 
of  the  world,  and  with  its  influx  into  a  transparent  ob- 
ject ;  the  reception  of  life  in  the  highest  degree,  with  the 
influx  of  light  into  a  diamond ;  the  reception  of  life  in  the 
second  degree,  with  the  influx  of  light  into  a  crystal ;  and 
the  reception  of  life  in  the  lowest  degree,  with  the  influx 
of  light  into  glass,  or  into  a  transparent  membrane  ;  but  if 
this  degree  as  to  its  spiritual  part  be  entirely,  shut  up, 
which  is  done  when  God  is  denied  and  Satan  is  worshipped, 
the  reception  of  life  from  God  may  be  compared  with  the 
influx  of  light  into  the  opaque  things  of  the  earth,  as  into 

3* 


58  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I 


rotten  wood,  or  into  the  turf  of  a  bog,  or  into  dung,  &c. ;  for 
man  then  becomes  a  spiritual  carcass. 

35.  To  the  above  I  will  add  this  Relation.  I  was  once 
in  amazement  at  the  vast  multitude  of  men  who  ascribe 
creation,  and  thence  all  things  which  are  under  the  sun 
and  v.  hich  are  above  the  sun,  to  nature  ;  saying  from  an 
acknowledgment  of  the  heart,  when  they  see  any  thing, 
"  Is  not  this  of  nature  ?  "  And  when  they  are  asked  why 
they  say  that  those  things  are  of  nature,  and  why  not  of 
God,  when,  nevertheless,  they  sometimes  say  with  people 
in  general  that  God  created  nature,  and  thence  they  may 
just  as  well  say  that  the  things  which  they  see  are  of  God 
as  that  they  are  of  nature,  they  answer  with  an  internal 
tone  scarcely  audible,  "  What  is  God  but  nature  ?  "  All 
these  from  persuasion  concerning  the  creation  of  the  uni- 
verse by  nature,  and  from  that  insanity  as  from  wisdom, 
appear  so  elated  that  they  look  upon  those  who  acknowl- 
edge the  creation  of  the  universe  by  God  as  ants  which 
creep  upon  the  ground  and  tread  the  beaten  path,  and  upon 
some  as  butterflies  which  fly  in  the  air,  calling  their  opin- 
ions dreams,  because  they  see  what  they  do  not  see,  saying, 
"  Who  has  seen  God,  and  who  does  not  see  nature  ? " 
While  I  was  in  amazement  at  the  multitude  of  such  per- 
sons, an  angel  stood  at  my  side,  and  said  to  me,  "  What 
are  you  meditating  about  ? "  And  I  replied,  "  About  the 
multitude  of  the  persons  who  believe  that  nature  is  of  it- 
self, and  thus  the  creator  of  the  universe."  And  the  angel 
said  to  me,  "  All  hell  is  of  such,  and  they  are  called  there 
satans  and  devils ;  sata?is,  who  have  confirmed  themselves 
in  favor  of  nature,  and  thence  have  denied  God ;  devih, 
who  have  lived  wickedly,  and  have  thus  rejected  from  their 
hearts  all  acknowledgment  of  God.  But  I  will  conduct  you 
to  the  gymnasiums,  which  are  in  the  south-western  quarter, 
where  there  are  such  who  are  not  yet  in  hell."  And  he  took 
me  by  the  hand,  and  led  me  along ;  and  I  saw  small  houses, 
in  which  were  gymnasiums,  and,  in  the  midst  of  them,  one 


No.  35.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


59 


which  was  as  the  public  hall  of  the  rest :  it  was  built  of 
stones  black  as  pitch,  which  were  overlaid  with  little  plates 
as  of  glass,  sparkling  as  it  were  with  gold  and  silver,  like 
those  which  are  called  selenitef,  or  mirror-stones  \  and  here 
and  there  were  interspersed  glittering  shells.  Hither  we 
came  and  knocked  j  and  presently  one  opened  the  door 
and  said,  "Welcome."  And  he  ran  to  a  table,  and  brought 
four  books,  and  said,  "These  books  are  wisdom  which  is 
at  this  day  applauded  by  many  kingdoms ;  this  book  or 
wisdom  is  applauded  by  many  in  France  ;  this,  by  many  in 
Germany ;  this,  by  some  in  Holland ;  and  this,  by  some  in 
Britain."  He  said,  further,  "  If  you  wish  to  see  it,  I  will 
make  these  four  books  shine  before  your  eyes  ;  "  and  then 
he  poured  forth  and  around  the  glory  of  his  fame,  and  the 
books  presently  shone  as  from  light,  but  this  light  before 
our  eyes  immediately  vanished.  And  then  we  asked  what 
he  was  now  writing ;  and  he  replied  that  he  was  produc- 
ing and  bringing  forth  from  his  treasures  things  that  are 
of  inmost  wisdom,  which  in  a  summary  are  these  :  I. 
Whether  nature  be  of  life,  or  whether  life  be  of 
nature.  II.  Whether  the  centre  be  of  the  expanse, 
OR  whether  the  expanse  be  of  the  centre.  III. 
Concerning  the  centre  and  the  expanse  [of  nature] 
and  of  life.  Having  said  this,  he  placed  himself  again 
upon  the  seat  at  the  table,  but  we  walked  in  his  gymnasium, 
which  was  spacious.  He  had  a  candle  upon  the  table,  be- 
cause the  light  of  the  sun  was  not  there,  but  the  nocturnal 
light  of  the  moon  ;  and  what  appeared  to  me  wonderful, 
the  candle  seemed  to  be  carried  round  about  there,  and  to 
give  light ;  but  because  it  had  not  been  snuffed,  it  gave  but 
little  light.  And  when  he  wrote  we  saw  images  in  various 
forms,  flying  from  the  table  to  the  walls,  which,  in  that 
nocturnal  lunar  light,  appeared  like  beautiful  Indian 
birds  ;  but  when  we  opened  the  door,  in  the  daylight  of 
the  sun  they  appeared  like  the  birds  of  evening  which 
have  wings  of  net-work  \  for  they  were  resemblances  of 


60  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Cha.p.  L 

truth,  which  by  confirmations  became  fallacies,  which  had 
been  ingeniously  connected  by  him  into  series.  After  we 
had  seen  these  things,  we  came  up  to  the  table,  and  asked 
him  what  he  was  now  writing.  He  said,  Concerning  the 
first  question,  Whether  nature  be  of  life,  or  whether 
life  be  of  nature  ;  and  of  this  he  said  that  he  could  con- 
firm both  sides,  and  make  them  true  ;  but  because  something 
lurked  within,  which  he  feared,  he  durst  confirm  only  this, 
That  nature  is  of  life,  that  is,  from  life,  and  not  That  life  is 
of  nature,  that  is,  from  nature.  We  asked  him  courteously 
what  it  was  that  lurked  within,  which  he  feared.  He  re- 
plied that  it  was  that  he  might  be  called  by  the  clergy  a 
naturalist,  and  thus  an  atheist,  and  by  the  laity  a  man  of 
unsound  reason,  since  the  latter  and  the  former  either 
believe  from  a  blind  faith  or  see  from  the  sight  of  those 
who  confirm  it.  But  then,  from  some  indignation  of  zeal 
for  the  truth,  we  addressed  him,  saying,  "  Friend,  you  are 
very  much  deceived ;  your  wisdom,  which  is  an  ingenuity 
in  writing,  has  misled  you,  and  the  glory  of  fame  has  in- 
duced you  to  confirm  what  you  do  not  believe.  Do  you 
not  know  that  the  human  mind  is  capable  of  being  elevated 
above  the  sensual  things  which  are  in  the  thoughts  from 
the  senses  of  the  body,  and  that  when  it  is  elevated  it 
sees  those  things  which  are  of  life  above,  and  those  things 
which  are  of  nature  below  ?  What  else  is  life  but  love  and 
wisdom  ?  and  what  else  is  nature  but  their  receptacle,  by 
which  they  may  work  their  effects  or  uses  ?  Can  these  be 
one  except  as  principal  and  instrumental  are  ?  Can  light 
be  one  with  the  eye,  or  sound  with  the  ear  ?  Whence  are 
the  sensations  of  these  but  from  life  ?  whence  their  forms 
but  from  nature  ?  What  is  the  human  body  but  an  organ 
of  life  ?  Are  not  all  things  and  every  thing  therein  organi- 
cally formed  for  producing  those  things  which  the  love 
wills  and  the  understanding  thinks  ?  Are  not  the  organs 
of  the  body  from  nature,  and  love  and  thought  from  life  ? 
And  are  not  these  wholly  distinct  from  each  other?  Ele- 


No.  35-]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  6l 

vate  the  keen  sight  of  your  genius  yet  a  little  higher,  and 
you  will  see  that  it  is  of  life  to  be  affected  and  to  think, 
and  that  it  is  of  love  to  be  affected,  and  of  wisdom  to  think, 
and  both  are  of  life  ;  for,  as  was  said,  love  and  wisdom  are 
life.  If  you  elevate  the  faculty  of  understanding  a  little 
higher  still,  you  will  see  that  love  and  wisdom  do  not 
exist  unless  their  origin  is  somewhere,  and  that  their  origin 
is  Love  itself,  and  Wisdom  itself,  and  thence  Life  itself  \ 
and  these  are  God  from  whom  nature  is."  Afterwards  we 
conversed  with  him  about  the  second,  Whether  the  ex- 
panse EE  OF  THE   CENTRE,  OR  WHETHER  THE  CENTRE  BE 

of  the  expanse  ;  and  we  asked  him  why  he  discussed 
this.  He  replied,  for  the  end  that  he  might  conclude  con- 
cerning the  centre  and  the  expanse  of  nature  and  of  life, 
thus  concerning  the  origin  of  the  one  and  the  other.  And 
when  we  asked  him  what  was  his  opinion,  he  replied  con- 
cerning these,  just  as  before,  that  he  could  confirm  both 
sides,  but  that  for  fear  of  the  loss  of  fame,  he  would  con- 
firm that  the  expanse  is  of  the  centre,  that  is,  from  the 
centre ;  "  although  I  know  that  before  the  sun  there  was 
something,  and  this  everywhere  in  the  expanse  ;  and  that 
this  from  itself  flowed  together  into  order,  thus  into  the 
centre."  But  then  we  again  addressed  him  from  an  indig- 
nant zeal,  and  said,  "  Friend,  you  are  insane."  And  when 
he  heard  this,  he  drew  back  the  seat  from  the  table,  and 
looked  timidly  at  us,  and  then  listened,  but  laughing:  we, 
however,  continued  the  discourse  by  saying,  "  What  can 
be  said  more  insane,  than  that  the  centre  is  from  the  ex- 
panse ?  By  your  centre  we  understand  the  sun,  and  by  your 
expanse  we  understand  the  universe;  and  thus  that  the 
universe  existed  without  the  sun.  Does  not  the  sun  make 
nature  and  all  its  properties,  which  depend  solely  on  the 
light  and  heat  proceeding  from  the  sun  through  the  atmos- 
pheres ?  Where  were  these  things  before  ?  But  whence 
they  are  we  will  say  in  the  discussion  that  is  to  follow. 
Are  not  the  atmospheres  and  all  tilings  which  are  upon  the 


62 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I. 


earth  as  surfaces,  and  the  sun  their  centre  ?  What  are  all 
those  things  without  the  sun  ?  Can  they  subsist  a  moment  ? 
Then  what  were  all  these  things  before  the  sun  ?  Could 
they  have  existed  ?  Is  not  subsistence  perpetual  existence  ? 
Since,  therefore,  the  subsistence  of  all  things  of  nature  is 
from  the  sun,  it  follows  that  the  existence  of  all  things  is 
so  too.  Every  one  sees  this,  and  acknowledges  it  from 
seeing  it  himself.  Does  not  what  is  posterior  subsist  from 
what  is  prior  even  as  it  exists  from  it?  If  the  surface 
were  prior  and  the  centre  posterior,  would  not  the  prior 
subsist  from  the  posterior,  which  yet  is  contrary  to  the  laws 
of  order  ?  How  can  posterior  things  produce  prior,  or  ex- 
terior interior,  or  grosser  purer  ?  Then  how  can  surfaces, 
which  make  the  expanse,  produce  the  centre  ?  Who  does 
not  see  that  this  is  contrary  to  nature's  laws  ?  We  have 
adduced  these  arguments  from  reason's  analysis,  to  prove 
that  the  expanse  exists  from  the  centre,  and  not  the  reverse, 
although  every  one  who  thinks  justly  sees  this  without  the 
arguments.  You  said  that  the  expanse  flowed  together 
into  the  centre  from  itself.  Did  it  thus  flow  by  chance 
into  such  wonderful  and  stupendous,  order,  that  one  thing 
is  for  the  sake  of  another,  and  all  and  every  thing  for 
the  sake  of  man  and  his  eternal  life  ?  Can  nature,  from 
any  love,  by  any  wisdom,  intend  ends,  provide  causes,  and 
thus  provide  effects,  that  such  things  may  exist  in  their 
order  ?  Can  nature  from  men  make  angels,  and  of  these 
a  heaven,  and  cause  those  who  are  there  to  live  for  ever  ? 
Suppose  these  things  and  reflect,  and  your  idea  concerning 
the  existence  of  nature  from  nature  will  fall."  After  this,  we 
asked  him  what  he  had  thought  and  what  he  then  thought 
about  the  third,  Concerning  the  centre  and  the  ex- 
panse of  nature  and  of  life  j  whether  he  believed  the 
centre  and  the  expanse  of  life  to  be  the  same  with  the  cen- 
tre and  the  expanse  of  nature.  He  said  that  he  hesitated, 
and  that  he  had  formerly  thought  that  the  interior  activity 
of  nature  was  life,  and  that  love  and  wisdom,  which  essen- 


No.  35.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


63 


tially  make  the  life  of  man,  were  therefrom  •  and  that  the 
fire  of  the  sun  by  heat  and  light,  through  the  medium  of 
the  atmospheres,  produced  it ;  but  that  now,  from  what  he 
had  heard  concerning  the  life  of  men  after  death,  he  was  in 
doubt;  and  that  this  doubt  carried  his  mind  now  upwards, 
and  now  downwards  ;  and  when  upwards,  he  acknowledged 
a  centre  of  which  he  before  had  not  known  any  thing;  and 
when  downwards,  he  saw  the  centre  which  he  had  believed 
to  be  the  only  one ;  and  that  life  was  from  the  centre  of 
which  he  before  had  not  known  any  thing,  and  that  nature 
was  from  the  centre  which  he  before  believed  to  be  the  only 
one,  and  that  each  centre  had  an  expanse  around  it.  To 
this  we  said,  "Well ;"  provided  he  would  also  look  at  the 
centre  and  the  expanse  of  nature  from  the  centre  and  the 
expanse  of  life,  and  not  reverse  the  order.  And  we  in- 
structed him  that  above  the  angelic  heaven  there  is  a  sun 
which  is  pure  love,  to  appearance  of  fire  like  the  sun  of  the 
world  j  and  that  from  the  heat  which  proceeds  from  that  sun 
angels  and  men  have  will  and  love,  and  that  from  the  light 
thence  they  have  understanding  and  wisdom ;  and  that  the 
things  which  are  therefrom  are  called  spiritual ;  and  that 
the  things  which  proceed  from  the  sun  of  the  world  are 
containers  or  receptacles  of  life,  and  are  called  natural ; 
also  that  the  expanse  of  the  centre  of  life  is  called  the 
Spiritual  World,  which  subsists  from  its  sun  j  and  that 
the  expanse  of  nature's  centre  is  called  the  Natural 
World,  which  subsists  from  its  sun.  Now,  because  spaces 
and  times  cannot  be  predicated  of  love  and  wisdom,  but 
instead  of  them  states,  it  follows  that  the  expanse  around 
the  sun  of  the  angelic  heaven  is  not  an  extense,  but  still  is  in 
the  extense  of  the  natural  sun,  and  with  the  living  subjects 
there  according  to  reception,  and  the  reception  is  according 
to  forms  and  states.  But  then  he  asked,  "  Whence  is  the 
fire  of  the  sun  of  the  world  or  of  nature  ? "  We  replied 
that  it  is  from  the  sun  of  the  angelic  heaven,  which  is  not  fire, 
but  the  Divine  love  proximately  proceeding  from  God,  who 


64 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I. 


is  in  the  midst  of  it ;  and  because  he  wondered  at  this  we 
demonstrated  it  thus :  "  Love,  in  its  essence,  is  spiritual 
fire  j  thence  it  is  that  fire,  in  the  Word,  in  its  spiritual 
sense  signifies  love  j  wherefore  priests  in  the  temples  pray 
that  heavenly  fire  may  fill  the  hearts,  by  which  they  mean 
love.  The  fire  of  the  altar  and  the  fire  of  the  candlestick 
in  the  tabernacle,  among  the  Israelites,  represented  noth- 
ing else  but  the  Divine  love.  The  heat  of  the  blood,  or  the 
vital  heat  of  men  and  of  animals  in  general,  is  from  no 
other  source  than  the  love  which  makes  their  life  \  thence 
it  is  that  man  is  enkindled,  grows  warm,  and  is  inflamed, 
whilst  his  love  is  exalted  to  zeal,  or  excited  to  anger 
and  burning  passion.  Wherefore  from  this,  that  spiritual 
heat  which  is  love  produces  natural  heat  with  men,  so  far 
as  to  enkindle  and  inflame  their  faces  and  limbs,  it  may  be 
evident  that  the  fire  of  the  natural  sun  existed  from  no 
other  source  than  from  the  fire  of  the  spiritual  sun,  which 
is  Divine  Love.  Now,  because  the  expanse  arises  from  the 
centre,  and  not  the  reverse,  as  we  said  above,  and  the  centre 
of  life,  which  is  the  sun  of  the  angelic  heaven,  is  the  Divine 
Love  proximately  proceeding  from  God,  who  is  in  the  midst 
of  that  sun  ;  and  because  the  expanse  of  that  centre,  which 
is  called  the  spiritual  world,  is  thence ;  and  because  from 
that  sun  existed  the  sun  of  the  world,  and  from  this,  its 
expanse,  which  is  called  the  natural  world,  it  is  manifest 
that  the  universe  was  created  by  God."  After  this  we  de- 
parted, and  he  accompanied  us  out  of  the  court  of  his 
gymnasium,  and  talked  with  us  concerning  heaven  and  hell, 
and  concerning  the  Divine  auspices,  from  new  sagacity  of 
genius. 

CONCERNING  THE  ESSENCE  OF  GOD,  WHICH  IS 
DIVINE  LOVE  AND  DIVINE  WISDOM. 

36.  We  have  distinguished  between  the  Esse  of  God  and 
the  Essence  of  God,  because  there  is  a  distinction  between 
the  infinity  of  God  and  the  love  of  God  ;  and  the  term  in- 


No.  37-]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


65 


finity  is  used  in  application  to  the  Esse  of  God,  and  love 
to  the  Essence  of  God  ;  for  the  Esse  of  God,  as  was  said 
above,  is  more  universal  than  the  Essence  of  God :  in  like 
manner  the  infinity  is  more  universal  than  the  love  of  God  ; 
wherefore  infinite  becomes  an  adjective  of  the  essentials 
and  attributes  of  God,  all  which  are  called  infinite ;  as  it 
is  said  of  the  Divine  Love  that  it  is  infinite,  of  the  Divine 
Wisdom  that  it  is  infinite,  and  of  the  Divine  Power  like- 
wise ;  not  that  the  Esse  of  God  existed  before,  but  because 
it  enters  into  the  Essence,  as  an  adjunct,  cohering  with, 
determining,  forming,  and  at  the  same  time  elevating  it. 
But  this  member  of  this  chapter,  like  the  former,  shall  be 
divided  into  articles,  as  follows  :  I.  God  is  Love  itself  and 
Wisdom  itself,  and  these  two  make  His  Essence.  II.  God  is 
Good  itself  and  Truth  itself ;  because  Good  is  of  Love,  and 
Truth  is  of  Wisdom.  III.  [God,  because  He  is]  Love  itself 
and  Wisdom  itself  is  Life  itself,  which  is  Life  in  itself. 
IV.  Love  and  Wisdom,  in  God,  make  one.  V.  The  Essence 
of  Love  is,  to  love  others  out  of  itself,  to  desire  to  be  one  with 
them,  and  to  make  them  happy  from  itself  VI.  These  [essen- 
tials] of  the  Divi?ie  Love  were  the  cause  of  the  creation  of  the 
universe,  and  they  are  the  cause  of  its  preservation.  But  of 
these  one  by  one. 

37.    I.  God  is  Love  itself  and  Wisdom  itself,  and 

THESE  TWO  MAKE  HlS  ESSENCE. 

Earliest  antiquity  saw  that  love  and  wisdom  are  the  two 
essentials,  to  which  all  the  infinite  things  which  are  in 
God  and  which  proceed  from  Him  refer  themselves;  but 
the  ages  following  successively,  as  they  withdrew  their 
minds  from  heaven  and  immersed  them  in  worldly  and 
corporeal  things,  could  not  see  it  5  for  they  began  not  to 
know  what  love  is  in  its  essence,  and  thence  what  wisdom 
is  in  its  essence ;  not  knowing  that  there  cannot  be  love 
abstracted  from  form,  and  that  love  operates  in  form  and 
by  form.    Now,  because  God  is  the  very  and  the  only  and 


66 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


thus  the  first  Substance  and  Form,  whose  essence  is  love 
and  wisdom  •  and  because  from  Him  all  things  were  made, 
that  were  made ;  it  follows  that  He  created  the  universe, 
with  all  and  every  thing  of  it,  from  love  by  wisdom ;  and 
that  thence  the  Divine  Love  together  with  the  Divine  Wis- 
dom is  in  all  created  subjects  and  in  eveiy  one.  Love,  more- 
over, is  not  only  the  essence  which  forms  all  things,  but  it 
also  unites  and  conjoins  them,  and  thus  keeps  them  in  con- 
nection when  formed.  These  things  may  be  illustrated  by 
innumerable  things  in  the  world ;  as  by  the  heat  and  light 
from  the  sun,  which  are  the  two  essentials  and  universals, 
by  means  of  which  all  and  every  thing  upon  the  earth  exists 
and  subsists :  these  are  there,  because  they  correspond  to 
the  Divine  Love  and  the  Divine  Wisdom ;  for  the  heat  which 
proceeds  from  the  sun  of  the  spiritual  world,  in  its  essence, 
is  love ;  and  the  light  thence,  in  its  essence,  is  wisdom. 
They  may  also  be  illustrated  by  the  two  essentials  and  uni- 
versals by  which  human  minds  exist  and  subsist,  which  are 
the  will  and  the  understanding  ;  for  of  these  two  the 
mind  of  every  one  consists ;  and  the  two  are  and  operate 
in  all  and  every  thing  of  it.  The  reason  is,  because  the  will  is 
the  receptacle  and  habitation  of  love,  and  the  understanding 
of  wisdom  in  like  manner ;  wherefore  the  two  correspond 
to  the  Divine  Love  and  the  Divine  Wisdom,  from  which 
they  originate.  Moreover,  the  same  things  may  be  illus- 
trated by  the  two  essentials  and  universals  by  which  human 
bodies  exist  and  subsist,  which  are  the  heart  and  the 
lungs  ;  or  the  systole  and  diastole  of  the  heart,  and  the 
respiration  of  the  lungs :  that  these  two  operate  in  all  and 
every  thing  there  is  known ;  the  reason  is,  because  the 
heart  corresponds  to  love,  and  the  lungs  to  wisdom ;  which 
correspondence  is  fully  demonstrated  in  the  "  Angelic 
Wisdom  concerning  the  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom,"  pub- 
lished at  Amsterdam.  That  love  as  the  bridegroom  and 
husband  produces  or  begets  all  forms,  but  by  wisdom  as 
the  bride  and  wife,  may  be  proved  by  innumerable  things, 


No.  38.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


67 


both  in  the  spiritual  and  the  natural  world ;  this  only  is  to 
be  observed,  that  the  whole  angelic  heaven  is  arranged  into 
its  form  and  preserved  in  it  from  the  Divine  Love  by  the 
Divine  Wisdom.  Those  who  deduce  the  creation  of  the 
world  from  any  other  source  than  from  the  Divine  Love  by 
the  Divine  Wisdom,  and  do  not  know  that  those  two  make 
the  Divine  Essence,  descend  from  the  sight  of  reason  to  the 
sight  of  the  eye,  and  kiss  nature  as  the  creator  of  the 
universe,  and  thence  conceive  chimeras  and  bring  forth 
phantoms ;  they  think  fallacies,  reason  from  them,  and 
their  conclusions  are  eggs  in  which  are  birds  of  night. 
Such  cannot  be  called  ?ni?ids,  but  eyes  and  ears  without 
understanding,  or  thoughts  without  a  soul  j  they  speak  of 
colors  as  if  they  existed  without  light,  of  the  existence  of 
trees  as  if  without  seed,  and  of  all  the  things  of  the  world 
as  if  without  a  sun ;  since  they  make  derivatives  primitives, 
and  effects  causes ;  and  so  they  turn  every  thing  upside- 
down,  and  lull  to  sleep  the  powers  of  reason,  and  thus  see 
dreams. 

38.  II.  God  is  Good  itself  and  Truth  itself,  be- 
cause Good  is  of  Love,  and  Truth  is  of  Wisdom. 

It  is  universally  known  that  all  things  have  relation 
to  good  and  truth  j  a  proof  that  all  things  derived  their 
existence  from  love  and  wisdom ;  for  all  that  proceeds 
from  love  is  called  good,  for  this  is  felt,  and  the  enjoy- 
ment by  which  love  manifests  itself  each  one  calls  good ; 
but  all  that  which  proceeds  from  wisdom  is  called  trut/i, 
for  wisdom  consists  of  nothing  but  truths,  and  affects  its 
objects  with  the  pleasantness  of  light ;  and  this  pleasant- 
ness, while  it  is  perceived,  is  truth  from  good.  Where- 
fore love  is  the  complex  of  all  varieties  of  goodness, 
and  wisdom  is  the  complex  of  all  truths;  but  both  the 
former  and  the  latter  are  from  God,  who  is  Love  itself 
and  thence  Good  itself,  and  Wisdom  itself  and  thence 
Truth  itself.    Thence  it  is  that  in  the  church  there  are  two 


68 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


essentials,  which  are  called  charity  and  faith,  of  which  all 
and  every  thing  of  the  church  consists,  and  which  are  to  be 
in  all  and  every  thing  of  it :  the  reason  is  because  all  the 
goods  of  the  church  are  of  charity,  and  are  called  charity ; 
and  all  its  truths  are  of  faith,  and  are  called  faith.  The 
enjoyments  of  love,  which  are  also  the  enjoyments  of 
charity,  cause  what  is  good  to  be  called  good  \  and  the 
pleasantness  of  wisdom,  which  is  also  the  pleasantness  of 
faith,  causes  what  is  true  to  be  called  true ;  for  enjoyments 
and  pleasantness  of  various  kinds  make  their  life,  and 
without  life  from  them  goods  and  truths  are  like  inani- 
mate things,  and  they  are  also  unfruitful.  But  love's 
enjoyments  are  of  two  kinds,  as  are  also  the  varieties  of 
pleasantness  which  appear  as  of  wisdom ;  for  there  are 
enjoyments  of  the  love  of  good  and  enjoyments  of  the 
love  of  evil,  and  thence  there  are  varieties  of  pleasantness 
from  the  faith  of  truth  and  varieties  of  pleasantness  from 
the  faith  of  falsity.  In  the  subjects  in  which  they  are,  those 
two  enjoyments  of  love,  from  the  sensation  of  them,  are 
called  good ;  and  those  two  kinds  of  the  pleasantness  of 
faith,  from  the  perception  of  them,  are  also  called  good; 
but  because  they  are  in  the  understanding,  they  are  no 
other  than  truths :  they  are  so  called,  although  they  are 
opposite  to  each  other,  the  good  of  one  love  being  good, 
and  the  good  of  the  other  love  being  evil,  and  the  truth  of 
one  faith  being  true,  and  the  truth  of  the  other  faith  being 
false.  But  the  love  whose  enjoyment  is  essentially  good 
is  like  the  heat  of  the  sun,  fructifying,  vivifying,  and  oper- 
ating on  a  fertile  soil,  on  useful  .plants,  and  fields  of  corn ; 
and  where  it  operates  there  is  produced,  as  it  were,  a  para- 
dise, a  garden  of  the  Lord,  and,  as  it  were,  a  land  of 
Canaan ;  and  the  pleasantness  of  its  truth  is  as  the  light 
of  the  sun  in  the  time  of  spring,  and  as  the  influx  of  light 
into  a  crystal  vessel  in  which  are  beautiful  flowers,  and 
from  which  when  opened  there  breathes  forth  a  fragrant 
perfume ;  but  the  enjoyment  from  the  love  of  evil  is  as  the 


No.  39.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  69 

heat  of  the  sun,  parching,  killing,  and  operating  on  barren 
ground,  on  noxious  plants,  as  on  thorns  and  briers ;  and 
where  it  operates  there  is  produced  a  desert  of  Arabia, 
where  are  hydras  and  veilomous  serpents ;  and  the  pleas- 
antness of  its  falsity  is  as  the  light  of  the  sun  in  the  time 
of  winter,  and  as  light  flowing  into  a  bottle  in  which  there 
are  worms  swimming  in  vinegar,  and  reptiles  of  noisome 
smell.  It  should  be  known  that  every  good  forms  itself 
by  .truths,  and  also  clothes  itself  with  them,  and  thus  dis- 
tinguishes itself  from  other  goods  ;  and  also  that  the  goods 
of  one  stock  or  kind  bind  themselves  into  bundles,  and,  at 
the  same  time,  clothe  them,  and  thus  distinguish  them- 
selves from  others :  that  formations  are  so  effected  is  mani- 
fest from  all  and  every  thing  in  the  human  body;  and 
that  similar  formations  are  effected  in  the  human  mind  is 
evident,  because  there  is  a  perpetual  correspondence  of  all 
things  of  the  mind  with  all  things  of  the  body.  Thence  it 
follows  that  the  human  mind  is  organized  inwardly  of 
spiritual  substances,  and  outwardly  of  natural  substances, 
and  lastly  of  material  substances.  The  mind  the  enjoy- 
ments of  whose  love  are  good  consists  inwardly  of  spirit- 
ual substances  such  as  are  in  heaven  j  but  the  mind  the 
enjoyments  of  whose  love  are  evil  consists  inwardly  of 
spiritual  substances  such  as  are  in  hell ;  and  the  evils  of 
the  latter  are  bound  into  bundles  by  falsities,  and  the 
goods  of  the  former  are  bound  into  bundles  by  truths. 
Since  there  are  such  bindings  of  goods  and  evils  into 
bundles,  therefore  the  Lord  says,  That  the  tares  are  to  be 
bound  together  i?ito  bundles,  to  be  burned,  and  in  like  manner 
all  things  that  offend  (Matt.  xiii.  30,  40,  41  ;  John  xv.  6). 

39.  III.  God,  because  He  is  Love  itself  and  Wisdom 
itself,  is  Life  itself,  which  is  Life  in  itself. 

It  is  said  in  John,  The  Word  was  with  God,  and  the 
Word  7vas  God ;  in  IIi?n  was  life,  and  the  life  ivas  the  light 
of  men  (i.  1,  4).    By  God  there  is  meant  the  Divine  Love, 


7o 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


and  by  the  Word  the  Divine  Wisdom ;  and  Divine  Wis- 
dom is  properly  life,  and  life  is  properly  the  light  which  pro- 
ceeds from  the  sun  of  the  spiritual  world,  in  the  midst  of 
which  is  Jehovah  God.  Divine  Love  forms  life,  as  fire 
forms  light.  There  are  two  properties  in  fire,  that  of  burn- 
ing and  that  of  shining;  from  its  burning  property  proceeds 
heat,  and  from  its  shining  property  proceeds  light.  In  like 
manner,  there  are  two  things  in  love ;  one,  to  which  the 
burning  property  of  fire  corresponds,  which  is  something 
most  interiorly  affecting  the  will  of  man ;  and  another,  to 
which  the  shining  property  of  fire  corresponds,  which  is 
something  most  interiorly  affecting  the  understanding  of 
man.  Thence  man  has  love  and  intelligence ;  for,  as  has 
been  several  times  said  above,  from  the  sun  of  the  spiritual 
world  proceeds  heat  which  in  its  essence  is  love,  and  light 
which  in  its  essence  is  wisdom ;  and  those  two  flow  into 
all  and  every  thing  of  the  universe,  and  affect  them  most 
interiorly  •  and  with  men,  into  their  will  and  understanding, 
which  two  were  created  receptacles  of  the  influx ;  the  will, 
the  receptacle  of  love,  and  the  understanding,  the  recepta- 
cle of  wisdom.  Thence  it  is  manifest  that  the  life  of  man 
dwells  in  his  understanding,  and  that  it  is  such  as  his 
wisdom  is,  and  that  the  love  of  the  will  modifies  it. 

40.  It  is  also  read  in  John,  As  the  Father  hath  life  in 
Himself,  so  hath  He  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  Himself 
(v.  26) ;  by  which  is  meant  that  as  the  Divine  itself,  which 
was  from  eternity,  lives  in  itself,  so  also  the  Human,  which 
it  assumed  in  time,  lives  in  itself.  Life  in  itself  is  the  very 
and  the  only  life,  from  which  all  angels  and  men  live. 
Human  reason  may  see  this  from  the  light  which  proceeds 
from  the  sun  of  the  natural  world,  in  that  this  is  not  creata- 
ble,  but  that  forms  receiving  it  have  been  created  ;  for  eyes 
are  its  recipient  forms,  and  the  light  flowing  in  from  the 
sun  causes  them  to  see.  It  is  similar  with  life,  which,  as 
was  said,  is  the  light  proceeding  from  the  sun  of  the  spirit- 
ual world,  that  it  is  not  creatable,  but  that  it  flows  in 


No.  41. J      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


71 


continually,  and,  as  it  enlightens,  it  also  enlivens  the  under- 
standing of  man;  consequently  that,  because  light,  life, 
and  wisdom  are  one,  wisdom  is  not  creatable ;  so  neither 
is  faith,  nor  truth,  nor  love,  nor  charity,  nor  good ;  but 
that  forms  receiving  them  have  been  created :  human  and 
angelic  minds  are  those  forms.  Let  every  one,  therefore, 
be  cautious  how  he  persuades  himself  that  he  lives  from 
himself ;  and  also,  that  he  is  wise,  believes,  -loves,  perceives 
truth,  and  wills  and  does  good  from  himself ;  for  as  far  as 
any  one  indulges  such  a  persuasion,  he  casts  down  his 
mind  from  heaven  to  earth,  and  from  spiritual  becomes 
natural,  sensual,  and  corporeal  ;  for  he  shuts  up  the 
higher  regions  of  his  mind,  whence  he  becomes  blind  as 
to  all  the  things  which  are  of  God  and  heaven  and  the 
church ;  and  then,  all  that  he  by  chance  thinks,  reasons, 
and  says  concerning  them,  is  done  in  foolishness  because 
in  darkness,  and  then,  at  the  same  time,  he  becomes  confi- 
dent that  they  are  of  wisdom  j  for  when  the  higher  regions 
of  the  mind,  where  the  true  light  of  life  dwells,  are  shut 
up,  the  region  below  them  opens  itself,  into  which  only  the 
light  [/umen]  of  the  world  is  admitted;  and  this  light 
[/umen],  separate  from  the  light  of  the  higher  regions,  is  a 
delusive  light  [/umen]  in  which  falsities  appear  as  truths, 
and  truths  as  falsities,  and  reasoning  from  falsities  as 
wisdom,  and  from  truths  as  madness ;  and  then  he  believes 
himself  to  be  endued  with  the  keen  sight  of  an  eagle,  al- 
though he  sees  the  things  which  are  of  wisdom  no  more 
thai,  a  bat  sees  in  the  light  of  clay. 

41.  IV.    Love  and  Wisdom,  in  God,  make  one. 

Every  wise  man  in  the  church  knows  that  all  the  gocd 
of  love  and  charity  is  from  God ;  in  like  manner,  all  the 
truth  of  wisdom  and  faith  :  that  it  is  so,  human  reason  may 
also  see,  if  it  only  knows  that  the  origin  of  love  and  wis- 
dom is  from  the  sun  of  the  spiritual  world,  in  the  midst  of 
which  is  Jehovah  God ;  or,  what  is  the  same,  that  it  is  from 


72  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 

i 

Jehovah  God,  through  the  sun,  which  is  round  about  Him ; 
for  the  heat  proceeding  from  that  sun,  in  its  essence,  is 
love,  and  the  light  thence  proceeding,  in  its  essence,  is  wis- 
dom :  thence  it  is  manifest,  as  in  clear  daylight,  that  love 
and  wisdom,  in  that  origin,  are  one ;  and  consequently  in 
God,  from  whom  is  the  origin  of  that  sun.  This  may  be 
illustrated,  also,  from  the  sun  of  the  natural  world,  which 
is  pure  fire,  in  that  heat  proceeds  from  its  fiery  property, 
and  light  proceeds  from  the  splendor  of  its  fiery  property ; 
and  thus  that  both  are,  in  their  origin,  one.  But  that  they 
are  divided  in  proceeding  is  evident  from  their  subjects, 
some  of  which  receive  more  of  heat,  and  some  more  of 
light :  this  is  the  case  especially  with  men ;  in  them  the 
light  of  life,  which  is  intelligence,  and  the  heat  of  life, 
which  is  love,  are  divided  ;  which  is  done  because  man  is 
to  be  reformed  and  regenerated ;  and  this  cannot  be  done, 
unless  the  light  of  life,  which  is-  intelligence,  teaches  him 
what  ought  to  be  willed  and  loved.  It  should,  however,  be 
known  that  God  is  continually  working  for  the  conjunction 
of  love  and  wisdom  in  man,  but  that  man,  unless  he  looks 
to  God  and  believes  in  Him,  continually  works  for  their 
division  j  wherefore,  as  far  as  those  two,  the  good  of  love 
or  charity  and  the  truth  of  wisdom  or  faith,  are  conjoined 
in  man,  so  far  man  becomes  an  image  of  God,  and  is  ele- 
vated to  heaven  and  into  heaven  where  the  angels  are ; 
and,  on  the  contrary,  as  far  as  those  two  are  divided  by 
man,  so  far  he  becomes  an  image  of  Lucifer  and  the  dragon, 
and  is  cast  down  from  heaven  to  earth,  and  then  under  the 
earth  into  hell.  From  the  conjunction  of  those  two,  the 
state  of  man  becomes  like  the  state  of  a  tree  in  the  time 
of  spring,  when  the  heat  conjoins  itself  equally  with  the 
light ;  whence  it  produces  buds,  blossoms,  and  fruit ;  but, 
on  the  other  hand,  from  the  division  of  those  two,  the  state 
of  man  becomes  like  the  state  of  a  tree  in  the  time  of 
winter,  when  the  heat  recedes  from  the  light,  whence  it  is 
stripped  and  divested  of  all  its  foliage  and  verdure.  When 


No.  42.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


73 


spiritual  heat,  which  is  love,  separates  itself  from  spiritual 
light,  which  is  wisdom,  or,  what  is  the  same,  charity  from 
faith,  the  man  becomes  like  sour  or  rotten  ground,  in  which 
worms  are  bred ;  and,  if  it  produces  shrubs,  their  leaves 
are  covered  with  lice,  and  are  consumed.  For  the  allure- 
ments of  the  love  of  evil,  which  in  themselves  are  lusts, 
burst  forth ;  which  the  understanding,  instead  of  subduing 
and  restraining,  loves,  pampers,  and  cherishes.  In  a  word, 
to  divide  love  and  wisdom,  or  charity  and  faith,  which  two 
God  continually  endeavors  to  join  together,  is  comparatively 
like  depriving  the  face  of  its  redness,  whence  comes  a 
death-like  paleness  ;  or  like  taking  away  the  whiteness  from 
the  redness,  whence  the  face  becomes  like  a  burning  torch. 
It  also  becomes  like  dissolving  the  marriage-connection 
between  two  partners  and  making  the  wife  to  become  a 
harlot,  and  the  husband  an  adulterer ;  for  love  or  charity 
is  as  the  husband,  and  wisdom  or  faith  is  as  the  wife ; 
and  when  those  two  are  separated,  spiritual  whoredom  and 
scortation  ensue,  which  are  the  falsification  of  truth  and 
the  adulteration  of  good. 

42.  Moreover,  it  should  be  known  that  there  are  three 
degrees  of  love  and  wisdom,  and  thence  three  degrees  of 
life,  and  that  the  human  mind,  according  to  these  degrees, 
is  formed,  as  it  were,  into  regions,  and  that  life  in  the 
highest  region  is  in  the  highest  degree,  and  in  the  second 
region,  in  a  lower  degree,  and  in  the  last  region,  in  the 
lowest  degree.  These  regions  are  opened  successively  in 
man  j  the  last  region,  where  life  is  in  the  lowest  degree, 
is  opened  from  infancy  to  childhood,  and  this  is  done  by 
knowledges ;  the  second  region,  where  life  is  in  a  higher 
degree,  from  childhood  to  youth,  and  this  is  done  by 
thoughts  from  knowledges  ;  and  the  highest  region,  where 
life  is  in  the  highest  degree,  from  youth  to  early  manhood 
and  onwards,  and  this  is  done  by  perceptions  of  truths, 
both  moral  and  spiritual.  It  should  be  further  known 
that  the  perfection  of  life  consists  not  in  thought,  but  in 
vol.  l  4 


74 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I 


the  perception  of  truth  from  the  light  of  truth.  The  differ- 
ences of  life  with  men  may  be  thence  ascertained  ;  for 
there  are  some  who,  as  soon  as  they  hear  the  truth,  per- 
ceive that  it  is  truth ;  these  are  represented  in  the  spiritual 
world  by  eagles :  there  are  others  who  do  not  perceive 
truth,  but  conclude  it  from  confirmations,  by  appearances; 
and  Jhese  are  represented  by  singing  birds :  there  are 
others  who  believe  a  thing  to  be  true  because  it  has  been 
asserted  by  a  man  of  authority ;  these  are  represented  by 
magpies :  and,  also,  there  are  others  who  are  not  willing, 
and  who  are  not  able,  to  perceive  truth,  but  only  falsity; 
the  reason  is,  because  they  are  in  a  delusive  light,  in 
which  falsity  appears  as  truth,  and  the  truth  appears 
either  as  something  above  the  head,  hid  in  a  thick  cloud, 
or  as  a  meteor,  or  as  falsity ;  the  thoughts  of  these  are 
represented  by  birds  of  the  night,  and  their  speech  by 
screech-owls.  Those  amongst  them  who  have  confirmed 
their  falsities  cannot  bear  to  hear  truths ;  and  as  soon  as 
any  truth  strikes  the  drum  of  their  ears  they  repel  it  with 
aversion,  just  as  the  stomach  when  loaded  with  bilious 
matter  nauseates  and  vomits  out  food. 

43.  V.  The<v  Essence  of  Love  is  to  love  Others 
outside  of  Itself,  to  desire  to  be  one  with  them, 
and  to  make  them  happy  from  itself. 

There  are  two  things  which  make  the  essence  of  God,  — 
Jove  and  wisdom;  but  there  are  three  things  which  make 
the  essence  of  His  love,  —  to  love  others  out  of  itself,  to 
desire  to  be  one  with  them,  and  to  make  them  happy  from 
itself :  the  same  three  things  also  make  the  essence  of  His 
wisdom,  because  love  and  wisdom,  in  God,  make  one,  as 
was  shown  above ;  but  love  wills  those  things,  and  wisdom 
produces  them.  The  first  essential,  which  is,  to  love 
others  outside  of  itself  is  acknowledged  from  God's  love 
towards  the  whole  human  race ;  and  for  their  sake  God 
loves  all  the  things  which  He  has  created,  because  they  are 


No.  43.I      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


75 


means  ;  for  he  who  loves  the  end  also  loves  the  means  :  and 
all  persons  and  all  things  are  outside  of  God,  because  they 
are  finite,  and  God  is  infinite.  The  love  of  God  goes  and 
extends  itself,  not  only  to  good  persons  and  good  things, 
but  also  to  evil  persons  and  evil  things ;  consequently,  not 
only  to  those  persons  and  things  which  are  in  heaven,  but 
also  to  those  which  are  in  hell ;  thus  not  only  to  Michael 
and  Gabriel,  but  also  to  the  Devil  and  Satan ;  for  God  is 
everywhere,  and  from  eternity  to  eternity  the  same.  He 
says  also  that  He  maketh  His  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on 
the  good,  and  that  He  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  un- 
just  (Matt.  v.  45).  But  the  reason  that  evil  persons  and 
evil  things  are  still  evil  is  in  the  subjects  and  objects  them- 
selves, in  that  they  do  not  receive  the  love  of  God,  as  it  is, 
and  as  it  is  most  interiorly  in  them,  but  as  they  themselves 
are ;  just  as  the  thorn  and  the  nettle  do  with  the  heat  of  the 
sun  and  the  rain  of  heaven.  The  second  essential  of 
God's  love,  which  is  to  desire  to  be  one  with  them,  is  ac- 
knowledged also  from  His  conjunction  with  the  angelic 
heaven,  with  the  church  upon  earth,  with  every  one  there, 
and  with  every  good  and  truth  which  enter  into  and  make 
man  and  the  church ;  love  also,  viewed  in  itself,  is  nothing 
but  an  effort  to  conjunction  ;  wherefore,  that  this  object  of 
the  essence  of  love  might  be  attained,  God  created  man 
into  His  image  and  likeness,  with  which  conjunction  may  be 
effected.  That  the  Divine  Love  continually  intends  con- 
junction is  manifest  from  the  words  of  the  Lord,  that  He 
wills  that  they  may  be  one,  He  in  them  and  they  in  Him,  and 
that  the  love  of  God  may  be  in  them  (John  xvii.  21,  22,  23 
26).  The  third  essential  of  God's  love,  which  is  to 
make  them  happy  from  itself,  is  acknowledged  from  the  eter- 
nal life,  which  is  blessedness,  happiness,  and  felicity  with- 
out end,  which  God  gives  to  those  who  receive  His  love  in 
themselves ;  for  God,  as  He  is  love  itself,  is  also  blessed- 
ness itself ;  for  every  love  breathes  forth  from  itself  enjoy- 
ment, and  the  Divine  Love  breathes  forth  blessedness  itself. 


76 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I. 


happiness  and  felicity  to  eternity.  Thus  God  makes  angels 
happy  from  Himself,  and  also  men  after  death,  which  is 
effected  by  conjunction  with  them. 

44.  That  such  is  the  Divine  Love  is  recognized  from  its 
sphere,  which  pervades  the  universe,  and  affects  every  one 
according  to  his  state.  It  especially  affects  parents,  from 
which  it  is  that  they  tenderly  love  their  children,  who  are 
outside  of  themselves,  that  they  desire  to  be  one  with  them, 
and  that  they  desire  to  make  them  happy  from  themselves. 
This  sphere  of  Divine  Love  affects  not  only  the  good,  but 
also  the  evil ;  and  not  only  men,  but  also  beasts  and  birds 
of  every  kind.  For  what  else  does  a  mother  think  of, 
when  she  has  brought  forth  her  child,  than  that  she  may, 
as  it  were,  unite  herself  with  it,  and  provide  for  its  good  ? 
What  other  concern  has  a  bird,  when  she  has  hatched 
her  young,  than  to  cherish  them  under  her  wings,  and 
through  their  little  mouths  to  put  food  into  their  throats  ? 
That  dragons  and  vipers  also  love  their  young  is  known. 
This  universal  sphere  affects,  in  a  special  manner,  those 
who  receive  that  love  of  God  in  themselves,  who  are  such 
as  believe  in  God  and  love  their  neighbor ;  charity  with 
them  is  an  image  of  that  love.  Friendship  amongst  those 
not  good  also  counterfeits  that  love ;  for  a  friend,  at  his 
table,  gives  to  a  friend  the  better  things :  he  kisses  and 
caresses  him,  takes  him  by  the  hand,  and  proffers  useful 
offices.  The  sympathies,  and  the  efforts  of  homogeneous 
and  similar  things  to  conjunction,  derive  their  origin  from  no 
other  source.  That  same  Divine  sphere  operates  also  into 
inanimate  things,  as  into  trees  and  plants,  but  through  the 
sun  of  the  world  and  its  heat  and  light ;  for  the  heat  enters 
them  from  without,  conjoins  itself  with  them,  and  causes 
them  to  bud,  blossom,  and  bear  fruit,  which  things  are  in 
the  place  of  blessedness  in  animals ;  this  heat  does  so. 
because  it  corresponds  to  spiritual  heat,  which  is  kve. 
Representations  of  the  operation  of  this  love  are  also  ex- 
hibited in  various  subjects  of  the  mineral  kingdom  ;  types 


No.  45.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


77 


of  it  are  presented  in  their  exaltation  to  uses,  and  thence 
to  proportionate  values. 

45.  From  the  description  of  the  essence  of  Divine  Love, 
it  may  be  seen  what  is  the  essence  of  diabolical  love  ;  this 
may  be  seen  from  the  opposite.  Diabolical  love  is  the  love 
of  self ;  and  this  is  called  love,  but,  viewed  in  itself,  it  is 
hatred,  for  it  does  not  love  any  one  outside  of  itself,  nor  does 
it  desire  to  be  conjoined  to  others  that  it  may  do  good  to 
them,  but  only  that  it  may  do  so  to  itself ;  from  its  inmost 
it  continually  desires  to  rule  over  all,  and  also  to  possess 
the  goods  of  all,  and  at  last  to  be  worshipped  as  a  god. 
This  is  the  reason  why  those  who  are  in  hell  do  not 
acknowledge  God,  but  worship  as  gods  those  who  have 
power  over  others  j  thus  lower  and  higher,  or  lesser  and 
greater  gods,  according  to  the  extent  of  their  power ;  and 
because  every  one  there  has  this  at  heart,  he  also  burns 
with  hatred  against  his  god,  and  the  god  against  those  who 
are  under  his  power ;  and  he  reputes  them  as  vile  slaves, 
with  whom,  indeed,  he  speaks  courteously  as  long  as  they 
adore  him,  but  he  rages  as  from  fire  against  others,  and 
also  inwardly  or  in  his  heart  against  his  dependents ;  for 
the  love  of  self  is  the  same  with  the  love  in  robbers,  who 
kiss  each  other  while  they  are  engaged  in  robberies,  but 
afterwards  they  burn  with  the  desire  of  killing  each  other, 
that  they  may  also  rob  each  other  of  their  booty.  This 
love  causes  its  lusts  to  appear  in  the  distance  in  hell  where 
it  reigns  like  various  species  of  wild  beasts,  some  like 
foxes  and  leopards,  some  like  wolves  and  tigers,  and  some 
like  crocodiles  and  venomous  serpents ;  it  causes  the 
deserts  where  they  live  to  consist  only  of  heaps  of  stones 
or  of  naked  gravel,  with  bogs  interspersed,  in  which  frogs 
are  croaking ;  it  also  causes  doleful  birds  to  fly  over  their 
huts  and  screech.  The  ochim,  tziim,  and  ijim,  which  are 
mentioned  in  the  prophetical  parts  of  the  Word,  where  the 
love  of  ruling  from  the  love  of  self  is  spoken  of,  are  noth- 
ing else  (Isa.  xiii.  21  ;  Jcr.  1.  39  \  Ps.  lxxiv.  14). 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


46.  VI.  These  [Essentials]  of  the  Divine  Love 
were  the  Cause  of  the  Creation  of  the  Universe, 
and  they  are  the  cause  of  its  preservation. 

That  those  three  essentials  of  the  Divine  Love  were  the 
cause  of  creation  may  be  clearly  seen  from  an  attentive 
examination  of  them.  That  this  first,  which  is  to  love 
others  outside  of  itself  was  a  cause,  is  evident  from  the  uni- 
verse, which  is  outside  of  God,  as  the  world  is  outside  of  the 
sun;  and  into  which  He  can  extend  His  love,  and  exercise 
His  love  in  it,  and  so  rest.  It  is  read  also  that  after  God 
had  created  the  heaven  and  the  earth,  he  rested ;  and  that 
thence  the  day  of  the  Sabbath  was  made  (Gen.  ii.  2,  3). 
That  the  second,  which  is  to  will  to  be  one  with  them,  was 
a  cause,  is  evident  from  the  creation  of  man  into  the  image 
and  likeness  of  God  ;  by  which  is  meant  that  man  was 
made  a  form  receptive  of  love  and  wisdom  from  God,  so 
that  God  can  unite  Himself  with  man,  and,  for  his  sake,  with 
all  and  every  thing  of  the  universe,  which  are  no  other 
than  means ;  for  conjunction  with  a  final  cause  is  also  a 
conjunction  with  the  mediate  causes.  That  all  things  were 
created  for  the  sake  of  man  is  manifest  also  from  the 
book  of  Creation  (Gen.  i.  28,  29,  30).  That  the  third, 
ivhich  is  to  make  them  happy  from  itself  is  a  cause,  is  evident 
from  the  angelic  heaven,  which  is  provided  for  every  man 
who  receives  the  love  of  God,  where  all  are  made  happy 
from  God  alone.  That  those  three  essentials  of  God's 
love  are  also  the  cause  of  the  preservation  of  the  universe 
is  because  preservation  is  perpetual  creation,  as  subsistence 
is  perpetual  existence ;  and  the  Divine  Love,  from  eternity 
to  eternity,  is  the  same ;  thus  such  as  it  was  in  creating  the 
world,  such  it  is  and  continues  to  be  in  the  created  world. . 

47.  From  these  things,  rightly  perceived,  it  maybe  seen 
that  the  universe  is  a  work  cohering  from  firsts  to  lasts, 
because  it  is  a  work  comprising  ends,  causes,  and  effects,  in 
an  indissoluble  connection  ;  and  because  in  all  love  there 
is  an  end,  and  in  all  wisdom  the  promotion  of  an  end  by 


No.  48.J      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


79 


mediate  causes,  and  through  them  to  effects,  which  are 
uses,  it  follows  also  that  the  universe  is  a  work  comprising 
Divine  love,  Divine  wisdom,  and  uses,  and  thus  a  work  alto- 
gether coherent  from  firsts  to  lasts.  That  the  universe 
consists  of  perpetual  uses  produced  by  wisdom  and  begun 
by  love,  every  wise  man  may  see  as  in  a  mirror,  when  he 
gains  a  general  idea  of  the  creation  of  the  universe,  and  in 
that  views  the  particulars  ;  for  particulars  adapt  themselves 
to  their  general,  and  the  general  disposes  them  into  form 
so  that  they  may  agree.  That  it  is  so,  will  be  more  fully 
illustrated  in  the  following  pages. 

48.  To  this  will  be  added  this  Relation.  I  once  con- 
versed with  two  angels,  one  from  the  eastern  heaven, 
and  the  other  from  the  southern  heaven.  When  they 
perceived  that  I  was  meditating  upon  arcana  of  wisdom 
concerning  love,  they  said,  "  Do  you  know  any  thing 
about  the  schools  of  wisdom  in  our  world  ? "  I  replied, 
that  I  did  not  yet ;  and  they- said,  " There  are  many;  and 
those  who  love  truths  from  spiritual  affection,  or  truths  be- 
cause they  are  truths,  and  because  by  means  of  them  is 
wisdom,  come  together  at  a  given  signal,  and  discuss  and 
determine  those  questions  which  are  of  deeper  understand- 
ing." They  then  took  me  by  the  hand,  saying,  "  Follow 
us  and  you  shall  see  and  hear ;  the  signal  of  a  meeting 
has  been  given  to-day."  I  was  led  over  a  plain  to  a  hill, 
and,  behold,  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  an  avenue  of  palm- 
trees,  continued  even  to  its  top;  we  entered  it,  and  as- 
cended ;  and  on  the  top  or  summit  of  the  hill  was  seen 
a  grove ;  and  among  the  trees,  the  raised  ground  formed 
as  it  were  a  theatre,  within  which  was  an  area,  paved  with 
little  stones  of  various  colors.  Around  it,  in  a  square,  were 
placed  seats,  upon  which  the  lovers  of  wisdom  were  sitting  j 
and  in  the  middle  of  the  theatre  was  a  table,  upon  which 
lay  a  paper  sealed  with  a  seal.  Those  who  sat  on  the  seats 
invited  us  to  the  seats  still  vacant;  and  I  replied,  "I  have 
been  led  hither  by  two  angels,  that  I  may  see  and  hear,  and 


So 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I. 


not  to  sit."  And  then  those  two  angels  went  into  the  middle 
of  the  area  to  the  table,  and  loosed  the  seal  of  the  paper, 
and  read  in  the  presence  of  those  who  were  sitting  the 
arcana  of  wisdom  written  on  the  paper,  which  they  were 
now  to  discuss  and  unfold.  They  were  written  by  angels 
of  the  third  heaven,  and  let  down  upon  the  table.  There 
were  three  arcana  :  The  first,  "  What  is  the  image  of  God, 
and  what  the  likeness  of  God,  into  which  man  was  created 7  " 
The  second,  "  Why  is  not  man  bor?i  into  the  knowledge  of 
any  love,  when  yet  beasts  and  birds,  noble  as  well  as  ignoble, 
are  born  into  the  knowledges  of  all  their  loves  ?  "  The  third, 
"  What  does  the  tree  of  life  signify  ;  and  what  the  tree  of  the 
knowledge  of  good  and  evil;  and  what  the  eating  from  them  1 " 
Underneath  was  written,  "Join  those  three  together  into 
one,  and  write  it  upon  a  new  paper,  and  lay  it  back  upon 
this  table,  and  we  shall  see  it  •  if  the  opinion  appear  even- 
balanced  and  just  on  the  scale,  to  each  of  you  shall  be 
given  the  prize  of  wisdom."  The  two  angels,  having  read 
this,  retired,  and  were  carried  up  into  their  heavens.  And 
then  those  who  sat  upon  the  seats  began  to  discuss  and 
unfold  the  arcana  proposed  to  them ;  and  they  spoke  in 
order ;  first  those  who  sat  at  the  North,  then  those  at  the 
West,  afterwards  those  at  the  South,  and  lastly  those  at 
the  East.  And  they  took  up  the  first  subject  of  discussion, 
which  was,  "  What  is  the  image  of  God,  and  what  the 
likeness  of  God,  into  which  man  was  created  ?  "  And 
then,  in  the  first  place,  these  words  from  the  book  of  Crea- 
tion, were  read  in  presence  of  all :  God  said,  Let  us  make 
man  in  our  image,  after  our  likeness;  and  God  created 
man  into  his  own  image  ;  into  the  image  of  God  created 
He  him  (Gen.  i.  26,  27).  In  the  day  that  God  created  man 
in  the  likeness  of  God,  made  He  him  (Gen.  v.  1). 

Those  who  sat  at  the  North  spoke  first,  saying,  that  The 
image  of  God  and  the  likeness  of  God  are  the  two  lives 
breathed  into  man  by  God,  which  are  the  life  of  the  will, 
and  the  life  of  the  understanding ;  for  it  is  read,  Jehovah 


No.  48.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  8 1 

God  breathed  into  the  nostrils  of  Adam  the  soul  of  lives,  and 
ma?i  was  made  into  a  living  soul  (Gen.  ii.  7)  :  by  which  seems 
to  be  meant  that  there  was  breathed  into  him  the  will  of 
good  and  the  perception  of  truth,  and  thus  the  soul  of 
lives  •  and  because  life  from  God  was  breathed  into  him, 
an  image  and  a  likeness  signify  integrity  from  love  and  wis- 
dom, and  from  justice  and  judgment  in  him.  Those  who 
sat  at  the  West  favored  these  things,  adding  however  this, 
that  The  state  of  integrity  breathed  into  him  by  God  is  con- 
tinually breathed  into  every  man  after  him ;  but  that  it  is  in 
man  as  in  a  receptacle,  and  that  man,  as  he  is  a  receptacle, 
is  an  image  and  likeness  of  God.  Afterwards  the  third  in 
order,  who  were  those  who  sat  at  the  South,  said,  "  The 
image  of  God  and  the  likeness  of  God  are  two  distinct 
things,  but  united  in  man  by  creation ;  and  we  see,  as  from 
a  kind  of  interior  light,  that  the  image  of  God  may  be  de 
stroyed  by  man,  but  not  the  likeness  of  God.  This  appears 
obscurely  (as  through  a  lattice)  from  this,  that  Adam  re- 
tained the  likeness  of  God  after  he  had  lost  the  image  of 
God  ;  for  it  is  read  after  the  curse,  Behold  the  man  is  become 
as  one  of  us,  by  knowing  good  and  evil  (Gen.  iii.  22).  And 
afterwards  he  is  called  the  likeness  of  God,  and  not  the 
image  of  God  (Gen.  v.  1).  But  let  us  leave  to  our  conso- 
ciates  who  sit  at  the  east,  and  are  thence  in  superior  light, 
to  say  what  is  properly  an  image  of  God,  and  what  is  prop- 
erly a  likeness  of  God."  And  then,  after  there  was  silence, 
those  sitting  at  the  East  arose  from  their  seats,  and  looked 
up  to  the  Lord ;  and  afterwards  they  sat  down  again  upon 
their  seats  and  said,  that  An  image  of  God  is  a  receptacle 
of  God  ;  and  because  God  is  Love  itself  and  Wisdom  itself, 
an  im^ge  of  God  is  the  reception  of  love  and  wisdom  from 
God  in  it  j  but  that  a  likeness  of  God  is  a  perfect  likeness 
and  a  full  appearance,  as  if  love  and  wisdom  were  in  man, 
and  thence  altogether  as  his  \  for  man  is  not  sensible  but 
that  he  loves  from  himself,  and  is  wise  from  himself;  or 
that  he  wills  good  and  understands  truth  from  himself; 

4* 


82 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I, 


when  yet  none  of  this  whatever  is  from  himself,  but  from 
God.  God  alone  loves  from  Himself  and  is  wise  from  Him- 
self, because  God  is  Love  itself  and  Wisdom  itself.  The  like- 
ness or  appearance  that  love  and  wisdom,  or  good  and  truth, 
are  in  man  as  his,  causes  that  man  may  be  man,  and  that 
he  can  be  conjoined  to  God,  and  thus  live  to  eternity ;  from 
which  it  flows  that  man  is  man  from  this,  that  he  can  will 
good  and  understand  truth  altogether  as  from  himself,  and 
still  know  and  believe  that  it  is  from  God ;  for  as  he  knows 
and  believes  this,  God  puts  His  image  in  man ;  it  would  be 
otherwise,  if  he  should  believe  that  it  is  from  himself,  and 
not  from  God.  When  these  things  were  said,  there  came 
upon  them  a  zeal  from  the  love  of  truth,  from  which  they 
spoke  these  words :  "  How  can  man  receive  any  thing  of 
love  and  wisdom  and  retain  it  and  reproduce  it,  unless  he 
feels  it  as  his  own  ?  And  how  can  conjunction  with  God  be 
given  by  means  of  love  and  wisdom,  unless  there  has  been 
given  to  man  some  reciprocal  of  conjunction  ?  For  with- 
out a  reciprocal  no  conjunction  is  possible,  and  the  re- 
ciprocal of  conjunction  is  that  man  loves  God,  and  does 
those  things  which  are  of  God,  as  from  himself,  and  yet 
believes  that  it  is  from  God.  Besides,  how  can  man  live  to 
eternity,  unless  he  be  conjoined  to  the  eternal  God  ?  Con- 
sequently, how  can  man  be  man,  without  that  likeness  in 
him  ?  "  All  favored  these  words,  and  said,  "  Let  a  conclu- 
sion be  made  from  them  ; "  and  it  was  made  thus  :  "  Man  is 
a  receptacle  of  God,  and  a  receptacle  of  God  is  an  image 
of  God  ;  and  because  God  is  Love  itself  and  Wisdom  itself, 
man  is  a  receptacle  of  these ;  and  a  receptacle  becomes  an 
image  of  God  according  to  the  reception."  Also  this :  "  Man 
is  a  likeness  of  God  from  this,  that  he  feels  in  himself  that 
the  things  which  are  from  God  are  in  him  as  his ;  but  still, 
from  that  likeness  he  is  so  far  an  image  of  God  as  he  ac- 
knowledges that  love  and  wisdom,  or  good  and  truth,  are 
not  his  in  him,  and  therefore  are  not  from  him,  but  are  in 
God  only,  and  thence  are  from  God."  After  this,  they  took 


No.  4S.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


S3 


up  the  second  subject  of  discussion,  "Why  man  is  not 

BORN  INTO  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  ANY  LOVE,  WHEN  YET 
BEASTS  AND  BIRDS,  NOBLE  AS  WELL  AS  IGNOBLE,  ARE  BORN 
INTO  THE  KNOWLEDGES  OF  ALL  THEIR  LOVES."    First  they 

confirmed  the  truth  of  the  proposition  from  various  things ; 
as,  concerning  man,  that  he  is  born  into  no  knowledge,  not 
even  into  the  knowledge  of  conjugial  love ;  and  they  in- 
quired and  heard  from  investigators  that  an  infant  does 
not  even  know  the  breast  of  its  mother  from  any  connate 
knowledge,  but  that  it  learns  this  from  its  mother  or  nurse 
by  being  put  to  the  breast ;  and  that  it  only  knows  how  to 
suck,  and  that  it  has  imbibed  this  knowledge  from  a  con- 
tinual suction  in  the  mother's  womb  ;  and  that  afterwards  it 
does  not  know  how  to  walk,  nor  to  articulate  sound  into  any 
human  word,  nor  yet  to  sound  the  affections  of  its  love,  as 
beasts  do ;  further,  that  it  knows  not  what  food  is  suitable 
for  it,  as  beasts  do,  but  that  it  lays  hold  of  whatever  comes 
in  its  way,  whether  clean  or  unclean,  and  puts  it  into  its 
mouth.  The  investigators  said  that  man  without  instruc- 
tion knows  nothing  at  all  about  the  modes  of  loving  the  sex, 
and  that  not  even  virgins  and  young  men  know  any  thing 
of  this  without  instruction  from  others.  In  a  word,  man  is 
born  corporeal  as  a  worm,  and  remains  corporeal  unless 
he  learns  to  know,  to  understand,  and  to  be  wise,  from 
others.  After  this  they  proved  that  animals,  noble  as  well 
as  ignoble,  as  the  beasts  of  the  earth,  the  fowls  of  the  air, 
reptiles,  fishes,  and  the  vermicules  which  are  called  insects, 
are  born  into  all  the  knowledges  of  the  loves  of  their  life  ; 
as  into  all  things  concerning  nourishment,  into  all  things 
concerning  habitation,  into  all  things  concerning  the  love 
of  the  sex  and  prolification,  and  into  all  things  concerning 
the  education  of  their  young.  These  things  they  confirmed 
by  the  wonderful  things  which  they  recalled  to  memory  from 
what  they  had  seen,  heard,  and  read  in  the  natural  world, 
in  which  they  once  lived,  and  in  which  there  are  not  repre- 
sentative but  real  beasts.    After  the  truth  of  the  proposi- 


34 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chai».  I 


tion  was  thus  established,  they  applied  their  minds  to 
investigate  and  discover  the  causes  by  means  of  which 
they  might  unfold  and  lay  open  this  mystery;  and  they 
all  said  that  those  things  could  not  but  exist  from  the 
Divine  Wisdom,  that  man  may  be  man,  and  beast  may  be 
beast ;  and  that  thus  the  imperfection  of  man's  nativity  is 
his  perfection,  and  the  perfection  of  a  beast's  nativity  js  its 
imperfection. 

Then  those  on  the  North  began  first  to  open  their  minds, 
and  they  said,  that  "  Man  was  born  without  knowledges,  that 
he  might  be  able  to  receive  them  all ;  but,  if  he  were  born 
into  knowledges,  he  would  not  be  able  to  receive  any  ex- 
cept those  into  which  he  was  born,  and  then  he  would  not 
be  able  to  appropriate  any  to  himself ; "  which  they  illus- 
trated by  this  comparison :  "  Man  when  first  born  is  like 
ground  in  which  no  seeds  have  been  planted,  but  which 
can  yet  receive  all,  and  bring  them  forth,  and  cause  them 
to  bear  fruit.  But  a  beast  is  like  ground  already  sown  and 
covered  over  with  grass  and  herbs,  which  receives  no  other 
seeds  than  those  which  have  been  sown  \  and  if  others 
were  sown  they  would  be  choked.  Thence  it  is  that  man 
is  many  years  in  coming  to  his  growth,  during  which  he 
may  be  cultivated  like  the  ground,  and  bring  forth  as  it 
were  grain  of  every  kind,  flowers,  and  trees ;  but  a  beast 
comes  to  its  growth  in  a  few  years,  during  which  it  can  be 
cultivated  for  no  other  things  than  those  which  are  born 
with  it."  Afterwards  those  on  the  West  spoke,  and  said 
that  man  is  not  born  knowledge,  like  a  beast,  but  that  he 
is  born  a  faculty  and  an  inclination  j  a  faculty  for  know- 
ing, and  an  inclination  for  loving ;  and  that  he  is  born  a 
faculty  [*  not  only  for  knowing,  but  also  for  understanding 
and  for  being  wise  ;  and  also  that  he  is  born  a  most  perfect 
inclination]  not  only  for  loving  those  things  which  are  of 
himself  and  the  world,  but  also  those  which  are  of  God  and 

*  What  is  here  enclosed  in  brackets  is  from  the  treatise  concern- 
ing Conjngial  Love,  n.  134. 


No.  48.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


35 


of  heaven ;  consequently,  that  man  is  born  an  organ  which 
scarcely  lives  by  the  external  senses,  except  obscurely,  and 
by  no  internal  senses,  to  the  intent  that  he  may  succes- 
sively live  and  become  a  man  j  first  natural,  afterwards 
rational,  and  at  length  spiritual ;  which  would  not  be  the 
case  if  he  were  born  into  knowledges  and  loves  as  beasts 
are  \  for  the  knowledges  and  affections  of  love  which  are 
loin  with  one,  limit  the  progression;  but  mere  faculties 
and  inclinations  born  with  one,  limit  nothing;  wherefore 
man  may  be  perfected  in  knowledge,  intelligence,  and  wis- 
dom to  eternity.  Those  on  the  South  took  up  the  subject, 
and  declared  their  opinion,  saying  that  it  is  impossible  for 
man  to  derive  any  knowledge  from  himself,  but  he  must 
derive  it  from  others,  since  no  knowledge  is  connate  with 
him ;  and  as  he  cannot  derive  any  knowledge  from  him- 
self, so  neither  can  he  any  love,  since  where  there  is  no 
knowledge  there  is  no  love;  knowledge  and  love  are  in- 
separable companions ;  they  can  no  more  be  separated 
than  will  and  understanding  or  affection  and  thought ; 
yea,  no  more  than  essence  and  form ;  wherefore,  as  man 
receives  knowledge  from  others,  so  love  adjoins  itself  to  it 
as  its  companion.  The  universal  love  which  adjoins  itself 
is  the  love  of  knowing,  and  afterwards  of  understanding 
and  of  being  wise ;  man  alone  and  no  beast  has  these 
loves,  and  they  flow  in  from  God.  We  agree  with  our 
companions  from  the  West  that  man  is  not  born  into  any 
love,  and  thence  not  into  any  knowledge ;  but  that  he  is 
only  born  into  an  inclination  for  loving,  and  thence  into  a 
faculty  for  receiving  knowledge,  not  from  himself,  but  from 
others,  that  is,  through  others :  it  is  said,  through  others, 
because  neither  have  these  received  any  thing  from  them- 
selves, but  originally  from  God.  We  agree  also  with  our 
companions  at  the  North  that  man  when  first  born  is  like 
ground  in  which  no  seeds  have  been  planted,  but  in  which 
all  seeds,  as  well  noble  as  ignoble,  can  be  planted  :  thence 
it  is  that  man  was  called  homo  from  humus,  the  ground;  and 


86 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION      [Chap.  I, 


he  was  called  Adam  from  Adama,  which,  too,  means  ground. 
To  this  we  add  that  beasts  are  born  into  natural  loves,  and 
thence  into  the  knowledges  corresponding  to  them ;  but 
that  still  from  the  knowledges  they  do  not  know,  think,  un- 
derstand, nor  are  wise ;  but  that  they  are  led  to  them  from 
their  loves,  almost  in  the  same  manner  as  blind  men  are 
led  through  the  streets  by  dogs ;  for  as  to  the  understand- 
ing they  are  blind,  or  rather  they  are  like  persons  walking  in 
sleep,  who  do  what  they  do  from  blind  knowledge,  while  the 
understanding  is  asleep.  Lastly  those  on  the  East  spoke 
and  said,  "  We  assent  to  those  things  which  our  brothers 
have  spoken,  that  man  knows  nothing  from  himself,  but 
from  others  and  through  others,  that  he  may  cognize  and 
acknowledge  that  all  things  which  he  knows,  understands, 
and  is  wise  in,  are  from  God ;  and  that  man  cannot  other- 
wise be  born  and  begotten  of  God,  and  become  an  image 
and  likeness  of  Him.  For  he  becomes  an  image  of  God  by 
acknowledging  and  believing  that  he  has  received  and  does 
receive  all  the  good  of  love  and  charity  and  all  the  truth 
of  wisdom  and  faith  from  God,  and  nothing  at  all  from 
himself :  and  he  is  a  likeness  of  God  in  that  he  feels  those 
things  in  himself  as  if  from  himself ;  and  he  feels  this,  be- 
cause he  is  not  born  into  knowledges,  but  receives  them ; 
and  the  receiving  appears  to  him  as  from  himself.  To 
feel  thus  is  also  given  to  man  by  God,  that  he  may  be  a 
man,  and  not  a  beast ;  since  by  this,  that  he  wills,  thinks, 
loves,  knows,  understands,  and  is  wise,  as  from  himself,  he 
receives  knowledges,  and  exalts  them  into  intelligence,  and 
by  their  uses  into  wisdom  ;  thus  God  conjoins  man  with 
Himself,  and  man  conjoins  himself  with  God.  These  things 
could  not  have  been  done  unless  it  had  been  provided  by 
God  that  man  should  be  born  in  utter  ignorance."  After  this 
statement  all  desired  that  a  conclusion  should  be  made 
from  the  things  discussed  j  and  it  was  made  thus :  That 
man  is  born  into  no  knowledge  in  order  that  he  may  be 
able  to  come  into  all,  and  advance  into  intelligence,  and 


No.  48.]      CONCERNING  GOD  T  HE  CREATOR. 


87 


through  this  into  wisdom ;  and  that  man  is  born  into  no 
love  in  order  that  he  may  be  able  to  come  into  all  by  ap- 
plications of  knowledges  from  intelligence,  and  may  come 
into  love  to  God  through  love  towards  the  neighbor,  and 
thus  be  conjoined  to  God,  and  by  that  means  become  a 
man  and  live  to  eternity. 

After  this  they  took  the  paper,  and  read  the  third  sub- 
ject for  investigation,  which  was,  What  does  the  tree 

OF  LIFE  SIGNIFY;  WHAT  THE  TREE  OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE 
OF  GOOD  AND  EVIL ;  AND  WHAT  THE  EATING  FROM  THEM  ? 

And  they  all  requested  that  those  who  were  from  the  East 
would  unfold  this  mystery,  because  it  is  of  deeper  under- 
standing, and  because  those  who  are  from  the  East  are  in 
flamy  light,  that  is,  in  the  wisdom  of  love  ;  and  this  wisdom 
is  meant  by  the  garden  of  Eden,  in  which  those  two  trees 
were  placed.  And  they  answered,  "We  will  speak;  but 
because  man  does  not  take  any  thing  from  himself,  but 
from  God,  we  will  speak  from  Him,  but  still  from  ourselves 
as  if  from  ourselves."  And  then  they  said,  "  A  tree  signi- 
fies man,  and  its  fruit  the  good  of  life ;  thence  by  the  tree 
of  life  is  signified  man  living  from  God ;  and  because  love 
and  wisdom,  and  charity  and  faith,  or  good  and  truth,  make 
the  life  of  God  in  man,  by  the  tree  of  life  is  signified  the 
man  in  whom  are  those  things  from  God,  and  who  has 
thence  eternal  life.  Similar  things  are  signified  by  the  tree 
of  life,  from  which  it  will  be  given  to  eat  (Apoc.  ii.  7,  xxii. 
2,  14).  By  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  is  sig- 
nified the  man  believing  that  he  lives  from  himself,  and  not 
from  God ;  thus,  that  love  and  wisdom,  charity  and  faith, 
that  is,  good  and  truth,  are  in  man  his,  and  not  God's ;  be- 
lieving this,  because  he  thinks  and  wills,  and  speaks  and 
acts,  in  all  likeness  and  appearance  as  from  himself ;  and 
because  man  thence  persuades  himself  that  he  is  also  a 
God,  therefore  the  serpent  said,  God  doth  know  that,  in  the 
day  ye  eat  of  the  fruit  of  that  tree,  your  eyrs  will  be  opened, 
and  ye  will  be  as  God,  knowing  good  and  ezu'l  (Gen.  iii.  5). 


88 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


By  eating  from  those  trees  is  signified  reception  and  appro- 
priation ;  by  eating  from  the  tree  of  life,  the  reception  of 
eternal  life ;  and  by  eating  from  the  tree  of  the  knowledge 
of  good  and  evil,  the  reception  of  damnation.  By  the  ser- 
pent is  meant  the  devil,  as  to  the  love  of  self  and  the  pride 
of  one's  own  intelligence ;  and  this  love  is  the  possessor  of 
the  tree,  and  the  men  who  are  in  pride  from  this  love  are 
the  trees.  They  are,  therefore,  in  an  enormous  error  who 
believe  that  Adam  was  wise  and  did  good  from  himself,  and 
that  this  was  his  state  of  integrity ;  when  yet  Adam  was 
himself  cursed  on  account  of  that  belief ;  for  this  is  signi- 
fied by  eating  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and 
evil ;  wherefore  he  then  fell  from  the  state  of  integrity  which 
he  had  from  believing  that  he  was  wise  and  did  good  from 
God  and  nothing  from  himself ;  for  this  is  meant  by  eating 
from  the  tree  of  life.  The  Lord  alone,  when  He  was  in 
the  world,  was  wise  from  Himself,  and  did  good  from  Him- 
self, because  the  Divine  Itself  was  in  Him  and  was  His 
from  the  nativity ;  wherefore  also  He  became  Redeemer 
and  Saviour  by  His  own  power."  From  all  these  things 
they  drew  this  conclusion,  that  "  By  the  tree  of  life,  and 
by  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  and  by  eat- 
ing from  them,  is  meant  that  life,  to  man,  is  God  in  him,  and 
that  he  thus  has  heaven  and  eternal  life ;  and  that  death, 
to  man,  is  the  persuasion  and  belief  that  God  is  not  life  to 
man,  but  that  man  is  life  to  himself ;  whence  he  has  hell 
and  eternal  death,  which  is  damnation." 

After  this  they  looked  at  the  paper  which  was  left  by  the 
angels  upon  the  table,  and  saw  written  underneath,  Join 
the  three  together  into  one  opinion.  And  then  they 
collected  them,  and  saw  that  the  three  cohered  in  one 
series,  and  that  the  series  or  opinion  is  this,  that  "  Man 
was  created  to  receive  love  and  wisdom  from  God,  and 
yet  in  all  likeness  as  from  himself,  and  this  for  the  sake 
of  reception  and  conjunction ;  and  that  therefore  man  is 
not  born  into  any  love,  nor  into  any  knowledge,  nor  even 


No.  49.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  89 

into  any  power  of  loving  and  being  wise  from  himself. 
Wherefore,  if  he  ascribes  all  the  good  of  love  and  all  the 
truth  of  wisdom  to  God  he  becomes  a  living  man ;  but  if 
he  ascribes  them  to  himself  he  becomes  a  dead  man." 
This  they  wrote  on  a  new  paper  and  laid  it  upon  the  table  ; 
and  lo,  suddenly  the  angels  were  present  in  a  bright  cloud, 
and  they  carried  the  paper  away  into  heaven ;  and  after 
it  was  read  there,  those  who  sat  upon  the  seats  heard 
thence  the  words,  "  Well,  well,  well."  And  forthwith  there 
appeared  one  from  heaven  as  if  flying,  who  had  as  it  were 
two  wings  about  the  feet  and  two  about  the  temples,  bring- 
ing the  prizes,  which  were  robes,  caps,  and  wreaths  of  laurel. 
And  he  alighted,  and  gave  to  those  who  sat  at  the  North 
robes  of  an  opaline  color ;  to  those  at  the  West,  robes  of 
a  scarlet  color  ;  to  those  at  the  South,  caps,  the  borders  of 
which  were  adorned  with  bands  of  gold  and  pearls,  and  the 
higher  parts  of  the  left  side  with  diamonds  cut  in  the  form 
of  flowers ;  but  to  those  at  the  East  he  gave  wreaths  of 
laurel  in  which  were  rubies  and  sapphires.  And  they  all 
went  home  with  joy  from  the  school  of  wisdom,  decorated 
with  these  rewards. 

CONCERNING  THE  OMNIPOTENCE,  OMNISCIENCE, 
AND  OMNIPRESENCE  OF  GOD. 

49.  We  have  treated  of  the  Divine  Love  and  the  Di- 
vine Wisdom,  and  shown  that  these  two  are  the  Divine 
Essence.  We  come  now  to  treat  of  the  Omnipotence,  Omni- 
science, and  Omnipresence  of  God,  because  these  three  pro- 
ceed from  the  Divine  Love  and  the  Divine  Wisdom,  scarcely 
otherwise  than  the  power  and  presence  of  the  sun  are  in 
this  world,  and  in  all  and  every  part  of  it,  by  means  of  light 
and  heat.  Also,  the  heat  from  the  sun  of  the  spiritual  world, 
in  the  midst  of  which  is  Jehovah  God,  in  its  essence  is 
Divine  Love,  and  the  light  thence  is  in  its  essence  Divine 
Wisdom  ;  whence  it  is  manifest  that  as  infinity,  immensity, 


90 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


and  eternity  pertain  to  the  Divine  Esse,  so  omnipotence, 
omniscience,  and  omnipresence  pertain  to  the  Divine  Es- 
sence. But  as  those  three  universal  predicables  of  the 
Divine  Essence  have  not  hitherto  been  understood,  be- 
cause their  progression  according  to  their  ways,  which  are 
the  laws  of  order,  has  been  unknown,  it  is  proper  to  pre- 
sent them  here  by  distinct  articles,  as  follows :  I.  Omnip- 
otence, Omniscience,  and  Om?iiprese7ice  belong  to  the  Divine 
Wisdom  from  the  Divine  Love.  II.  There  cannot  be  cognition 
of  God's  Omnipotence,  Omniscience,  and  Onmipresence,  unless 
it  be  known  what  Order  is,  and  unless  these  things  belonging  to 
it  be  known,  namely,  that  God  is  Order,  and  that  at  the  creation 
He  introduced  Order  into  the  universe,  and  i?ito  all  and  every 
part  of  it.  III.  The  Omnipotefice  of  God  in  the  unive?se,  and  in 
all  and  every  part  of  it,  proceeds  and  operates  according  to  the 
laws  of  His  Order.  IV.  God  is  omniscient,  that  is,  perceives, 
sees,  and  knows  all  and  every  thing,  even  to  the  most  minute, 
which  is  do?ie  according  to  Order ;  and  thence  also  what  is 
done  cont?'a?y  to  Order.  V.  God  is  omnipresoit  from  the 
firsts  to  the  lasts  of  His  Order.  VI.  Man  was  created  a 
form  of  Divine  Order.  VII.  Man  is  so  far  in  power 
against  evil  and  falsity  fro77i  the  Divi7ie  O7n7iipote7ice,  and  so 
far  in  wisdo7n  concerni7ig  good  and 1  truth  fro77i  the  Divi7ie 
077i7iiscie7ice,  a7id  so  far  i7i  God  f-077i  the  Dhwie  07nnipres- 
ence,  as  he  lives  accordi7ig  to  Divi7ie  Order.  But  these  arti- 
cles are  to  be  unfolded  one  by  one. 

50.  I.  Omnipotence,  Omniscience,  and  Omnipres- 
ence BELONG  TO  THE  DlVINE  WlSDOM  FROM  THE  DlVINE 

Love. 

That  omnipotence,  omniscience,  and  omnipresence  belong 
to  the  Divine  Wisdom  from  the  Divine  Love,  but  not  to  the 
Divine  Love  by  means  of  the  Divine  Wisdom,  is  an  arcanum 
from  heaven,  which  has  not  hitherto  shone  in  the  under- 
standing of  any  one  j  because  no  one  has  yet  known  what 
love  is  in  its  essence,  nor  what  wisdom  thence  is  in%its  es- 


No.  51.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


91 


sence,  and  still  less  concerning  the  influx  of  one  into  the 
other  \  which  is,  that  love,  with  all  and  every  thing  of  it, 
flows  into  wisdom,  and  resides  in  it  as  a  king  in  his  king- 
dom, or  as  a  master  in  his  house,  and  relinquishes  all  the 
government  of  justice  to  its  judgment ;  and,  because  justice 
is  of  love  and  judgment  is  of  wisdom,  relinquishes  all  the 
government  of  love  to  its  wisdom.  But  this  arcanum  will 
receive  additional  light  in  what  follows ;  in  the  mean  time 
let  it  stand  as  a  canon.  That  God  is  omnipotent,  omniscient, 
and  omnipresent,  by  means  of  the  wisdom  of  His  love,  is 
also  meant  by  these  words  in  John :  7)/  the  beginning  was 
the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was 
God.  All  things  were  made  by  Him,  and  without  Hun 
was  not  any  thing  made  that  was  made.  In  Him  was  life, 
and  the  life  was  the  light  of  men ;  and  the  world  was  made 
by  Him  ;  and  the  Word  was  made  flesh  (i.  1,  3,  4,  10,  14). 
By  the  Word  is  there  meant  the  Divine  Truth,  or  what 
amounts  to  the  same  the  Divine  Wisdom ;  wherefore  it  is 
also  called  life  and  light ;  and  life  and  light  are  no  other 
than  wisdom. 

51.  Since  in  the  Word  justice  is  predicated  of  love,  and 
judgment  of  wisdom,  therefore  some  passages  shall  be  ad- 
duced to  prove  that  the  government  of  God  is  effected  in 
the  world  by  means  of  those  two ;  the  passages  now  fol- 
low :  O  Jehovah,  Justice  and  Judgment  are  the  support 
of  Thy  thro?ie  (Ps.  lxxxix.  15).  Let  him  that  glorieth,  glory 
in  this,  that  Jehovah  doeth  Judgment  and  Justice  in  the 
earth  (Jer.  ix.  24).  Let  Jehovah  be  exalted,  because  He  haih 
filled  Zion*  with  Judgment  and  Justice  (Isa.  xxxiii.  5). 
Let  Judgment  run  down  as  water,  and  Justice  as  a  mighty 
stream  (Amos  v.  24).  Thy  Justice,  O  Jehovah,  is  like  the 
mountains  of  God,  Thy  Judgments  are  as  a  great  deep  (Ps. 
xxxvi.  6).    Jehovah  will  bring  forth  thyf  Justice  as  the 

♦The  Latin  is  here  terram,  not  Zionem.  Elsewhere,  however,  we 
find  Zionem,  which  agrees  with  the  Hebrew.    See  A.  C.  n.  2235. 

t  The  Latin  here  reads  suam  (his).  Elsewhere  we  find  titam  and 
tuum  (thy),  which  agrees  with  the  Hebrew.    See  A.  C.  n.  145S. 


92 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I. 


light,  and  [thy]  Judgment  as  the  noonday  (Ps.  xxxvii.  6). 
He*  shall  judge  thy  people  in  Justice,  and  thy  poor  in  Judo 
ment  (Ps.  Ixxii.  2).  Whe?i  I  shall  have  learned  the  Judg- 
ments of  thy  Justice.  Seven  times  a  day  do  I  praise  Thee  be- 
cause of  the  Judgments  of  Thy  Justice  (Ps.  cxix.  7 ;  1 64).  I 
will  betroth  thee  unto  Me~\  in  Justice  and  Judgment  (Hosea 
ii.  19).  Zion  shall  be  redeemed  in  Judgment,  and  her  con- 
verts in  Justice  (Isa.  i.  27).  He  shall  sit  upon  the  throne  of 
David,  and  upon  his  kingdom,  to  establish  it  i?i  Judgment 
and  Justice  (Isa.  ix.  7).  I  will  raise  unto  David  a  righteous 
Branch,  who  shall  reign  as  King,  and  shall  do  Judgment 
and  Justice  in  the  earth  (Jer.  xxiii.  5  ;  xxxiii.  15).  And  in 
other  places  it  is  said  that  they  ought  to  do  Justice  and 
Judgment  (as  in  Isa.  i.  21;  v.  16;  lviii.  2;  Jer.  iv.  2;  xxii. 
3,  13,  15;  Ez.  xyiii.  5;  xxxiii.  14,  16,  19;  Amos  vi.  12; 
Micah  vii.  9 ;  Deut.  xxxiii.  21  ;  John  xvi.  8,  io,  11.) 

52.  II.  There  cannot  be  cognition  of  God's  Omnip- 
otence, Omniscience,  and  Omnipresence,  unless  it  be 
known  what  order  is,  and  unless  these  things  belong- 
ing to  it  be  known,  namely,  that  god  is  order,  and 
that  at  the  creation  he  introduced  order  into  the 
Universe,  and  into  all  and  every  Part  of  it. 

The  number  and  the  quality  of  the  absurdities  which 
have  crept  into  the  minds  of  men,  and  thence  through  the 
heads  of  innovators  into  the  church,  in  consequence  of 
their  not  understanding  the  Order  into  which  God  created 
the  universe  and  all  and  every  part  of  it,  will  be  evident 
from  the  bare  mention  of  them  in  the  following  pages.  But 
here  we  will  first  explain  Order  by  a  general  definition  of  it. 
Order  is  the  quality  of  the  disposition,  determinatio?i,  and  ac- 
tivity of  the  parts,  substances,  or  entities  which  make  the  for?n  : 
whence  is  the  state;  the  perfection  of  which  is  produced  by  wis-  • 
dom  from  its  love,  or  the  imperfectio?i  of  which  is  forged  by  the 

*  The  Latin  here  reads  "  Jehovah"  " His  people"  and  "His  poor." 
f  The  Latin  has  "Ale  unto  thee;"  but  see  A.  C.  n.  9182;  A.  R.  n.  567. 


No.  54  ]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


93 


unsoundness  of  reason  from  cupidity.  In  this  definition  sub- 
stance, form,  and  state  are  mentioned ;  and  by  substance  we 
at  the  same  time  mean  form,  because  every  substance  is  a 
form ;  and  the  quality  of  the  form  is  its  state,  the  perfection 
or  imperfection  of  which  results  from  the  order.  But  these 
things,  because  they  are  metaphysical,  cannot  but  be  in  dark- 
ness ;  but  this  will  be  disjDersed  in  what  follows  by  applica- 
tions to  examples,  which  will  illustrate  the  subject. 

53.  That  God  is  Order  is  because  He  is  Substance  itself 
and  Form  itself  ;  Substance,  because  all  things  which  sub- 
sist existed  and  exist  from  Him ;  For?n,  because  all  the 
quality  of  substances  arose  and  arises  from  Him,  and  quality 
is  derived  from  no  other  source  than  from  form.  Now,  be- 
cause God  is  the  very  and  the  only  and  the  first  Substance 
and  Form,  and  at  the  same  time  the  very  and  the  only  Love, 
and  the  very  and  the  only  Wisdom,  and  because  wisdom 
from  love  makes  form,  and  the  state  and  quality  of  this  is 
according  to  the  order  therein,  it  follows  that  God  is  Order 
itself,  and  that  from  Himself  He  introduced  order  into  the 
universe,  and  also  into  all  and  every  part  of  it,  and  that 
He  introduced  most  perfect  order  because  all  things  which 
He  created  were  good,  as  is  read  in  the  book  of  Creation. 
It  will  be  demonstrated  in  its  proper  place  that  evils  began 
to  exist  at  the  same  time  with  hell,  thus  after  creation. 
But  now  to  such  things  as  more  readily  enter,  more  clearly 
enlighten,  and  more  gently  affect  the  understanding. 

54.  But  the  quality  of  the  order  into  which  the  universe 
was  created,  cannot  be  fully  explained  but  by  many  pages. 
Some  sketch  of  it  will  be  exhibited  in  the  following  Lemma 
concerning  Creation.  It  is  to  be  held  that  the  things  in 
the  universe  were  all  and  each  created  into  their  orders,  so 
that  they  may  subsist  each  one  by  itself,  and  that  from  the 
beginning  they  were  so  created,  that  they  may  conjoin 
themselves  with  the  order  of  the  universe,  to  the  intent 
that  each  particular  order  may  subsist  in  the  universal,  and 
thus  make  one.    But  to  refer  to  some  examples  :  Man  was 


94 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I. 


created  into  his  order,  and  also  every  particular  part  of 
him  into  its  order  j  as  the  head  and  the  body,  each  into 
its  order ;  the  heart,  the  lungs,  the  liver,  the  pancreas,  the 
stomach,  into  their  orders  j  every  organ  of  motion,  which 
is  called  a  muscle,  into  its  order ;  and  every  organ  of 
sense,  as  the  eye,  the  ear,  the  tongue,  each  respectively 
into  its  order;  nay,  there  is  not  the  smallest  artery  or  fibril 
there  which  was  not  created  into  its  order  j  and  yet  these 
innumerable  parts  conjoin  themselves  with  the  common 
body,  and  so  insert  themselves  in  it  that  all  together  make 
one.  The  case  is  similar  with  other  things,  the  bare  men- 
tion of  which  is  sufficient  for  illustration.  Every  beast  of 
the  earth,  every  bird  of  the  air,  every  fish  of  the  sea,  every 
reptile,  nay,  every  worm,  even  to  the  moth,  has  been  created 
into  its  own  order ;  in  like  manner,  every  tree  of  forest  and 
of  orchard,  ever}7  shrub  and  plant,  into  its  order ;  and  more- 
over every  stone  and  every  mineral,  even  to  every  particle 
of  the  dust  of  the  earth,  into  its  order. 

55.  Who  does  not  see  that  there  is  not  an  empire,  king- 
dom, dukedom,  republic,  state,  or  family,  which  is  not 
established  by  laws,  which  make  the  order  and  thus  the 
form  of  its  government?  In  each  of  them  the  laws  ot 
justice  are  in  the  highest  place,  political  laws  in  the 
second,  and  economical  laws  in  the  third :  if  these  are 
compared  with  man,  the  laws  of  justice  make  the  head, 
political  laws  the  body,  and  economical  laws  the  dress ; 
wherefore  these  also,  like  the  dress,  may  be  changed.  But 
as  to  what  concerns  the  order  into  which  the  church 
has  been  established  by  God,  it  is  this :  That  God  should 
be  in  all  and  every  thing  of  it ;  and  the  neighbor,  also, 
towards  whom  order  is  to  be  exercised.  The  laws  of  that 
order  are  as  many  as  there  are  truths  in  the  Word ;  the 
laws  which  relate  to  God  will  make  its  head,  the  laws  which 
relate  to  the  neighbor  will  make  its  body,  and  the  cere- 
monies will  make  the  dress ;  for  unless  these  held  the 
others  together,  in  their  order,  it  would  be  as  if  the  body 


No.  5&]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


95 


were  stripped  naked,  and  exposed  to  the  heat  in  summer 
and  to  the  cold  in  winter;  or  as  if  the  walls  and  roof 
should  be  removed  from  a  temple,  and  thus  the  sacred 
repository,  the  altar,  and  the  pulpit  should  stand  without 
protection,  exposed  to  various  kinds  of  violence. 

56.  III.  The  Omnipotence  of  God,  as  well  in  the 
Universe  as  in  all  and  every  Part  of  it,  proceeds 
and  operates  according  to  the  laws  of  his  order. 

God  is  omnipotent,  because  He  has  all  power  from  Him- 
self, and  all  others  [have  power]  from  Him.  His  power  and 
His  will  are  one ;  and  because  He  wills  nothing  but  what  is 
good,  therefore  He  can  do  nothing  but  what  is  good.  In  the 
spiritual  world,  no  one  can  do  any  thing  contrary  to  his  own 
[suns]  will ;  this  they  derive  there  from  God,  Whose  power 
and  will  are  one.  God  also  is  Good  itself ;  wherefore,  while 
He  does  good,  He  is  in  Himself,  and  He  cannot  go  out  of 
Himself.  Thence  it  is  manifest  that  His  omnipotence  pro- 
ceeds and  operates  within  the  sphere  of  the  extension  of 
good,  which  is  infinite ;  for  this  sphere  from  the  inmost 
fills  the  universe  and  all  and  every  thing  therein  ;  and  from 
the  inmost  it  governs  those  things  which  are  without,  as  far 
as  they  conjoin  themselves  according  to  their  orders ;  <ind 
if  they  do  not  conjoin  themselves  still  it  sustains  them,  and 
with  all  effort  labors  to  bring  them  into  order,  according  to 
the  universal  order  in  which  God  is  in  His  omnipotence,  and 
according  to  which  He  acts  ;  and  if  this  is  not  effected  they 
are  cast  out  from  Him,  where,  nevertheless,  He  sustains 
them  from  the  inmost.  From  this  it  is  evident  that  the 
Divine  Omnipotence  can  by  no  means  from  itself  go  out  to 
the  contact  of  any  thing  evil,  nor  promote  it  from  itself,  for 
evil  turns  itself  away ;  thence  it  is  that  evil  is  entirely  sep- 
arated from  Him,  and  cast  into  hell ;  between  which  and 
heaven,  where  He  is,  there  is  a  great  gulf.  From  these  few 
things  it  may  be  seen  how  delirious  they  are  who  think,  still 
more  they  who  believe,  and  still  more  than  these  they  wto 


96 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I. 


teach,  that  God  can  condemn  any  one,  curse  any  one,  cast 
any  one  into  hell,  predestine  the  soul  of  any  one  to  eternal 
death,  avenge  injuries,  be  angry,  or  punish.  He  cannot 
even  turn  away  His  face  from  man  and  look  at  him  with  a 
stern  countenance ;  these  and  similar  things  are  contrary 
to  His  essence,  and  what  is  contrary  to  this  is  contrary  to 
Himself. 

57.  It  is  at  this  day  a  prevailing  opinion  that  the  omnip- 
otence of  God  is  like  the  absolute  power  of  a  king  in  the 
world,  who  can  at  his  pleasure  do  whatever  he  wills,  absolve 
and  condemn  whom  he  pleases,  make  the  guilty  innocent, 
declare  the  faithless  faithful,  exalt  the  unworthy  and  unde- 
serving above  the  worthy  and  deserving :  nay,  that  he  can 
under  any  pretext  deprive  his  subjects  of  their  goods,  and 
sentence  them  to  death  ;  besides  other  similar  things.  From 
this  absurd  opinion,  faith,  and  doctrine,  concerning  the  Di- 
vine omnipotence,  as  many  falsities,  fallacies,  and  chimeras 
have  flowed  into  the  church,  as  there  are  changes,  speci- 
fications, and  generations  of  faith  therein ;  and  as  many 
more  may  yet  flow  in  as  would  equal  the  number  of  pitch- 
ers which  might  be  filled  with  water  from  a  large  lake,  or 
of  serpents  which  creep  out  of  their  holes  and  bask  in  the 
sunshine  in  the  desert  of  Arabia.  What  need  is  there  of 
more  than  two  words,  omnipotence  and  faith ;  and  then  to 
spread  before  the  common  people  conjectures,  fables,  and 
trifles,  such  as  fall  into  the  senses  of  the  body  ?  For  reason 
is  banished  from  them  both ;  and  when  reason  is  banished  in 
what  does  the  thought  of  man  excel  the  reason  of  a  bird  that 
flies  over  his  head ;  or  what  then  is  the  spiritual,  which  man 
has  above  the  beasts,  but  something  like  the  stench  in  the 
dens  of  beasts,  which  is  agreeable  to  the  wild  beasts  there, 
but  not  to  man,  unless  he  be  like  them  ?  If  the  Divine 
omnipotence  were  extended  to  do  evil  as  well  as  good,  what 
would  be  the  distinction  between  God  and  the  devil  ?  Would 
there  be  any  but  such  as  is  between  two  monarchs,  one  of 
whom  is  a  king  and  at  the  same  time  a  tyrant,  and  the 


No.  58.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


97 


other  a  tyrant  whose  power  has  been  restrained,  so  that  he 
ought  not  to  be  called  a  king  ?  or  that  between  two  shep 
herds,  one  of  whom  is  permitted  to  act  the  part  of  a  sheep 
and  of  a  leopard  also,  while  the  other  is  not  permitted  to 
do  so  ?  Who  cannot  know  that  good  and  evil  are  opposites, 
and  that  if  God  from  His  omnipotence  could  will  them 
both,  and  from  willing  could  do  them  both,  He  could  do 
nothing  at  all  ?  Thus  He  would  have  no  power,  much  less 
omnipotence.  This  would  be  as  if  two  wheels  with  opposite 
motion  should  mutually  act  against  each  other,  from  which 
opposite  action  both  wheels  would  stop  and  be  entirely  at 
rest ;  or  like  a  ship  in  a  rushing  stream  driving  it  contrary  to 
its  course,  which  unless  it  rest  at  anchor  would  be  carried 
away  and  lost ;  or  like  a  man  having  two  wills  opposed  to 
each  other,  one  of  which  must  necessarily  be  at  rest  while 
the  other  acts ;  but  if  both  should  act  at  once,  delirium  or 
giddiness  would  seize  his  mind. 

58.  If  God's  omnipotence  were,  according  to  the  faith  at 
this  day,  absolute  for  doing  evil  as  well  as  good,  would  it 
not  be  possible,  nay,  easy,  for  God  to  elevate  all  hell  into 
heaven,  and  to  convert  devils  and  satans  into  angels,  and 
to  cleanse  every  sinner  on  earth  from  his  sins  in  a  mo- 
ment, to  renew,  sanctify,  and  regenerate  him,  and  from  a 
child  of  wrath  to  make  a  child  of  grace,  that  is,  to  justify 
him  ;  which  would  be  done  merely  by  the  application  and 
imputation  of  the  righteousness  of  His  Son  ?  But  God  from 
His  omnipotence  cannot  *lo  this,  because  it  is  contrary  to 
the  laws  of  His  order  in  the  universe,  and  at  the  same 
time  contrary  to  the  laws  of  order  prescribed  to  every  man, 
which  are,  that  conjunction  should  be  mutual,  on  the  part  of 
both  ;  that  it  is  so,  will  be  seen  in  what  follows  in  this  work. 
From  this  absurd  opinion  and  faith  concerning  God's  om- 
nipotence, it  would  result  that  God  could  convert  every 
man-goat  into  a  man-sheep,  and  of  His  good  pleasure  re- 
move him  from  His  left  to  His  right  side  3  also,  that.  He 
could  of  His  good  pleasure  change  the  spirits  of  the  dragon 

VOL.  E.  c 


93 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  L 


into  angels  of  Michael,  and  that  He  could  give  the  eagle's 
sight  to  a  man  whose  understanding  is  like  that  of  a  mole ; 
in  a  word,  make  a  man-dove  out  of  a  man-owl.  These 
things  God  cannot  do,  because  they  are  contrary  to  the  laws 
of  His  own  order,  although  He  continually  wills  and  endeav- 
ors to  effect  them.  If  He  could  have  done  such  things,  He 
would  not  have  permitted  Adam  to  hearken  to  the  serpent 
and  take  fruit  from  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and 
evil,  and  put  it  to  his  mouth  j  if  He  could  have  done  so,  He 
would  not  have  permitted  Cain  to  kill  his  brother,  David  to 
number  the  people,  Solomon  to  build  temples  to  idols,  and 
the  kings  of  Judah  and  Israel  to  profane  the  temple,  as  they 
so  often  did;  nay,  if  He  could  have  done  so,  He  would  have 
saved  the  whole  human  race  without  exception  through 
the  redemption  of  His  Son,  and  would  have  extirpated  ail 
hell.  The  ancient  gentiles  ascribed  such  omnipotence  to 
their  gods  and  goddesses ;  whence  arose  their  fabulous 
stories,  as  concerning  Deucalion  and  Pyrrha,  that  the 
stones  thrown  behind  them  became  men  and  women ; 
concerning  Apollo,  that  he  changed  Daphne  into  a  laurel ; 
concerning  Diana,  that  she  changed  a  hunter  into  a  stag ; 
and  that  another  of  their  gods  turned  the  virgins  of  Par- 
nassus into  magpies.  There  is  at  this  day  a  similar  be- 
lief concerning  the  Divine  omnipotence,  whence  so  many 
fanatical  and  hence  heretical  opinions  have  been  intro- 
duced into  the  world,  in  every  country  where  there  is  any 
religion. 

59.   IV.  God  is  Omniscient,  that  is,  perceives,  sees, 

AND  KNOWS  ALL  AND  EVERY  THING,  EVEN  TO  THE  MOST 
MINUTE,  WHICH  IS  DONE  ACCORDING  TO  ORDER  ;  AND 
THENCE  ALSO  WHAT  IS  DONE  CONTRARY  TO  ORDER. 

That  God  is  omniscient,  that  is,  perceives,  sees,  and  knows 
all  things,  is,  because  He  is  Wisdom  itself,  and  Light  itself ; 
and  Wisdom  itself  perceives  all  things,  and  Light  itself  sees 
all  things.    That  God  is  Wisdom  itself  was  shown  above ; 


No.  6o.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


99 


that  He  is  Light  itself  is  because  He  is  the  Sun  of  the 
angelic  heaven,  which  enlightens  the  understanding  of  all, 
both  of  angels  and  men  \  for,  as  the  eye  is  illuminated  by 
the  light  of  the  natural  sun,  so  the  understanding  is  illumi- 
nated by  the  light  of  the  spiritual  sun.  Nor  is  it  merely 
illuminated  \  but  it  is  also  filled  with  intelligence,  according 
to  the  love  of  receiving  it,  since  this  light  in  its  essence  is 
wisdom.  Wherefore  in  David  it  is  said  that  God  dwdleth  in 
light  inaccessible ;  and  in  the  Apocalypse,  that  in  the  New 
Jerusalem  they  have  no  need  of  a  candle,  because  the  Lord 
God  giveth  them  light ;  and  in  John  that  the  Word  which 
was  with  God,  and  was  God,  is  the  Light,  which  lighteth  every 
man  that  cometh  into  the  world.  By  the  Word  is  meant  the 
Divine  Wisdom.  Thence  it  is  that  the  angels,  as  far  as  they 
are  in  wisdom,  are  so  far  in  the  brightness  of  light ;  and 
thence  also  it  is  that  in  the  Word  where  light  is  named 
wisdom  is  meant. 

60.  That  God  perceives,  sees,  and  knows  all  things,  even 
to  the  most  minute,  which  are  done  according  to  order,  is, 
because  order  is  universal  from  being  in  the  smallest  par- 
ticulars severally ;  for  the  single  parts  all  taken  together  are 
called  a  universal,  as  particulars  taken  together  are  called  a 
general ;  and  a  universal  together  with  all  its  several  parts  is 
a  work  cohering  as  one,  so  that  one  part  cannot  be  touched 
and  affected  without  some  sense  of  it  being  communicated 
to  all  the  rest.  It  is  from  this  quality  of  order  in  the  uni- 
verse that  there  is  something  like  this  in  all  created  things 
in  the  world  ;  but  this  will  be  illustrated  by  comparisons 
taken  from  visible  things.  In  the  whole  man  there  are  gen- 
eral things  and  particular  things,  and  the  general  include 
the  particular  therein,  and  they  join  themselves  together 
by  sucli  a  connection  that  one  is  of  another.  This  comes 
in  this  way:  That  there  is  a  general  covering  about  every 
member  there,  and  that  this  insinuates  itself  into  every  part 
therein,  so  that  they  make  one  in  every  office  and  use.  For 
example,  the  sheath  of  every  muscle  enters  into  its  severaJ 


100  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I. 


moving  fibres,  and  clothes  them  from  itself ;  in  like  man- 
ner the  coverings  of  the  liver,  the  pancreas,  and  the  spleen, 
enter  into  all  the  particular  parts  which  are  within ;  in  like 
manner  the  covering  of  the  lungs,  which  is  called  the  pleura, 
enters  into  the  interior  parts  of  the  lungs  ;  and  in  like  man- 
ner the  pericardium,  into  all  and  every  part  of  the  heart ; 
and  the  peritonaeum  generally,  by  anastomoses  with  the 
coverings  of  all  the  viscera ;  in  like  manner  the  meninges 
of  the  brain,  by  threads  emitted  from  them,  enter  into  all 
the  little  glands  lying  beneath,  and  through  these  into  all 
the  fibres,  and  through  these  into  all  parts  of  the  body; 
thence  it  is,  that  the  head,  from  the  brains,  governs  all 
and  every  thing  put  beneath  it.  These  things  are  ad- 
duced merely  for  the  purpose  that  from  visible  things  some 
idea  may  be  formed  how  God  perceives,  sees,  and  knows 
all  things,  even  to  the  most  minute,  which  are  done  accord- 
ing to  order. 

6 1.  That  God,  from  those  things  which  are  of  order,  per- 
ceives, knows,  and  sees  all  and  every  thing,  even  to  the 
most  minute,  which  is  done  contrary  to  order,  is  because 
God  does  not  hold  man  in  evil,  but  withholds  him  from 
evil ;  thus  He  does  not  lead  him  on,  but  strives  with  him. 
From  that  perpetual  striving,  struggling,  resistance,  repug- 
nance, and  reaction  of  evil  and  falsity  against  His  good  and 
truth,  thus  against  Himself,  He  perceives  both  their  quan- 
tity and  quality.  This  follows  from  the  omnipresence  of 
God  in  all  and  every  part  of  His  order,  and  at  the  same 
time  from  His  perfect  knowledge  of  all  and  every  thing 
there ;  comparatively,  as  he  who  has  an  ear  for  music  and 
harmony  accurately  notices  every  discordant  and  unhar- 
monious  sound  as  soon  as  it  enters,  also  the  extent  and 
the  character  of  the  discord ;  in  like  manner  he  whose  \ 
senses  are  in  their  enjoyment,  quickly  notices  the  intrusion 
of  what  is  undelightful  j  or  as  the  eye  which  is  looking  at" 
a  beautiful  object  sees  it  distinctly  while  any  thing  ugly  is 
at  the  side  of  it ;  wherefore  it  is  customary  for  painters  to 


No.  62.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  10 1 

place  an  ugly  face  at  the  side  of  a  handsome  one.  It  is 
similar  with  good  and  truth  while  they  strive  against  evil 
and  falsity;  for  these  are  distinctly  perceived  from  their 
opposites  j  for  every  one  who  is  in  good  can  perceive  what 
is  evil,  and  he  who  is  in  truth  can  see  what  is  false.  The 
reason  is  that  good  is  in  the  heat  of  heaven  and  truth  in  its 
light ;  but  evil  is  in  the  cold  of  hell  and  falsity  in  its  dark- 
ness ;  which  may  be  illustrated  by  this,  that  the  angels  of 
heaven  can  see  whatever  is  done  in  hell  and  what  monsters 
are  there  ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  the  spirits  of  hell  cannot 
see  any  thing  at  all  that  is  done  in  heaven,  and  not  even 
the  angels,  any  more  than  a  blind  man,  or  than  the  eye 
looking  into  mere  air  or  ether.  Those  whose  understand- 
ings are  in  the  light  of  wisdom  are  like  those  who  at  noon- 
day stand  upon  a  mountain  and  see  clearly  all  things  that 
are  below  \  and  those  who  are  in  still  higher  light  are  com- 
paratively like  those  who  through  telescopes  see  the  objects 
around  and  below  them  as  if  they  were  present ;  but  those 
who  are  in  the  delusive  light  of  hell,  from  the  confirmation 
of  falsities,  are  like  those  who  stand  upon  the  same  moun- 
tain in  the  time  of  night  with  lanterns  in  their  hands,  and 
see  nothing  but  the  nearest  objects,  and  the  forms  of  these 
indistinctly,  and  their  colors  confusedly.  A  man  who  is  in 
some  light  of  truth  and  yet  in  evil  of  life,  while  he  is  in  en- 
joyment from  his  love  of  evil,  does  not  at  first  see  truths 
otherwise  than  as  a  bat  sees  the  linen  hanging  in  a  garden, 
to  which  it  flies  as  to  its  place  of  refuge ;  and  afterwards 
He  becomes  as  a  bird  of  night,  and  at  length  as  an  owl  \  and 
then  he  becomes  like  a  chimney-sweeper  sticking  fast  amid 
the  smoke  of  a  chimney,  who,  when  he  raises  his  eyes  up- 
wards sees  the  sky  beyond  the  smoke,  and  when  he  looks 
downwards  sees  the  fire  from  which  the  smoke  arises. 

C2.  It  is  to  be  observed  that  the  perception  of  opposites 
differs  from  the  perception  of  relatives ;  for  opposites  are 
what  are  without,  and  are  contrary  to  those  things  which  are 
within  j  for  an  opposite  takes  its  rise  when  one  thing  en- 


102  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I. 


tirely  ceases  to  be  any  thing,  and  another  thing  rises  up 
with  the  effort  of  counteracting  the  former,  as  a  wheel 
acting  against  a  wheel,  or  a  stream  against  a  stream ;  but 
relatives  have  respect  to  the  disposition  of  many  and  vari- 
ous things  in  convenient  and  agreeable  order,  as  of  pre- 
cious stones  of  divers  colors  in  the  stomacher  of  a  queen, 
or  flowers  of  different  colors  in  a  garland,  to  give  pleas- 
antness to  the  sight.  There  are,  therefore,  relatives  in  each 
opposite,  in  good  as  well  as  in  evil,  and  in  truth  as  well  as 
in  falsity,  thus  in  heaven  as  well  as  in  hell ;  but  the  relatives 
in  hell  are  all  opposite  to  the  relatives  in  heaven.  Now, 
because  God  perceives  and  sees,  and  thence  cognizes  all 
the  relatives  in  heaven,  from  the  order  in  which  He  is,  and 
thereby  perceives,  sees,  and  cognizes  all  the  opposite  rela- 
tives in  hell,  as  follows  from  what  was  said  above,  it  is  mani- 
fest that  God  is  omniscient  in  hell  as  well  as  in  heaven,  and 
likewise  among  men  in  the  world ;  thus  that  He  perceives, 
sees,  and  cognizes  their  evils  and  falsities  from  the  good 
and  the  truth  in  which  He  is,  and  which  in  their  essence 
are  Himself ;  for  it  is  said,  If  I  asce?id  into  heaven,  Thou 
art  there ;  if  I  lay  me  down  in  hell,  behold  Thou  art  there 
(Ps.  cxxxix.  8)  ;  and  in  another  place,  If  they  dig  through 
into  hell,  thence  shall  my  hand  take  them  (Amos  ix.  2). 

63.  V.  God  is  Omnipresent  from  the  Firsts  to 
the  Lasts  of  His  Order. 

God  is  omnipresent  from  the  firsts  to  the  lasts  of  His 
order,  by  means  of  the  heat  and  light  from  the  sun  of 
the  spiritual  world,  in  the  midst  of  which  He  is :  by 
means  of  this  sun  order  was  made,  and  from  it  He  sends 
forth  heat  and  light,  which  pervade  the  universe  from  the 
firsts  to  the  lasts  of  it,  and  produce  the  life  of  men  and 
every  animal,  and  also  the  vegetative  soul  in  every  germ 
upon  the  earth;  and  those  two  flow  into  all  and  every 
thing,  and  cause  every  thing  to  live  and  grow,  according 
to  the  order  impressed  upon  them  from  creation ;  and  be- 


No.  04.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  103 

cause  God  is  not  extended,  and  yet  fills  all  the  extenses  of 
the  universe,  He  is  omnipresent.  That  God  is  in  all  space 
without  space,  and  in  all  time  without  time,  and  that  there- 
fore the  universe,  as  to  essence  and  order,  is  the  fulness  of 
God.  has  been  elsewhere  shown ;  and  because  it  is  so,  by 
omnipresence  He  perceives  all  things,  by  omniscience  He 
provides  all  things,  and  by  omnipotence  He  operates  all 
things.  Whence  it  is  manifest  that  omnipresence,  omni- 
science, and  omnipotence  make  one,  or  that  one  implies 
another,  and  thus  that  they  cannot  be  separated. 

64.  The  Divine  omnipresence  may  be  illustrated  by  the 
wonderful  presence  of  angels  and  spirits  in  the  spiritual 
world.  In  that  world,  because  there  is  no  space  but  only 
an  appearance  of  space,  an  angel  or  a  spirit  may  in  a  mo- 
ment become  present  to  another,  provided  he  comes  into 
a  similar  affection  of  love  and  thence  into  thought,  for  these 
two  make  the  appearance  of  space.  That  such  is  the  pres- 
ence of  all  there,  was  manifest  to  me  from  this,  that  I  could 
see  inhabitants  of  Africa  and  of  India  there  very  near, 
although  they  are  so  many  miles  apart  on  earth  j  nay, 
that  I  could  become  present  to  those  who  are  in  other 
planets  of  this  system,  and  also  to  those  who  are  in  the 
planets  of  other  solar  systems.  By  virtue  of  this  pres- 
ence, not  of  place  but  of  the  appearance  of  place,  I  have 
conversed  with  apostles,  deceased  popes,  emperors,  and 
kings  ;  with  the  founders  of  the  present  church,  Luther, 
Calvin,  and  Melancthon  ;  and  with  others  from  countries 
widely  separated.  Since  such  is  the  presence  of  angels  and 
spirits,  what  limits  can  be  set  to  the  Divine  presence  in  the 
universe,  which  is  infinite !  The  reason  that  angels  and 
spirits  have  such  presence  is  because  every  affection  of 
love,  and  thence  every  thought  of  the  understanding,  is  in 
space  without  space,  and  in  time  without  time  ;  for  any  one 
can  think  of  a  brother,  relation,  or  friend  in  the  Indies,  and 
then  have  him  as  it  were  present  with  him ;  in  like  manner 
he  may  be  affected  with  their  love  by  remembrance.  By 


104  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


these  things,  because  they  are  familiar  to  every  one,  the 
Divine  omnipresence  may  in  some  measure  be  illustrated ; 
so,  too,  by  human  thoughts,  as,  when  any  one  recalls  to 
his  remembrance  what  he  has  seen  upon  a  journey  in  vari- 
ous places,  he  is  in  those  places,  as  if  they  were  present. 
Nay,  the  sight  of  the  body  emulates  the  same  presence ; 
the  eye  does  not  perceive  distances  except  by  intermediate 
objects  which  as  it  were  measure  them.  The  sun  itself 
would  be  near  the  eye,  nay  as  it  were  in  the  eye,  unless 
intermediate  objects  discovered  that  it  is  so  distant :  that 
it  is  so,  writers  on  optics  have  also  observed  in  their  books. 
Such  presence  has  each  sight  of  man,  the  intellectual  and 
the  corporeal,  for  his  spirit  sees  through  his  eyes ;  but  no 
beast  has  similar  presence,  because  beasts  have  not  any 
spiritual  sight.  From  these  things,  it  is  evident  that  God  is 
omnipresent  from  the  firsts  to  the  lasts  of  His  order.  That 
He  is  also  omnipresent  in  hell  was  shown  in  the  preceding 
article. 

65.   VI.  Man  was  created  a  Form  of  Divine  Order. 

Man  was  created  a  form  of  Divine  order,  because  he 
was  created  an  image  and  likeness  of  God ;  and  as  God  is 
Order  itself  man  was  created  an  image  and  likeness  of  order. 
There  are  two  things  from  which  order  has  existed  and  by 
which  it  subsists,  —  Divine  Love  and  Divine  Wisdom  ;  and 
man  was  created  their  receptacle ;  wherefore,  also,  he  was 
created  into  the  order  according  to  which  those  two  act  in 
the  universe,  and  principally  according  to  which  they  act  in 
the  angelic  heaven  j  thence  all  the  angelic  heaven  is  in  the 
greatest  effigy  a  form  of  Divine  order ;  and  this  heaven  is 
in  God's  sight  as  one  man  j  and,  also,  there  is  a  plenary 
correspondence  between  this  heaven  and  man ;  for  there  is 
no  society  in  heaven  which  does  not  correspond  to  some 
member,  viscus,  or  organ  in  man.  Wherefore  it  is  said  in 
heaven  that  a  society  is  in  the  province  of  the  liver,  or 
the  pancreas,  or  the  spleen,  or  the  stomach,  or  the  eye,  or 


No.  67.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


105 


the  ear,  or  the  tongue,  &c. ;  the  angels  themselves  also 
know  in  what  realm  of  some  part  of  man  they  dwell. 
That  it  is  so,  has  been  given  me  to  know  to  tl  e  life.  I 
have  seen  as  one  man  a  society  consisting  of  several  thou- 
sands of  angels ;  whence  it  was  manifest  that  heaven  in 
the  complex  is  an  image  of  God,  and  an  image  of  God  is  a 
form  of  Divine  order. 

66.  It  is  to  be  known  that  all  things  which  proceed  from 
the  sun  of  the  spiritual  world,  in  the  midst  of  which  is  Jeho- 
vah God,  have  a  relation  to  man,  and  that  therefore  what- 
ever things  exist  in  that  world  conspire  to  the  human  form, 
and  in  their  inmost  they  exhibit  it ;  whence  all  the  objects 
which  are  presented  to  the  eyes  there  are  representatives 
of  man.  There  appear  there  animals  of  every  kind,  and 
they  are  likenesses  of  the  affections  of  the  love  and  thence 
of  the  thoughts  of  the  angels  ;  so  too  the  shrubberies, 
flower-gardens,  and  green  fields  there  j  and  it  is  given  to 
know  what  affection  this  and  that  object  represents  j  and, 
what  is  wonderful,  when  their  inmost  sight  is  opened,  they 
recognize  their  own  image  in  those  things ;  and  this  is  the 
case  because  every  man  is  his  own  love  and  thence  his 
own  thought  j  and  because  the  affections  and  thence  the 
thoughts  in  every  man  are  various  and  manifold,  and  some 
of  them  answer  to  the  affection  of  one  animal,  and  some  of 
another,  therefore  images  of  their  affections  are  thus  ex- 
hibited. But  more  will  be  seen  concerning  these  things  in 
the  following  sheet  concerning  Creation.  From  these  things 
also  is  manifest  the  truth  that  the  end  of  creation  was  an 
angelic  heaven  from  the  human  race,  consequently  man,  in 
whom  God  can  dwell  as  in  His  receptacle ;  thence  is  the 
reason  why  man  was  created  a  form  of  Divine  order. 

67.  Before  the  creation  God  was  Love  itself  and  Wis- 
dom itself,  and  these  two  in  the  effort  to  do  uses;  for 
love  and  wisdom  without  use  are  only  the  flying  things  of 
reason  ;  and  they  also  fly  away  unless  they  apply  them- 
selves to  use.     The  two  prior  also,  separate  from  the 

5* 


io6 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


third,  are  like  birds  which  are  flying  over  a  great  ocean, 
and  at  length,  being  wearied  with  flying,  they  fall  down 
and  are  drowned.  Thence  it  is  evident  that  the  universe 
was  created  by  God  that  uses  might  exist ;  wherefore,  also, 
the  universe  may  be  called  a  theatre  of  uses ;  and  because 
man  is  the  principal  end  of  creation  it  follows  that  all  and 
every  thing  has  been  created  for  the  sake  of  man,  and  conse- 
quently that  all  and  every  thing  of  order  has  been  brought 
together  into  him,  and  concentrated  in  him,  that  God  may 
do  primary  uses  through  him.  Love  and  wisdom  without 
their  third,  which  is  use,  may  be  compared  to  the  heat  and 
light  of  the  sun,  which,  unless  they  operated  upon  men, 
animals,  and  vegetables,  would  be  empty  things ;  but  they 
become  real  by  influx  into  them  and  operation  in  them. 
There  are  also  three  things  which  follow  each  other  in 
order,  —  end,  cause,  and  effect ;  and  it  is  known  in  the 
learned  world  that  the  end  is  not  any  thing  unless  it  looks 
to  the  efficient  cause,  and  that  the  end  and  this  cause  are 
not  any  thing  unless  the  effect  is  produced  \  the  end  and 
the  cause  may,  indeed,  be  contemplated  abstractly  in  the 
mind,  but  still  for  the  sake  of  some  effect  which  the  end 
intends,  and  for  which  the  cause  provides.  It  is  similar 
with  love,  wisdom,  and  use.  Use  is  what  love  intends,  and 
produces  by  the  cause  j  and  when  the  use  is  produced, 
love  and  wisdom  really  exist  and  make  for  themselves 
a  habitation  and  abode  in  it,  and  rest  as  in  their  house. 
It  is  similar  with  the  man  in  whom  are  the  love  and  wis- 
dom of  God  while  he  is  doing  uses  j  and  that  he  may  do 
the  uses  of  God  he  has  been  created  an  image  and  like- 
ness [of  God],  that  is,  a  form  of  Divine  order. 

68.  VII.  Man  is  so  far  in  Power  against  Evil  and 
Falsity  from  the  Divine  Omnipotence,  and  so  far  in 
Wisdom  concerning  Good  and  Truth  from  the  Divine 
Omniscience,  and  so  far  in  God  from  the  Divine  Omni- 
presence, AS  HE  LIVES  ACCORDING  TO  DlVINE  ORDER. 


No.  69.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  107 


The  reason  that  man  is  in  power  against  evil  and  falsity 
from  the  Divine  omnipotence  so  far  as  he  lives  according 
to  Divine  order,  is  because  no  one  can  resist  evils  and  the 
falsities  thence  but  God  alone  ;  for  all  evils  and  the  falsities 
thence  are  from  hell ;  and  in  hell  they  cling  together  as  one, 
just  as  all  goods  and  the  truths  from  them  do  in  heaven ;  for, 
as  was  said  above,  the  whole  heaven  is  in  the  sight  of  God  as 
one  man,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  hell  is  as  one  giant,  that  is 
a  monster ;  wherefore,  to  act  against  one  evil  and  one  falsity 
thence,  is  to  act  against  that  monstrous  giant  or  hell ;  and 
this  no  one  can  do  but  God,  because  He  is  omnipotent ; 
whence  it  is  manifest  that  man,  unless  he  goes  to  the  om- 
nipotent God,  has  from  himself  no  more  power  against  evil 
and  the  falsity  thence  than  a  fish  has  against  the  ocean, 
than  a  flea  against  a  whale,  or  than  a  particle  of  dust 
against  a  falling  mountain  ;  and  far  less  than  a  locust 
has  against  an  elephant,  or  a  fly  against  a  camel.  And, 
moreover,  man  has  still  less  power  against  evil  and  the 
faLsity  thence,  because  he  is  born  into  evil,  and  evil  cannot 
act  against  itself.  Hence  it  follows  that  unless  a  man  lives 
according  to  Divine  order,  that  is,  unless  he  acknowledges 
God  and  His  omnipotence,  and  its  protection  against  hell ; 
and,  further,  unless  man  on  his  part  fights  with  the  evil 
in  himself  (for  this  combat  together  with  that  acknowledg- 
ment is  of  order),  he  cannot  but  be  immersed  and  over- 
whelmed in  hell,  and  there  be  driven  about  by  evils,  one 
after  another,  as  a  boat  on  the  sea  is  driven  about  by 
tempests. 

69.  The  reason  that  man  is  in  wisdom  concerning  good 
and  truth,  from  the  Divine  omniscience,  so  far  as  he  lives 
according  to  Divine  order,  is,  because  all  the  love  of  good 
and  all  the  wisdom  of  truth,  or  all  the  good  of  love  and  all 
the  truth  of  wisdom,  are  from  God.  •  That  it  is  so  is  also 
according  to  the  confession  of  all  the  churches  in  the  Chris- 
tian world.  Whence  it  follows  that  man  cannot  be  interiorly 
;n  any  truth  of  wisdom  unless  from  God,  because  God  has 


I08  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


Omniscience,  that  is,  infinite  wisdom.  The  human  mind  is 
distinguished  into  three  degrees  like  the  angelic  heaven, 
and  therefore  it  may  be  elevated  to  a  degree  higher  and 
higher,  and  also  it  may  be  let  down  to  a  degree  lower  and 
lower ;  but  as  far  as  it  is  elevated  to  the  higher  degrees,  so 
far  it  is  elevated  into  wisdom,  because  so  far  into  the  light 
of  heaven ;  and  this  cannot  be  done  except  by  God ;  and 
as  far  as  it  is  elevated  thither,  so  far  it  is  a  man ;  and  as 
far  as  it  is  let  down  to  the  lower  degrees,  so  far  it  is  in  the 
delusive  light  of  hell,  and  so  far  it  is  not  a  man,  but  a  beast. 
Man,  also,  for  this  reason  stands  erect  upon  his  feet,  and 
looks  towards  heaven  with  the  face  and  can  raise  it  to  the 
zenith;  but  a  beast  stands  upon  the  feet  with  the  body 
parallel  with  the  earth,  and  with  the  whole  countenance 
looking  towards  it ;  nor  can  it  without  difficulty  be  raised  up 
towards  heaven.  The  man  who  elevates  his  mind  to  God, 
and  acknowledges  that  all  the  truth  of  wisdom  is  from  Him, 
and  at  the  same  time  lives  according  to  order,  is  like  one 
who  stands  upon  a  high  tower,  and  sees  a  populous  city 
below  him,  and  at  the  same  time  whatever  is  done  there 
in  the  streets.  But  the  man  who  confirms  in  himself  the 
idea  that  all  the  truth  of  wisdom  is  from  the  natural  light 
\lnmeii\  in  him,  thus  from  himself,  is  like  one  who  stays  in  a 
cavern  under  that  tower,  and  looks  through  the  holes  there 
into  the  same  city ;  he  sees  nothing  but  the  walls  of  a  single 
house  in  that  city,  and  how  the  bricks  there  are  joined. 
Again,  the  man  who  derives  wisdom  from  God  is  like  a 
bird  flying  aloft,  which  looks  about  upon  all  things  that  are 
in  the  gardens,  woods,  and  villages,  and  flies  to  those  things 
which  are  of  use  to  it ;  but  the  man  who  derives  from  him- 
self such  things  as  are  of  wisdom,  without  a  belief  that  they 
still  are  from  God,  is  like  a  hornet,  which  flies  along  near 
the  ground,  and  where  it  sees  a  heap  of  clung  it  flies  to  it 
and  finds  enjoyment  in  its  stench.  Every  man,  as  long  as 
he  lives  in  the  world,  walks  in  the  midst  between  heaven 
and  hell,  and  thence  is  in  equilibrium,  so  that  he  has  free- 


No.  70.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  109 


dom  of  will  to  look  upward  to  God  or  downward  to  hell. 
If  he  looks  upward  to  God  he  acknowledges  that  all  wis- 
dom is  from  God,  and  as  to  his  spirit  he  is  actually  in 
heaven  with  the  angels ;  but  he  who  looks  downward,  as 
every  one  does  who  is  in  falsity  from  evil,  is,  as  to  his  spirit, 
actually  in  hell  with  the  devils. 

70.  That  man,  from  the  Divine  omnipresence,  is  so  far 
in  God  as  he  lives  according  to  order,  is  because  God  is 
omnipresent,  and  because  where  He  is  in  His  order  there 
He  is  as  in  Himself  j  for  He  is  Order  itself,  as  was  shown 
above.  Now,  because  man  was  created  a  form  of  Divine 
order,  God  is  in  him ;  and,  so  far  as  he  lives  according  to 
Divine  order,  fully ;  but  if  he  does  not  live  according  to 
Divine  order,  still  God  is  in  him,  but  in  his  highest  parts, 
and  gives  him  the  power  to  understand  truth  and  to  will 
good ;  that  is,  He  gives  him  a  faculty  for  understanding 
and  an  inclination  for  loving.  But  as  far  as  man  lives  con- 
trary to  order,  so  far  he  shuts  up  the  lower  parts  of  his 
mind  or  spirit,  and  thus  prevents  God  from  descending 
and  filling  his  lower  parts  with  His  presence  j  consequently 
God  is  in  him,  but  he  not  in  God.  It  is  a  general  canon  in 
heaven  that  God  is  in  every  man,  evil  as  well  as  good,  but 
that  man  is  not  in  God  unless  he  lives  according  to  order; 
for  the  Lord  says  that  He  willeth  that  man  should  be  in 
Him,  and  He  in  man  (John  xv.  4).  That  man  is  in  God  by 
a  life  according  to  order  is  because  God  is  omnipresent  in 
the  universe,  and  in  all  and  every  part  of  it  in  the  inmost 
of  the  parts,  for  these  are  in  order  j  but  in  those  things 
which  are  contrary  to  order,  which  are  such  only  as  are  out 
of  the  inmost,  God  is  omnipresent  by  a  continual  struggle 
with  them  and  by  a  continual  effort  to  bring  them  back 
to  order.  Wherefore,  as  far  as  man  allows  himself  to  be 
brought  back  to  order,  so  far  God  is  omnipresent  in  the 
whole  of  him ;  consequently,  so  far  God  is  in  him  and  he  in 
God.  The  absence  of  God  from  man  is  no  more  possible 
than  the  absence  of  the  sun,  by  its  heat  and  light,  from  the. 


110  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I 


earth.  The  objects  of  the  earth,  however,  are  not  affected  by 
the  sun's  power  except  so  far  as  they  receive  the  light  and 
heat  proceeding  from  it,  as  is  the  case  in  the  time  of  spring 
and  summer.  These  things  may  be  thus  applied  to  the  om- 
nipresence of  God  :  That  man  is  in  spiritual  heat  and  at  the 
same  time  in  spiritual  light,  that  is,  in  the  goods  of  love  and 
in  the  truths  of  wisdom,  so  far  as  he  is  in  order.  Spiritual 
heat  and  light,  however,  are  not  like  natural  heat  and  light; 
for  natural  heat  recedes  from  the  earth  in  the  time  of  win- 
ter, and  light  in  the  time  of  night;  and  this  is  the  case 
because  the  earth,  by  its  rotations  about  its  axis  and  its 
revolutions  about  the  sun,  makes  those  times.  But  spirit- 
ual heat  and  light  are  not  so ;  for  God  by  means  of  His 
Sun  is  present  with  them  both,  and  does  not  make  changes, 
as  the  sun  of  the  world  apparently  does.  Man  himself  turns 
away,  comparatively,  as  the  earth  turns  from  its  sun ;  and 
when  he  turns  himself  away  from  the  truths  of  wisdom,  he 
is  like  the  earth  turned  from  its  sun  in  the  time  of  night; 
and  when  he  turns  himself  away  from  the  goods  of  love,  he 
is  like  the  earth  turned  from  its  sun  in  the  time  of  winter. 
Such  is  the  correspondence  between  the  effects  and  uses 
from  the  sun  of  the  spiritual  world  and  the  effects  and  uses 
from  the  sun  of  the  natural  world. 

71.  To  the  above  shall  be  added  three  Relations. 
First  :  I  once  heard  under  me,  as  it  were,  a  roaring  of 
the  sea;  and  I  asked,  "What  is  this  ? "  And  some  one  said 
to  me  that  it  was  a  tumult  among  those  who  are  gathered 
together  in  the  lower  earth,  which  is  next  above  hell.  And 
presently  the  ground,  which  made  a  roof  over  them,  opened 
wide ;  and  lo,  through  the  opening,  birds  of  night  flew  out 
in  flocks  which  spread  themselves  to  the  left  hand ;  and 
immediately  after  them  rose  up  locusts,  which  leaped  upon 
the  grass  of  the  earth,  and  made  a  desert  wherever  they 
were ;  and  a  little  afterwards  I  heard  by  turns  from  those 
birds  of  night  as  it-were  a  screeching,  and  at  the  side  a  con- 
fused din,  as  if  from  spectres  in  the  woods.    After  this  I 


No.  7I-]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


Ill 


saw  beautiful  birds  from  heaven,  which  spread  themselves 
to  the  right  hand.  The  birds  were  remarkable  for  their 
wings  as  of  gold,  having  stripes  and  spots  as  of  silver  inter- 
spersed, and  upon  the  heads  of  some  of  them  were  crests 
in  the  form  of  crowns.  Whilst  I  was  looking  and  wonder- 
ing at  these  things,  suddenly  a  spirit  raised  himself  up  from 
the  lower  earth,  where  that  tumult  was,  who  could  transform 
himself  into  an  angel  of  light ;  and  he  cried,  "  Where  is  he 
who  speaks  and  writes  concerning  the  order  to  which  the 
omnipotent  God  has  tied  Himself  in  relation  to  man  ?  We 
have  heard  these  things  below,  through  the  roof."  While 
he  was  above  that  earth  he  ran  through  a  paved  street ;  and 
at  length  he  came  to  me  and  immediately  feigned  himself  an 
angel  of  heaven ;  and  speaking  in  a  tone  not  his  own  he 
said,  "  Are  you  the  man  who  thinks  and  speaks  concerning 
order  ?  Tell  me  briefly  what  order  is,  and  some  things 
which  are  of  order."  And  I  replied,  "  I  will  tell  you  the  gen- 
eral things,  but  not  the  particulars,  because  you  do  not  re- 
ceive them."  And  I  said,  "  I.  God  is  Order  itself.  II.  He 
created  man  from  order,  in  order,  and  into  order.  III.  He 
created  his  rational  mind  according  to  the  order  of  the 
whole  spiritual  world,  and  his  body  according  to  the  order 
of  the  whole  natural  world ;  wherefore  man  was  called  by 
the  ancients  a  little  heaven  and  a  little  world.  IV.  Thence 
it  is  a  law  of  order  that  man  from  his  little  heaven  or  little 
spiritual  world  should  govern  his  microcosm  or  his  little 
natural  world,  as  God  from  his  great  heaven  or  the  spiritual 
world  governs  the  macrocosm  or  the  natural  world  in  all 
and  every  part  of  it.  V.  It  is  a  law  of  order  thence  result- 
ing, that  man  ought  to  introduce  himself  into  faith  by  truths 
from  the  Word,  and  into  charity  by  good  works,  and  thus 
rel'orm  and  regenerate  himself.  VI.  It  is  a  law  of  order 
that  man  should  purify  himself  from  sins  by  his  own  exer- 
tion and  power,  and  not  stand  still  in  a  belief  of  his  inability, 
and  expect  God  to  wash  away  his  sins  immediately.  VII.  It 
is  also  a  law  of  order  that  man  should  love  God  .vith  all 


112  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I. 


his  soul,  and  with  all  his  heart,  and  his  neighbor  as  him- 
self, and  not  wait  and  expect  that  these  two  loves  should 
be  infused  into  his  mind  and  heart  immediately  by  God,  as 
bread  from  the  baker  may  be  put  into  his  mouth : "  besides 
many  similar  things.  When  the  satan  had  heard  these 
things,  he  replied  with  a  mild  voice,  in  which  there  was 
inwardly  craft,  "  What  is  it  that  you  say  ?  that  man,  of  his 
own  \suics]  power,  is  to  introduce  himself  into  order  by 
obeying  those  laws  of  it  ?  Do  you  not  know  that  man  is 
not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace  ?  that  all  things  are 
given  to  him  freely  ?  and  that  he  cannot  take  any  thing  to 
himself  unless  it  be  given  him  from  heaven  ?  and  that  in 
spiritual  things  man  has  no  more  power  to  act  from  himself 
than  the  statue  Lot's  wife,  and  no  more  than  Dagon  the 
idol  of  the  Philistines  at  Ekron  ?  and  that  so  it  is  impos- 
sible for  man  to  justify  himself,  which  must  be  done  by 
faith  and  charity  ? "  In  reply  to  these  questions  I  only 
said,  "  It  is  also  a  law  of  order  that  man  by  his  own  exer- 
tion and  power  should  procure  to  himself  faith  by  means 
of  truths  from  the  Word,  and  yet  should  believe  that  not 
a  grain  of  faith  is  from  himself  but  from  God ;  and  also 
that  man  by  his  own  exertion  and  power  should  justify 
himself,  and  yet  should  believe  that  nothing  of  justification 
whatever  is  from  himself,  but  from  God.  Is  it  not  com- 
manded that  man  should  believe  in  God,  and  love  God 
with  all  his  strength,  and  his  neighbor  as  himself  ?  Think, 
and  say  how  these  things  could  have  been  commanded  by 
God,  if  man  had  no  power  to  obey  and  do  them."  When 
the  satan  had  heard  this  he  was  changed  as  to  his  face, 
which  from  white  became  at  first  ghastly  and  then  black ; 
and  speaking  from  his  own  mouth  he  said,  "You  have 
spoken  paradoxes  against  paradoxes  ; "  and  then  he  in- 
stantly sunk  down  to  his  companions  and  disappeared. 
And  the  birds  on  the  left  hand,  together  with  the  spectres, 
uttered  strange  sounds,  and  cast  themselves  into  the  sea, 
which  is  there  called  the  Sea  Suphy  and  the  locusts  leaped 


No.  72.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR-  1 1 3 


after  them  j  and  the  air  was  purified,  and  the  earth  was 
cleared  of  those  wild  creatures,  and  the  tumult  below 
ceased,  and  it  became  tranquil  and  serene. 

72.  Second  Relation.  I  once  heard  an  unusual  mur- 
mur at  a  distance,  and  in  the  spirit  I  followed  the  direction 
of  the  sound,  and  approached  it.  When  I  came  where  it 
began,  behold  there  was  a  company  of  spirits  reasoning 
about  Imputation  and  Predestination.  They  were  from 
Holland  and  from  Great  Britain,  and  some  from  other  na- 
tions were  mingled  with  them,  who,  at  the  conclusion  of 
every  argument,  exclaimed,  "  Wonderful !  Wonderful !  " 
The  question  discussed  was,  "Why  God  does  not  impute 
the  merit  and  righteousness  of  His  Son  to  all  and  every 
one  created  and  afterwards  redeemed  by  Him.  Is  He  not 
omnipotent  ?  Can  He  not,  if  He  will,  make  archangels  Of 
Lucifer,  the  dragon,  and  all  the  goats  ?  Is  He  not  omnipo- 
tent ?  Why  does  He  permit  the  injustice  and  impiety  of 
the  devil  to  triumph  over  the  righteousness  of  His  Son  and 
over  the  piety  of  the  worshippers  of  God  ?  What  is  easier 
for  God  than  to  bestow  faith,  and  thus  salvation,  upon  all  ? 
What  is  necessary  for  this  but  a  little  word  ?  And  if  all 
are  not  saved,  does  He  not  act  contrary  to  His  own  words, 
which  are  that  He  desires  the  salvation  of  all  and  the 
death  of  none  ?  Say,  therefore,  from  whom  and  in  whom 
is  the  cause  of  the  damnation  of  those  who  perish."  And 
then  one  of  the  Hollanders,  a  Supralapsarian  Predestina- 
rian,  said,  "  Is  not  this  at  the  good  pleasure  of  the  Almighty  ? 
Shall  the  clay  find  fault  with  the  potter  because  he  has 
made  of  it  a  vessel  without  honor  ? "  And  another  said, 
"  The  salvation  of  every  one  is  in  His  hand  as  a  balance 
in  the  hand  of  him  who  uses  it."  There  stood  at  the  sides 
some  who  were  simple  in  faith  and  upright  in  heart,  some 
of  them  with  their  eyes  inflamed,  some  as  it  were  amazed, 
some  as  it  were  intoxicated,  and  some  as  it  were  suffocated, 
muttering  amongst  themselves,  "  What  have  we  to  do  with 
these  ravings  ?    Their  faith  has  infatuated  them,  which  is 


114  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  1 


that  God  the  Father  imputes  the  righteousness  of  His  Son 
to  whom  He  will  and  when  He  will,  and  sends  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  give  assurances  of  that  righteousness  j  and,  lest 
man  should  claim  any  thing  to  himself  in  the  work  of  his 
salvation,  he  must  be  altogether  like  a  stone  in  the  business 
of  justification  and  like  a  stock  in  spiritual  things."  And 
then  one  of  them  thrust  himself  into  the  company,  and 
speaking  with  a  loud  voice  he  said,  "  O  madmen !  Your 
reasoning  is  about  goat's  wool !  You  are  totally  ignorant 
that  the  omnipotent  God  is  Order  itself,  and  that  the  laws 
of  order  are  myriads,  even  as  many  as  there  are  truths  in 
the  Word,  and  that  God  cannot  act  contrary  to  them,  be- 
cause to  act  contrary  to  them  would  be  to  act  contrary  to 
Himself,  and  thus  not  only  contrary  to  His  justice,  bur  also 
contrary  to  His  omnipotence."  And  he  saw  in  the  distance 
at  his  right  hand  as  it  were  a  sheep  and  a  lamb  and  a  flying 
dove ;  and  at  his  left  hand  as  it  were  a  goat,  a  wolf,  and  a 
vulture  ;  and  he  said,  "  Do  you  suppose  that  God  by  virtue 
of  His  omnipotence  can  change  the  goat  into  a  sheep,  or 
the  wolf  into  a  lamb,  or  the  vulture  into  a  dove,  or  the  re- 
verse ?  No  •  for  it  is  contrary  to  the  laws  of  His  order,  of 
which  not  even  a  tittle  can  fall  to  the  ground,  according  to 
His  own  words.  How  then  can  He  introduce  the  right- 
eousness of  His  Son's  redemption  into  any  one  who  rebels 
against  the  laws  of  His  righteousness  ?  How  can  Right- 
eousness itself  commit  unrighteousness,  predestine  any  to 
hell,  and  cast  any  into  the  fire  at  which  the  devil  stands 
with  torches  in  his  hand  to  feed  it  ?  O  madmen  !  empty  in 
spirit !  your  faith  has  seduced  you.  Is  it  not  in  your  hands 
as  a  snare  for  catching  doves  ?  "  A  certain  magician,  hear- 
ing these  words,  formed  a  snare,  as  it  were,  from  that  faith, 
and  hung  it  upon  a  tree,  saying,  "  You  will  see  that  I  shall 
catch  that  dove."  And  presently  a  hawk  flew  up,  and  put 
his  neck  into  the  snare,  and  was  caught ;  and  the  dove,  see- 
ing the  hawk,  flew  by.  Those  who  stood  near  wondered, 
and  exclaimed,  "  Even  this  play  is  The  Reward  of  Right- 
eousness." 


No.  73.,      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  115 


73.  The  next  day  there  came  to  me  several  from  the 
company  who  were  in  the  faith  of  predestination  and  im- 
putation, and  they  said,  "  We  are,  as  it  were,  drunk,  not 
from  wine,  but  from  what  was  said  by  that  man  yesterday. 
He  spoke  concerning  omnipotence,  and  at  the  same  time 
concerning  order ;  and  he  concluded  that  as  omnipotence 
is  Divine,  so  also  order  is  Divine,  nay,  that  God  Himself  is 
Order ;  and  he  said  that  there  are  as  many  laws  of  order 
as  there  are  truths  in  the  Word,  which  are  not  only  thou- 
sands, but  myriads  of  myriads,  and  that  God  is  bound  to 
His  laws  there,  and  man  to  his.  What  then  is  the  Divine 
omnipotence,  if  it  is  tied  to  laws  ?  for  thus  all  absolute 
power  is  wanting  to  omnipotence ;  and  so  is  not  the  power 
of  God  less  than  that  of  a  king  in  the  world  who  is  sole 
ruler  ?  for  he  can  change  the  laws  of  justice  at  his  pleas- 
ure, and  act  absolutely,  like  Octavius  Augustus  and  also 
like  Nero.  After  we  began  to  think  of  omnipotence  tied 
to  laws,  we  became,  as  it  were,  drunk,  and  ready  to  fall 
into  a  swoon  unless  a  remedy  be  quickly  applied  j  for,  ac- 
cording to  our  faith,  we  have  prayed  that  God  the  Father 
would  have  mercy  on  us  for  the  sake  of  His  Son  j  and  we 
have  believed  that  He  can  have  mercy  on  whom  He  will, 
and  remit  sins  to  whom  He  pleases,  and  save  whom  He 
will  j  and  we  have  not  dared  to  take  away  the  least  parti- 
cle from  His  omnipotence.  Wherefore,  to  bind  God  with 
the  chains  of  any  of  His  own  laws  we  regard  as  great 
wickedness,  because  contradictory  to  His  omnipotence." 
Having  said  these  words  they  looked  on  me,  and  I  on 
them,  and  I  saw  -that  they  were  amazed ;  and  I  said, 
"  I  will  pray  to  the  Lord,  and  will  thereby  bring  you  a 
remedy  by  enlightenment  on  this  subject ;  but  now  only  by 
examples."  And  I  said,  "The  omnipotent  God  created  the 
world  from  the  order  in  Himself,  and  thus  into  the  order  in 
which  He  is,  and  according  to  which  He  governs  j  and  He 
stamped  upon  the  universe,  and  upon  all  and  every  part  of 
it,  its  order ;  upon  man,  beast,  bird,  fish,  worm,  and  tree  of 


Il6  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  L 

every  kind,  yes,  upon  the  grass,  its  own  order  [suus].  But, 
to  illustrate  by  examples,  I  will  briefly  adduce  the  follow- 
ing: The  laws  of  order  prescribed  to  man  are  that  man 
should  acquire  for  himself  truths  from  the  Word,  and  think 
of  them  naturally,  and  as  far  as  he  can  rationally,  and  thus 
procure  for  himself  natural  faith :  the  laws  of  order  on  the 
part  of  God  then  are  that  He  should  approach,  fill  the 
truths  with  His  Divine  light,  and  thus  fill  with  the  Divine 
essence  man's  natural  faith,  which  is  only  knowledge  and 
persuasion;  thus,  and  not  otherwise,  saving  faith  is  pro- 
duced. The  case  is  similar  with  charity ;  but  we  will  briefly 
mention  some  particulars.  God  cannot  according  to  the 
laws  of  His  order  remit  sins  to  any  man,  except  so  far  as 
man  according  to  his  laws  ceases  from  them.  God  cannot 
spiritually  regenerate  man,  except  so  far  as  man  according 
to  his  laws  regenerates  himself  naturally.  God  is  in  the 
perpetual  effort  to  regenerate  and  thus  to  save  man ;  but 
He  cannot  effect  this,  except  as  man  prepares  himself  to 
be  a  receptacle,  and  so  prepares  the  way  for  God  and 
opens  the  door.  A  bridegroom  cannot  enter  into  the  cham- 
ber of  a  virgin  not  betrothed  to  him ;  she  shuts  the  door, 
and  keeps  the  key  with  her  within  j  but  after  the  virgin  has 
become  a  bride,  she  gives  the  key  to  the  bridegroom.  God 
could  not  from  His  omnipotence  redeem  men,  unless  He 
became  Man ;  nor  could  He  make  His  Human  Divine,  un- 
less His  Human  were  at  first  as  the  human  of  an  infant, 
and  afterwards  as  the  human  of  a  boy,  and  unless  the 
Human  afterwards  formed  itself  into  a  receptacle  and  hab- 
itation into  which  its  Father  might  enter ;  which  was  done 
by  fulfilling  all  things  of  the  Word,  that  is,  all  the  laws  of 
order  therein ;  and  as  far  as  He  did  this,  so  far  He  united 
Himself  to  the  Father,  and  the  Father  united  Himself  to 
Him.  But  these  are  a  few  things,  adduced  for  the  sake  of 
illustration,  that  you  may  see  that  the  Divine  omnipotence 
is  in  order,  and  that  its  government  which  is  called  Provi- 
dence is  according  to  order;  and  that  it  acts  continually  and 


No.  74]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  llj 


eternally  according  to  the  laws  of  its  order ;  and  that  it  can- 
not act  contrary  to  them  nor  change  them  as  to  a  single 
tittle,  because  order  with  all  its  laws  is  Himself."  When 
these  words  were  spoken  a  radiant  light  of  a  golden  color 
flowed  in  through  the  roof,  and  formed  cherubs  flying  in  the 
air  j  and  the  effulgence  therefrom  enlightened  the  temples 
of  some  towards  the  occiput,  but  not  as  yet  towards  the 
forehead  \  for  they  muttered,  "  We  are  still  ignorant  what 
omnipotence  is."  And  I  said,  "  It  will  be  revealed  to  you, 
when  the  things  hitherto  said  to  you  shall  have  received 
some  light." 

74.  Third  Relation.  I  saw,  at  a  distance,  several  gath- 
ered together,  with  caps  on  their  heads ;  some  with  caps 
bound  round  with  silk,  and  who  were  of  the  ecclesiastical 
order;  some  with  caps  whose  borders  were  adorned  with 
bands  of  gold,  who  were  of  the  civil  order ;  all  these  were 
men  of  science  and  erudition ;  and,  besides,  I  saw  some  with 
turbans,  who  were  not  learned.  I  approached,  and  heard 
them  conversing  together  concerning  Divine  Power  being 
unlimited ;  saying  that  if  it  proceeded  according  to  any  estab- 
lished laws  of  order  it  could  not  be  without  limits,  but  lim- 
ited, and  would  thus  be  power  and  not  omnipotence.  "  But 
who  does  not  see  that  no  law  of  necessity  can  compel  omnip- 
otence to  do  so  and  not  otherwise  ?  Certainly  while  we  think 
of  omnipotence,  and  at  the  same  time  of  the  laws  of  order 
according  to  which  it  is  obliged  to  proceed,  our  precon- 
ceived ideas  concerning  omnipotence  fall,  like  a  hand  when 
its  staff  is  broken."  When  they  saw  me  near  them,  some  of 
them  ran  up  to  me,  and  with  some  vehemence  said,  "  Are 
you  the  man  that  has  circumscribed  God  with  laws,  as  with 
bonds  ?  How  insolent  this  is  !  Thus  you  have  also  torn  to 
pieces  our  faith  upon  which  our  salvation  is  founded,  in  the 
centre  of  which  we  place  the  righteousness  of  the  Redeemer, 
upon  that  the  omnipotence  of  God  the  Father,  and  we  make 
the  operation  of  the  Holy  SpWt  an  appendage;  and  we 
make  its  efficacy  to  lie  in  man's  absolute  impotency  in  spirit- 


Il8  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  L 


ual  things,  for  whom  it  is  enough  to  speak  of  the  fulness  of 
justification  which  is  in  that  faith  from  God's  omnipotence. 
But  we  have  heard  that  you  see  emptiness  in  it,  because 
there  is  in  it  nothing  of  Divine  order  on  the  part  of  man." 
On  hearing  these  words  I  opened  my  mouth,  and,  speak- 
ing with  a  loud  voice,  I  said,  "  Learn  the  laws  of  Divine 
order,  and  afterwards  open  that  faith,  and  you  will  see  a 
vast  desert,  and  in  it  Leviathan,  the  crooked  and  the 
extended,  and  all  around  nets,  as  it  were,  entangled  in  a 
knot  that  cannot  be  untied ;  but  do  you  as  is  read  of  Alex- 
ander when  he  saw  the  Gordian  knot,  that  he  drew  his 
sword  and  cut  it  in  two,  and  thus  loosed  its  entanglements, 
and  threw  its  thongs  on  the  ground  and  trampled  them 
under  his  feet."  At  these  words  those  who  were  assembled 
bit  their  tongues,  wishing  to  sharpen  them  for  invectives ; 
but  they  durst"  not,  because  they  saw  heaven  open  above 
me,  and  heard  a  voice  thence,  —  "  Listen  with  self-control 
to  hear  for  the  first  time  what  is  the  order  according  to  the 
laws  of  which  the  omnipotent  God  acts.  God  from  Him- 
self as  Order  created  the  universe  in  order  and  for  order ; 
and  likewise  man,  in  whom  He  fixed  the  laws  of  His  order, 
from  which  he  became  an  image  and  likeness  of  God;  which 
laws,  in  the  sum,  are  that  he  should  believe  in  God  and 
love  his  neighbor,  and  as  far  as  he  does  those  two  things 
by  natural  power,  so  far  he  makes  himself  a  receptacle  of 
the  Divine  omnipotence,  and  so  far  God  conjoins  Himself 
to  man  and  man  to  Himself ;  thence  his  faith  becomes  liv- 
ing and  saving,  and  his  doing  becomes  charity,  also  living 
and  saving.  But  it  should  be  known  that  God  is  perpetu- 
ally present,  and  continually  strives  and  acts  in  man,  and 
also  touches  his  free  will,  but  never  violates  it ;  for  if  He 
should  violate  the  free  will  of  man,  man's  dwelling  in  God 
would  perish,  and  there  would  be  only  God's  dwelling  in 
man ;  and  this  dwelling  is  in  all,  as  well  in  those  who  are 
upon  the  earth  as  in  those  who  are  in  the  heavens,  and  also 
in  those  who  are  in  the  hells ;  for  thence  is  their  ability  to 


No.  74-]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  119 


will  and  understand.  But  there  is  no  reciprocal  dwelling  of 
man  in  God,  except  with  those  who  live  according  to  the  laws 
of  order  prescribed  in  the  Word;  and  these  become  images 
and  likenesses  of  Him,  and  to  them  paradise  is  given  for  a 
possession,  and  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life  for  food.  But 
the  rest  gather  themselves  together  around  the  tree  of  the 
knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  and  talk  with  the  serpent  there, 
and  eat  j  but  afterwards  they  are  driven  out  of  paradise  ; 
yet  God  does  not  leave  them,  but  they  leave  God."  Those 
in  caps  understood  and  approved  these  words ;  but  those 
in  turbans  denied,  and  said,  "  Is  not  omnipotence  thus  lim- 
ited ?  and  limited  omnipotence  is  a  contradiction."  But  I 
replied,  "  It  is  not  a  contradiction  to  act  omnipotently  ac- 
cording to  the  laws  of  justice  with  judgment,  or  according 
to  the  laws  inscribed  on  love  from  wisdom  \  but  it  is  a  con- 
tradiction that  God  can  act  contrary  to  the  laws  of  His 
justice  and  love  j  and  this  would  be  from  what  is  not  judg- 
ment and  wisdom.  Such  a  contradiction  is  implied  in  your 
faith,  which  is  that  God  can  out  of  mere  grace  justify  the 
unjust,  and  endow  him  with  all  the  gifts  of  salvation  and 
the  rewards  of  life.  But  I  will  say  in  a  few  words  what  the 
omnipotence  of  God  is.  God  from  His  omnipotence  created 
the  universe,  and  at  the  same  time  introduced  order  into  all 
and  every  part  of  it ;  God  also  by  His  omnipotenc  e  pre- 
serves the  universe,  and  watches  over  the  order  there  with 
its  laws  perpetually,  and  when  any  thing  falls  from  order, 
Hp  brings  it  back  and  makes  it  whole  again.  Moreover, 
God  from  His  omnipotence  established  the  church,  and  re- 
vealed the  laws  of  its  order  in  the  Word ;  and  when  it  fell 
from  order  He  re-established  it,  and  when  it  fell  totally 
He  came  down  into  the  world,  and  by  the  assumed  Human 
He  clothed  Himself  with  omnipotence,  and  restored  it. 
God,  by  His  omnipotence  and  also  His  omniscience,  ex- 
amines every  one  after  death,  and  prepares  the  righteous  01 
the  sheep  for  their  places  in  heaven,  and  founds  a  heaven 
from  them ;  and  He  prepares  the  unrighteous  or  the  goats 


120  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


for  their  places  in  hell,  and  founds  a  hell  from  them ;  and 
He  disposes  both  classes  into  societies  and  congregated 
bodies,  according  to  all  the  varieties  of  their  love,  which  in 
heaven  are  as  many  as  the  stars  in  the  firmament  of  the 
world ;  and  He  joins  the  societies  in  heaven  together  into 
one,  that  they  may  be  as  one  man  in  His  sight ;  in  like  man- 
ner the  congregated  bodies  in  hell,  that  they  may  be  as  one 
devil ;  and  He  separates  the  latter  from  the  former  by  a 
gulf,  lest  hell  should  do  violence  to  heaven,  and  lest  heaven 
should  occasion  torment  to  hell ;  for  those  who  are  in  hell 
are  tormented  so  far  as  heaven  flows  in.  Unless  God  by 
His  omnipotence  should  every  instant  do  all  these  things, 
the  nature  of  the  wild  beast  would  enter  into  men  to  such  a 
degree  that  they  could  no  longer  be  restrained  by  the  laws 
of  any  order,  and  so  the  human  race  would  perish.  These 
and  similar  things  would  happen,  unless  God  were  Order 
and  omnipotent  in  order."  On  hearing  these  words  those 
who  wore  caps  went  away,  with  their  caps  under  their  arms, 
praising  God ;  for  in  that  world  the  intelligent  wear  caps. 
Not  so  those  who  wore  turbans,  because  they  are  bald,  and 
baldness  signifies  heaviness ;  and  these  went  away  to  the 
left,  but  the  others  to  the  right. 

CONCERNING  THE  CREATION  OF  THE  UNIVERSE. 

75.  Since  in  this  first  chapter  we  treat  of  God  the  Crea- 
tor, we  ought  also  to  treat  of  the  creation  of  the  universe 
by  Him  ;  as  in  the  following  chapter  concerning  the  Lord 
the  Redeemer  we  shall  also  treat  of  Redemption.  But 
no  one  can  obtain  for  himself  a  just  idea  concerning  the 
creation  of  the  universe,  unless  some  universal  cognitions, 
previously  acquired,  put  the  understanding  in  a  state  of  per- 
ception ;  such  are  the  following :  I.  There  are  two  worlds, 
the  spiritual  world  in  which  angels  and  spirits  are ;  and 
the  natural  world  in  which  men  are.  II.  In  each  world 
there  is  a  sun,  and  the  sun  of  the  spiritual  world  is  pure  love 


No.  75-1      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  121 


from  Jehovah  God  who  is  in  the  midst  of  it ;  and  from  that 
sun  proceed  heat  and  light ;  and  the  heat  thence  proceed- 
ing in  its  essence  is  love,  and  the  light  thence  proceeding 
in  its  essence  is  wisdom,  and  these  two  affect  the  will  and 
understanding  of  man,  the  heat  his  will,  and  the  light  his 
understanding;  but  the  sun  of  the  natural  world  is  pure 
fire,  and  therefore  the  heat  therefrom  is  dead  ;  in  like 
manner  the  light ;  and  these  serve  for  clothing  and  sup- 
port to  spiritual  heat  and  light,  that  they  may  pass  to  man. 
III.  And,  further,  those  two  things  which  proceed  from  the 
sun  of  the  spiritual  world,  and  thence  all  the  things  which 
exist  there  by  means  of  them,  are  substantial,  and  are  called 
spiritual ;  and  the  two  similar  things  which  proceed  from 
the  sun  of  the  natural  world,  and  thence  all  the  things 
which  exist  here  by  means  of  them,  are  material,  and  are 
called  natural.  IV.  In  each  world  there  are  three  degrees, 
which  are  called  degrees  of  height,  and  thence  three  regions 
according  to  which  the  three  angelic  heavens  are  arranged, 
and  according  to  which  human  minds  also  are  arranged, 
which  thus  correspond  to  the  three  angelic  heavens ;  and 
other  things  are  arranged  in  like  manner,  both  here  and 
there.  V.  There  is  a  correspondence  between  the  things 
which  are  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  the  things  which  are 
in  the  natural  world.  VI.  There  is  an  order  into  which  all 
and  every  thing  in  both  worlds  was  created.  VII.  An  idea 
concerning  these  things  ought  by  all  means  to  be  first  ob- 
tained ;  and  unless  this  is  done  the  human  mind  from  mere 
ignorance  concerning  them  easily  falls  into  the  idea  of  the 
creation  of  the  universe  by  nature,  and  says  only  from  the 
authority  of  the  church  that  nature  was  created  by  God  j 
but  because  it  knows  not  how,  if  it  inquires  into  it  more 
interiorly  it  falls  headlong  into  naturalism  which  denies 
God.  But  because  it  would  be  the  work  of  a  large  volume 
to  present  and  demonstrate  these  things  in  a  proper  man- 
ner, one  by  one,  and  also  as  it  does  not  properly  enter  into 
such  a  system  of  theology  as  this,  as  a  lemma  or  an  argu- 
vol.  i.  6 


122  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


ment,  I  will  only  adduce  some  Relations,  from  which  an 
idea  of  the  creation  of  the  universe  by  God  may  be  con* 
ceived,  and  from  conception  some  birth  representing  it 
may  be  produced. 

76.  First  Relation.  On  a  certain  day,  I  was  engaged 
in  meditation  about  the  creation  of  the  universe ;  and  be- 
cause this  was  perceived  by  the  angels  who  were  above  me 
on  the  right  side,  where  were  some  who  had  several  times 
meditated  and  reasoned  on  the  same  subject,  therefore  one 
descended  and  invited  me  in  •  and  I  became  in  the  spirit, 
and  accompanied  him  •  and  after  I  entered  I  was  con- 
ducted to  the  prince,  in  whose  palace  I  saw  several  hun- 
dreds assembled,  and  the  prince  in  their  midst.  And  then 
one  of  them  said,  "We  perceived  here  that  you  were  medi- 
tating about  the  creation  of  the  universe,  and  we  have  sev- 
eral times  been  in  similar  meditation,  but  could  never  come 
to  a  conclusion,  since  there  clung  to  our  thoughts  the  idea 
of  a  chaos,  and  that  this  was,  as  it  were,  a  great  egg,  out  of 
which  were  brought  forth  all  and  every  thing  of  the  universe 
in  their  order ;  when  yet  we  now  perceive  that  so  great  a 
universe  could  not  have  been  so  brought  forth.  Then,  also, 
there  clung  to  our  minds  another  idea,  which  was  that  all 
things  were  created  by  God  out  of  nothing;  and  yet  we 
now  perceive  that  nothing  is  made  out  of  nothing;  and 
our  minds  have  not  yet  been  able  to  free  themselves  from 
these  two  ideas,  and  to  see  creation  in  any  light  as  to  how 
it  was  effected ;  wherefore,  we  have  called  you  out  from  the 
place  where  you  were,  that  you  may  disclose  your  medita- 
tion concerning  this  subject."  On  hearing  these  words  I 
replied,  "  I  will  do  so."  And  I  said,  "  I  meditated  on  this 
subject  for  a  long  time,  but  to  no  purpose  ;  but  afterwards, 
when  I  was  admitted  by  the  Lord  into  your  world,  I  per- 
ceived that  it  would  be  vain  to  conclude  any  thing  concern- 
ing the  creation  of  the  universe,  unless  it  be  first  known 
that  there  are  two  worlds,  one  in  which  angels  are,  and 
another  in  which  men  are ;  and  that  men  by  death  pass 


No.  76.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  1 23 


out  of  their  world  into  the  other ;  and  then  also  I  saw  that 
there  were  two  suns,  one  from  which  all  spiritual  things 
flow  forth,  and  the  other  from  which  all  natural  things  flow 
forth  ;  and  that  the  sun  from  which  all  spiritual  things 
flow  forth  is  pure  love  from  Jehovah  God,  who  is  in  the 
midst  of  it ;  and  that  the  sun  from  which  all  natural  things 
flow  forth  is  pure  fire.  Knowing  these  things,  on  a  certain 
time  when  I  was  in  enlightenment  I  was  enabled  to  per 
ceive  that  the  universe  was  created  by  Jehovah  God  by 
means  of  the  sun  in  the  midst  of  which  He  is ;  and  be- 
cause there  cannot  be  love  except  together  with  wisdom, 
that  the  universe  was  created  by  Jehovah  God  from  His 
love  by  His  wisdom.  That  it  is  so  is  evinced  by  all  and 
every  thing  that  I  have  seen  in  the  world  where  you  are, 
and  that  I  have  seen  in  the  world  where  I  am  as  to  the 
body.  But  to  explain  from  the  beginning  how  tht  progress 
of  creation  went  on  would  be  too  prolix  j  but  when  I  have 
been  in  enlightenment  I  have  perceived  that  by  means  of 
the  light  and  heat  from  the  sun  of  your  world,  spiritual 
atmospheres,  which  in  themselves  are  substantial,  were  cre- 
ated one  from  another ;  and  because  there  were  three,  and 
thence  three  degrees  of  them,  three  heavens  were  made ; 
one  for  the  angels  who  are  in  the  highest  degree  of  love 
and  wisdom,  another  for  the  angels  who  are  in  the  second 
degree,  and  the  third  for  the  angels  who  are  in  the  lowest 
degree :  but,  because  this  spiritual  universe  cannot  exist 
without  a  natural  universe,  in  which  it  may  produce  its 
effects  and  uses,  that  then  the  sun  from  which  all  natural 
things  proceed  was  created  together  with  it  j  and  by  this 
likewise,  by  means  of  light  and  heat,  three  atmospheres 
encompassing  the  former,  as  the  shell  does  the  kernel,  or 
the  bark  of  a  tree  the  wood;  and  at  last  by  means  of 
these,  the  terraqueous  globe,  where  are  men,  beasts,  and 
fishes,  also  trees,  shrubs,  and  herbs,  was  formed  of  differ- 
ent kinds  of  earths,  which  consist  of  loam,  stones,  and  min- 
erals.   But  this  is  a  very  general  sketch  of  the  creation  and 


124  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 

its  progression  j  but  the  particulars  and  single  things  can- 
not be  presented  except  by  volumes  of  books  j  but  all 
things  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  God  did  not  create  the 
universe  out  of  nothing,  because,  as  you  said,  Nothing  is 
made  out  of  notlwig;  but  by  means  of  the  sun  of  the  angelic 
heaven,  which  is  from  His  Esse,  and  thence  is  pure  love, 
together  with  wisdom.  That  the  universe,  by  which  are 
meant  both  worlds,  the  spiritual  and  the  natural,  was  cre- 
ated from  the  Divine  love  by  the  Divine  wisdom,  all  and 
every  part  of  it  witnesses  and  proves  ;  and  if  you  consider 
the  parts  of  the  universe  in  their  order  and  connection,  from 
the  light  in  which  the  perceptions  of  your  understanding 
are,  you  may  clearly  see  it.  But  it  should  be  kept  in  mind 
that  the  love  and  wisdom  which  in  God  make  one,  are  not 
love  and  wisdom  in  an  abstract  sense,  but  in  Him  as  a  sub- 
stance j  for  God  is  the  very,  the  only,  and  thence  the  first 
Substance  and  Essence,  which  is  and  subsists  in  itself. 
That  all  and  every  thing  was  created  from  the  Divine  love 
and  the  Divine  wisdom  is  meant  by  these  words  in  John  : 
The  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God;  all  things 
were  made  by  Hi?n ;  and  the  world  was  ??iade  by  Hi?n  (i.  i, 
3,  10).  God  there  signifies  the  Divine  love,  and  the  Word 
signifies  the  Divine  truth,  or  the  Divine  wisdom  ;  wherefore 
the  Word  there  is  called  light,  and  by  light,  when  spoken 
of  God,  is  meant  the  Divine  wisdom."  After  this,  when  I 
was  saying  farewell,  rays  of  light  from  the  sun  there  de- 
scended through  the  angelic  heavens  into  their  eyes,  and 
through  them  into  the  habitations  of  their  mind ;  and  when 
thus  enlightened  they  favored  the  things  that  had  been 
said  by  me,  and  afterwards  followed  me  into  the  hall,  and 
my  former  companion  to  the  house  where  I  was,  and  from 
thence  he  reascended  to  his  society. 

77.  Second  Relation.  One  morning,  when  I  had  awaked 
from  sleep,  and  was  meditating  in  the  early  and  serene  light 
before  full  wakefulness,  I  saw  through  the  window  as  it  were 
the  lightning  flashing,  and  presently  I  heard  as  it  were  the 


No.  77-]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  12$ 


thunder  rolling.  While  I  was  wondering  whence  this  was 
I  heard  from  heaven  that  there  were  then  some  not  far 
from  me  who  were  reasoning  sharply  concerning  God  and 
Nature,  and  that  the  flashing  of  the  light  as  of  lightning 
and  the  rolling  of  the  air  as  of  thunder  were  correspon- 
dences and  thence  appearances  of  the  contest  and  collision 
of  arguments,  on  one  side  in  favor  of  God,  and  on  the 
other  in  favor  of  nature.  The  beginning  of  this  spiritual 
contest  was  this  :  There  were  some  satans  in  hell  vho  said 
amongst  themselves,  "  O  that  we  might  be  allowed  to  speak 
with  the  angels  of  heaven,  and  we  would  completely  and 
fully  demonstrate  that  nature  is  that  which  they  call  God, 
from  whom  are  all  things  j  thus,  that  God  is  only  a  word, 
unless  nature  be  meant."  And  because  those  satans  be- 
lieved this  with  the  whole  heart  and  the  whole  soul,  and 
desired  to  speak  with  the  angels  of  heaven,  it  was  given 
them  to  ascend  out  of  the  mire  and  the  darkness  of  hell, 
and  to  speak  with  two  angels  then  descending  from  heaven. 
They  were  in  the  world  of  spirits,  which  is  mediate  between 
heaven  and  hell.  The  satans,  when  they  saw  the  angels 
there,  ran  quickly  to  them,  and  cried  with  a  furious  voice, 
"  Are  you  the  angels  of  heaven  with  whom  we  are  allowed 
to  engage  in  reasoning  concerning  God  and  concerning 
nature?  You  are  called  wise,  because  you  acknowledge 
God ;  but  oh,  how  simple  you  are !  Who  has  ever  seen 
God  ?  or  who  understands  what  God  is  ?  Who  conceives 
that  God  rules,  and  that  He  can  rule  the  universe,  and  all 
and  every  part  of  it  ?  Who  but  the  multitude  and  the  rab- 
ble acknowledges  what  is  not  seen  and  understood  ?  What 
is  more  manifest  than  that  nature  is  all  in  all  ?  Who  has 
seen  with  the  eye  any  thing  but  nature  ?  Who  has  heard 
with  the  ear  any  thing  but  nature  ?  Who  has  smelt  with 
the  nose  any  thing  but  nature  ?  Who  has  tasted  with  the 
tongue  any  thing  but  nature  ?  Who,  by  any  touch  of  the 
hand  and  of  the  body,  has  felt  any  thing  but  nature  ?  Are 
not  the  senses  of  our  body  the  witnesses  of  truths  ?  Who 


126  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


cannot  swear  from  them  that  it  is  so  ?  Is  not  respiration, 
by  which  our  body  lives,  also  a  witness  ?  What  else  do  we 
breathe  but  nature  ?  Are  not  our  heads  and  yours  in  nat- 
ure ?  Whence  is  there  influx  into  the  thoughts  of  the  head 
but  from  nature  ?  If  it  be  taken  away  can  you  think  any 
thing  ? "  Beside  many  other  things  of  a  similar  kind.  The 
angels,  on  hearing  these  things,  replied,  "  You  speak  thus, 
because  you  are  merely  sensual.  All  in  hell  have  the  ideas 
of  their  thoughts  immersed  in  the  senses  of  the  body,  nor 
are  they  able  to  elevate  their  minds  above  them  ;  wherefore 
we  forgive  you.  A  life  of  evil,  and  thence  a  faith  of  falsity, 
has  so  closed  up  the  interiors  of  your  minds  that  with  you 
elevation  above  sensual  things  is  not  possible,  except  in  a 
state  removed  from  the  evils  of  life  and  the  falsities  of 
faith ;  for  a  satan  can  understand  the  truth  when  he  hears 
it,  equally  with  an  angel,  but  he  does  not  retain  it,  because 
evil  obliterates  the  truth  and  induces  falsity.  But  we  per- 
ceive that  you  are  now  in  a  state  thus  removed,  and  so  you 
can  understand  the  truth  which  we  speak ;  wherefore  attend 
to  the  things  which  we  shall  say."  Then  they  said,  "You 
were  in  the  natural  world,  and  you  died  there,  and  now  you 
are  in  the  spiritual  world ;  did  you  ever  till  now  know  any 
thing  concerning  a  life  after  death  ?  Did  you  not  before 
deny  it  and  make  yourselves  on  a  level  with  the  beasts  ? 
Did  you  know  any  thing  before  concerning  heaven  and 
hell  ?  or  any  thing  concerning  the  light  and  heat  of  this 
world  ?  or  concerning  this,  that  you  are  no  longer  within 
nature,  but  above  it  ?  For  this  world  and  all  the  things 
of  it  are  spiritual ;  and  spiritual  things  are  above  natural 
things,  so  that  not  even  the  least  thing  of  nature,  in  which 
you  were,  can  flow  into  this  world.  But  you,  because  you 
believed  nature  to  be  a  god  or  a  goddess,  also  believe  the 
light  and  heat  of  this  world  to  be  the  light  and  heat  of  the 
natural  world,  when  yet  it  is  not  so  at  all ;  for  natural  light 
here  is  darkness  and  natural  heat  here  is  cold.  Did  you 
know  any  thing  concerning  the  sun  of  this  world,  from  which 


No.  77.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


127 


our  light  and  our  heat  proceed  ?  Did  you  know  that  this 
sun  is  pure  love  and  that  the  sun  of  the  natural  world  is 
pure  fire  ?  and  that  the  sun  of  the  world,  which  is  pure  fire, 
is  that  from  which  nature  existed  and  subsists  ?  and  that 
the  sun  of  heaven,  which  is  pure  love,  is  that  from  which 
life  itself,  which  is  love  together  with  wisdom,  exists  and 
subsists  ?  and  thus  that  nature,  which  you  make  a  god  or 
a  goddess,  is  entirely  dead  ?  You  can,  if  a  guard  be  given 
you,  ascend  with  us  into  heaven ;  and  we  can,  if  a  guard 
be  given,  descend  with  you  into  bell ;  and  you  will  see  in 
heaven  magnificent  and  splendid  things,  but  in  hell  vile 
and  filthy  things ;  there  are  those  differences  because  all  in 
heaven  worship  God,  and  all  in  hell  worship  nature ;  and 
those  magnificent  and  splendid  things  in  the  heavens  are 
correspondences  of  the  affections  of  the  love  of  good  and 
truth ;  but  those  vile  and  filthy  things  in  the  hells  are  cor- 
respondences of  the  affections  of  the  love  of  evil  and  falsity. 
From  all  these  things  now  conclude  whether  God  or  whether 
nature  be  all  in  all."  To  this  the  satans  replied,  "  In  the 
state  in  which  we  are  now,  we  are  able  to  conclude  from 
what  we  have  heard  that  there  is  a  God ;  but  when  the  en- 
joyment of  evil  fills  our  minds  we  see  nothing  but  nature." 
The  two  angels  and  the  satans  were  standing  not  far  from 
me,  wherefore  I  saw  and  heard  them ;  and,  behold,  I  saw 
around  them  many  who  had  been  celebrated  for  erudition 
in  the  natural  world ;  and  I  wondered  that  those  scholars 
now  stood  near  the  angels,  and  now  near  the  satans,  and 
that  they  favored  those  near  whom  they  were  standing. 
And  it  was  said  to  me,  "The  changes  of  their  situation 
were  changes  of  the  state  of  their  mind,  which  sometimes 
favored  one  side  and  sometimes  the  other;  for  they  are 
as  to  faith  like  Vertiu?itii*  And  we  will  tell  you  a  secret: 
we  looked  down  upon  the  earth  at  those  who  were  cele- 

*  Vertummts  was  a  god  among  the  Romans,  who  changed  himself 
into  all  kinds  of  forms,  like  Proteus  among  the  Greeks.  The  mean- 
ing of  vcrlumni,  the  plural,  may  be  inferred. 


128  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  [Chap.:. 

brated  for  erudition,  and  we  found  six  hundred  out  of  a  thou- 
sand for  nature  and  the  rest  for  God  ;  and  these  were  for 
God,  because  they  had  frequently  said,  not  from  the  under- 
standing but  from  what  they  had  heard,  that  nature  is  from 
God ;  for  the  practice  of  speaking  from  memory  and  recol- 
lection, although  not  at  the  same  time  from  thought  and 
intelligence,  produces  a  species  of  faith."  After  this  a 
guard  was  given  to  the  satans,  and  they  ascended  with 
the  two  angels  into  heaven,  and  they  saw  magnificent  and 
splendid  things ;  and  then,  in  enlightenment  from  the  light 
of  heaven,  they  there  acknowledged  that  there  is  a  God, 
and  that  nature  was  created  to  be  subservient  to  the  life 
which  is  from  God,  and  that  nature  in  itself  is  dead ;  and 
that  thus  it  does  nothing  from  itself,  but  is  acted  upon  by 
life.  Having  seen  and  perceived  these  things  they  de- 
scended ;  and  while  they  were  descending  the  love  of  evil 
returned,  and  closed  their  understanding  above  and  opened 
it  below;  and  then  there  appeared  above  it  as  it  were  a 
screen,  sparkling  from  infernal  fire ;  and  as  soon  as  they 
touched  the  ea>th  with  their  feet  the  ground  under  them 
opened,  and  they  sunk  down  again  to  their  companions. 

78.  Third  Relation.  The  next  day  an  angel  came  to  me 
from  another  society  of  heaven,  and  said,  "We  have  heard 
in  our  society  that,  in  consequence  of  meditating  on  the  cre- 
ation of  the  universe,  you  were  invited  into  a  society  near 
ours,  and  that  there  you  said  such  things  about  the  creation 
as  they  favored  then,  and  have  since  recollected  with  pleas- 
ure. I  will  now  show  you  how  animals  and  vegetables  of 
every  kind  were  produced  by  God."  And  he  led  me  along 
into  a  large  green  field,  and  said,  "  Look  around."  And  I 
looked  around,  and  saw  birds  of  the  most  beautiful  colors, 
some  flying,  some  perching  upon  the  trees,  and  some  upon 
the  ground,  plucking  little  leaves  from  the  roses ;  among 
the  birds  were  also  doves  and  swans.  After  these  things 
vanished  from  my  sight  I  saw,  not  far  from  me,  flocks  of 
sheep  with  lambs,  and  of  kids  and  she-goats  j  and  round 


No.  78.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  1 29 

about  the  flocks  I  saw  herds  of  cows  and  calves,  and  also 
of  camels  and  mules  j  and  in  a  certain  grove  stags  with  high 
horns;  and  also  unicorns.  After  these  things  were  seen 
he  said,  "  Turn  your  face  toward  the  east."  And  I  saw  a 
garden,  in  which  were  fruit-trees,  as  orange-trees,  citrons, 
olives,  vines,  fig-trees,  pomegranates,  and  also  shrubs  which 
bore  berries.  Afterwards  he  said,  "  Look  now  toward  the 
south."  And  I  saw  fields  of  grain  of  various  kinds  —  wheat, 
oats,  barley,  also  beans ;  and  round  about  them  beds  of 
roses,  exhibiting  colors  beautifully  variegated ;  but  toward 
the  north,  groves  full  of  chestnut-trees,  palm-trees,  linden- 
trees,  plane-trees,  and  others,  all  in  the  richest  foliage. 
When  I  had  seen  these  he  said,  "All  those  things  which 
you  have  seen  are  correspondences  of  the  affections  of  the 
love  in  the  angels  who  are  near  by."  And  they  told  me 
to  what  affections  they  severally  corresponded ;  and  they 
added,  "  Not  only  those  things,  but  also  all  the  other  things 
which  are  presented  to  our  eyes  as  objects  of  sight,  are  cor- 
respondences;  such  as  houses  and  the  furniture  in  them, 
tables,  and  meats,  and  clothes,  and  also  coins  of  gold  and 
silver,  as  also  diamonds  and  other  precious  stones  with  which 
wives  and  virgins  in  the  heavens  are  adorned.  From  all 
these  things  we  perceive  what  each  one  is  as  to  love  and 
wisdom.  The  things  which  are  in  our  houses  and  serve 
for  uses  constantly  remain  there ;  but  to  the  eyes  of  those 
who  wander  from  one  society  to  another,  such  things  are 
changed  according  to  consociation.  These  things  have 
been  shown  you  in  order  that  in  a  particular  as  a  type  you 
might  see  the  whole  creation ;  for  God  is  Love  itself  and 
Wisdom  itself ;  and  the  affections  of  His  love  are  infinite, 
and  the  perceptions  of  His  wisdom  are  infinite  j  and  each 
thing  and  all  things  that  appear  upon  the  earth  are  cor- 
respondences of  these ;  thence  are  birds  and  beasts,  thence 
trees  and  shrubs,  thence  corn  and  other  grain,  thence  herbs 
and  grasses  ;  for  God  is  not  extended,  but  still  He  is  in  the 
extense  everywhere;  thus  in  the  universe  from  its  firsts  to  its 

6* 


130 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION     [Chap.  L 


lasts ;  and  because  He  is  omnipresent,  such  correspondences 
of  the  affections  of  His  love  and  wisdom  are  in  the  whole 
natural  world ;  but  in  our  world,  which  is  called  the  spirit- 
ual world,  there  are  similar  correspondences  with  those  who 
receive  affections  and  perceptions  from  God ;  the  difference 
is  that  such  things  in  our  world  are  created  by  God  instan- 
taneously, according  to  the  affections  of  the  angels ;  but  in 
your  world  they  were  created  in  like  manner  at  the  begin- 
ning, but  it  was  provided  that  they  should  be  perpetually 
renewed  by  generations  of  one  from  another,  and  that  crea- 
tion should  be  so  continued.  The  reason  why  creation  in 
our  world  is  instantaneous,  and  in  yours  continued  by  gen- 
erations, is,  that  the  atmospheres  and  earths  of  our  world 
are  spiritual,  and  the  atmospheres  and  earths  of  your  world 
are  natural ;  and  natural  things  were  created  that  they  might 
clothe  spiritual  things,  as  the  skin  clothes  the  bodies  of  men 
and  animals,  as  the  rind  and  bark  clothe  the  trunks  and 
branches  of  trees,  as  the  dura  mater,  the  arachnoid,  and 
the  pia  mater  clothe  the  brain,  as  the  nerves  are  clothed 
by  their  coats,  and  as  delicate  membranes  clothe  the  nerve- 
fibres,  &c.  Thence  it  is  that  all  things  in  your  world  are 
constant,  and  constantly  return  with  the  years."  To  this 
the  angel  added,  "  Relate  these  things  which  you  have  seen 
and  heard  to  the  inhabitants  of  your  world,  because  hitherto 
they  have  been  in  entire  ignorance  concerning  the  spiritual 
world  ;  and  without  some  knowledge  of  it  no  one  can  know 
or  even  guess  that  creation  is  continual  in  our  world,  and 
that  in  yours  it  was  similar  to  this  while  the  universe  was 
created  by  God." 

After  this  we  talked  upon  various  subjects,  and  at  last 
concerning  hell ;  as,  that  no  such  things  as  are  in  heaven 
appear  there,  but  only  the  opposites  ;  since  the  affections 
of  their  love,  which  are  the  lusts  of  evil,  are  opposite  to  the 
affections  of  the  love  in  which  the  angels  of  heaven  are. 
Wherefore*  with  those  in  hell,  and  generally  in  their  deserts, 
there  appear  birds  of  night,  as  bats,  and  owls  of  various 


No.  79-J      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  I3I 


kinds,  and  also  wolves,  leopards,  tigers,  rats,  and  mice  j 
beside  these,  venomous  serpents  of  every  kind,  dragons 
and  crocodiles  ;  and  where  there  is  any  herbage,  there 
grow  briers,  nettles,  thorns,  and  thistles,  and  some  poisonous 
plants,  which  at  times  vanish  j  and  then  there  appear  only 
heaps  of  stones,  and  bogs  in  which  frogs  croak.  All  these 
things  are  also  correspondences ;  but,  as  was  said,  corre- 
spondences of  the  affections  of  their  love,  which  are  the 
lusts  of  evil.  Yet  such  things  are  not  created  there  by  God, 
nor  were  they  created  by  Him  in  the  natural  world  where 
similar  things  exist;  for  all  things  that  God  created  and 
creates  were  and  are  good ;  but  such  things  upon  the  earth 
arose  together  with  hell,  which  existed  from  men  who,  by 
aversion  from  God,  after  death  became  devils  and  satans. 
But  because  these  direful  things  began  to  hurt  our  ears,  we 
turned  our  thoughts  away  from  them,  and  recollected  the 
things  which  we  saw  in  the  heavens. 

79.  Fourth  Relation.  Once,  when  I  was  engaged  in 
thinking  of  the  creation  of  the  universe,  there  came  to  me 
some  from  the  Christian  world,  who  in  their  time  were 
philosophers  among  the  most  celebrated,  and  reputed  wise 
above  the  rest  j  and  they  said,  "  We  perceive  that  you  are 
thinking  of  the  creation ;  tell  us  what  your  mind  is  about 
it."  But  I  replied,  "  Tell  first  what  is  yours."  And  one 
said,  "  My  mind  is,  that  creation  is  from  nature,  and  thus 
that  nature  created  itself,  and  that  it  was  from  eternity ; 
for  there  is  not  and  cannot  be  a  vacuum.  But  what  do 
we  see  with  our  eyes,  hear  with  our  ears,  smell  with  our 
nostrils,  and  receive  into  our  breast  by  respiration,  except 
nature,  which  because  it  is  without  us  is  also  within  us?  " 
Another  hearing  these  words  said,  "You  talk  of  nature, 
and  make  it  the  creator  of  the  universe ;  but  you  do  not 
know  how  nature  has  operated  in  producing  the  universe ; 
Wherefore  I  will  tell  you.  It  folded  itself  into  vortexes, 
which  dashed  against  each  other  like  clouds,  or  like  houses 
when  they  fall  together  in  an  earthquake  ;  and  by  means  of 


132  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I 


that  collision  the  denser  parts  collected  themselves  together, 
whence  was  formed  the  earth  ;  and  the  more  fluid  parts  sep- 
arated themselves  from  these,  and  also  gathered  themselves 
together,  whence  were  formed  seas ;  and  the  lighter  parts 
separated  themselves  from  these  also,  whence  were  formed 
the  air  and  ether ;  and  from  the  lightest  of  these,  the  sun. 
Have  you  not  seen  that  when  oil,  water,  and  dust  of  the 
earth  are  mixed  together,  they  separate  of  their  own  ac- 
cord, and  arrange  themselves  in  order,  one  above  another  ? " 
Then  another  hearing  this  said,  "You  speak  from  fancy. 
Who  does  not  know  that  the  first  origin  of  all  things  was 
chaos,  which  in  magnitude  had  filled  a  fourth  part  of  the 
universe ;  and  that  in  the  midst  of  it  was  fire ;  and  round 
about  it,  ether;  and  around  this,  matter;  and  that  that 
chaos  was  cleft,  and  through  the  fissures  burst  out  fire  as 
from  ^Etna  and  Vesuvius,  whence  originated  the  sun ;  and 
that  after  this  the  ether  issued  forth  and  diffused  itself, 
whence  originated  the  atmosphere  ;  and  at  last  the  residue 
of  matter  collected  itself  into  a  globe,  whence  originated 
the  earth  ?  As  to  the  stars  they  are  only  luminaries  in  the 
expanse  of  the  universe,  which  sprung  from  the  sun  and  its 
fire  and  light ;  for  the  sun  at  first  was  as  it  were  an  ocean 
of  fire,  which,  lest  it  should  burn  the  earth,  separated  from 
itself  little  shining  flames,  which  being  located  in  the  cir- 
cumference completed  the  universe ;  thence  originated  its 
firmament."  But  there  stood  one  among  them  who  said, 
"  You  are  mistaken  ;  you  appear  to  yourselves  to  be  wise, 
and  I  appear  to  you  simple ;  but  still,  in  my  simplicity,  I 
have  believed  and  do  believe  that  the  universe  was  cre- 
ated by  God ;  and  because  nature  is  of  the  universe,  that 
all  nature  was  then  created  at  the  same  time.  If  nature 
created  itself,  would  it  not  have  been  from  eternity  ?  But 
oh,  what  folly  ! "  And  then  one  of  those  so  called  wise  men 
ran  up  nearer  and  nearer  to  him  who  was  speaking,  and  put 
his  left  ear  near  his  mouth,  for  his  right  ear  was  stopped  up 
as  it  were  with  cotton,  and  asked  what  he  said ;  and  he  re- 


No.  79.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  1 33 


peated  the  same  ;  and  then  he  who  ran  up  looked  around  to 
see  whether  any  priest  were  present ;  and  he  saw  one  at  the 
side  of  him  who  was  speaking ;  and  then  he  replied,  saying, 
"I  also  confess  that  all  nature  is  from  God,  but"  — .  And 
then  he  went  away,  and  whispering  to  his  companions  he 
said,  "  I  said  so  because  the  priest  was  present ;  but  you 
and  I  know  that  nature  is  from  nature;  and  because  thus 
nature  is  God  I  said  that  all  nature  is  from  God.  But "  — . 
Then  the  priest,  hearing  their  whispering,  said,  "  Your  wis- 
dom which  is  merely  philosophical  has  seduced  you,  and 
has  so  closed  the  interiors  of  your  minds  that  no  light  from 
God  and  from  His  heaven  could  flow  in  and  enlighten  you ; 
you  have  extinguished  it.  Consider,"  said  he,  "  and  decide 
among  yourselves,  whence  are  your  souls,  which  are  im- 
mortal ;  were  they  from  nature,  or  were  they  at  the  same 
time  in  that  great  chaos  ?  "  On  hearing  this,  the  former 
speaker  went  away  to  his  companions,  requesting  that  they 
together  with  him  would  solve  this  knotty  question ;  and 
they  concluded  that  the  human  soul  is  nothing  but  ether, 
and  that  thought  is  nothing  but  a  modification  of  ether  by 
means  of  the  sun's  light ;  and  ether  is  of  nature.  And  they 
said,  u  Who  does  not  know  that  we  speak  by  means  of  the 
air,  and  that  thought  is  nothing  but  speech  in  a  purer  air, 
which  is  called  ether  ?  Thence  it  is  that  thought  and  speech 
make  one.  Who  cannot  perceive  this  from  man  while  he 
is  an  infant  ?  He  first  learns  to  speak,  and  by  degrees  to 
speak  with  himself,  and  this  is  to  think.  What  then  is 
thought  but  a  modification  of  ether  ?  and  what  else  is  the 
sound  of  speech  but  a  modulation  of  that  ?  Whence  we 
conclude  that  the  soul  which  thinks  is  of  nature,"  But 
some  of  them,  not  indeed  dissenting  from  the  rest,  but  to 
illustrate  the  state  of  the  question,  said  :  "  Souls  sprung 
into  existence  when  the  ether  gathered  itself  together  from 
that  great  chaos,  and  then  in  the  highest  region  divided 
itself  into  innumerable  individual  forms,  which  infuse  them- 
selves into  men  while  they  begin  to  think  from  the  purer 


134 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I 


air ;  and  these  are  then  called  souls."  Hearing  this  another 
said,  "  I  grant  that  the  individual  forms,  formed  by  the  ether 
in  the  higher  region,  were  innumerable;  but  still  the  men 
born  since  the  creation  of  the  world  have  exceeded  their 
number ;  how  then  could  those  ethereal  forms  suffice  ? 
Wherefore  I  have  thought  with  myself  that  the  souls  which 
go  out  of  the  mouth  of  men  when  they  die  return  to  the 
same  after  some  thousands  of  years,  and  they  begin  and 
end  a  life  similar  to  the  former;  that  many  of  the  wise  men 
believe  in  similar  things  and  a  metempsychosis,  is  well 
known."  Besides  these,  other  conjectures  were  broached 
by  the  rest,  which,  because  they  were  mere  insanities,  I 
pass  by.  After  an  hour  or  so  the  priest  returned  ;  and 
then  he  who  before  spoke  of  the  creation  of  the  universe 
by  God  told  him  their  decisions  concerning  the  soul ;  on 
hearing  which  the  priest  said  to  them,  "  You  have  spoken 
just  as  you  thought  in  the  world,  not  knowing  that  you  are 
not  in  that  world,  but  in  another,  which  is  called  the  spirit- 
ual world;  all  those  who  have  become  corporeal-sensual,  by 
confirmations  in  favor  of  nature,  know  no  otherwise  than 
that  they  are  in  the  same  world  in  which  they  were  born 
and  educated.  The  reason  is,  because  there  they  were  in  a 
material  body,  while  here  they  are  in  a  substantial  body;  and 
a  substantial  man  sees  himself  and  his  companions  around 
him,  just  as  a  material  man  sees  himself  and  his  compan- 
ions around  him ;  for  the  substantial  is  the  primitive  of  the 
material ;  and  because  you  think,  see,  smell,  taste,  and  speak 
in  like  manner  as  in  the  natural  world,  therefore  you  sup- 
pose that  the  same  nature  is  here,  when  yet  the  nature  of 
this  world  is  %s  different  and  distinct  from  the  nature  of 
that  world  as  the  substantial  is  from  the  material,  or  the 
spiritual  from  the  natural,  or  the  prior  from  the  posterior ; 
and  because  the  nature  of  the  world  in  which  you  before 
lived  is  relatively  dead,  therefore  you,  by  confirmations  in 
favor  of  it,  are  become  as  it  were  dead ;  and  this  in  respect 
to  the  things  which  are  of  God,  heaven,  and  the  church, 


No.  79. J      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR.  1 35 


and  also  in  respect  to  that  which  concerns  your  souls.  But 
still  every  man,  the  bad  as  well  as  the  good,  may  as  to  the 
understanding  be  elevated  even  into  the  light  in  which  the 
angels  of  heaven  are,  and  then  see  that  there  is  a  God,  and 
that  there  is  a  life  after  death,  and  that  the  soul  of  man  i? 
not  ethereal,  and  thus  from  the  nature  of  the  natural  world 
but  spiritual,  and  therefore  that  it  will  live  to  eternity.  The 
understanding  can  be  in  that  angelic  light,  provided  natu- 
ral loves  be  removed,  which  are  from  the  world  and  for 
the  world  and  its  nature,  and  from  the  body  and  for  it  and 
what  is  proper  to  it."  And  then  in  an  instant  those  loves 
were  removed  by  the  Lord ;  and  it  was  given  them  to  speak 
with  the  angels,  and  from  their  conversation,  while  in  that 
state,  they  perceived  that  there  is  a  God,  and  that  after 
death  they  live  in  another  world  ;  wherefore  they  were  cov- 
ered with  shame,  and  exclaimed,  "  We  have  been  mad,  we 
have  been  mad  !  "  But  because  this  was  not  their  proper 
state,  vid  therefore  after  some  minutes  became  tedious  and 
irksome,  they  turned  themselves  away  from  the  priest,  and 
would  not  hear  his  speech  any  longer ;  and  so  they  returned 
into  their  former  loves,  which  were  merely  natural,  worldly, 
and  corporeal  j  and  they  went  away  to  the  left  from  society 
to  society,  and  at  length  came  to  a  way  where  the  enjoy- 
ments of  those  loves  blew  upon  them,  and  they  said,  "Let  us 
go  this  way;"  and  they  went,  and  descended,  and  at  length 
they  came  to  those  who  were  in  the  enjoyments  of  similar 
loves,  and  so  went  on.  And  because  their  enjoyment  was 
the  enjoyment  of  doing  evil,  and  in  the  way  they  also  did 
evil  to  many,  they  were  imprisoned,  and  became  demons : 
and  then  their  enjoyment  was  changed  into  what  is  unde- 
lightful,  because  by  punishments  and  the  fear  of  punish- 
ments they  were  restrained  and  held  in  check  from  their 
former  enjoyment,  which  made  their  nature  j  and  they  asked 
those  who  were  in  the  same  prison  whether  they  were  to 
live  so  to  eternity.  Some  there  replied,  "We  have  been 
here  several  ages,  and  we  are  to  remain  for  ages  of  ages; 


136  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  I. 

since  the  nature  which  we  contracted  in  the  world  cannot 
be  changed,  nor  expelled  by  punishments ;  and  whenever 
it  is  expelled  by  them,  still,  after  a  short  lapse  of  time,  it 
returns." 

80.  Fifth  Relation.  Once  a  satan  by  permission  as- 
cended out  of  hell,  a.  woman  with  him,  and  they  came  to  the 
house  where  I  was.  On  seeing  them  I  shut  the  window, 
but  yet  through  it  I  talked  with  them,  and  asked  the  satan 
whence  he  came.  He  said  that  he  came  from  the  company  of 
his  associates.  And  I  asked,  "Whence  came  the  woman?" 
He  said,  "  From  the  same."  She  was  from  a  company  of 
sirens,  who  know  how  to  induce  upon  themselves  by  means 
of  fantasies  all  the  habits  and  forms  of  beauty  and  adorn- 
ment :  at  one  time  they  figure  the  beauty  of  Venus ;  at 
another,  gracefulness  of  person,  as  it  were  of  a  nymph  of 
Parnassus ;  at  another  they  adorn  themselves,  as  it  were, 
with  the  crowns  and  robes  of  a  queen,  and  walk  magnifi- 
cently, resting  upon  a  silver  wand.  Such  in  the  w£>rld  of 
spirits  are  harlots,  and  they  study  fantasies.  Fantasy  is 
produced  by  sensual  thought,  while  ideas  from  any  interior 
thought  are  shut  out.  I  asked  the  satan  whether  she  was 
his  wife.  He  replied,  "What  is  a  wife?  I  do  not  know 
what  a  wife  is,  nor  does  my  society.  She  is  my  harlot." 
And  then  she  inspired  the  man  with  lascivious  desire,  which 
also  sirens  are  skilled  in  doing;  and  on  receiving  it  he 
kissed  her,  and  said,  "  Ah,  my  Adonis  !  "  But  to  proceed 
to  serious  things  :  I  asked  the  satan  what  was  his  employ- 
ment ;  and  he  said,  "  My  employment  is  the  pursuit  of 
learning :  do  you  not  see  the  laurel  upon  my  head  ? "  for 
his  Adonis  had  formed  this  by  her  art,  and  standing  behind 
she  placed  it  upon  his  head.  And  I  said,  "  Since  you  are 
come  from  a  society  where  there  are  schools  of  learning, 
tell  me  what  you  believe  and  what  your  associates  believe 
concerning  God."  He  replied,  "  Our  God  is  the  universe, 
which  also  we  call  nature,  and  which  the  simple  among  us 
call  the  atmosphere,  by  which  they  mean  the  air ;  but  the  wise 


No.  So.]      CONCERNING  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


137 


call  it  the  atmosphere,  meaning  the  ether  also.  God,  heaven, 
angels,  and  the  like,  about  which  many  tell  various  stories  in 
this  world,  are  empty  words  and  fictions  taken  from  meteors 
which  play  before  the  eyes  of  many  here.  Are  not  all  the 
things  which  appear  upon  the  earth  created  by  the  sun  ? 
Are  not  worms,  with  wings  and  without  wings,  produced  at 
every  coming  of  the  sun,  in  the  time  of  spring  ?  And  do 
not  the  birds,  from  its  heat,  mutually  love  each  other  and 
breed  ?  Does  not  the  earth,  warmed  by  its  heat,  from  seeds 
bring  forth  plants,  and  at  length  fruits,  as  an  offspring? 
[s  not  thus  the  universe  a  God  and  nature  a  Goddess ; 
and  does  not  she  as  the  partner  of  the  universe  conceive, 
bring  forth,  educate,  and  nourish  them  ?  "  I  asked  further, 
what  he  and  his  society  believed  concerning  religion.  He 
replied  :  "  Religion,  with  those  of  us  who  are  more  learned 
than  the  multitude,  is  nothing  but  a  charm  for  the  common 
people,  which  is  as  it  were  an  aura  about  the  sensitive  and 
imaginative  powers  of  their  mind,  in  which  the  ideas  of 
piety  fly  like  butterflies  in  the  air ;  and  their  faith,  which 
connects  those  ideas  as  it  were  in  a  chain,  is  like  a  silk- 
worm in  its  silken  envelope,  from  which  it  flies  forth  as  the 
king  of  butterflies.  For  the  common  herd  of  the  illiterate 
love  images  above  the  sensual  things  of  the  body  and  of 
the  thought  thence,  on  account  of  their  strong  desire  to 
fly ;  thus,  also,  they  make  for  themselves  wings,  that  they 
may  raise  themselves  on  high  like  eagles,  and  boastfully  cry 
to  those  on  the  ground,  '  Look  at  me.'  But  we  believe  what 
we  see,  and  love  what  we  touch."  And  then  he  touched 
his  harlot,  and  said,  "  I  believe  in  this,  because  I  see  and 
touch  it ;  but  as  for  such  ridiculous  things,  we  cast  them 
out  through  the  windows  from  which  we  look,  and  drive 
them  away  with  a  blast  of  ridicule."  Afterwards,  I  asked 
what  he,  together  with  his  associates,  believed  concerning 
heaven  and  hell.  He  replied,  with  a  loud  laugh,  "What 
is  heaven  but  the  ethereal  firmament  in  its  height?  and 
what  are  the  angels  there  but  spots  wandering  about  the 


I38  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  I. 


sun  ?  and  the  archangels  but  comets  with  a  long  tail,  on 
which  dwell  a  troop  of  them  ?  And  what  is  hell  but  bogs 
where  are  frogs  and  crocodiles,  which  in  the  imagination  of 
those  people  are  devils  ?  Beyond  these  ideas  concerning 
heaven  and  hell  all  others  are  trifles,  introduced  by  some 
primate  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring  glory  from  an  ignorant 
populace."  But  all  these  things  he  spoke  just  as  he  had 
thought  concerning  them  in  the  world,  not  knowing  that  he 
was  living  after  death,  and  having  forgotten  all  that  he 
heard  when  he  first  entered  the  world  of  spirits ;  where- 
fore, also,  to  an  inquiry  concerning  a  life  after  death  he 
replied,  "  It  is  an  imaginary  entity ;  and  perhaps  some 
effluvium  arising  from  a  dead  body  in  the  tomb,  in  form 
as  a  man,  or  something  which  is  called  a  spectre,  about 
which  some  people  tell  fabulous  stories,  introduced  some 
such  thing  into  the  imaginations  of  men."  On  hearing 
these  words  I  could  no  longer  restrain  my  laughter  from 
breaking  out,  and  I  said,  "  Satan,  you  are  raving  mad. 
Why,  now,  are  you  not  in  form  a  man  ?  Do  you  not  speak, 
see,  hear,  and  walk  ?  Recollect  that  you  once  lived  in  an- 
other world,  which  you  have  forgotten,  and  that  now  you 
are  living  after  death,  and  that  you  have  been  talking  just 
as  you  did  before."  And  recollection  was  given  to  him, 
and  he  remembered,  and  then  he  was  ashamed,  and  cried, 
"  I  am  mad :  I  saw  heaven  above,  and  heard  angels  there 
speaking  ineffable  things  ;  but  this  was  when  I  had  recently 
arrived  here ;  but  now  I  will  retain  this,  in  order  to  relate 
it  to  my  companions  from  whom  I  came,  and  perhaps  they 
likewise  will  then  be  ashamed."  And  he  kept  it  on  his 
tongue,  that  he  would  call  them  mad  ;  but,  as  he  de- 
scended, forgetfulness  expelled  recollection,  and  when  he 
was  there,  he  was  as  mad  as  ever,  and  called  those  things 
which  he  heard  from  me  nonsense.  Such  is  the  state  of 
thought  and  speech  of  satans  after  death.  They  are  called 
satans  who  have  confirmed  themselves  in  falsities,  even  to 
belief,  and  they  are  called  devils  who  have  confirmed  evils 
in  themselves  by  the  life. 


CHAPTER  SECOND. 


CONCERNING  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 

8 1.  In  the  former  chapter  we  have  treated  of  God  the 
Creator,  and  at  the  same  time  of  Creation ;  but  in  this 
chapter  we  are  to  treat  of  the  Lord  the  Redeemer,  and  at 
the  same  time  also  of  Redemption ;  and  in  the  following 
chapter,  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  at  the  same  time  of  the 
Divine  Operation.  By  the  Lord  the  Redeemer  we  mean 
Jehovah  in  the  Human  ;  for  that  Jehovah  Himself  de- 
scended and  assumed  the  Human  for  the  purpose  of 
accomplishing  redemption  will  be  demonstrated  in  what 
follows.  The  reason  why  it  is  said  the  Lord,  and  not 
Jehovah,  is  because  Jehovah  in  the  Old  Testament  is 
called  the  Lord  in  the  New,  as  is  evident  from  these  pas- 
sages :  It  is  said  in  Moses,  Hear,  O  Lsrael,  Jehovah  our* 
God  is  one  Jehovah ;  and  thou  shall  love  Jehovah  thy  God 
with  all  thy  heart  and  with  all  thy  soul  (Deut.  vi.  4,  5)  ;  but 
in  Mark,  The  Lord  our*  God  is  one  Lord,  and  thou  shall 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart  and  with  all  thy 
soul  (xii.  29,  30) ;  also  in  Isaiah,  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  Jeho- 
vah ;  make  smooth  in  the  desert  a  highway  for  our  God  (xl.  3)  ; 
but  in  Luke,  Thou  s  halt  go  before  the  face  of  the  Lord  to  pre 
pare  His  ways  (i.  76)  ;  besides  other  passages.  And  also 
the  Lord  commanded  His  disciples  to  call  Him  Lord,  and 
therefore  He  was  so  called  by  the  apostles  in  their  Epistles, 
and  afterwards  by  the  apostolic  church,  as  appears  from  its 
creed,  which  is  called  the  "  Apostles'  Creed."  The  reason 
was,  because  the  Jews  durst  not  use  the  name  Jehovah,  on 
account  of  its  sanctity ;  and  also  by  Jehovah  is  meant  the 

*  The  Latin  here  reads  vester,  your. 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


Divine  Esse,  which  was  from  eternity,  and  the  human 
which  He  assumed  in  time  was  not  that  Esse.  What  the 
Divine  Esse  or  Jehovah  is,  was  shown  in  the  foregoing 
chapter  (n.  18  to  26,  and  n.  27  to  35).  For  this  reason, 
here  and  in  what  follows,  by  the  Lord  we  mean  Jehovah  in 
His  Human.  Now,  because  cognition  of  the  Lord  sur- 
passes in  excellence  all  the  cognitions  which  are  in  the 
church,  yes,  those  which  are  in  heaven,  the  arrangement 
shall  be  so  ordered  that  that  cognition  may  come  into  the 
light,  which  therefore  will  be  this  :  I.  Jehovah,  the  Creator 
of  the  universe,  descended  and  assumed  the  Human,  that  He 
might  redeem  and  save  men.  II.  He  descended  as  the  Divine 
Truth,  which  is  the  Word,  and  yet  He  did  not  separate  the 
Divine  Good.  III.  He  assumed  the  Human  accordi?ig  to 
His  Divine  order.  IV.  The  Human  by  which  He  sent 
Himself  into  the  world,  is  what  is  called  the  Son  of  God. 
V.  The  Lord,  by  acts  of  redemption,  made  Himself  righteous- 
ness. VI.  By  the  same  acts,  He  united  Himself  to  the  Father, 
and  the  Father  Himself  to  Him  ;  also  according  to  Divine 
order.  VII.  Thus  God  became  Man,  and  Man  God,  in  one 
person.  VIII.  The  progression  to  union  was  the  state  of  His 
exinanition  [out-pouring  or  emptying'],  and  the  union  itself  is  the 
state  of  His  glorificatiofi.  IX.  Hereafter  no  one  from  among 
Christians  comes  i?ito  heave?i,  unless  he  believes  in  the  Lord 
God  the  Saviour,  and  goes  to  Him  alone.  But  these  things 
shall  be  explained  one  by  one. 

82.  I.  Jehovah  God,  [the  Creator  of  the  Universe,] 

DESCENDED  AND  ASSUMED  THE  HUMAN,  THAT  He  MIGHT 
REDEEM  AND  SAVE  MEN. 

In  the  Christian  churches  at  this  day  it  is  believed  that 
God  the  Creator  of  the  universe  begat  a  Son  from  eternity, 
and  that  this  Son  descended  and  assumed  the  Human  to 
redeem  and  save  men ;  but  this  is  erroneous,  and  falls  of 
itself  while  it  is  considered  that  God  is  one,  and  that  it  is 
more  than  fabulous  in  the  eye  of  reason  that  the  one  God 


No.  82.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


141 


begat  any  Son  from  eternity,  and  also  that  God  the  Father, 
together  with  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  each  of  whom 
singly  is  God,  is  one  God.  This  fabulous  representation  is 
entirely  dissipated,  as  a  falling  star  to  air,  while  it  is  de- 
monstrated from  the  Word  that  Jehovah  God  Himself 
descended  and  became  Man  and  also  Redeemer.  As 
regards  the  first,  that  Jehovah  God  Himself  descended  and 
became  Man  is  evident  from  these  passages  :  Behold  a  Vir- 
gin shall  conceive  and  bear  a  Son,  Who  shall  be  called  God 
with  us  (Isa.  vii.  14;  Matt.  i.  22,  23).  Unto  us  a  Child  is 
born  ;  unto  us  a  Son  is  give?i ;  and  the  government  shall  be 
upon  His  shoulder,  and  His  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful, 
[Counsellor^  God,  Mighty,  Father  of  Eternity,  the  Prince 
of  Peace  (Isa.  ix.  6).  //  shall  be  said  in  that  day,  Lo,  this  is 
our  God,  we  have  waited  for  Him  to  deliver  us  ;  this  is  Jeho- 
vah, we  have  waited  for  Him  ;  let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice  in 
His  salvation  (xxv.  9).  The  voice  of  one  cryi?ig  in  the  wilder- 
ness, Prepare  ye  the  way  of  Jehovah  ;  make  smooth  in  the 
desert  a  highway  for  our  God  \  and  all flesh  shall  see  it  together 
(xl.  3,  5).  Behold,  the  Lord  Jehovth  cometh  in  strength, 
and  His  arm  shall  rule  for  Him  ;  behold,  His  reward  is  with 
Him,  and  He  shall  feed  His  flock  like  a  shepherd  (xl.  10,  11). 
Jehovah  said,  Sing  and  rejoice,  O  daughter  of  Zion  ;  for  lo, 
I  come  to  dwell  in  the  midst  of  thee ;  then  many  nations  shall 
cleave  to  Jehovah  in  that  day  (Zech.  ii.  10,  11).  I  Jehovah 
have  called  thee  in  righteousness,  and  I  will  give  thee  for  a 
covenant  of  the  people ;  I  am  Jehovah;  this  is  my  name, 

AND  MY  GLORY  I  WILL  NOT  GIVE  TO  ANOTHER  (Isa.  xlii.  6,  8). 

Behold,  the  days  are  coming,  when  I  will  raise  up  unto  David 
a  righteous  Branch,  Who  shall  reign  King,  and  do  judgment 
and  justice  in  the  earth,  and  this  is  His  name,  Jehovah  our 
Righteousness  (Jer.  xxiii.  5,  6  ■  xxxiii.  15,  16)  ;  beside 
many  passages  where  the  coming  of  the  Lord  is  called 
the  day  of  Jehovah,  as  Isaiah  xiii.  6,  9,  13,  22  ;  Ez. 
xxxi.  15;  Joel  i.  15;  ii.  1,  2,  11,  29,  31;  iii.  1,  14,  18;  Amos 
v.  13,  18,  20;  Zeph.  i.  7-18;  Zech.  xiv.  1,  4-21;  and  other 


142 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  It 


places.  That  Jehovah  Himself  descended  and  assumed 
the  Human  is  very  evident  in  Luke,  where  are  these  words : 
Mary  said  to  the  angel*  How  shall  this  be,  since  I  know  not  a 
man  ?  To  whom  the  angel  replied,  The  Holy  Spirit  shall  come 
upon  thee,  and  the  power  of  the  Highest  shall  overshadow  thee; 
therefore  the  Holy  Thing  that  is  born  of  thee,  shall  be  called  the 
Son  of  God  (i.  34,  35).  And  in  Matthew :  The  angel  said  to 
Joseph,  the  bridegroom  of  Mary,  in  a  dream,  That  which  is 
born  in  her  is  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  Joseph  knew  her  not, 
until  she  brought  forth  a  Son,  and  called  His  name  Jesus 
(i.  20,  25).  That  by  the  Holy  Spirit  is  meant  the  Divine 
which  proceeds  from  Jehovah  will  be  seen  in  the  third 
chapter  of  this  work.  Who  does  not  know  that  tlie  child 
has  the  soul  and  life  from  the  father,  and  that  the  body  is 
from  the  soul  ?  What  therefore  is  said  more  plahJy,  than 
that  the  Lord  had  His  soul  and  life  from  Jehovah  God  ? 
and,  because  the  Divine  cannot  be  divided,  that  the  Divine 
of  the  Father  was  itself  His  soul  and  life?  Wheiefore  the 
Lord  so  often  called  Jehovah  God  His  Father,  and  Jehovah 
God  called  Him  His  Son.  What  then  can  be  heard  more 
ridiculous  than  that  the  soul  of  our  Lord  was  from  the 
mother  Mary  ?  as  both  the  Roman  Catholics  and  the  Re- 
formed at  this  day  dream,  not  having  as  yet  been  awakened 
by  the  Word. 

83.  That  any  Son  born  from  eternity  descended  and 
assumed  the  Human,  utterly  falls  as  erroneous,  and  is  dis- 
sipated, from  the  passages  in  the  Word  in  which  Jehovah 
Himself  says  that  He  Himself  is  the  Saviour  and  the  Re- 
deemer, which  are  the  following:  Am  not  f  Jehovah  ?  and 
there  is  710  God  else  beside  Me  ;  a  just  God  and  a  Saviour 

THERE  IS  NONE  BESIDE  Me  (Isa.  xlv.  21,  22).     I  am  JEHO- 

vah,  and  beside  Me  there  is  no  Saviour  (xliii.  n).  I 
Jehovah  am  thy  God,  and  thou  shalt  acknowledge  no  God 
beside  Me,  and  there  is  no  Saviour  beside  Me  (Hos. 
xiii.  4).  That  all  flesh  may  know  that  I  Jehovah  am  thy 
Saviour  and  thy  Redeemer  (Isa.  xlix.  26  ;  lx.  16).    Ar  for 


No.  84.]  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


143 


our  Redeemer,  Jeho.vah  Zebaoth  is  His  name  (xlvii.  4). 
Their  Redeemer  is  strong;  Jehovah  Zebaoth  is  His 
name  (Jer.  L  34).  Jehovah,  my  Rock  and  my  Redeemer 
(Ps.  xix.  14).  Thus  said  Jehovah,  thy  Redeemer,  the 
Holy  One  of  Israel,  I  am  Jehovah  thy  God  (Isa.  xlviii.  17  j 
xliii.  14 ;  xlix.  7).  Thus  said  Jehovah  thy  Redeemer,  I  am 
Jehovah,  that  maketh  all  things,  ruen  alone  by  Myself  (xiiv. 
24).  Thus  said  Jehovah,  the  King  of  Israel,  and  His  Re- 
deemer, Jehovah  Zebaoth,  /  am  the  First  and  the  Last, 
and  beside  Me  there  is  710  God  (xliv.  6).  Thou,  Jehovah, 
art  our  Father,  our  Redeemer  from  everlasting  is  thy  name 
(lxiii.  16).  With  everlasting  kindness  will  I  have  mercy  on 
thee,  said  jehovah  thy  Redeemer  (liv.  8).  Thou  hast  re- 
deemed me,  Jehovah,  God  of  truth  (Ps.  xxxi.  5).  Let 
Israel  hope  in  Jehovah,  for  with  Jehovah  is  mercy,  and  with 
Him  is  plenteous  Redemption,  and  He  will  redeem  Israel 
from  all  his  iniquities  (exxx.  7,  8).  Jehovah  Zebaoth  is 
His  Name;  and  thy  Redeemer  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  the 
God  of  the  whole  earth  shall  He  be  called  (Isa. 
liv.  5).  From  these  passages  and  very  many  others,  every 
man  who  has  eyes,  and  whose  mind  has  been  opened  by 
means  of  them,  can  see  that  God,  Who  is  one,  descended 
and  became  Man  for  the  purpose  of  accomplishing  the 
work  of  redemption.  Who  cannot  see  this  as  in  the  morn- 
ing light  while  he  attends  to  these  the  Divine  declarations 
themselves,  which  have  been  presented  ?  But  those  who 
are  in  the  shade  of  night,  from  confirmation  in  favor  of  the 
birth  of  another  God  from  eternity,  and  of  His  descent  and 
redemption,  close  their  eyes  to  those  Divine  declarations, 
and  in  that  state  think  how  they  may  apply  them  to  their 
falsities,  and  pervert  them. 

84.  There  are  several  reasons,  which  will  be  explained  in 
course  in  the  following  pages,  why  God  could  not  redeem 
men,  that  is,  deliver  them  from  damnation  and  hell,  except 
by  the  assumed  Human ;  for  redemption  was  the  subjuga- 
tion of  the  hells,  and  the  arrangement  of  the  heavens  in 


144         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  II. 


order,  and,  after  this,  the  establishment  of  a  church  :  these 
things  God  by  His  omnipotence  could  not  effect  except  by- 
means  of  the  Human ;  as  no  one  can  work  unless  he  has 
an  arm ;  and  His  Human  is  called  in  the  Word  the  Arm 
of  jfehovah  (Isa.  xl.  to;  liii.  i) ;  and  also  as  no  one  can 
attack  a  fortified  city,  and  destroy  the  temples  of  the  idols 
which  are  therein,  except  by  means  of  proper  powers.  That 
in  this  Divine  work  God  had  omnipotence  by  means  of  His 
Human  is  manifest  also  from  the  Word ;  for  God,  who  is 
in  the  inmost  and  thus  the  purest  things,  in  vain  could  pass 
in  any  other  way  to  the  things  farthest  off,  in  which  the 
hells  are  and  in  which  the  men  of  that  time  were,  compara- 
tively as  the  soul  cannot  do  any  thing  without  a  body,  or 
as  no  one  can  conquer  enemies  who  do  not  come  into  His 
sight,  or  to  whom  He  cannot  come  and  reach  with  any 
arms,  as  spears,  shields,  or  muskets.  To  accomplish  the 
work  of  redemption  without  the  Human  was  as  impossible 
for  God  as  it  is  for  man  to  subjugate  the  Indies  without 
transporting  soldiers  thither  by  means  of  ships  ;  or  as  it  is  to 
make  trees  grow  only  by  the  heat  and  light  of  the  sun,  with- 
out the  creation  of  the  air  through  which  the  heat  and  light 
might  pass,  and  without  the  creation  of  the  earth,  out  of 
which  they  might  be  produced  ;  nay,  it  is  as  impossible  as 
to  cast  nets  into  the  air  and  catch  fishes  there,  and  not  in 
the  water ;  for  Jehovah,  as  He  is  in  Himself,  cannot  by  His 
omnipotence  touch  any  devil  in  hell  nor  any  devil  upon 
earth,  and  repress  Him  and  His  fury,  and  subdue  His  vio- 
lence, unless  He  be  in  the  lasts  as  He  is  in  the  firsts :  He 
is  in  the  lasts  in  His  Human ;  wherefore,  in  the  Word,  He 
is  called  the  First  and  the  Last,  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega, 
the  Beginning  and  the  End. 

85.  II.  Jehovah  descended  as  the  Divine  Truth, 
which  is  the  Word,  and  yet  He  did  not  separate 
the  Divine  Good. 

There  are  two  things  which  make  God's  essence,  the 


No.  85.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


145 


Divine  Love  and  the  Divine  Wisdom ;  or,  what  is  the  same, 
the  Divine  Good  and  the  Divine  Truth.  That  these  two 
are  the  essence  of  God  was  demonstrated  above  (n.  36  to 
48).  These  two  in  the  Word  are  meant  also  by  Jehovah 
God ;  by  Jehovah,  the  Divine  Love  or  the  Divine  Good, 
and  by  God,  the  Divine  Wisdom  or  the  Divine  Truth ; 
thence  it  is  that  in  the  Word  they  are  distinguished  in  vari- 
ous ways,  and  sometimes  only  Jehovah  is  named,  and  some- 
times only  God ;  for  where  it  is  treated  of  the  Divine  Good, 
there  it  is  said  Jehovah ;  and  where  of  the  Divine  Truth, 
there  God ;  and  where  of  both,  there  Jehovah  God.  That 
Jehovah  God  descended  as  the  Divine  Truth,  which  is  the 
Word,  is  evident  in  John,  where  are  these  words  :  In  the 
beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and 
the  Word  was  God.  All  things  were  made  by  Him,  and  with- 
out Him  was  not  any  thing  made  that  was  made.  And  the 
Word  became  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us  (i.  1,  3,  14).  That 
by  the  Word  is  there  meant  the  Divine  Truth,  is  because 
the  Word  which  is  in  the  church  is  the  Divine  Truth  itself ; 
for  it  was  dictated  by  Jehovah  Himself,  and  what  is  dic- 
tated by  Jehovah  is  purely  the  Divine  Truth,  and  can  be  no 
other ;  but  because  that  passed  through  the  heavens,  even 
into  the  world,  it  became  accommodated  to  the  angels  in 
heaven  and  also  to  men  in  the  world.  Thence  there  is  in 
the  Word  a  spiritual  sense  in  which  Divine  Truth  is  in  light, 
and  a  natural  sense  in  which  Divine  Truth  is  in  shade ; 
wherefore  the  Divine  Truth  in  this  Word  is  what  is  meant 
in  John.  This  appears  still  further  from  this,  that  the  Lord 
came  into  the  world  that  He  might  fulfil  all  things  of  the 
Word ;  wherefore  it  is  so  often  read  that  this  and  that  was 
done  by  Him  that  the  Scripture  might  be  fulfilled.  Nor  is 
any  other  than  the  Divine  Truth  meant  by  the  Messiah  or 
Christ ;  nor  any  other  by  the  Son  of  Man  ;  nor  any  other 
by  the  Comforter,  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  the  Lord  sent 
after  His  departure.  That  He  represented  Himself  as 
that  Word,  in  His  transfiguration  before  the  three  disci- 

VOL.  I.  7 


146         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  II 

pies  on  the  mount  (Matt,  xvii.,  Mark  ix.,  and  Luke  ix.),  and 
also  before  John  (Apoc.  i.  12-16),  will  be  seen  in  the  chap- 
ter concerning  the  Sacred  Scripture.  That  the  Lord, 
in  the  world,  was  the  Divine  Truth,  appears  from  His  own 
words  :  lam  the  Way,  the  Truth  and  the  Life  (John  xiv,  6)  ; 
and  from  these,  We  know  that  the  Son  of  God  hath  come,  and 
given  us  understanding,  that  we  may  know  the  truth,  and  we 
are  in  the  truth,  in  His  Son  Jesus  Christ  :  This  is  the 
true  God  and  eternal  life  (1  John  v.  20)  ;  and  still  further  by 
His  being  called  the  light,  as  in  these  passages  :  He  was 
the  true  light,  which  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the 
world  (John  i.  9).  Jesus  said,  Yet  a  little  while  is  the  light 
with  you :  walk  while  ye  have  the  light,  lest  darkness  come 
upon  you :  while  ye  have  light,  believe  in  the  light,  that  ye 
may  be  children  of  light  (xii.  35,  36  ;  46).  I  am  the  light 
of  the  world  (ix.  5).  Simeon  said,  Mine  eyes  have  seen  Thy 
salvation,  a  light  to  lighten  the  gentiles  (Luke  ii.  30,  32). 
This  is  the  judgment,  that  light  hath  come  i?ito  the  world ; 
he  that  doeth  the  truth,  cometh  to  the  light  (John  iii.  19, 
21);  besides  other  places.  By  the  light  is  meant  the  Divine 
Truth. 

86.  The  reason  why  Jehovah  God  descended  into  the 
world  as  the  Divine  Truth  was  that  He  might  do  the  work 
of  redemption ;  and  redemption  was  the  subjugation  of  the 
hells,  the  arrangement  of  the  heavens  in  order,  and,  after 
this,  the  establishment  of  a  church.  To  effect  these  things 
the  Divine  Good  does  not  avail,  but  the  Divine  Truth 
from  the  Divine  Good  :  the  Divine  Good,  considered  in 
itself,  is  as  the  round  hilt  of  a  sword,  or  as  blunt  wood,  or 
as  a  bow  by  itself ;  but  the  Divine  Truth  from  the  Divine 
Good  is  as  a  sharp  sword,  and  as  wood  in  the  form  of  a 
spear,  and  as  a  bow  with  arrows,  which  are  serviceable 
against  an  enemy.  By  swords,  spears,  and  bows,  in  the 
spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  also  are  meant  truths  fighting : 
see  "  Apocalypse  Revealed"  (n.  52,  299,  436),  where  this  is. 
demonstrated:  nor  could  the  falsities  and  evils  in  which  all 


No.  87.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


147 


hell  was  and  always  is,  be  attacked,  conquered,  and  subju- 
gated otherwise  than  by  the  Divine  truth  from  the  Word ; 
nor  could  the  new  heaven,  which  also  was  then  ma*de,  be 
founded,  formed,  and  arranged  in  order  by  any  other  means ; 
nor  could  the  New  Church  upon  earth  be  established  by  any 
other  means.  Moreover,  all  the  strength,  all  the  virtue,  and 
all  the  power  of  God,  is  of  the  Divine  truth  from  the  Divine 
good.  This  was  the  reason  why  Jehovah  God  descended 
as  Divine  truth,  which  is  the  Word ;  therefore  it  is  said  in 
David,  Gird  Thy  sword  upo?i  Thy  thigh,  O  Mighty  One,  and 
in  Thine  honor  7nount  up ;  ride  upon  the  Word  of  Truth  ; 
Thy  right  hand  will  teach  Thee  wonderful  things;  Thy  weapons 
are  sharp  ;  Thine  enemies  shall  fall  under  Thee  (Ps.  xlv.  3, 4,  5). 
These  words  are  concerning  the  Lord,  and  concerning  His 
combats  with  the  hells,  and  concerning  His  victories  over 
them. 

87.  What  good  without  truth  is,  and  what  truth  from  good 
is,  appears  manifestly  from  man  j  all  his  good  resides  in  the 
will,  and  all  his  truth  in  the  understanding ;  and  the  will 
from  its  good  cannot  do  any  thing  except  by  the  under- 
standing ;  it  cannot  work,  it  cannot  speak,  it  cannot  feel  j 
all  its  virtue  and  power  is  by  means  of  the  understanding, 
consequently  by  means  of  truth,  for  the  understanding  is 
the  receptacle  and  habitation  of  truth.  The  case  is  similar 
with  these  as  with  the  operation  of  the  heart  and  lungs  in  the 
body ;  the  heart,  without  the  respiration  of  the  lungs,  does 
not  produce  any  motion  or  any  feeling,  but  the  respiration 
of  the  lungs  from  the  heart  does  both ;  which  is  evident 
in  the  swooning  of  persons  who  are  suffocated  or  who  have 
fallen  into  the  water,  in  whom  respiration  ceases  while  the 
systolic  activity  of  the  heart  still  continues ;  that  such  have 
neither  motion  nor  feeling  is  known.  It  is  similar  with  em- 
bryos in  the  mother's  womb.  The  reason  is,  because  the 
heart  corresponds  to  the  will  and  its  goods,  and  the  lungs 
to  the  understanding  and  its  truths.  In  the  spiritual  world, 
the  power  of  truth  is  most  conspicuous.   An  angel  who  is  in 


148  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  II. 

Divine  truths  from  the  Lord,  although  as  to  the  body  weak 
as  an  infant,  can  still  put  to  flight,  pursue  to  hell,  and  thrust 
into  the  caverns  there,  a  troop  of  infernal  spirits  appearing 
as  the  Anakim  and  the  Nephilim,  that  is,  as  giants ;  and 
when  they  go  out  of  the  caverns,  they  dare  not  approach  the 
angel.  Those  who  are  in  Divine  truths  from  the  Lord  are 
in  that  world  as  lions,  although  as  to  their  bodies  they  have 
no  more  strength  than  sheep.  It  is  similar  with  men  who 
are  in  Divine  truths  from  the  Lord,  when  acting  against  evils 
and  falsities,  consequently  against  bands  of  devils,  who,  con- 
sidered in  their  essence,  are  no  other  than  evils  and  falsi- 
ties. The  reason  why  there  is  such  strength  inherent  in 
Divine  truth  is  because  God  is  Good  itself  and  Truth  itself, 
and  He  created  the  universe  by  the  Divine  truth ;  and  all 
the  laws  of  order,  by  which  Lie  preserves  the  universe,  are 
truths.  Wherefore  it  is  said  in  John  that  By  the  Word  all 
things  were  made,  and  without  it  ?tothing  was  made  that  was 
made  (i.  3,  10)  ;  and  in  David,  By  the  Word  of  Jehovah  were 
the  heavens  made,  and  all  the  host  of  them  by  the  breath  of  His 
mouth  (Ps.  xxxiii.  6). 

88.  That  God,  although  He  descended  as  the  Divine 
truth,  still  did  not  separate  the  Divine  good,  is  evident 
from  the  conception,  concerning  which  it  is  read,  that  The 
power  of  the  Highest  overshadowed  Mary  (Luke  i.  35) ;  and 
by  the  power  of  the  Highest  is  meant  the  Divine  good. 
The  same  is  evident  from  the  passages  where  He  says  that 
the  Father  is  in  Him,  and  He  in  the  Father ;  that  all  thingb 
of  the  Father  are  His  j  and  that  the  Father  and  He  are 
one;  and  from  other  passages.  By  the  Father  is  meant  the 
Divine  Good. 

89.  III.  God  assumed  the  Human  according  to  His 
Divine  Order. 

In  the  section  concerning  the  Divine  Omnipotence  and 
Omniscience,  it  was  shown  that  God  at  the  creation  intro- 
duced order  into  the  universe,  and  into  all  and  every  part 


No.  89.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


149 


of  it ;  and  that  therefore  the  omnipotence  of  God,  in  the 
universe  and  in  all  and  every  part  of  it,  proceeds  and  oper- 
ates according  to  the  laws  of  His  Divine  order,  concerning 
which  we  have  treated  above  in  a  series  (from  n.  47  to  74). 
Now,  because  God  descended,  and  because  He  is  Order 
itself,  as  also  was  there  demonstrated,  in  order  that  He 
also  might  become  Man  actually,  He  could  not  but  be  con 
ceived,  carried  in  the  womb,  brought  forth,  educated,  and 
successively  gain  knowledges,  and  by  them  be  introduced 
into  intelligence  and  wisdom.  Wherefore,  as  to  the  Human, 
He  was  an  infant  as  an  infant,  a  boy  as  a  boy,  &c. ;  with 
this  difference  only,  that  He  accomplished  that  progression 
sooner,  more  fully  and  more  perfectly,  than  others.  That 
He  advanced  thus  progressively  according  to  order,  is  evi- 
dent from  these  words  in  Luke  :  And  the  Child  Jesus  grew, 
and  waxed  strong  in  spirit,  and  increased  in  wisdom  and  stat- 
uj-e,  and  in  favor  with  God  and  man  (ii.  40,  52).  That  He 
d-d  so  sooner,  more  fully  and  more  perfectly  than  others, 
is  manifest  from  those  things  which  are  said  of  Him  in  the 
same  Evangelist ;  as  that  when  He  was  a  Boy  of  twelve  years, 
He  sat  in  the  temple  in  the  midst  of  the  doctors,  and  taught ; 
and  that  all  who  heard  Him  were  astonished  at  His  under- 
s  tan  ding  and  answers  (ii.  46,  47;  see  also  chap.  iv.  iG- 
22,  32).  This  was  done  because  the  Divine  order  is  that 
man  should  prepare  himself  for  the  reception  of  God ;  and 
as  he  prepares  himself,  so  God  enters  into  him  as  into  His 
habitation  and  house  ;  and  that  preparation  is  made  by 
means  of  cognitions  concerning  God  and  concerning  the 
spiritual  things  which  are  of  the  church,  and  thus  by  intel- 
ligence and  wisdom  ;  for  it  is  a  law  of  order  that  as  far  as 
man  approaches  and  draws  near  to  God  (which  he  must  do 
altogether  as  from  himself),  so  far  God  approaches  and 
draws  near  to  man,  and  in  the  midst  conjoins  Himself  with 
him.  That  the  Lord  proceeded  according  to  this  order, 
even  to  union  with  His  Father,  will  be  further  demonstrated 
in  what  follows. 


150         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  II. 


90.  They  who  do  not  know  that  the  Divine  omnipotence 
proceeds  and  operates  according  to  order,  may  hatch  out 
of  their  fancy  many  things  opposite  and  contradictory  to 
sound  reason,  as  why  God  did  not  assume  the  Human  im- 
mediately, without  such  a  progression  ;  why  He  did  not 
create  or  compose  for  Himself  a  body  out  of  the  elements, 
from  the  four  quarters  of  the  world,  and  thus  exhibit  Him- 
self to  be  seen  as  God-Man,  before  the  Jewish  people,  nay, 
before  the  whole  world \  or,  if  He  would  be  born,  why  He 
did  not  infuse  into  the  embryo  itself,  or  into  Himself  as  an 
infant,  all  His  Divine ;  or  why  He  did  not,  after  His  birth, 
raise  Himself  up  to  the  stature  of  manhood,  and  instantly 
speak  from  the  Divine  wisdom.  Such  and  similar  things 
those  may  conceive  and  bring  forth  who  think  concerning 
the  Divine  omnipotence  without  order  •  and  thus  they  may 
fill  the  church  with  absurdities  and  trifles,  as  also  has  been 
done;  for  example,  that  God  could  beget  a  Son  from  eternity, 
and  cause  that  a  third  God  also  should  then  proceed  from 
Himself  and  the  Son ;  then  that  He  could  be  angry  with 
mankind,  give  them  over  to  destruction,  and  be  willing  to  be 
brought  back  to  mercy  by  His  Son,  and  this  by  His  inter- 
cession and  the  remembrance  of  His  cross ;  and,  moreover, 
that  He  could  put  into  man  the  righteousness  of  His  Son, 
and  insert  it  in  his  heart ;  like  the  simple  substance  of 
Wolfius,  in  which,  as  that  author  himself  says,  are  all  things 
of  the  Son's  merit,  but  that  it  cannot  be  divided,  since,  if 
it  be  divided,  it  falls  to  nothing ;  and,  moreover,  that  He 
can  as  by  a  papal  bull  remit  sins  to  whomsoever  He  will, 
or  purify  the  most  impious  person  from  his  dark  evils,  and 
thus  make  one  who  is  black  as  a  devil  white  as  an  angel  of 
light,  without  man's  moving  himself  any  more  than  a  stone, 
or  while  he  stands  still  as  a  statue  or  as  an  idol;  beside 
many  other  insane  notions,  which  those  who  maintain  that 
the  Divine  power  is  absolute,  without  a  recognition  or 
acknowledgment  of  order,  may  scatter  abroad  as  a  win- 
«ower  scatters  chaff  in  the  air.    These  in  spiritual  things, 


No.  92.I  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER.  151 


which  are  of  heaven  and  the  church,  and  thence  of  eternal 
life,  may  wander  from  Divine  truths,  like  a  blind  man  in 
the  woods,  who  now  falls  upon  stones,  now  dashes  his 
forehead  against  a  tree,  now  entangles  his  hair  in  its 
branches. 

91.  Divine  miracles  also  have  been  done  according  to 
Divine  order,  but  according  to  the  Order  of  the  Influx  of  the 
Spiritual  World  into  the' Natural ;  concerning  which  order 
no  one  has  hitherto  known  any  thing,  because  no  one  has 
known  any  thing  of  the  spiritual  world.  But  what  that 
order  is  will  be  made  manifest  in  its  time,  when  we  treat 
of  Divine  Miracles,  and  of  Magical  Miracles. 

92.  IV.  The  Human,  by  which  God  sent  Himself 
into  the  world,  is  the  Son  of  God. 

The  Lord  frequently  said  that  the  Father  sent  Him  into 
the  world,  and  that  He  was  sent  by  the  Father  j  as  Matt, 
x.  40;  xv.  24;  John  iii.  17,  34;  v.  23,  24,  36,  37,38  ;  vi.  29, 
39,  40,  44,  57  j  vii.  16,  18,  28,  29  1  viii.  16,  18,  29,  42  j  ix.  4 ; 
and  in  many  other  places ;  and  this  He  says,  because  by 
being  sent  into  the  world  is  meant  to  descend  and  come 
amongst  men  ;  and  this  was  done  through  the  Human,  which 
He  assumed  by  means  of  the  virgin  Mary;  and  also  the 
Human  is  actually  the  Son  of  God,  because  it  was  con- 
ceived of  Jehovah  God  as  a  Father,  according  to  Luke 
i.  32,  35.  He  is  called  the  Son  of  God,  the  Son  of  Man, 
and  the  Son  of  Mary ;  and  by  the  Son  of  God  is  meant 
Jehovah  God  in  His  Human  ;  by  the  Son  of  Man,  the  Lord 
as  to  the  Word  ;  and  by  the  son  of  Mar}-,  properly  the 
human  which  He  assumed.  That  by  the  Son  of  God  and 
by  the  Son  of  Man  those  two  things  are  meant  will  be  de- 
monstrated in  what  follows ;  that  by  the  son  of  Mary  is 
meant  the  merely  human  is  very  manifest  from  the  genera- 
tion of  men,  that  the  soul  is  from  the  father  and  the  body 
from  the  mother ;  for  the  soul  is  in  the  seed  of  the  father, 
and  it  is  clothed  with  a  body  in  the  mother  j  or,  what  is  the 


152  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


same,  all  the  spiritual  that  man  has  is  from  the  father,  and 
all  the  material  is  from  the  mother ;  as  to  the  Lord,  the 
Divine  which  He  had  was  from  Jehovah,  the  Father,  and 
the  human  was  from  the  mother ;  these  two  united  are  the 
Son  of  God.  That  it  is  so,  is  clearly  evident  from  the  na- 
tivity of  the  Lord,  concerning  which  this  is  written  in  Luke : 
The  angel  Gabriel  said  to  Mary,  The  Holy  Spirit  shall  come 
upon  thee,  and  the  power  of  the  Highest  shall  overshadow  tree; 
therefore  the  Holy  Thing  that  is  born  of  thee  shall  be  called  the 
Son  of  God  (i.  35).  The  Lord  called  Himself  Sent  by  the 
Father,  also  for  this  reason,  because  by  sent  is  signified  the 
same  as  by  angel;  for  angel,  in  the  original  language,  is  sent : 
for  it  is  said  in  Isaiah,  The  Angel  of  the  presence  of 
Jehovah  delivered  them;  in  His  love  and  His  pity  He  redeemed 
them  (lxiii.  9);  and  in  Malachi,  The  Lord,  Whom  ye  seek, 
shall  suddenly  come  to  His  temple,  even  the  Angel  of  the 
covenant,  Whom  ye  delight  hi  (hi.  1)  ;  besides  other  places. 
That  the  Divine  Trinity,  God  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit,  is  in  the  Lord,  and  that  the  Father  in  Him  is 
the  Divine  from  which  [are  all  things],  the  Son  the  Divine 
Human,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  the  proceeding  Divine,  will  be 
seen  in  the  third  chapter  of  this  work,  where  we  shall  treat 
of  the  Divine  Trinity. 

93.  Since  it  was  said  to  Mary  by  the  angel  Gabriel,  The 
Holy  Thing  which  shall  be  born  of  thee  shall  be  called  the  Son 
of  God,  passages  shall  be  adduced  from  the  Word  to  show 
that  the  Lord  as  to  the  Human  is  called  the  Holy  One 
of  Israel,  which  are  these:  I  was  seeing  in  visions ;  lo,  a 
Watcher  and  a  Holy  One  dzscendmgfrom  heaven  (Dan.  iv.  10, 
13).  God  came  fro?n  Teman,  and  the  Holy  One  from  mount 
Paran  (Hab.  iii.  3).  I  Jehovah,  the  Maker  of  Israel,  the 
Holy  One*  (Isa.  xlv.  11).  Thus  said  Jehovah,  the  Redeemer 
of  Israel,  His  Holy  One  (xlix.  7).  /  Jehovah  thy  God, 
the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  thy  Saviour  (xliii.  3).    As  fo* 


*  The  Latin  here  has  "  Sanctus  vestcr,"  "your  Holy  One." 


No.  93-]  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


153 


our  Redeemer,  Jehovah  Zebaoth  is  His  name,  the  Holy  One 
of  Israel  (xlvii.  4).  Thus  saith  Jehovah  your  Redeenier, 
the  Holy  One  of  Israel  (xliii.  14;  xlviii.  17).  Jehovah 
Zebaoth  is  His  7iame,  and  thy  Redeemer,  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel  (liv.  5).  They  tempted  God  and  [limited]  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel  (Ps.  lxxviii.  41).  They  have  forsaken  Jeho- 
vah and  have  provoked  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  (Isa. 
i.  4).  They  said,  Cause  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  to  cease 
from  before  us;  whe?'efore,  thus  said  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel  (xxx.  ii,  12).  Who  say,  Let  Him  hasten  His  work, 
that  we  may  see,  and  let  the  counsel  of  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel  draw  nigh  and  come  (v.  19).  In  that  day  they  shall 
stay  upon  Jehovah,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  in  truth 
(x.  20).  Cry  out  and  sing  aloud,  O  inhabitant*  of  Zion,  be- 
cause great  is  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  in  the  midst  of  thee 
(xii.  6).  Thus  saith  the  God  of  Israel ;  At  that  day  His 
eyes  shall  look  to  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  (xvii.  7).  The 
poor  among  men  shall  rejoice  in  the  Holy  One  of  Israel 
(xxix.  19;  xli.  16).  Their  land  was  filled  with  sin  against 
the  Holy  One  of  Israel  (Jer.  li.  5).  See  also  Isa. 
lv.  5 ;  lx.  9 ;  and  other  places.  By  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel  is  meant  the  Lord  as  to  the  Divine  Human  ;  for 
the  angel  said  to  Mary,  The  Holy  Thing  which  shall  be 
born  of  thee  shall  be  called  the  Son  of  God  (Luke  i.  35). 
That  Jehovah  and  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  are  one, 
although  they  are  named  as  if  distinct,  may  be  evident 
from  the  passages  also  here  adduced  to  show  that  Jeho- 
vah is  that  Holy  One  of  Israel.  That  the  Lord  is  called 
the  God  of  Israel,  is  evident  also  from  very  many  pas- 
sages, as  Isa.  xvii.  6  \  xxi.  10,  17 ;  xxiv.  15  j  xxix.  23  ;  Jer. 
vii.  3  ;  ix.  15  ;  xi.  3  j  xiii.  12  ;  xvi.  9  ;  xix.  3,  15  ;  xxiii.  2; 
xxiv.  5  ;  xxv.  15,  27  j  xxix.  4,  8,  21,  25  ;  xxx.  2  ;  xxxi.  iyt 
xxxii.  14,  15,  36  ;  xxxiii.  4  ;  xxxiv.  2,  13  ;  xxxv.  13,  17,  18, 
19;  xxxvii.  7;  xxxviii.  17;  xxxix.  16;  xlii.  9,  15,  18;  xliiL 


The  Latin  here  has  "daughter.'' 
7* 


154 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


10 ;  xliv.  2,  7,  ii,  25  ;  xlviii.  1 ;  1.  18  ;  li.  33.  Ezek.  viii.  4 ; 
ix.  3  ;  x.  19,  20 ;  xi.  22  ;  xliii.  2  ;  xliv.  2.  Zeph.  ii.  9.  Ps.  xli. 
13  ;  lix.  5  ;  Ixviii.  8. 

94.  In  the  Christian  churches  at  the  present  time,  it  is 
common  to  call  the  Lord  our  Saviour  the  Son  of  Mary,  and 
rarely  the  Son  of  God  unless  they  then  mean  a  Son  of  God 
born  from  eternity:  the  reason  of  this  is  that  the  Roman 
Catholics  have  sanctified  Mary  the  mother  above  the  rest, 
and  have  exalted  her  as  a  goddess  or  queen  over  all  their 
saints ;  when  yet  the  Lord,  when  He  glorified  His  Human, 
put  off  all  of  His  mother,  and  put  on  all  of  the  Father, 
which  will  be  fully  demonstrated  in  the  following  parts  of 
this  work.  From  this  common  saying  in  the  mouth  of  all, 
that  He  is  called  the  Son  of  Mary,  many  enormities  have 
flowed  into  the  church,  especially  with  those  who  have  not 
admitted  into  their  judgment  those  things  which  are  said 
in  the  Word  concerning  the  Lord,  as  that  the  Father  and  He 
are  one ;  that  He  is  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  Him  ; 
that  all  things  of  the  Father  are  His  ;  that  He  called  Jehovah 
His  Father,  and  Jehovah  the  Father  called  Him  His  Son. 
The  enormities  which  have  flowed  into  the  church  from 
their  calling  Him  the  Son  of  Mary,  and  not  the  Son  of 
God,  are  that  concerning  the  Lord  the  idea  of  Divinity  is 
lost,  and  with  this,  all  that  which  is  said  in  the  Word  con- 
cerning Him  as  the  Son  of  God ;  then  that  through  that 
enter  Judaism,  Arianism,  Socinianism,  Calvinism  such  as 
it  was  in  the  beginning,  and  at  length  Naturalism,  and  with 
this  the  fanatical  view  that  He  was  the  son  of  Mary  by 
Joseph,  and  also  that  He  had  His  soul  from  the  mother, 
and  thence  that  He  is  called  the  Son  of  God  and  is  not  so. 
Let  every  one,  clergyman  as  well  as  layman,  question  him- 
self whether  he  has  conceived  and  cherishes  any  other 
idea  concerning  the  Lord,  as  the  Son  of  Mary,  than  as  of  a 
mere  man.  Since  such  an  idea  began  already  to  prevail 
among  Christians  in  the  third  century,  when  the  Arians 
arose,  therefore  the  council  of  Nice,  to  vindicate  the  Divin- 


No.  95.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


155 


ity  of  the  Lord,  feigned  a  Son  of  God  born  from  eternity ; 
but  by  this  fiction  the  Human  of  the  Lord  was  indeed  ele- 
vated then,  and  with  many  also  at  this  day  it  is  elevaied,  to 
the  Divine  ;  but  not  with  those  who  by  the  hypostatic  union 
understand  a  union  as  between  two,  of  whom  one  is  above 
and  the  other  is  below.  But  what  else  results  from  this 
than  that  the  whole  Christian  church  perishes,  which  was 
founded  solely  upon  the  worship  of  Jehovah  in  the  Human, 
consequently  upon  God-Man  ?  That  no  one  can  see  the 
Father,  nor  have  cognition  of  Him,  nor  come  to  Him,  nor 
believe  in  Him,  unless  through  His  Human,  the  Lord  de- 
clares in  many  passages.  If  this  is  not  done,  all  the  noble 
seed  of  the  church  is  turned  into  ignoble  seed ;  the  seed  of 
the  olive  into  the  seed  of  the  pine  \  the  seed  of.  the  orange, 
the  citron,  the  apple,  and  the  pear,  into  the  seed  of  the  wil- 
low, the  elm,  the  linden,  and  the  holm-oak  \  the  vine  into 
the  bulrush  of  the  bog ;  the  wheat  and  barley  into  chaff ; 
nay,  all  spiritual  food  becomes  as  the  dust  which  serpents 
eat ;  for  in  man  the  spiritual  light  becomes  natural,  and  at 
length  corporeal-sensual,  which,  viewed  in  itself,  is  delu- 
sive light  j  yes,  man  then  becomes  as  a  bird,  which,  while 
it  flies  on  high,  when  its  wings  are  clipped  will  fall  to  the 
earth,  where  walking,  it  sees  no  more  around  it  than  what 
lies  before  its  feet ;  and  then  concerning  the  spiritual  things 
of  the  church,  which  must  be  for  eternal  life,  he  thinks  no 
otherwise  than  a  soothsayer.  These  things  take  place,  while 
man  regards  the  Lord  God,  the  Redeemer  and  Saviour,  as 
the  mere  son  of  Mary,  thus  as  a  mere  man. 

95.  V.  The  Lord,  by  the  Acts  of  Redemption,  made 
Himself  Righteousness. 

That  the  Lord  alone  had  merit  and  righteousness  by  the 
obedience  which  He  yielded  in  the  world  to  God  the  Father, 
•  and  especially  by  the  passion  of  the  cross,  is  said  and  be- 
'  lieved  at  this  day  in  Christian  churches ;  but  it  has  been 
supposed  that  the  passion  of  the  cross  was  the  very  act  of 


156  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 

redemption,  when  yet  that  was  not  the  act  of  redemption, 
but  the  act  of  the  glorification  of  His  Human,  of  which  we 
shall  treat  in  the  following  Lemma  concerning  Redemp- 
tion. The  acts  of  redemption,  by  which  the  Lord  made 
Himself  righteousness,  were  that  He  executed  the  last 
judgment,  which  was  done  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  then 
separated  the  evil  from  the  good,  and  the  goats  from  the 
sheep,  and  expelled  from  heaven  those  who  made  one  with 
the  beasts  of  the  dragon,  and  of  the  worthy  He  founded  a 
new  heaven,  and  of  the  unworthy  a  hell,  and  successively 
reduced  all  things  in  both  to  order ;  and,  moreover,  estab- 
lished a  new  church.  These  acts  were  the  acts  of  redemp- 
tion, by  which  the  Lord  made  Himself  righteousness ;  for 
righteousness  is  doing  all  things  according  to  Divine  order ; 
and  reducing  to  order  those  things  which  have  fallen  out 
of  order ;  for  righteousness  is  Divine  order  itself.  Those 
things  are  meant  by  these  words  of  the  Lord :  //  becometh 
us*  to  fulfil  all  righteousness  (Matt.  hi.  15);  and  by 
Ciiese  in  the  Old  Testament :  Behold  the  days  come,  when  I 
shall  raise  unto  David  a  righteous  branch,  who  shall  reign 
King,  and  do  righteousness  in  the  earth,  and  this  is  His 
na?ne,  Jehovah  our  righteousness  (Jer.  xxiii.  5,  6 ;  xxxiii. 
15.  16).  /  speak  in  righteousness,  mighty  to  save  (Isa. 
lxiii.  1).  He  shall  sit  upon  the  thro?ie  of  David,  to  establish 
it  in  judg??ient  and  righteousness  (ix.  7).  Zion  shall  be 
rcdee?ned  [with  judgment,  and  they  that  return  of  her]  in 

RIGHTEOUSNESS  (i.  27). 

96.  The  men  of  our  time,  who  bear  rule  in  the  church, 
describe  the  righteousness  of  the  Lord  quite  differently; 
and  also,  by  the  inscription  of  it  upon  man,  they  make  their 
faith  saving ;  when  yet  the  truth  is  that  the  righteousness 
of  the  Lord,  because  it  is  such  and  thence,  and  in  itself 
purely  Divine,  cannot  be  conjoined  with  any  man,  and  thus 
cannot  produce  any  salvation,  any  more  than  the  divine 


*  The  Latin  here  has  "  Milii"  Me. 


No.  96.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


157 


Life,  which  is  the  Divine  Love  and  the  Divine  Wisdom. 
The  Lord  enters  with  these  into  every  man ;  but,  unless 
man  lives  according  to  order,  that  life  is  in  him,  indeed, 
but  it  contributes  nothing  at  all  to  his  salvation  \  it  only 
gives  the  faculty  of  understanding  truth  and  of  doing  good. 
To  live  according  to  Divine  order  is  to  live  according  to 
the  commandments  of  God ;  and  when  a  man  so  lives  and 
does,  then  he  procures  for  himself  righteousness  :  not  the 
righteousness  of  the  Lord's  redemption,  but  the  Lord  Him- 
self as  righteousness.  These  are  they,  who  are  meant  by 
these  words  :  Unless  your  righteousness  shall  exceed  that 
of  the  Scribes  a?id  Pharisees,  ye  shall  not  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  the  heavens  (Matt.  v.  20).  Blessed  are  they  who  are 
persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdo?n 
of  the  heavens  (v.  10).  In  the  consummation  of  the  age,  the 
an,  els  will  go  forth,  and  separate  the  ivicked  from  the  midst 
of  the  righteous  (xiii.  49)  ;  besides  other  places.  By  the 
righteous,  in  the  Word,  are  meant  those  who  have  lived 
according  to  Divine  order,  since  Divine  order  is  righteous- 
ness. Righteousness  itself,  which  the  Lord  became  by  the 
acts  of  redemption,  cannot  be  ascribed  to  man,  inscribed 
upon  him,  adapted  and  conjoined  to  him,  otherwise  than 
light  can  be  to  the  eye,  sound  to  the  ear,  will  to  the  muscles 
of  one  acting,  thought  to  the  lips  of  one  speaking,  air  to  the 
lungs  of  one  breathing,  heat  to  the  blood,  &c.  j  that  these 
flow  in  and  adjoin  themselves,  and  also  conjoin  themselves, 
every  one  perceives  from  himself.  But  righteousness  is 
acquired  so  far  as  man  exercises  righteousness  ;  and  he 
exercises  rightepusness  as  far  as  he  acts  with  his  neighbor 
from  the  love  of  what  is  just  and  true  :  in  the  good  itself  or 
in  the  use  itself  which  he  does,  righteousness  dwells-;  for  the 
Lord  says,  that  every  tree  is  known  by  its  fruit.  Who  does 
not  have  cognition  of  another  by  his  works,  if  he  attends 
to  them,  with  reference  to  the  end  and  purpose  of  the  will, 
and  the  cause  and  intention  from  which  they  are  done  ?  AH 
angels  ftttend  to  these  things,  and  also  all  wise  men  in  our 


158 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II 


world.  In  general,  every  shrub  and  plant  is  cognized  by  its 
flower  and  seed,  and  by  its  use ;  every  metal,  by  its  goodness; 
every  stone,  by  its  quality;  every  field,  every  kind  of  food, 
every  animal  of  the  earth,  and  every  bird  of  the  heaven,  by 
their  quality :  why  not  man  ?  But  concerning  the  quality  of 
man's  works,  whence  it  is  will  be  disclosed  in  the  chapter 
concerning  Faith.  - 

97.  VI.  The  Lord,  by  the  same  Acts,  united  Him- 
self to  the  Father,  and  the  Father  Himself  to  Him 
[also  according  to  Divine  Order]. 

That  the  union  was  effected  by  the  acts  of  redemptic  n  is 
because  the  Lord  performed  them  from  His  Human ;  and  as 
He  operated,  so  the  Divine,  which  is  meant  by  the  Father, 
came  nearer,  assisted,  and  co-operated,  and  at  length  They 
so  conjoined  Themselves,  that  They  were  not  two,  but  one ; 
and  this  union  is  glorification,  of  which  in  the  following 
pages. 

98.  That  the  Father  and  the  Son,  that  is,  the  Divine  and 
the  Human  in  the  Lord,  are  united  like  soul  and  body,  is 
indeed  according  to  the  faith  of  the  church  at  this  day,  and 
also  according  to  the  Word  ;  but  still  scarcely  five  in  a  hun- 
dred or  fifty  in  a  thousand  know  this :  this  is  because  of  the 
doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  alone,  which  most  of  the 
clergy,  who  seek  the  reputation  of  learning  for  the  sake  of 
honors  and  riches,  have  embraced  with  all  zeal,  until  that 
doctrine  has  got  complete  possession  of  their  minds  at  this 
day ;  and  because  this  has  intoxicated  their  thoughts,  like 
the  vinous  spirit  called  alcohol,  therefore,  like  men  intoxi- 
cated, they  have  not  seen  this  most  essential  thing  of  the 
church,  that  Jehovah  God  descended  and  assumed  the 
Human;  when  yet,  solely  by  this  union,  is  given  to  man 
conjunction  with  God ;  and  by  conjunction,  salvation.  That 
salvation  depends  on  the  cognition  and  acknowledgment  of 
God,  may  be  evident  to  every  one  who  considers  that  God 
is  the  all  in  all  of  heaven,  and  thence  the  all  in  all  of  the 


No.  99.]  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


church ;  consequently,  the  all  in  all  of  theology.  But  first  it 
shall  here  be  demonstrated  that  the  union  of  the  Father  and 
the  Son,  or  of  the  Divine  and  the  Human  in  the  Lord,  is  as 
the  union  of  soul  and  body;  and  afterwards,  that  the  union 
is  reciprocal.  That  the  union  is  like  that  of  the  soul  and 
the  body  is  established  in  the  Athanasian  creed,  which  is 
received  in  all  the  Christian  world  as  doctrine  concerning 
God.  There  we  read  these  words  :  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
is  God  and  Mail ;  and  although  He  be  God  and  Man,  still 
there  are  ?wt  two,  but  there  is  one  Cfi7'ist :  He  is  one,  because 
the  Divine  took  the  Human  to  itself;  yea,  He  is  altogether  one. 
and  He  is  one  person  ;  for  as  the  soul  and  body  is  one  man,  so 
God  and  Alan  is  one  Christ.  But  here  it  is  meant  that  there 
is  such  a  union  of  a  Son  of  God  from  eternity  with  the  Son 
born  in  time  j  but  because  God  is  one  and  not  three,  while 
by  that  union  is  meant  union  with  the  one  God  from  eter- 
nity the  doctrine  agrees  with  the  Word.  In  the  Word  these 
things  are  read,  that  He  was  conceived  of  Jehovah  the  Father 
(Luke  i.  34,  35),  whence  His  soul  and  life ;  wherefore  He 
says  that  He  and  the  Father  are  one  (John  x.  30);  that  He 
who  seeth  and  knoweth  Him,  seeth  and  knoweth  the  Father 
(xiv.  9) ;  If  ye  had  known  Me,  ye  should  have  known  My 
Father  also  (viii.  19) ;  He  who  receiveth  Me,  receiveth  Him 
that  sent  Me  (xiii.  20)  ;  that  He  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father 
(i.  18)  j  that  All  things  whatsoever  the  Father  hath  are  His 
(xvi.  15) «  that  He  is  called  the  Father  of  eternity  (Isa.  ix.  6)  ; 
that  Thence  He  hath  power  over  all  flesh  (John  xvii.  2)  ;  and 
all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth  (Matt,  xxviii.  18).  From 
these  and  several  other  passages  in  the  Word,  it  may  be 
clearly  seen  that  the  union  of  the  Father  and  Himself  is 
like  that  of  the  soul  and  body ;  wherefore  also,  in  the  Old 
Testament,  He  is  often  named  Jehovah,  Jehovah  Zebaoth, 
and  JehoT'ah  the  Redeemer:  see  above  (n.  83). 

99.  That  the  union  is  reciprocal  is  very  evident  from 
these  passages  in  the  Word:  Philip,  beliroest  thou  not  that 
I  am  in  the  Fathr,  and  the  Father  in  Me  t   Pelieve  Me  that 


l6o  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  Me  (John  xiv.  10,  1 1) ; 
That  ye  may  know  and  believe  that  the  Father  is  in  Me,  and 
I  in  the  Father  (x.  38)  ;  That  they  all  may  be  one,  as  Thou, 
Father,  art  in  Me,  and  I  in  Thee  (xvii.  21)  ;  Father,  all  Mine 
are  Thine,  and  Thine  are  Mine  (xvii.  10).  That  the  union  is 
reciprocal,  is  because  no  union  or  conjunction  between  two 
is  given,  unless  in  turn  they  accede  one  to  the  other :  all 
conjunction  in  the  universal  heaven,  in  the  universal  world, 
and  in  the  whole  of  man,  is  from  no  other  source  than  the 
reciprocal  accession  of  one  to  another,  while  they  both  will 
one  thing  ;  thence  is  effected  something  homogeneous,  sym- 
pathetic, unanimous,  and  concordant  in  every  part  of  each. 
Such  is  the  reciprocal  conjunction  of  soul  and  body  with 
every  man  *  such  is  the  conjunction  of  the  spirit  of  man  with 
the  organs  of  sensation  and  motion  in  his  body ;  such  is  the 
conjunction  of  the  heart  and  lungs  ;  such  is  the  conjunction 
of  will  and  understanding;  such  is  the  conjunction  of  all 
the  members  and  viscera  in  themselves  and  with  one  an- 
other in  man ;  such  is  the  conjunction  of  minds,  amongst 
all  those  who  inwardly  love  each  other,  for  it  is  inscribed 
on  all  love  and  friendship,  for  love  wishes  to  love,  and 
wishes  to  be  loved.  There  is  a  reciprocal  conjunction  of 
all  things  in  the  world  that  are  fully  conjoined  with  each 
other ;  similar  is  the  conjunction  of  the  heat  of  the  sun 
with  the  heat  of  wood  and  of  stone ;  of  the  vital  heat  with 
the  heat  of  all  the  fibres  in  animals ;  similar  is  that  of  a 
tree  with  its  root,  —  by  the  root  with  the  tree,  and  by  the 
tree  with  the  fruit ;  such  is  that  of  the  magnet  with  iron,  &c. 
Unless  conjunction  be  effected  reciprocally  and  mutually 
by  the  accession  of  one  to  another,  only  an  external  con- 
junction is  effected,  and  not  an  internal  one ;  and  this  in 
time  is  mutually  dissolved  by  them,  and  sometimes  so  that 
they  no  longer  recognize  each  other. 

100.  Now,  because  there  is  no  conjunction  which  is  con- 
junction unless  it  be  effected  mutually  and  reciprocally, 
therefore  the  conjunction  of  the  Lord  and  man  is  not  dif- 


No.  ioi.]  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER.  l6l 

ferent,  as  is  very  manifest  from  these  passages :  He  that 
eateth  My  flesh,  and  drinketh  My  blood,  dwelleth  in  Me 
and  I  in  him  (John  vi.  56).  Abide  in  Me,  and  I  in  you  : 
he  that  abideth  in  Me,  and  I  in  him,  bringeth  forth  much 
fruit  (xv.  4,  5).  Whosoever  openeth  the  door,  I  will  come  in 
to  him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  Me  (Apoc. 
iii.  20);  besides  other  places.  This  conjunction  is  effected 
by  man's  acceding  to  the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  to  him ;  for 
it  is  a  fixed  and  immutable  law,  that  as  far  as  man  accedes 
to  the  Lord  so  far  the  Lord  accedes  to  man :  but  more  will 
be  seen  concerning  this  in  the  chapters  concerning  Charity 
and  Faith. 

ioi.  VII.  Thus  God  became  Man,  and  Man  God, 
in  one  Person. 

That  Jehovah  God  became  Man,  and  Man  God,  in  one 
person,  follows  as  a  conclusion  from  all  the  preceding  arti- 
cles of  this  chapter,  particularly  from  these  two  ;  that  Jeho- 
vah, the  Creator  -of  the  universe,  descended  and  assumed  the 
Human,  that  He  might  redeem  and  save  ??ien  ;  of  which  above 
(n.  82,  83,  84)  ;  and  that  The  Lord  by  the  acts  of  redemption 
united  Himself  to  the  Father,  and  the  Father  united  Himself 
to  Him,  thus  reciprocally  and  mutually;  of  which  above  (n.  97 
to  100).  From  that  reciprocal  union  it  is  very  manifest 
that  God  became  Man,  and  Man  God,  in  one  person.  The 
same  also  follows  as  a  consequence  of  the  union  of  both, 
that  it  is  like  that  of  the  soul  and  body  :  that  this  is  accord- 
ing to  the  faith  of  the  church  at  this  clay,  from  the  creed  of 
Athanasius,  may  be  seen  above  (n.  98)  j  also  according  to 
the  faith  of  the  evangelical  Protestants,  in  their  chief  book 
of  orthodoxy,  which  is  called  the  "Formula  Concordice," 
where  it  is  strongly  confirmed,  both  from  the  Sacred  Script- 
ure and  from  the  fathers,  and  also  by  rational  arguments, 
that  the  human  nature  of  Christ  is  exalted  to  Divine  maj- 
esty, omnipotence,  and  omnipresence;  and  also  that,  in 
Christ,  Man  is  God,  and  God  Man;  concerning  this,  see 


162  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


that  work  (pp.  607,  765).  Besides,  in  this  chapter  it  has  been 
proved  that  Jehovah  God,  as  to  His  Human,  in  the  Word 
is  called  JeJwvah,  Jehovah  God,  Jehovah  Zebaoth  [of  hosts], 
and  also  the  God  of  Israel ;  wherefore  Paul  says  that  In 
Jesus  Christ  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily 
(Col.  ii.  9)  j  and  John  says,  that  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of 
God,  is  the  true  God  and  eternal  life  (1  John  v.  20).  That 
by  the  Son  of  God  is  properly  meant  His  Human  may  be 
seen  above  (n.  92,  &c).  And,  moreover,  Jehovah  God  calls 
both  Himself  and  Him  Lord;  for  we  read,  The  Lord  said 
unto  my  Lord,  Sit  Thou  at  My  right  hand  (Ps.  ex.  1)  ;  and  in 
Isaiah,  Unto  us  a  Child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is  given,  Whose 
name  is  God,  the  Father  of  eternity  (ix.  6).  By  Son,  also,  is 
meant  the  Lord  as  to  the  Human,  in  David  ;  I  will  declare 
the  decree,  Jehovah  said,  Thou  art  my  Son  ;  to-day  I  have  be- 
gotten  Thee.  Kiss  the  Son,  lest  He  be  angry,  and  ye  perish  in 
the  way  (Ps.  ii.  7,  12).  Here  is  not  meant  a  Son  from  eter- 
nity, but  the  Son  born  in  the  world ;  for  it  is  prophetical 
of  the  Lord,  Who  was  to  come;  wherefore  it  is  called 
the  decree,  which  Jehovah  declared  to  David ;  and  in  that 
Psalm  it  is  written  before,  I  have  anointed  my  King  upon 
Zion  (v.  6)  ;  and  it  follows,  I  will  give  to  Him  the  nations  for 
an  inheritance  (v.  8) ;  wherefore  to-day,  there,  is  not  from 
eternity,  but  in  time,  for  with  Jehovah  the  future  is  present. 

102.  It  is  believed  that  the  Lord  as  to  the  Human  not 
only  was  but  also  is  the  son  of  Mary ;  but  in  this  the  Chris- 
tian world  is  under  a  delusion.  That  He  was  the  son  of 
Mary  is  true  ;  but  that  He  is  so  still  is  not  true ;  for  by  the 
acts  of  redemption  He  put  off  the  human  from  the  mother, 
and  put  on  a  Human  from  the  Father  \  thence  it  is,  that 
the  Human  of  the  Lord  is  Divine,  and  that,  in  Him,  God 
is  Man,  and  Man  God.  That  He  put  off  the  human  from 
the  mother,  and  put  on  a  Human  from  the  Father,  which  is 
the  Divine  Human,  may  be  seen  from  this,  that  He  never 
called  Mary  His  mother,  as  may  be  evident  from  these  pas- 
sages :  The  mother  of  Jesus  said  to  Him,  They  have  no  wine. 


No.  102.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


163 


Jesus  said  to  her,  Woman,  what  is  there  to  Me  and  to  thee  ? 
My  hour  is  not  yet  come  (John  ii.  3,  4),  And  in  another 
place ;  Jesus  from  the  cross,  seeing  His  mother,  and  the  dis- 
ciple standing  by,  whom  He  loved,  saith  to  His  mother,  Wo- 
man, behold  thy  Son  /  Then  saith  He  to  the  disciple,  Behold 
thy  mother  (xix.  26,  27).  And  once  He  did  not  acknowledge 
her  :  //  was  told  Jesus  by  some,  saying,  Thy  ?nother  and  Thy 
brethren  stand  without,  desiring  to  see  Thee.  Jesus,  answer- 
ing, said,  My  mother  and  My  brethren  are  those  who  hear  the 
Word  of  God,  and  do  it  (Luke  viii.  20,  21 ;  Matt.  xii.  46-50  ; 
Mark  iii.  31-35).  Thus  the  Lord  did  not  call  her  mother,  but 
woman,  and  gave  her  to  John  as  a  mother ;  in  other  places 
she  is  called  His  mother,  but  not  by  His  own  mouth.  This 
also  is  confirmed  by  this,  that  He  did  not  acknowledge  Him- 
self to  be  the  son  of  David  j  for  it  is  read  in  the  Evangelists, 
Jtsui  asked  the  Pharisees,  saying,  What  think  ye  of  Christ  ? 
Whose  son  is  He  ?  They  say  to  Him,  David's.  He  saith  to 
/hem,  How,  then,  doth  David,  in  the  spirit,  call  Him  his  Lord, 
saying,  The  Lord  said  to  my  Lord,  Sit  on  My  right  hand,  until 
I  make  Thine  enemies  Thy  footstool.  Lf  David  then  call  Him 
Lord,  how  is  He  his  Son  /  And  no  man  was  able  to  answer 
Han  a  word  (Matt.  xxii.  42-45  j  Mark  xii.  35,  36,  37  j  Luke 
xx.  41-44;  Ps.  ex.  1).  To  the  above  I  will  add  this  that 
is  new  :  It  was  once  given  me  to  speak  with  Mary  the  mother. 
She  at  one  time  passed  by,  and  appeared  in  heaven  over 
my  head,  in  white  raiment  as  of  silk ;  and  then,  stopping  a 
little  while,  she  said  that  she  was  the  mother  of  the  Lord, 
as  He  was  born  of  her ;  but  that,  when  He  became  God, 
He  put  off  all  the  human  which  he  had  from  her,  and  that 
therefore  she  adores  Him  as  her  God,  and  that  she  is 
unwilling  that  any  one  should  acknowledge  Him  as  her 
son,  because  in  Him  all  is  Divine.  From  these  things  this 
truth  now  shines  forth,  that  thus  Jehovah  is  Man,  as  in  the 
firsts,  also  in  the  lasts,  according  to  these  words:  L am  the 
Alpha  and  the  Omega,  the  Beginning  and  the  End,  He  Who 
is,  and  Who  was,  and  Who  is  to  come,  the  Almighty  (Apoc. 


164 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II 


i.  8,  11).  John,  zuhen  he  saw  the  Son  of  Ma?i  in  the  midst 
of  the  seven  candlesticks ,  fell  at  His  feet  as  dead  ;  but  He  laid 
His  right  hand  upon  him,  saying,  lam  the  First  and  the  Last 
(Apoc.  i.  13,  17  ;  xxi.  6).  Behold,  I co?ne  quickly,  that  I  may 
give  to  every  one  according  to  his  work.  I  am  the  Alpha  and 
the  Omega,  the  Beginni?ig  and  the  End,  the  First  and  the  Last 
(xxii.  12,  13).  And  in  Isaiah,  Thus  said  Jehovah,  the  King 
of  Lsrael,  a7id  His  Redeemer,  Jehovah  Zebaoth,  L  am  the  First 
and  the  Last  (xliv.  6  ;  xlviii.  12). 

103.  To  the  above  I  will  add  this  arcanum :  The  soul  which 
is  from  the  father  is  the  man  himself,  and  the  body  which  is 
from  the  mother  is  not  the  man  in  itself,  but  is  from  him.  The 
body  is  only  a  covering  of  the  soul,  composed  of  such  things 
as  are  of  the  natural  world ;  but  the  soul  is  of  such  things 
as  are  in  the  spiritual  world.  Every  man,  after  death,  puts 
off  the  natural,  which  he  had  from  the  mother,  and  retains 
the  spiritual,  which  he  had  from  the  father,  together  with  a 
kind  of  border  from  the  purest  things  of  nature,  around  it  \ 
but  this  border,  with  those  who  come  into  heaven,  is  below, 
and  the  spiritual  above ;  but  the  border  with  those  who 
come  into  hell  is  above,  and  the  spiritual  below ;  thence  it 
is,  that  a  man-angel  speaks  from  heaven,  thus  what  is  good 
and  true  ;  but  that  a  man-devil  speaks  from  hell  while 
speaking  from  his  heart,  and,  as  it  were,  from  heaven  while 
speaking  from  his  mouth ;  this  he  does  abroad,  but  that  at 
home.  Since  the  soul  of  man  is  the  very  man,  and  is  spirit- 
ual from  its  origin,  it  is  manifest  whence  it  is  that  the  mind, 
the  animus,  the  disposition,  the  inclination,  and  the  affection 
of  the  father's  love  dwell  in  offspring  after  offspring,  and 
return  and  make  themselves  plainly  seen  from  generation 
to  generation.  Thence  it  is  that  many  families,  yea,  nations, 
are  recognized  from  their  first  father ;  there  is  the  common 
image  in  the  face  of  each  descendant,  which  shows  itself; 
and  this  image  is  not  changed  except  by  the  spiritual  things 
of  the  church.  The  reason  that  the  common  image  of  Jacob 
and  Judah  still  remains  in  their  posterity,  and  that  by  it  they 


No  104.]         THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


may  be  distinguished  from  others,  is,  that  they  have  hitherto 
adhered  firmly  to  their  system  of  religion ;  for  in  the  seed, 
from  which  conception  takes  place,  there  is  in  every  case  a 
graft  or  offset  of  the  father's  soul,  in  its  fulness,  within  a 
certain  envelope  of  elements  from  nature  j  by  these  its 
body  is  formed  in  the  womb  of  the  mother ;  which  may  be 
made  either  to  the  likeness  of  the  father,  or  to  the  likeness 
of  the  mother,  the  father's  image  still  remaining  within  this, 
which  continually  endeavors  to  put  itself  forth ;  wherefore, 
if  it  cannot  do  this  in  the  first  descendant,  it  effects  it  in 
descendants  who  follow.  The  reason  why  the  image  of  the 
father  is  in  its  fulness  in  the  seed,  is  because,  as  was  said, 
the  soul  is  spiritual  from  its  origin,  and  what  is  spiritual  has 
nothing  in  common  with  space ;  wherefore  it  is  like  itself 
in  little  compass  as  in  great.  With  respect  to  the  Lord, 
He,  while  in  the  world,  by  the  acts  of  redemption  put  off 
the  human  from  the  mother,  and  put  on  a  Human  from 
the  Father,  which  is  the  Divine  Human ;  thence  it  is  that 
in  Him  Man  is  God,  and  God  Man. 

104.  VIII.  The  Progress  to  Union  was  the  State 
of  hls  exinanition  [out-pouring  or  emptying],  and 
the  Union  itself  is  the  State  of  His  Glorification. 

That  the  Lord,  while  He  was  in  the  world,  was  in  two 
Itates,  which  are  called  states  of  exinanition  and  glorifica- 
tion, is  known  in  the  church  j  the  former  state,  which  was 
that  of  exinanition,  is  described  in  many  passages  in  the 
Word,  especially  in  the  Psalms  of  David,  and  also  in  the 
prophets,  and  particularly  in  Isaiah  (liii.),  where  it  is  said, 
that  He  poured  out  His  soul  unto  death  (v.  12).  This  same 
state  was  the  state  of  His  humiliation  before  the  Father,  for 
in  it  He  prayed  to  the  Father,  and  says  that  He  does  His 
will,  and  ascribes  to  the  Father  all  that  He  has  done  or  said. 
That  He  prayed  to  the  Father  is  evident  from  these  pas- 
sages: Matt.  xxvi.  39,  44.  Mark  i.  35  ;  vi.  46;  xiv.  32-39. 
Luke  v.  16  ;  vi.  12  ;  xxii.  41-44.    John  xvii.  9,  15,  20.  That 


l66  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II 

He  did  the  will  of  the  Father,  John  iv.  34;  v.  30.  That  He 
ascribed  to  the  Father  all  that  He  did  and  said,  John  viii. 
26-29  ;  xii.  49,  50;  xiv.  10.  Yea,  upon  the  cross  He  cried 
out,  My  God,  My  God,  why  dost  Thou  forsake  Me  ?  (Matt, 
xxvii.  46;  Mark  xv.  34;)  and,  moreover,  without  this  state 
He  could  not  have  been  crucified.  The  state  of  glori- 
fication is  also  the  state  of  union.  He  was  in  this  state 
when  He  was  transfigured  before  His  three  disciples,  and 
when  He  did  miracles,  and  whenever  He  said  that  the 
Father  and  He  were  one ;  that  the  Father  was  in  Him, 
and  He  in  the  Father ;  that  all  things  of  the  Father  were 
His  ;  and  when  the  union  was  full,  that  He  had  power  over 
all  flesh  (John  xvii.  2);  and  all  power  i?i  heaven  and  in  earth 
(Matt,  xxviii.  18);  besides  many  other  things. 

105.  The  reason  that  the  Lord  had  those  two  states  of 
exinanition  and  glorification  was,  that  there  is  no  other 
possible  way  of  progressing  to  union,  since  it  is  according 
to  the  Divine  order,  which  is  unchangeable.  The  Divine 
order  is,  that  man  should  dispose  himself  for  the  reception 
of  God,  and  prepare  himself  as  a  receptacle  and  habita- 
tion into  which  God  may  enter  and  dwrell  as  in  His  temple. 
Man  must  do  this  from  himself,  but  still  acknowledge  that 
it  is  from  God  ;  he  must  acknowledge  this,  because  he  does 
not  feel  the  presence  and  operation  of  God,  although  God 
being  most  perfectly  present  operates  in  man  all  the  good 
of  love  and  all  the  truth  of  faith.  According  to  this  order 
every  man  proceeds  and  must  proceed,  that  from  being  nat- 
ural he  may  become  spiritual.  In  like  manner  the  Lord, 
that  He  might  make  His  Natural-Human  Divine:  thence 
it  is  that  He  prayed  to  the  Father  j  that  He  did  His  will ; 
and  that  all  that  He  did  and  said,  He  attributed  to  Him  ; 
and  that  upon  the  cross  He  said,  My  God,  My  God,  why 
dost  Thou  forsake  Me  ?  for  in  this  state  God  appears  absent. 
But  after  this  state  comes  another  which  is  a  state  of  con- 
junction with  God :  in  this  man  acts  in  like  manner,  but 
now  from  ,God  j  nor  has  he  now  need  in  like  manner  as 


No.  1 06.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


167 


before  to  ascribe  to  God  all  the  good  which  he  wills  and 
does,  and  all  the  truth  which  he  thinks  and  speaks,  because 
this  is  inscribed  upon  his  heart,  and  thence  it  is  inwardly 
in  all  his  actions  and  speech.  In  like  manner  the  Lord 
united  Himself  to  His  Father,  and  the  Father  united  Him- 
self to  Him  ;  in  a  word,  the  Lord  glorified  His  Human, 
that  is,  made  it  Divine,  in  the  same  manner  in  which  He 
regenerates  man,  that  is,  makes  him  spiritual. 

That  every  man  who  from  natural  is  becoming  spiritual 
undergoes  two  states,  and  that  through  the  first  he  passes 
into  the  other,  and  thus  from  the  world  to  heaven,  will  be 
fully  demonstrated  in  the  chapters  concerning  Free-will, 
concerning  Charity  and  Faith,  and  concerning  Refor- 
mation and  Regeneration  \  here  only,  that  in  the  first 
state,  which  is  called  the  state  of  reformation,  man  is  in 
full  liberty  of  acting  according  to  the  rational  of  his  under- 
standing; and  that  in  the  second,  which  is  the  state  of 
regeneration,  he  is  also  in  similar  liberty,  but  that  he 
then  wills  and  acts,  and  thinks  and  speaks,  from  a  new 
love  and  a  new  intelligence  which  are  from  the  Lord ;  for 
in  the  first  state  the  understanding  acts  the  first  part,  and 
\  the  will  the  second ;  in  the  other,  the  will  acts  the  first, 
and  the  understanding  the  second ;  but  still,  the  under- 
standing acts  from  the  will,  and  not  the  will  through  the 
understanding.  The  conjunction  of  good  and  truth,  of 
charity  and  faith,  and  of  the  internal  and  the  external 
man,  is  not  effected  otherwise. 

106.  Those  two  states  are  represented  by  various  things 
in  the  universe.  The  reason  is,  because  they  are  according 
to  the  Divine  order,  and  Divine  order  fills  all  and  every 
thing,  even  to  each  minutest  particular  in  the  universe. 
The  first  state  is  represented  with  every  man  by  the  state 
of  his  infancy  and  childhood,  even  to  puberty,  youth,  and 
early  manhood,  which  is  the  state  of  his  humiliation  before 
his  parents,  and  then  of  obedience,  and  also  of  instruction 
from  masters  and  ministers  :  but  the  other  state  is  repre- 


i68 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


sented  by  the  state  of  the  same  person  when  he  becomes 
his  own  master,  and  freely  exercises  his  own  will  and 
understanding,  in  which  state  he  has  control  in  his  own 
house.  The  first  state  is  also  represented  by  the  state  of 
a  prince,  the  son  of  a  king  or  of  a  duke,  before  he  becomes 
a  king  or  a  duke ;  in  like  manner,  by  the  state  of  every 
citizen  before  he  becomes  a  magistrate ;  of  every  subject 
before  he  discharges  the  duties  of  any  office;  of  every 
student  who  is  preparing  for  the  ministry,  before  he  be- 
comes a  priest;  and  of  the  priest  before  he  becomes  a 
pastor ;  and  then  of  the  pastor  before  he  becomes  a 
primate ;  also  of  every  virgin  before  she  becomes  a  wife ; 
and  of  every  maid-servant  before  she  becomes  a  mistress ; 
in  general,  of  every  clerk  before  he  becomes  a  merchant ; 
of  every  soldier  before  he  becomes  an  officer  •  of  every 
servant  before  he  becomes  a  master.  The  first  of  these  is 
a  state  of  servitude ;  the  other  is  that  of  one's  own  will 
and  the  understanding  therefrom.  Those  two  states  are 
represented  also  by  various  things  in  the  animal  kingdom ; 
the  first,  by  beasts  and  birds  as  long  as  they  are  with  their 
parents,  which  they  then  follow  constantly,  and  they  are 
nourished  and  led  by  them ;  and  the  other  state,  when  they 
leave  them,  and  take  care  of  themselves :  in  like  manner 
by  worms  ;  the  first  state,  while  they  crawl  and  are  nour- 
ished by  leaves,  the  second,  when  they  cast  off  their  skins 
and  become  butterflies.  Those  two  states  are  represented 
also  in  the  subjects  of  the  vegetable  kingdom ;  the  first, 
when  the  plant  springs  up  from  the  seed,  and  is  adorned 
with  branches,  buds,  and  leaves ;  the  other,  when  it  bears 
fruit,  and  produces  new  seeds ;  this  may  be  likened  to 
the  conjunction  of  good  and  truth,  since  all  things  which 
belong  to  a  tree  correspond  to  truths,  and  the  fruit  to 
good.  But  the  man  who  stops  in  the  first  state,  and  does 
not  enter  the  second,  is  like  a  tree  which  bears  only  leaves 
and  not  fruit,  concerning  which  it  is  said  in  the  Word  that 
it  is  to  be  rooted  up,  and  cast  into  the  fire  (Matt.  vii.  19 ; 


No.  107.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


169 


Luke  iii.  9  \  xiii.  6-9  ;  John  xv.  5,  6).  And  he  is  like  a 
slave  that  is  not  willing  to  be  free,  concerning  whom  it 
was  commanded  that  He  should  be  brought  to  the  door,  or  to 
the  door-post,  a,7id  his  ear  should  be  bored  tht  ough  with  an 
awl  (Ex.  xxi.  6).  Servants  are  those  who  are  not  con- 
joined with  the  Lord,  but  the  free  are  those  who  are  con- 
joined with  Him  j  for  the  Lord  says,  If  the  Son  maketh  you 
free,  ye  are  truly  free  (John  viii.  36). 

107.  IX.  Hereafter  no  one  from  among  Chris- 
tians comes  into  Heaven,  unless  he  believes  in  the 
Lord  God  the  Saviour,  and  goes  to  Him  alone. 

It  is  read  in  Isaiah,  Behold  I  create  a  new  heaven  a?id  a 
new  earth,  and  the  former  shall  not  be  me?itioned,  nor  come 
i?ito  mind ;  and  behold,  I  create  Jerusalem  a  rejoicing,  and 
her  people  a  joy  (lxv.  17,  18).  And  in  the  Apocalypse  :  I  saw 
a  new  heave?i  and  a  new  earth  ;  and  I  saw  the  holy  Jeru- 
salem coming  down  fro?n  God  out  of  heaven,  pi'epared  as  a 
bride  for  her  husband  ;  and  He  that  sat  upon  the  throne  said, 
Behold,  I  make  all  things  new  (xxi.  1,  2,  5).  And  it  is 
often  said,  that  No  others  will  enter  into  heaven,  than  those 
who  are  writtefi  i?i  the  Lamb's  book  of  life  (Apoc.  xiii.  8 ; 
xvii.  8;  xx.  12,  15;  xxi.  27).  By  heaven  is .  not  there 
meant  the  heaven  which  is  visible  to  our  eyes,  but  the 
angelic  heaven  •  by  Jerusalem,  not  any  city  from  heaven, 
but  the  church  which  will  descend  out  of  that  heaven  from 
the  Lord  ;  and  by  the  Lamb's  book  of  life  is  not  meant  any 
book  written  in  heaven  which  will  be  opened,  but  the 
Word  which  is  from  the  Lord  and  concerning  Him.  That 
Jehovah  God,  who  is  called  the  Creator  and  Father, 
descended  and  assumed  the  Human,  in  order  that  He 
may  be  approached,  and  that  there  may  be  conjunction 
with  Him,  has  been  proved,  confirmed,  and  established  in 
the  preceding  articles  of  this  chapter.  For  who  that 
draws  near  to  a  man  goes  to  his  soul  ?  and  who  can  do 
so  ?    But  he  goes  to  the  man  himself,  whom  he  sees  face 

VOL.  I.  S 


170  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


to  face,  and  with  whom  he  speaks  mouth  to  mouth.  The 
case  is  similar  with  God  the  Father  and  the  Son,  for  God 
the  Father  is  in  the  Son,  as  the  soul  in  its  body.  That 
there  must  be  belief  in  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour  is  evi- 
dent from  these  passages  in  the  Word :  God  so  loved  the 
world,  that  He  gave  His  Only  Begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  Him  may  not  perish,  bid  have  eternal  life  (John 
iii.  15,  16).  He  that  believeth  in  the  Son  is  not  judged, 
but  he  that  believeth  not  is  already  judged  because  he  hath  not 
believed  in  the  name  of  the  Only  begotten  Son  of  God 
(iii.  18).  He  that  believeth  in  the  Son  hath  eternal  life, 
but  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life,  but  the 
wrath  of  God  shall  abide  on  hi?n  (iii.  36).  The  Bread  of 
God  is  He  that  cometh  down  from  heaven,  and  giveth  life  to 
the  world;  he  that  cometh  to  Me  shall  never  hunger,  and  he 
that  believeth  in  Me  shall  never  thirst  (vi.  33,  35).  This 
is  the  will  of  Hi?n  that  sent  Me,  that  every  one  that  seeth  the 
Son,  and  believeth  in  Him,  may  have  eternal  life,  and  I 
will  raise  hi??i  up  at  the  last  day  (vi.  40).  They  said  to 
Jesus,  What  shall  we  do  that  we  may  work  the  works  of 
God  ?  Jesus  ansivered,  This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye 
believe  in  Him  whom  He  hath  sent  (vi.  28,  29).  Verily  I 
say  utito  you,  He  that  believeth  in  Me  hath  eternal  life 
(vi.  47).  Jesus  cried,  saying,  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him 
come  unto  Me  a?id  drink ;  he  that  believeth  in  Me,  out  of 
his  belly  shall flow  rivers  of  living  water  (vii.  37,  38).  If  ye 
believe  not  that  I  am,  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins  (viii.  24). 
Jesus  said,  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life ;  he  that  be- 
LIEVETH  in  Me,  although  he  die,  shall  live:  but  every  one 
that  liveth  and  believeth  in  Me,  shall  never  die  (xi.  25,  26). 
Jesus  said,  I  am  co?ne  a  Light  into  the  world,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  Me  may  not  abide  in  darkness  (xii.  46 ;  viii.  12). 
As  long  as  ye  have  light,  believe  in  the  light,  that  ye  may 
be  children  of  the  light  (xii.  36).  Also  that  they  should  abide  in 
the  Lord,  a?ul  the  Lord  in  them  (xiv.  20  ;  xv.  1-5  j  xvii.  23) ; 
which  is  done  by  faith.    Paul  testified,  both  to  the  Jews  and 


No.  ioS-1         THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


171 


to  the  Greeks,  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  in  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  (Acts  xx.  21).  I  am  the  Way,  the 
Truth,  and  the  Life  ;  110  man  cometh  to  the  Father  but  by  Me 
(John  xiv.  6).  That  he  who  believes  in  the  Son  believes 
in  the  Father  (since,  as  above  said,  the  Father  is  in  Him, 
as  the  soul  in  the  body)4  is  evident  from  these  passages : 
If  ye  had  known  Me,  ye  would  also  have  known  Aly  Father 
(John  viii.  19  j  xiv.  7).  He  that  seeth  Me,  seeth  Him  that 
sent  Me  (xii.  45).  He  that  receiveth  Me,  receiveth  Hun  that 
sent  Me  (xiii.  20).  The  reason  is,  because  No  one  can  see 
the  Father  and  live  (Ex.  xxxiii.  20).  Wherefore  the  Lord 
says,  No  man  hath  see?i  God  at  any  time ;  the  Only  Begotten 
Son,  who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  He  hath  manifested 
Him  (John  i.  18).  No  man  hath  seen  the  Father,  but  He 
that  is  of  God,  He  hath  seen  the  Father  (  vi.  46).  Ye  have 
neither  heard  the  voice  of  the  Father  at  any  time,  nor  seen 
His  shape  (v.  37).  But  those  who  do  not  know  any  thing 
concerning  the  Lord,  as  most  of  those  in  the  two  divisions 
of  the  world  Asia  and  Africa,  and  also  in  the  Indies, 
if  they  believe  in  one  God,  and  live  according  to  the 
precepts  of  their  religion,  are  saved  by  means  of  their 
faith  and  life ;  for  imputation  is  to  those  who  know,  and 
not  to  those  who  know  not,  as  it  is  not  to  the  blind  when 
they  stumble  ;  for  the  Lord  says,  If  ye  were  blind  ye  would 
not  have  sin  ;  but  now  ye  say  that  ye  see,  therefore  your  sin 
remai?ieth  (John  ix.  41). 

108.  To  confirm  this  further,  I  will  relate  what  I  know, 
because  I  have  seen,  and  therefore  I  can  testify  what  fol- 
lows :  That  the  Lord,  at  this  day,  is  forming  a  new  angelic 
heaven,  and  that  it  is  forming  from  those  who  believe  in 
the  Lord  God  the  Saviour,  and  go  immediately  to  Him; 
and  that  others  are  rejected.  Wherefore,  if  any  one  here- 
after comes  from  Christendom  into  the  spiritual  world,  into 
which  every  man  comes  after  death,  and  does  not  believe 
in  the  Lord  and  go  to  Him  alone,  and  then  is  not  able  to 
receive  this  because  he  has  lived  wickedly  or  has  con- 


172  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


firmed  himself  in  falsities,  he  is  repelled  at  his  first  ap- 
proach towards  heaven,  and  his  face  is  averted  from  it, 
and  turned  towards  the  lower  earth ;  whither  he  also  goes, 
and  conjoins  himself  with  those  there  who  are  meant 
in  the  Apocalypse  by  the  dragon  and  the  false  prophet. 
Every  man  also  in  Christian  countries  who  does  not 
believe  in  the  Lord  is  not  hereafter  heard  with  accept- 
ance ;  his  prayers  are,  in  heaven,  like  ill-scented  odors,  and 
like  eructations  from  ulcerated  lungs  ;  and  if  it  is  thought 
that  his  prayer  is  like  the  perfume  of  incense,  still  it  does 
not  ascend  towards  the  angelic  heaven  otherwise  than  as  the 
smoke  of  a  fire,  which  is  driven  back  by  a  violent  tempest 
into  his  eyes,  or  as  the  perfume  from  a  censer  under  a 
monk's  cloak.  So  is  it  henceforth  with  all  piety  which  is 
determined  to  a  divided  trinity,  and  not  to  one  conjoined. 
To  show  that  the  Divine  trinity  is  conjoined  in  the  Lord 
is  the  principal  object  of  this  work.  Here  I  will  add  this 
news ;  that  some  months  since,  the  twelve  apostles  were 
called  together  by  the  Lord,  and  sent  forth  into  all  the 
spiritual  world,  as  before  they  were  into  the  natural  world, 
with  the  command  that  they  should  preach  this  gospel ; 
and  then  every  apostle  had  his  province  assigned  him  ; 
which  command,  also,  they  are  executing  with  all  zeal  and 
industry.  But  concerning  this  subject  we  shall  treat  par- 
ticularly in  the  last  chapter  of  this  work,  where  we  shall 
speak  concerning  The  Consummation  of  the  Age,  con- 
cerning The  Coming  of  the  Lord,  and  concerning  The 
New  Church. 

109.  A  Corollary.  All  the  churches  which  had  been 
before  the  coming  of  the  Lord  were  representative 
churches,  which  could  see  Divine  truths  only  as  in  the 
shade ;  but  after  the  coming  of  the  Lord  into  the  world, 
a  church  was  instituted  by  Him  which  saw,  or  rather  was 
able  to  see,  Divine  truths  in  the  light.  The  difference  is 
like  that  between  evening  and  morning;  the  state  of  the 
church  before  the  coming  of  the  Lord  is  also  called  evening 


No.  109.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


173 


in  the  Word,  and  the  state  of  the  church  after  His  coming 
is  called  morning.  The  Lord  before  His  coming  into  the 
world  was  indeed  present  with  the  men  of  the  church, 
but  mediately  through  angels  who  represented  Him  ;  but. 
since  His  coming  He  is  present  with  the  men  of  the 
church  immediately;  for  in  the  world  He  put  on  also 
the  Natural  Divine,  in  which  He  is  present  with  men. 
The  glorification  of  the  Lord  is  the  glorification  of  His 
Human  which  He  assumed  in  the  world,  and  the  glorified 
Human  of  the  Lord  is  the  Natural  Divine.  That  it  is 
so  is  evident  from  this,  that  the  Lord  rose  from  the  sepul- 
chre with  His  whole  Body  which  He  had  in  the  world  ;  nor 
did  He  leave  any  thing  in  the  sepulchre ;  consequently, 
that  He  took  thence  with  Him  the  natural  Human  itself, 
from  the  firsts  to  the  lasts  of  it ;  wherefore  He  said  to  the 
disciples  after  the  resurrection,  when  they  supposed  that 
they  saw  a  spirit,  See  My  hands  and  My  feet,  that  it  is  I 
Myself;  handle  Me,  and  see  ;  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and 
bones  as  ye  see  Me  have  (Luke  xxiv.  37,  39).  Whence  it 
is  manifest  that  His  natural  body  by  glorification  was 
made  Divine.  Wherefore  Paul  says  that  In  Christ  dwclleth 
all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily  (Col.  ii.  9  j  and 
John,  that  The  Son  of  God,  Jesus  Christ,  is  the  true  God, 
(1  Epistle  v.  20).  Hence  the  angels  know  that  the  Lord 
alone,  in  the  whole  spiritual  world,  is  fully  man. 

It  is  known  in  the  church  that  all  the  worship  with  the 
nation  of  Israel  and  Judah  was  merely  external,  and  that 
it  shadowed  forth  the  internal  worship  which  the  Lord 
opened ;  and  thus  that  worship  before  the  coming  of  the 
Lord  consisted  in  types  and  figures,  which  represented 
true  worship  in  its  just  efhgy.  The  Lord  Himself,  indeed, 
was  seen  among  the  ancients  j  for  He  said  to  the  Jews, 
Your  father  Abraham  rejoiced  to  see  My  day,  and  he  saw 
and  was  glad ;  I  say  unto  you,  before  Abraham  was,  I  am 
(John  viii.  56,  58).  Bat  because  the  Lord  then  was  repre- 
sented only,  which  was  done  by  means  of  angels,  therefore 


174  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 

all  the  things  of  the  church  with  them  were  made  repre- 
sentative i  but  after  He  came  into  the  world  those  repre- 
sentations vanished ;  the  interior  reason  of  which  was, 
that  the  Lord  in  the  world  put  on  also  the  Natural 
Divine,  and  from  this  He  enlightens  not  only  the  internal 
spiritual  man  but  also  the  external  natural ;  and  unless 
ihe  two  are  enlightened  at  the  same  time,  the  man  is  as  it 
were  in  the  shade ;  but  while  both  are  enlightened  at  the 
same  time,  he  is  as  it  were  in  the  day;  for  while  the 
internal  man  alone  is  enlightened,  and  not  the  external  at 
the  same  time,  or  while  the  external  only,  and  not  at  the 
same  time  the  internal,  he  is  like  one  that  sleeps  and 
dreams,  and  presently  when  he  awakes,  he  remembers  the 
dream,  and  from  it  he  concludes  various  things  which 
are  nevertheless  imaginary.  And  he  is  also  like  one  walk- 
ing in  sleep,  who-  thinks  that  the  objects  which  he  sees  are 
seen  in  daylight.  The  difference  between  the  state  of  the 
church  before  the  coming  of  the  Lord  and  after  His  com- 
ing is  like  the  difference  between  reading  a  writing  in  the 
night  by  the  light  of  the  moon  and  stars  and  reading  it  by 
the  light  of  the  sun  ;  that  the  eye  in  the  former  light, 
which  is  only  pale,  is  liable  to  mistake,  and  in  the  latter, 
which  is  also  flamelike,  is  not  liable  to  mistake,  is  well 
known.  Wherefore  it  is  read  concerning  the  Lord,  The 
God  of  Israel  said,  the  Rock  of  Israel  spake  to  me,  lie  is  as 
the  light  of  the  morning  when  the  sun  ariseth,  a  tnomifig 
without  clouds  (2  Sam.  xxiii.  3,  4).  The  God  of  Israel  and 
the  Rock  of  Israel  is  the  Lord.  And  in  another  place,  The 
light  of  the  moon  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  the  light 
of  the  sun  shall  be  sevenfold,  as  the  light  of  seven  days,  in  the 
day  when  jfehovah  shall  bind  up  the  breach  of  His  people 
(Isaiah  xxx.  26).  These  things  are  said  concerning  the 
state  of  the  church  after  the  coming  of  the  Lord.  In  a 
word,  the  state  of  the  church  before  the  coming  of  the 
Lord  may  be  compared  to  an  old  woman  whose  face  has 
been  painted,  and  who  from  the  rouge  appeared  to  herself 


No.  no.]  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER.  175 

beautiful ;  but  the  state  of  the  church  after  the  coming  of 
the  Lord  may  be  compared  to  a  virgin,  beautiful  from  the 
native  glow  of  her  complexion.  And  also  the  state  of  the 
church  before  the  coming  of  the  Lord  may  be  compared 
to  the  skin  of  any  sort  of  fruit,  as  of  an  orange,  an  apple, 
a  pear,  or  a  grape,  and  to  its  flavor ;  but  the  state  of  the 
church  after  His  coming  may  be  compared  to  the  inner 
parts  of  those  fruits,  and  to  their  flavor ;  besides  with  other 
similar  things.  The  reason  of  this  difference  is,  that  the 
Lord,  since  He  put  on  also  the  Natural  Divine,  enlightens 
the  internal  spiritual  man  and  the  external  natural  at  the 
same  time ;  for  while  only  the  internal  man  is  enlightened, 
and  not  at  the  same  time  the  external,  there  is  produced  a 
shadow;  in  like  manner,  while  only  the  external,  and  not 
at  the  same  time  the  internal. 

no.  Here  the  following  Relations  will  be  presented. 
First,  Once  in  the  spiritual  world  I  saw  an  ignis  fatuns 
in  the  air,  falling  to  the  earth,  and  a  lucid  border  around 
it ;  it  was  a  meteor,  which  the  common  people  call  a 
dragon.  I  observed  the  place  where  it  fell  j  but  it  disap- 
peared in  the  morning  twilight,  before  sunrise,  as  an  ignis 
fatuus  always  does.  In  the  morning  I  went  to  the  place 
where  I  saw  it  fall  in  the  night,  and  behold  the  ground 
there  was  of  a  mixture  of  sulphur,  iron-filings,  and  clay  j 
and  then  suddenly  there  appeared  two  tents,  one  directly 
over  the  place,  and  the  other  at  the  side  towards  the  south  : 
and  I  looked  up,  and  saw  a  certain  spirit  falling  down  from 
heaven  like  lightning,  and  cast  into  the  tent  which  stood 
directly  over  the  place  where  the  meteor  fell;  and  I  was  in 
the  other,  which  was  near  it  towards  the  south  :  in  the  door 
of  this  I  stood,  and  saw  the  spirit  in  the  other  also  stand- 
ing in  the  door  of  his  tent ;  and  then  I  asked  him  why  he 
thus  fell  down  from  heaven ;  to  which  he  replied  that  he 
was  cast  down,  as  an  angel  of  the  dragon,  by  the  angels  of 
Michael,  "because,"  said  he,  "I  said  some  things  concern- 
ing my  faith,  in  which  I  confirmed  myself  in  the  world  \ 


i  ?6 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


among  which  was  this,  that  God  the  Father  and  God  the 
Son  are  two,  and  not  one  ;  for  all  in  the  heavens  at  this  day 
belie  re  that  they  are  one,  like  soul  and  body  \  and  every 
word  spoken  against  that  is  like  a  sting  in  their  nostrils,  and 
like  an  awl  boring  through  their  ears,  whence  they  have 
disturbance  and  pain ;  and,  therefore,  whoever  :ontradicts 
their  belief  is  commanded  to  go  out,  and  if  he  hesitates  he 
is  cast  down  headlong."  On  hearing  this  I  said  to  him, 
"  Why  did  you  not  believe  as  they  did  ?  "  He  answered, 
"  After  he  has  left  the  world,  no  one  can  believe  any  thing 
else  than  what  he  had  by  confirmation  impressed  upon 
himself ;  this  remains  fixed  in  him,  and  cannot  be  torn 
away,  especially  that  which  any  one  has  confirmed  in  him- 
self concerning  God,  since  every  one  in  the  heavens  has  a 
place  according  to  his  idea  of  God."  Then  I  asked,  by 
what  he  had  confirmed  the  idea  that  the  Father  and  the 
Son  were  two.  He  said,  "  By  these  things  in  the  Word  : 
that  the  Son  prayed  to  the  Father,  not  only  before  the  pas- 
sion of  the  cross,  but  also  upon  the  cross ;  as  also  that  He 
humbled  Himself  before  His  Father ;  how,  then,  can  they 
be  one,  as  soul  and  body  are  one  in  man  ?  Who  prays  as 
to  another,  and  humbles  himself  as  before  another,  while 
he  himself  is  that  other  ?  No  one  does  so,  much  less  the 
Son  of  God ;  and,  besides,  the  whole  Christian  church  in 
my  time  divided  the  Godhead  into  persons ;  and  every  per- 
son is  one  by  himself,  and  is  defined  to  be  what  subsists  in 
itself"  When  I  had  heard  these  things  from  him,  I  re- 
plied, "  I  have  perceived  from  what  you  say  that  you  do 
not  know  at  all  how  God  the  Father  and  the  Son  are  one  ; 
and  because  you  know  not  how,  you  had  confirmed  your- 
self in  the  falsities  in  which  the  church  still  is  concerning 
God.  Do  you  not  know  that  the  Lord  when  He  was  in 
the  world  had  a  soul,  as  every  other  man  has  ?  Whence 
had  He  this  soul  but  from  God  the  Father  ?  That  it  is  so, 
is  abundantly  manifest  from  the  Word  of  the  Evangelists. 
What  then  is  that  which  is  called  the  Son  but  the  Human, 


No.  i io.]         THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER.  1 77 

which  was  conceived  from  the  Divine  of  the  Father,  and 
born  of  the  virgin  Mary?  A  mother  cannot  conceive  a 
soul  j  this  is  totally  repugnant  to  the  order  according  to 
which  every  man  is  born  \  nor  can  God  the  Father  impart 
a  soul  from  Himself,  and  then  recede  from  it,  as  every 
father  in  the  world  can,  since  God  is  His  own  Divine 
essence,  and  this  is  one  and  indivisible ;  and  because  it 
is  indivisible,  it  is  Himself.  Thence  it  is  that  the  Lord 
says  that  The  Father  and  He  are  o?ie;  and  that  the  Father  is 
in  Him  and  He  in  the  Father ;  besides  many  similar  things. 
The  composers  of  the  Athanasian  creed  also  saw  this  in  the 
distance  •  wherefore,  after  they  divided  God  into  three  per- 
sons, they  say  still  that  in  Christ  God  and  Man,  that  is, 
the  Divine  and  the  Human,  are  not  two  but  one,  like  soul 
and  body  in  man.  That  the  Lord  in  the  world  prayed  to 
the  Father  as  to  another,  and  that  he  humbled  Himself 
before  the  Father  as  before  another,  was  according  to  the 
order  established  from  creation,  which  is  immutable,  ac- 
cording to  which  every  one  must  proceed  to  conjunction 
with  God.  The  order  is,  that  as  a  man,  by  a  life  according 
to  the  laws  of  order  which  are  the  commandments  of  God, 
conjoins  himself  with  God,  so  God  conjoins  Himself  with  the 
man,  and  from  natural  makes  him  spiritual.  In  like  manner 
the  Lord  united  Himself  to  His  Father,  and  God  the  Father 
united  Himself  to  Him.  While  He  was  an  infant  was  not 
the  Lord  like  an  infant,  and  while  a  boy,  like  a  boy  ?  Is  it 
not  read  that  He  increased  in  wisdom  and  favor  ?  and  after- 
wards, that  He  asked  the  Father  that  He  would  glorify  His 
Name,  that  is,  His  Human  ?  To  glorify  is  to  make  Divine 
by  union  with  Himself.  Thence  it  is  manifest  that  the  Lord, 
in  the  state  of  His  exinanition  [out-pouring  or  emptying], 
which  was  the  state  of  His  progress  to  union,  prayed  to  the 
Father.  The  same  order  is  inscribed  from  creation  on  every 
man  ;  that  is,  as  man  by  means  of  truths  from  the  Word  pre- 
pares his  understanding,  so  he  adapts  it  to  the  reception  of 
faith  from  God  ;  and  as  by  works  of  charity  he  prepares  his 

8* 


i;8 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


will,  so  he  accommodates  it  to  the  reception  of  love  from 
God  ;  for  as  an  artist  cuts  a  diamond,  so  he  fits  it  to  receive 
and  emit  the  splendor  of  light,  &c.  To  prepare  oneself  for 
the  reception  of  God  and  for  conjunction,  is  to  live  accord- 
ing to  Divine  order  •  and  the  laws  of  order  are  all  the  com- 
mandments of  God  ;  these  the  Lord  fulfilled  to  every  tittle, 
and  thus  made  Himself  a  receptacle  of  the  Godhead  in  all 
Lulness.  Wherefore  Paul  says  that  In  jfesus  Christ  dwellcth 
all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily  ;  and  the  Lord  Himself 
says  that  All  things  of  the  Father  are  His.  It  is  further  to 
be  held  that  the  Lord  alone  is  active  with  every  man,  and 
that  man  of  himself  is  merely  passive  ;  but  that  by  an  influx 
of  life  from  the  Lord  he  is  also  active.  From  this  perpetual 
influx  from  the  Lord  it  appears  to  man  as  if  he  were  active 
from  himself  •  and  because  it  is  so  he  also  has  free  will,  and 
this  is  given  him  that  he  may  prepare  himself  for  receiving 
the  Lord,  and  thus  for  conjunction,  which  there  cannot  be, 
unless  it  be  reciprocal ;  and  it  becomes  reciprocal  while 
man  acts  from  his  freedom,  and  yet  from  faith  attributes 
all  activity  to  the  Lord." 

After  this  I  asked  whether  he  like  the  others,  his  compan- 
ions, confessed  that  God  is  one.  He  replied  that  he  did ; 
and  then  I  said,  "  But  I  am  afraid  that  the  confession  of 
your  heart  is  that  there  is  no  God.  Does  not  all  the  speech 
of  the  mouth  proceed  from  the  thought  of  the  mind  ?  Where- 
fore it  cannot  be  otherwise  than  that  the  confession  of  the 
mouth  that  God  is  one,  should  expel  from  the  mind  the 
thought  that  there  are  three;  and  conversely,  that  the  thought 
of  the  mind  should  expel  from  the  mouth  the  confession  that 
He  is  one.  What  else  results  from  this  than  that  there  is  no 
God?  Is  not  all  the  intermediate  region,  which  is  from 
the  thought  to  the  mouth  and  from  the  mouth  back  to  the 
thought,  thus  rendered  an  empty  void  ?  And  what  else  is 
then  concluded  by  the  mind  concerning  God,  but  that  nat- 
ure is  God  ?  and  concerning  the  Lord,  but  that  His  soul 
was  either  from  the  mother  or  from  Joseph  ?  from  which 


No.  in.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


179 


two  things,  as  horrid  and  abominable,  all  the  angels  of 
heaven  turn  themselves  away."  After  these  things  were 
said,  that  spirit  was  sent  away  into  the  abyss,  mentioned  in 
the  Apocalypse  (ix.  2,  and  the  following),  where  the  angels 
of  the  dragon  discuss  the  mysteries  of  their  faith.  The 
next  day,  when  I  looked  towards  the  same  place,  I  saw 
instead  of  the  tents  two  statues  in  the  likeness  of  human 
beings,  made  of  the  dust  of  the  earth,  which  was  a  mixture 
of  sulphur,  iron,  and  clay ;  and  one  statue  seemed  to  have 
a  sceptre  in  the  left  hand,  a  crown  on  the  head,  and  a  book 
in  the  right  hand,  and  also  a  stomacher  obliquely  crossed 
by  a  sash  and  set  with  precious  stones,  and  behind,  a  robe 
flowing  to  the  other  statue ;  but  these  things  were  induced 
upon  that  statue  by  fantasy ;  and  then  a  voice  was  heard 
thence,  from  a  certain  dragonist :  "  This  statue  represents 
our  faith  as  a  queen ;  and  the  other  behind  it,  charity  as 
her  maid-servant."  This  was  composed  of  a  similar  mixture 
of  dust,  and  placed  at  the  end  of  the  robe  that  trailed  behind 
the  queen ;  and  she  held  in  her  hand  a  paper,  upon  which 
was  written,  "  Beware  lest  you  approach  nearer  and  touch 
the  robe."  But  then,  on  a  sudden,  a  shower  fell  from  heaven 
and  penetrated  both  the  statues,  which,  because  they  were 
composed  of  a  mixture  of  sulphur,  iron,  and  clay,  began  to 
bubble,  as  is  the  case  with  a  mixture  of  those  ingredients 
while  water  is  poured  upon  it ;  and  being  thus  caused  to 
burn  by  an  inward  fire,  they  were  reduced  to  ashes,  and 
became  heaps,  which  afterwards  stood  upon  the  ground 
there  like  sepulchral  mounds. 

in.  Second  Relation.  In  the  natural  world  man  has 
twofold  speech,  because  his  thought  is  twofold,  external 
and  internal  ;  for  a  man  can  speak  from  internal  thought 
and  at  the  same  time  from  external  thought,  and  he  can 
speak  from  external  thought  and  not  from  the  internal,  yes, 
contrary  to  the  internal ;  thence  come  dissimulation,  flat- 
tery, and  hypocrisy.  But  in  the  spiritual  world  man  has 
not  twofold  speech,  but  single ;  he  speaks  there  as  he 


l80  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


thinks  j  or  else  the  sound  is  grating  and  hurts  the  ear ;  but 
still  he  can  be  silent,  and  so  not  divulge  the  thoughts  of 
his  mind.  Wherefore  a  hypocrite,  when  he  comes  among 
the  wise,  either  goes  away,  or  gets  himself  into  a  corner  of 
the  room  and  avoids  observation  and  sits  in  silence.  Once 
there  were  many  assembled  in  the  world  of  spirits,  and  were 
conversing  together  upon  this  subject,  saying  that  "  Not  to 
be  able  to  speak  except  as  one  thinks  is  hard  for  those 
who  have  not  thought  justly  concerning  God  and  concern- 
ing the  Lord,  while  they  are  in  company  with  the  good." 
In  the  middle  of  the  assembly  were  the  reformed  and  many 
of  the  clergy;  and  next  to  them,  the  papists  with  the  monks ; 
and  both  classes  at  first  said,  "  This  is  not  hard ;  what  ne- 
cessity is  there  for  one  to  speak  otherwise  than  he  thinks? 
and,  if  by  chance  he  does  not  think  justly,  can  he  not  close 
his  lips  and  keep  silence  ? "  And  one  of  the  clergy  said, 
"  Who  does  not  think  justly  concerning  God  and  concern- 
ing the  Lord  ?  "  But  some  of  the  congregation  said,  "  Let 
us  try  them."  And  they  said  to  those  who  had  confirmed 
themselves  in  a  trinity  of  persons  concerning  God,  that 
they  from  thought  should  Say,  One  God ;  but  they  could 
not.  They  twisted  and  turned  their  lips  in  many  folds, 
and  could  not  articulate  sound  into  other  words  than  such 
as  were  consonant  with  the  ideas  of  their  thought,  which 
were  those  of  three  persons,  and  thence  of  three  Gods. 
Then  it  was  said  to  those  who  confirmed  faith  separate 
from  charity,  that  they  should  name  Jesus  ;  but  they  could 
not,  although  they  all  could  say  Christ,  and  also  God  the 
Father.  They  wondered  at  this,  and  asked  the  reason,  and 
found  it  to  be  this  :  that  they  had  prayed  to  God  the  Father 
tor  the  sake  of  the  Son,  and  had  not  prayed  to  the  Saviour 
Himself ;  and  jfcsns  signifies  Saviour.  Moreover  they  were 
told,  from  their  thought  concerning  the  Human  of  the  Lord, 
to  say  Divine  Human  ;  but  no  one  of  the  clergy  who  was 
there  present  could  do  it,  but  some  of  the  laity  could ;  where- 
fore this  was  submitted  to  a  serious  discussion ;  and  then, 


No.  in.]  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER  l8l 

I.  These  passages  in  the  Evangelists  were  read  to  them : 
The  Father  hath  given  all  things  into  the  ha?id  of  the  Son 
(John  iii.  35)  ;  The  Father  hath  given  to  the  Son  power 
over  all  flesh  (xvii.  2)  ;  All  things  are  delivered  to  Me  by  the 
Father  (Matt.  xi.  27)  ;  All  power  is  given  unto  Me  in  heaven 
and  in  earth  (xxviii.  18).  And  it  was  said  to  them,  "  From 
these  things,  keep  it  in  thought  that  Christ  is  the  God  of 
heaven  and  earth,  both  as  to  His  Divine  and  as  to  His 
I  luman,  and  so  pronounce  Divine  Human  ; "  but  still  they 
could  not ;  and  they  said,  that  from  this  they  indeed  had 
some  thought  about  it  from  the  understanding,  but  still  no 
acknowledgment ;  and  that  therefore  they  could  not  say  it. 

II.  Afterwards  it  was  read  to  them  from  Luke  (i.  32,  34,  35), 
that  the  Lord  as  to  the  Human  was  the  Son  of  Jehovah 
God,  and  that  He  is  there  called  the  Son  of  the  Highest, 
and  in  various  other  places  the  Son  of  God,  and  also  the 
Only-begotten ;  and  they  requested  them  to  keep  this  in 
their  thought,  and  also  that  the  Only-begotten  Son  of  God 
born  in  the  world  could  not  but  be  God  as  the  Father  is 
God,  and  then  to  say  distinctly  Divine  Human.  But  they 
said, 11  We  cannot,  because  our  spiritual  thought,  which  is  the 
more  internal,  does  not  admit  into  the  thought  next  to  the 
speech  any  other  than  similar  ideas;"  also  that  from  this 
they  perceived  that  now  it  was  not  allowable  for  them  to 
divide  their  thoughts,  as  in  the  natural  world.  III.  Then 
were  read  to  them  these  words  of  the  Lord  to  Philip :  Philip 
said,  Lord,  show  us  the  Father;  and  the  Lord  said,  He  that 
seeth  Me  seeth  the  Father;  belici'est  thou  not  that  I  am  in  the 
Fa  flier,  and  the  Father  in  Me  (John  xiv.  8-1 1) ;  and  also 
other  passages,  That  the  leather  and  He  are  one  (as  John 
x.  30).  And  it  was  said  to  them  that  they  should  keep 
this  in  their  thought,  and  so  say,  Divine  Human  ;  but, 
because  that  thought  was  not  rooted  in  the  acknowl- 
edgment that  the  Lord  was  God  even  as  to  the  Human, 
they  twisted  their  lips  into  folds,  even  to  indignation,  and 
wished  to  force  their  mouth  to  speak  out,  but  they  could 


182  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IL 


not  do  it :  the  reason  was,  because  the  ideas  of  thought, 
which  flow  from  acknowledgment,  make  one  with  the  words 
of  the  tongue  with  those  who  are  in  the  spiritual  world  ; 
and  where  there  are  not  those  ideas  words  are  not  given, 
for  ideas  become  words  in  speech.  IV.  Moreover  there 
were  read  to  them,  from  the  doctrine  received  in  all  the 
Christian  world,  these  words,  that  The  Divine  and  the 
Human  in  the  Lord  are  not  two,  but  o?ie ;  yea,  one  Person, 
united  as  the  soul  and  the  body  in  man.  These  words  are 
from  the  Confession  of  Faith  named  from  Athanasius,  and 
recognized  by  councils.  And  it  was  said  to  them,  "You 
can  from  this  certainly  have  an  idea  from  acknowledgment, 
that  the  Human  of  the  Lord  is  Divine,  because  His  soul  is 
Divine  •  for  it  is  from  the  doctrine  of  your  church,  which 
you  acknowledged  in  the  world  •  besides,  the  soul  is  the 
very  essence  of  man,  and  the  body  is  its  form,  and  essence 
and  form  make  one,  as  esse  and  existere,  and  as  the  cause 
producing  an  effect  and  the  effect  itself."  They  retained 
that  idea,  and  wished  from  it  to  pronounce  Divine  Human  ; 
but  they  could  not ;  for  their  interior  idea  concerning  the 
Human  of  the  Lord  exterminated  and  expunged  this  new 
adscititious  idea,  as  they  called  it.  V.  Then  this  passage 
from  John  was  read  to  them  :  The  Word  was  with  God,  and 
the  Word  was  God,  and  the  Word  became  flesh  (i.  i,  14) ; 
and  also  this  :  Jesus  Christ  is  the  true  God,  and  eternal  Life 
(1  Epistle  of  John,  v.  20)  ;  and  from  Paul :  Ln  Jesus  Christ 
dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily  (Col.  ii.  9) ;  and 
it  was  said  to  them  that  they  should  think  in  like  manner ; 
that  is,  that  God,  who  was  the  Word,  became  Man,  that  He 
was  the  true  God,  and  that  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead 
dwelt  in  Him  bodily.  And  they  did  so,  but  only  in  external 
thought;  wherefore  they  could  not,  on  account  of  the  re- 
sistance of  the  internal,  pronounce  Divine  Human,  saying 
openly  that  they  could  not  have  an  idea  of  Divine  Human, 
because  God  is  God,  and  man  is  man  j  and  "God  is  a  Spirit, 
and  concerning  spirit  we  have  thought  no  otherwise  than 


No.  ill.]  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


•83 


as  concerning  wind  or  ether."  VI.  At  length  it  was  said  to 
them,  "  You  know  that  the  Lord  said,  Abide  in  Me,  and  I  in 
you  ;  he  that  abideth  in  Me,  and  I  in  him,  beareih  much  fruit ; 
for  without  Me,  ye  can  do  nothing"  (John  xv.  4,  5) ;  and  be- 
cause some  of  the  clergy  of  England  were  present,  it  was 
read  to  them,  from  one  of  their  exhortations  at  the  Holy 
Communion,  "  For when  we  spiritually  eat  the  flesh  of  Christ 
and  drink  His  blood,  then  we  dwell  in  Christ  and  Christ  in 
us."  "  If  now  you  think  that  this  cannot  be,  unless  the 
Human  of  the  Lord  is  Divine,  then  say  Divine  Human 
from  the  acknowledgment  in  the  thought ; "  but  still  they 
could  not,  as  the  idea  was  so  deeply  impressed  on  them 
that  the  Divine  could  not  be  Human,  and  the  Human  could 
not  be  Divine,  and  that  His  Divine  was  from  the  Divine  of 
the  Son  from  eternity,  and  His  Human  like  the  human  of 
another  man.  But  it  was  said  to  them,  "  How  can  you 
think  so  ?  Can  a  rational  mind  ever  think  that  any  Son 
was  born  of  God  from  eternity  ? "  VII.  Afterwards  they 
turned  themselves  to  the  evangelical,  saying,  that  the  Augs- 
burg Confession  and  Luther  taught  that  the  Son  of  God 
and  the  Son  of  Man  is  one  Person  in  Christ,  and  that  He 
even  as  to  the  human  nature  is  omnipotent  and  omnipres- 
ent ;  and  that  as  to  this  He  sits  at  the  right  hand  of  God 
the  Father,  and  governs  all  things  in  the  heavens  and  on 
earth,  fills  all  things,  is  with  us,  dwells  and  operates  in 
us ;  and  that  there  is  no  difference  of  adoration ;  because, 
through  the  nature  which  is  discerned,  the  Divinity  which 
is  not  discerned  is  adored ;  and  that  in  Christ  God  is  Man 
and  Man  God.  On  hearing  these  things  they  replied,  "  Is 
it  so  ?  "  And  they  looked  around  and  presently  said,  "  We 
did  not  know  this  before ;  wherefore  we  cannot  say  Divine 
Human."  But  one  and  another  said,  "We  have  read  it 
and  we  have  written  it,  but  still,  when  we  thought  about  it 
in  ourselves,  there  were  only  words  of  which  we  had  no 
interior  idea."  VI It.  At  last,  turning  about  to  the  papists, 
they  said,  "  Perhaps  you  can  say  Divine  Human,  because 


1 84  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II, 

you  believe  that  in  your  eucharist  Christ  is  entire  in  the 
bread  and  wine  and  in  every  part  of  them ;  and  also  you 
adore  Him,  when  you  exhibit  and  carry  about  the  Host,  as 
the  most  holy  God ;  also  because  you  call  Mary  Deipara, 
or  the  Mother  of  God  ;  consequently  you  acknowledge  that 
she  brought  forth  God,  that  is,  the  Divine  Human."  And 
they  then  wished  to  speak  it,  but  because  there  arose  then 
a  material  idea  concerning  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ, 
and  also  the  faith  that  His  Human  is  separable  from  the 
Divine,  and  that  it  is  actually  divided  with  the  pope,  to 
whom  only  His  human  and  not  His  Divine  power  was  trans- 
ferred, they  could  not  speak  it.  And  then  a  monk  arose 
and  said  that  he  could  think  of  a  Divine  Human  in  respect 
to  the  most  holy  virgin  Mary,  and  also  in  respect  to  a  saint 
of  his  monastery.  And  another  monk  came  forward,  say- 
ing, "  From  the  idea  of  my  thought  which  I  now  entertain, 
I  can  say  Divine  Human  in  respect  to  the  most  holy  Pope, 
rather  than  in  respect  to  Christ."  But  then  some  of  the 
papists  pulled  him  back,  and  said,  "  Shame  on  you ! "  After 
this,  heaven  appeared  open,  and  there  were  seen  tongues 
like  little  flames,  descending  and  flowing  in  with  some ;  and 
then  they  celebrated  the  Divine  Human  of  the  Lord, 
saying,  "  Remove  the  idea  of  three  Gods,  and  believe  that 
in  the  Lord  dwells  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily, 
and  that  the  Father  and  He  are  one,  as  soul  and  body 
are  one,  and  that  God  is  not  wind  and  ether,  but  that  He 
is  Man,  and  then  you  will  be  conjoined  with  heaven,  and 
you  will  be  able  from  the  Lord  to  speak  the  name  Jesus, 
and  to  say  Divine  Human." 

112.  Third  Relation.  Once,  having  awaked  just  after 
daybreak,  I  went  out  into  the  garden  before  the  house, 
and  saw  the  sun  rising  in  his  splendor,  and  round  about 
him  a  halo,  at  first  faint,  and  afterwards  more  distinct, 
shining  as  if  from  gold,  and  under  its  border  a  cloud 
ascending,  which  glittered  like  a  carbuncle  from  the  flame 
of  the  sun.     And  then  I  fell  into  meditation  respecting 


No.  112.]  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


the  fables  of  the  ancients,  that  they  feigned  Aurora  with 
wings  of  silver  feathers,  and  in  her  face  displaying  the 
lustre  of  gold.  When  my  mind  was  delighted  in  these 
things,  I  became  in  the  spirit,  and  heard  some  talking 
among  themselves,  and  saying,  "  Oh  that  we  might  be 
allowed  to  speak  with  the  innovator  who  has  thrown  the 
apple  of  contention  amongst  the  rulers  of  the  church, 
which  many  of  the  laity  have  run  after  5  and,  having 
picked  it  up,  they  have  presented  it  to  our  eyes."  By  that 
apple  they  meant  a  little  pamphlet,  entitled,  "A  brief 
Exposition  of  the  Doctrine  of  the  New  Church."  And 
they  said,  "It  is  indeed  a  schismatical  thing,  which  no  one 
ever  before  conceived."  And  I  then  heard  one  of  them  ex- 
claiming, "  What !  schismatical?  it  is  heretical."  But  some 
at  his  side  replied,  "  Hush,  hold  your  tongue  •  it  is  not 
heretical ;  he  quotes  a  great  many  passages  of  the  Word,  to 
which  our  inexperienced  ones,  by  whom  we  mean  the  laity, 
attend  and  assent."  When  I  heard  these  things,  because 
I  was  in  the  spirit,  I  went  to  them  and  said,  "  Here  I  am ; 
what  is  the  matter  ?  "  And  presently  one  of  them,  who  as 
I  afterwards  heard  was  a  German,  a  native  of  Saxony, 
speaking  in  a  tone  of  authority  said,  "  Whence  had  you 
the  audacity  to  invert  the  worship  in  the  Christian  world, 
established  for  so  many  ages,  which  was,  that  God  the 
Father  should  be  invoked  as  the  Creator  of  the  universe, 
and  His  Son  as  the  Mediator,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the 
Operator  ?  And  you  separate  the  first  and  last  God  from 
our  personality,  when  yet  the  Lord  Himself  says,  When 
ye  pray,  pray  thus,  Our  Father,  Who  art  in  the  heavens, 
hallowed  be  Thy  ?ia?ne,  Thy  kingdom  come.  Thus  is  it  not 
commanded  that  we  should  invoke  God  the  Father?" 
These  things  being  said,  there  was  silence,  and  all  who 
favored  him  stood  like  brave  soldiers  on  ships  of  war  when 
they  see  a  hostile  fleet,  ready  to  cry,  Now  let  us  fight ;  the 
victory  is  sure.  And  then  I  began  to  speak,  and  said, 
"  Which  of  you  does  not  know  that  God  descended  from 


1 86  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


heaven  and  became  man  ?  for  we  read,  The  Word  was 
with  God,  a?id  the  Word  was  God ;  and  the  Word  beca?ne 
Flesh :  also,  which  of  you  does  not  know  (and  I  looked  at 
the  evangelical,  among  whom  was  that  dictator  who  had 
just  addressed  me)  that  in  Christ,  who  was  born  of  the  vir- 
gin Mary,  God  is  Man,  a\id  Man  God  ?  "  But  at  these  words 
the  assembly  made  a  great  noise ;  wherefore  I  said,  "  Do 
you  not  know  this  ?  It  is  according  to  the  doctrine  of 
your  confession,  which  is  called  the  '  Formula  Concordiae,' 
where  this  is  said  and  corroborated  by  many  things." 
Then  that  dictator  turned  himself  towards  the  assembly, 
and  asked  whether  they  knew  this.  And  they  replied, 
"  We  have  studied  very  little  in  that  book  concerning  the 
Person  of  Christ,  but  we  have  sweat  over  the  article 
there  concerning  -  Justification  by  faith  alone.  But  still, 
if  that  is  read  there,  we  acquiesce."  And  then  one  of 
them,  recollecting,  said,  "  It  is  read ;  and  still  further,  that 
the  human  nature  of  Christ  is  exalted  to  Divine  majesty 
and  to  all  its  attributes,  and  also  that  in  it  Christ  sits  at 
the  right  hand  of  the  Father."  Having  heard  these  words 
they  were  silent ;  and  after  this  concurrence  I  spoke  again 
saying,  "  Since  it  is  so,  what  then  is  the  Father  but  the 
Son,  and  what  the  Son  but  the  Father  also  ? "  But  be- 
cause this  again  grated  in  their  ears,  I  continued,  saying, 
"  Hear  the  very  words  of  the  Lord,  and  if  you  have  not 
attended  to  them  before,  attend  now;  for  He  said,  The 
Father  and  I  are  one ;  the  Father  is  in  Me,  and  I  in  the 
Father ;  Father,  all  Mine  are  Thine  and  all  Thine  are  Mine  ; 
he  that  sceth  Me  seeth  the  Father.  What  else  do  those  words 
mean  than  that  the  Father  is  in  the  Son,  and  the  Son 
in  the  Father,  and  that  they  are  one  as  the  soul  and  the 
body  in  man,  and  so  that  they  are  one  person  ?  This  also 
must  be  of  your  faith  if  you  believe  the  Athanasian  creed, 
where  similar  things  are  said.  But  take  from  the  words 
adduced  only  this  declaration  of  the  Lord:  Father,  all 
Mine  are  Thine,  and  all  Thine  are  Mine;  what  else  is  this 


No.  112.]         THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


I87 


than  that  the  Divine  of  the  Father  belongs  to  the  Human 
of  the  Son,  and  the  Human  of  the  Son  to  the  Divine  of 
the  Father  ?  consequently  that,  in  Christ,  God  is  Man,  and 
Man  God  ?  and  so  that  they  are  one,  as  soul  and  body 
are  one.  Every  man  also  may  say  the  same  concerning 
his  soul  and  his  body,  viz.,  £  All  thine  are  mine,  and  all 
mine  thine ;  thou  in  me,  and  I  in  thee ;  he  who  sees  me, 
sees  thee  j  we  are  one  as  to  person  and  as  to  life.'  The 
reason  is,  because  the  soul  is  in  the  whole  and  in  every 
part  of  man ;  for  the  life  of  the  soul  is  the  life  of  the  body, 
and  there  is  a  mutuality  between  them.  Hence  it  is  mani- 
fest that  the  Divine  of  the  Father  is  the  Soul  of  the  Son, 
and  that  the  Human  of  the  Son  is  the  Body  of  the  Father. 
Whence  is  the  soul  of  a  son  but  from  the  father?  and 
whence  is  his  body,  but  from  the  mother  ?  It  is  said,  the 
Divine  of  the  Father,  and  the  Father  Himself  is  meant, 
since  He  and  His  Divine  are  the  same  ;  this  also  is  one  and 
indivisible.  That  it  is  so,  is  evident  also  from  these  words 
of  the  angel  Gabriel  to  Man- :  The  power  of  the  Highest  shall 
overshadow  thee,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  come  upon  thee,  and  the 
Holy  thing  that  shall  be  born  of  thee  shall  be  called  the  Son 
of  God ;  and  just  above  He  is  called  the  Son  of  the  High- 
est, and  elsewhere,  the  Only  begotten  Son.  But  you  who 
call  him  only  the  Son  of  Mary  lose  the  idea  of  His  Divin- 
ity ;  but  none  lose  it  but  the  learned  of  the  clergy,  and 
scholars  among  the  laity,  who,  while  they  elevate  their 
thoughts  above  the  sensual  things  of  the  body,  look  at  the 
glory  of  their  own  reputation,  which  not  only  overshadows 
but  also  extinguishes  the  light  by  which  the  glory  of  God 
enters.  But  let  us  return  to  the  Lord's  prayer,  where  it  is 
said,  Our  Father  Who  art  in  the  heavens,  halloivcd  be  Thy 
Name,  Thy  kingdom  come.  You  who  are  here  understand 
by  these  words  the  Father  in  His  Divine  alone ;  but  i, 
Him  in  His  Human,  and  this  also  is  the  Father's  Name  ; 
for  the  Lord  said,  Father,  glorify  Thy  Name ;  that  is,  Thy 
Human  j  and  when  this  is  done  the  kingdom  of  God 


1 88  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


comes  •  and  this  prayer  was  commanded  for  this  time, 
plainly  in  order  that  God  the  Father  may  be  approached 
through  His  Human.  The  Lord  also  said,  No  one  cometh 
to  the  Father  but  by  Me ;  and  in  the  prophet,  Unto  us  a 
Child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is  given,  and  His  name  is  God, 
Mighty,  the  Father  of  eternity  ;  and  in  another  place,  Thou, 
O  jfehovah,  art  our  Father ;  our  Redeemer  from  everlast- 
ing is  Thy  Name ;  beside  a  thousand  other  places,  where 
the  Lord  our  Saviour  is  called  Jehovah.  This  is  the  true 
explanation  of  the  words  of  that  prayer."  After  these 
things  were  said,  I  looked  at  them,  and  observed  the 
changes  of  their  countenances,  according  to  the  changes  of 
the  state  of  their  minds ;  some  favoring  and  looking  at  me, 
and  some  not  favoring  and  turning  themselves  away  from 
me  j  and  then  on  the  right  I  saw  a  cloud  of  an  opal  color, 
and  on  the  left  a  dusky  cloud,  and  under  each  the  appear- 
ance of  a  shower ;  under  the  latter,  as  a  fall  of  rain  in  the 
end  of  autumn,  and  under  the  former,  as  a  fall  of  dew  at 
the  beginning  of  spring ;  and  then  suddenly  I  came  out 
of  the  spirit  into  the  body,  and  thus  returned  from  the 
spiritual  world  into  the  natural  world. 

113.  Fourth  Relation.  I  looked  forth  into  the  world 
of  spirits,  and  saw  an  army  on  red  and  black  horses. 
Those  who  sat  upon  them  appeared  like  apes,  with  face 
and  breast  turned  towards  the  loins  and  tails  of  the  horses, 
and  the  hinder  part  of  the  head  and  the  back  turned 
towards  the  horses'  necks  and  heads,  and  the  bridles  hang- 
ing about  the  necks  of  the  riders  5  and  they  were  crying 
out  against  those  who  rode  upon  white  horses,  and  shaking 
the  bridles  with  both  their  hands,  and  thus  were  pulling 
the  horses  back  from  the  fight,  and  this  continually.  Then 
two  angels  descended  from  heaven,  and  came  to  me,  and 
said,  "  What  do  you  see  ?  "  And  I  replied,  that  I  saw  this 
ludicrous  company  of  horsemen ;  and  I  asked,  "  What  is 
it,  and  who  are  they  ?  "  And  the  angels  answered,  "  They 
are  from  the  place  which  is  called  Armageddon  (Apoc.  xvi. 


No.  113.]         THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER.  189 

16),  into  which  are  gathered  several  thousands  to  fight 
against  those  who  are  of  the  Lord's  New  Church,  which  is 
called  the  New  Jerusalem.  They  were  talking  in  that  place 
about  the  church  and  religion ;  and  yet  there  was  not  any 
thing  of  the  church  in  them,  because  not  any  spiritual  truth  ; 
nor  any  thing  of  religion,  because  not  any  spiritual  good. 
They  were  talking  there  with  the  mouth  and  the  lips  about 
religion  and  the  church,  but  for  the  sake  of  having  domin- 
ion by  means  of  them.  They  learned  in  their  youth  to 
confirm  faith  alone,  and  something  about  God ;  but  when 
they  were  promoted  to  higher  offices  in  the  church,  for  a 
while  they  retained  those  things  ;  but  because  they  then 
began  to  think  no  more  about  God  and  heaven,  but  about 
themselves  and  the  world,  thus  not  about  eternal  blessed- 
ness and  happiness,  but  about  temporal  eminence  and 
opulence,  they  rejected  the  doctrinals  acquired  in  their 
youth  from  the  interiors  of  the  rational  mind,  which  com- 
municate with  heaven  and  thence  are  in  the  light  of 
heaven,  to  the  exteriors  of  the  rational  mind,  which  com- 
municate with  the  world  and  thence  are  in  the  light  [lumen] 
of  the  world ;  and  at  length  they  thrust  them  down  into 
the  sensual-natural  region ;  whence  the  doctrinals  of  the 
church  became  with  them  things  of  the  mouth  only,  and 
no  longer  of  thought  from  reason,  and  still  less  of  affection 
from  love  j  and  because  they  have  made  themselves  such, 
they  do  not  admit  any  Divine  truth  which  is  of  the  church, 
nor  any  genuine  good  which  is  of  religion  ;  the  interiors  of 
their  mind  have  become  comparatively  like  bottles  filled 
with  iron-filings  mixed  with  powdered  sulphur,  into  which 
if  water  is  poured  there  is  at  first  a  heat  and  afterwards  a 
flame,  by  which  the  bottles  are  burst ;  in  like  manner 
when  they  hear  any  thing  about  living  water,  which  is  the 
genuine  truth  of  the  Word,  and  it  enters  their  ears,  they 
are  violently  heated  and  inflamed,  and  reject  it  as  some- 
thing that  would  burst  their  heads.  These  are  they  who 
appeared  to  you  like  apes  riding  backwards  upon  red  and 


igO  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 

black  horses,  with  the  bridles  about  their  necks  ;  since  they 
who  do  not  love  the  truth  and  good  of  the  church  from  the 
Word  do  not  wish  to  look  at  the  front  parts  of  a  horse, 
but  at  his  hinder  parts ;  for  horse  signifies  the  understand- 
ing of  the  Word  •  a  red  /wrse,  the  understanding  of  the 
Word,  destroyed  as  to  good  ;  and  a  black  /torse,  the  under- 
standing of  the  Word  destroyed  as  to  truth.  They  cried 
for  battle  against  those  who  were  riding  upon  white  horses, 
because  a  white  horse  signifies  the  understanding  of  the 
Word  as  to  truth  and  good ;  they  seemed  to  pull  back 
their  horses  by  their  necks  because  they  feared  the  battle, 
lest  the  truth  of  the  Word  should  come  to  many,  and  so 
into  the  light.    This  is  the  interpretation." 

The  angels  further  said,  "  We  are  from  the  society  of 
heaven  which  is  called  Michael,  and  were  commanded 
by  the  Lord  to  descend  into  the  place  called  Armageddon, 
whence  issued  that  company  of  horsemen,  which  you  saw. 
By  Armageddon,  with  us  in  heaven,  is  signified  the  state 
and  disposition  [animus']  of  fighting  from  falsified  truths, 
arising  from  the  love  of  command  and  supereminence ; 
and  as  we  perceive  in  you  a  desire  to  know  about  that 
battle,  we  will  relate  something.  After  our  descent  from 
heaven  we  came  to  the  place  called  Armageddon,  and  saw 
there  several  thousands  assembled.  We  did  not,  indeed, 
enter  into  their  assembly,  but  there  were  some  houses  on 
the  southern  side  of  that  place,  where  were  boys  with  their 
masters ;  we  went  in  there,  and  were  courteously  received. 
We  were  delighted  with  their  company;  they  were  all 
beautiful  in  face  from  the  life  in  their  eyes,  and  from  the 
zeal  in  their  discourse.  The  life  in  their  eyes  was  from 
the  perception  of  truth,  and  the  zeal  in  their  discourse 
from  the  affection  of  good ;  wherefore,  also,  we  gave  them 
caps,  the  borders  of  which  were  adorned  with  bands  of 
golden  threads  interwoven  with  pearls ;  and  we  gave  them 
also  garments  variegated  with  white  and  hyacinth.  We 
asked  them  whether  they  ever  looked  into  the  place  near 


No.  113.]  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER.  191 

them  called  Armageddon.  They  said  that  they  had  looked 
through  a  window,  which  is  in  the  roof  of  the  house,  and 
that  they  saw  there  an  assembly,  but  under  various  figures ; 
sometimes  as  tall  men,  and  sometimes  not  as  men,  but  as 
statues  and  carved  idols,  and  around  them  a  multitude  of 
pecple  bending  the  knee.  These  also  appeared  to  us  under 
various  forms ;  some  like  men,  some  like  leopards,  and 
some  like  goats,  and  these  with  horns  pointing  downwards, 
with  which  they  dug  up  the  ground.  We  have  interpreted 
those  transformations,  whom  they  represented,  and  what 
they  signified.  But  to  the  point :  They  who  were  assem- 
bled, when  they  heard  that  we  had  entered  into  the  houses, 
said  among  themselves,  '  What  business  have  they  among 
those  boys  ?  Let  us  send  some  of  our  company  to  turn 
them  out.'  So  they  sent ;  and  when  they  came,  Hiey  said 
to  us,  1  Why  have  you  entered  into  these  houses  ?  Whence 
are  you  ?  We,  by  authority,  command  you  to  depart.' 
But  we  replied,  1  You  cannot  give  that  order  by  authority. 
You  are,  indeed,  in  your  own  eyes,  like  the  Anakim,  and 
those  who  are  here  are  like  dwarfs ;  but  still  you  have  no 
power  and  jurisdiction  here,  except  by  means  of  cunning, 
which  yet  will  not  avail ;  wherefore  go  and  tell  your  com- 
panions that  we  were  sent  hither  from  heaven  to  see 
whether  there  is  any  religion  with  you  or  -not ;  if  there  is 
not,  you  will  be  cast  out  of  this  place.  Wherefore,  propose 
to  them  this,  in  which  is  the  very  essential  of  the  church 
and  of  religion,  —  How  they  understand  these  words  in 
the  Lord's  prayer,  Our  Father,  who  art  in  the  heavens, 

HALLOWED  BE  THY  NAME,  THY  KINGDOM  COME.'    When  they 

had  heard  these  words,  at  first  they  said,  '  What  is  this  ? ' 
and  afterwards  they  said  that  they  would  propose  it.  And 
they  went  away,  and  told  these  things  to  their  companions, 
who  replied,  'What  sort  of  a  proposition  is  that?'  But 
they  understood  the  secret,  and  said,  1  They  wish  to  know 
whether  those  words  confirm  the  way  of  our  faith  to  God 
the  Father.'     Wherefore  they  said,  1  The  words  are  clear, 


I92         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  II. 

that  we  ought  to  pray  to  God  the  Father ;  and  because 
Christ  is  our  Mediator,  that  we  ought  to  pray  to  God  the 
Father  for  the  sake  of  the  Son.'  And  then  in  indignation 
they  determined  that  they  would  go  to  us,  and  make  this 
declaration  to  our  faces,  saying  also  that  they  would  pull 
our  ears.  So  they  went  out  of  that  place,  and  entered  a 
grove  near  those  houses  in  which  the  boys  were  with  their 
masters,  in  the  middle  of  which  grove  there  was  a  plain,  ele- 
vated like  a  place  of  exercise  ;  and  they  held  each  other  by 
their  hands,  and  entered  into  that  place  of  exercise  where 
we  were,  and  we  waited  for  them.  There  were  there  sods 
rising  from  the  ground  like  hillocks :  upon  them  they  re- 
clined, for  they  said  one  to  another,  '  We  will  not  stand 
in  their  presence,  but  will  sit  down.'  And  then  one  of 
them,  wlfo  could  make  himself  appear  like  an  angel  of 
light,  and  who  had  been  appointed  by  the  rest  to  speak 
with  us,  said,  i  You  have  proposed  to  us  to  open  our 
minds  concerning  the  first  words  of  the  Lord's  prayer, 
how  we  understand  them.  I  say  to  you,  therefore,  that 
we  understand  them  thus :  that  we  must  pray  to  God  the 
Father ;  and  because  Christ  is  our  Mediator,  and  we  are 
saved  by  His  merit,  that  we  must  pray  to  God  the  Father 
from  faith  in  His  merit.'  But  we  then  said  to  them,  '  We 
are  from  the  society  of  heaven  which  is  called  Michael, 
and  we  were  sent  to  visit  and  to  inquire  whether  you 
who  are  assembled  in  this  place  have  any  religion  or  not ; 
for  the  idea  of  God  enters  into  every  thing  of  religion,  and 
by  it  conjunction  is  effected,  and  by  conjunction  salvation. 
We  in  heaven  read  that  prayer  daily,  as  men  do  on  earth ; 
and  we  do  not  then  think  of  God  the  Father,  because  He 
is  invisible  j  but  we  think  of  Him  in  His  Divine  Human, 
because  in  this  He  is  visible ;  and  in  this  He  is  called  by 
you  Christ,  but  by  us  the  Lord ;  and  so  to  us  the  Lord  is 
the  Father  in  the  heavens.  The  Lord  also  taught  that  He 
and  the  Father  are  one ;  that  the  Father  is  in  Him,  and 
He  in  the  Father  j  and  that  he  that  seeth  Him  seeth  the 


No.  113.]  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


193 


Father;  also,  that  no  one  cometh  to  the  Father  but  by 
Him  ;  and,  also,  that  it  is  the  will  of  the  Father  that  men 
should  believe  in  the  Son ;  and  that  he  that  believeth  not 
in  the  Son  doth  not  see  life  j  yea,  that  the  wrath  of  God 
abideth  on  him ;  from  which  it  is  manifest  that  the  Father 
is  approached  through  Him  and  in  Him ;  and  because  it 
is  so,  He  also  taught  that  all  power  is  given  unto  Him  in 
heaven  and  in  earth.  It  is  said  in  that  prayer,  hallowed 
be  thy  name,  thy  kingdom  come.  We  have  demon- 
strated from  the  Word  that  His  Divine  Human  is  the 
Father's  Name,  and  that  the  Father's  kingdom  then  is 
when  the  Lord  is  approached  immediately,  and  by  no 
means  when  God  the  Father  is  approached  immediately. 
Wherefore,  also,  the  Lord  commanded  the  disciples  that 
they  should  preach  the  kingdom  of  God ;  and  this  is  the 
kingdom  of  God.'  Having  heard  these  words,  the  com- 
batants said,  '  You  recite  many  things  from  the  Word, 
and  perhaps  we  have  read  such  things  there,  but  we  do 
not  remember ;  wherefore  open  the  Word  before .  us,  and 
read  them  from  it,  especially  this,  that  the  kingdom  of  the 
Father  then  comes  when  the  kingdom  of  the  Lord  does.' 
And  then  they  said  to  the  boys,  1  Bring  hither  the  Word.' 
And  they  brought  it ;  and  we  read  from  it  the  following 
passages  :  John,  preaching  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom,  said, 
The  time  is  fulfilled ;  the  kingdom  of  God  is  at  hand  (Mark 
i.  14,  15  ;  Matt.  iii.  2).  Jesus  Himself  preached  the  gospel 
of  the  kingdom,  and  that  the  kingdom  of  God  was  at  hand 
(Matt.  iv.  17,  23;  ix.  35).  Jesus  co?timanded  the  disci- 
ples that  they  should  preach  and  show  the  glad  tidings  of 
the  kingdom  of  God  (Mark  xvi.  15  ;  Luke  viii.  1  ;  ix.  6); 
in  like  manner  the  seventy  whom  He  sent  forth  (x.  9,  11  • 
besides  other  places,  as  Matt.  xi.  5;  xvi.  27,  2S  j  Mark 
viii.  35  ;  ix.  1,  47  ;  x.  29,  30 ;  xi.  10;  Luke  i.  19  ;  ii.  10,  ix ; 
iv.  43;  vii.  22;  xxL  31;  xxii.  18).  The  kingdom  of  God, 
of  which  the  good  tidings  were  made  known,  was  the  king- 
dom of  the  Lord,  and  so  the  Father's  kingdom  |  that  it  is 

VOL.  1.  9 


194         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  II. 


so  is  manifest  from  these  passages :  The  Father  hath  given 
all  things  into  the  hand  of  the  Son  (John  iii.  35).  The  Father 
hath  given  to  the  Son  power  over  all  flesh  (John  xvii.  2). 
All  things  are  delivered  to  Me  of  My  Father  (Matt.  xi.  27). 
All  power  is  given  unto  Me  in  heaven  and  in  earth  (xxviii. 
18).  And  moreover  from  these :  Jehovah  Zebaoth  is  His 
name ;  and  thy  Redeemer,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  the  God 
of  the  whole  earth  shall  He  be  called  (Isa.  liv.  5).  /  saw, 
and,  behold,  one  like  the  Son  of  Man,  to  Whom  was  given 
dominion,  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  and  all  peoples  and  nations 
shall  worship  Him ;  His  do7ninion  is  an  everlasting  domin- 
ion, which  shall  not  pass  away,  and  His  kingdom  that  which 
shall  not  be  destroyed  (Dan.  vii.  13,  14).  When  the  seventh 
a?igel  sounded,  there  were  great  voices  in  the  heavens,  saying, 
The  kingdoms  of  the  world  are  become  our  Lord's  and  His 
Chris  fs,  and  He  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever  (Apoc.  xi.  15  ; 
xii.  10).  And,  besides,  we  instructed  them  from  the  Word 
that  the  Lord  came  into  the  world  not  only  to  redeem 
angels  and  men,  but  also  that  they  might  be  united  to  God 
the  Father  by  Him  and  in  Him ;  for  He  taught  that  He  is 
in  those  who  believe  in  Him,  and  that  they  are  in  Him 
(John  vi.  56;  xiv.  20;  xv.  4,  5).  Having  heard  these 
things,  they  asked,  '  How,  then,  can  your  Lord  be  called 
Father  ? '  We  said,  '  From  those  passages  which  have 
been  read,  and  also  from  these :  Unto  us  a  Child  is  born, 
unto  us  a  Son  is  given,  whose  name  is  God,  Mighty,  the 
Father  of  eternity  (Isa.  ix.  6).  Thou  art  our  Father ;  Abra- 
ham is  ignorant  of  us,  and  Israel  doth  not  acknowledge  us  ; 
Thou,  Jehovah,  art  our  Father  ;  our  Redeemer  from  everlast- 
ing is  Thy  name  (Isa.  lxiii.  16).  Did  He  not  say  to  Philip, 
who  wished  to  see  the  Father,  Hast  thou  not  known  Me, 
Philip  ?  He  that  seeth  Me,  seeth  the  Father  (John  xiv.  9  ; 
xii.  45).  Who  else,  then,  is  the  Father,  but  He  whom 
Philip  saw  with  his  eyes  ? '  To  which  we  added  this : 
4  It  is  said  in  the  whole  Christian  world  that  they  who  are 
of  the  church  make  the  Body  of  Christ,  and  are  in  His 


No.  114-] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


195 


Body :  how,  then,  can  a  man  of  the  church  go  to  God  the 
Father,  except  through  Him  in  whose  Body  he  is  ?  If 
otherwise,  he  must  go  entirely  out  of  His  Body,  and  go  to 
Him.'  At  last  we  informed  them,  that  the  Lord  is  at  this 
day  establishing  a  New  Church,  which  is  meant  by  the 
New  Jerusalem  in  the  Apocalypse,  in  which  will  be  the 
worship  of  the  Lord  alone,  as  in  heaven,  and  that  thus 
every  thing  will  be  fulfilled  which  is  contained  in  the 
Lord's  prayer  from  beginning  to  end.  We  confirmed  all 
from  the  Word  in  the  Evangelists  and  in  the  Prophets, 
also  from  the  Apocalypse  in  which  that  church  is  treated 
of  from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  in  so  great  abundance 
that  they  were  tired  of  hearing. 

While  hearing  these  things  with  indignation,  the  Arma- 
geddons  wished  at  every  turn  to  interrupt  our  discourse ; 
and  at  length  they  broke  it,  and  exclaimed,  "  You  have 
spoken  contrary  to  the  doctrine  of  our  church,  which  is, 
that  God  the  Father  is  to  be  approached  immediately,  and 
that  we  must  believe  in  Him :  you  have  thus  made  your- 
selves guilty  of  a  violation  of  our  faith  j  wherefore,  go  out 
from  this  place ;  and  if  not,  you  shall  be  cast  out."  And 
their  minds  being  inflamed,  from  threats  they  proceeded  to 
violence  ;  but  then,  by  power  given  us,  we  struck  them  with 
blindness ;  and  not  seeing  us  because  of  this,  they  rushed 
forth,  and  in  their  wandering  they  ran  in  different  direc- 
tions, and  some  fell  into  the  abyss  which  is  mentioned  in 
the  Apoc.  ix.  2,  which  is  now  in  the  southern  quarter, 
towards  the  east,  where  those  are  who  confirm  justifica- 
tion by  faith  alone ;  and  those  there  who  confirm  it  from 
the  Word  are  sent  forth  into  a  desert,  in  which  they  are 
brought  even  to  the  extremity  of  the  Christian  world,  and 
are  mixed  with  pagans. 

CONCERNING  REDEMPTION. 

114.  That  there  are  with  the  Lord  two  offices,  the  office 
of  priest  and  the  office  of  king,  is  known  in  the  church  j  but 


ig6         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


few  know  in  what  the  one  and  in  what  the  other  consists  j 
wherefore  it  shall  be  told.  The  Lord  is  called  yesus  from 
the  office  of  priest;  and  from  the  office  of  king  He  is  called 
Christ :  and  from  the  office  of  priest  He  is  also  called  in 
the  Word  yehovah  and  Lord ;  and  from  the  office  of  king, 
God,  and  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  as  also  King.  These  two 
offices  are  distinguished  from  each  other,  as  love  and  wis- 
dom, 01,  what  is  the  same,  as  good  and  truth,  are  distin- 
guished from  each  other ;  wherefore,  whatever  the  Lord  did 
and  operated  from  Divine  love  or  Divine  good,  He  did  and 
operated  from  His  priestly  office ;  but  whatever  from  Divine 
wisdom  or  Divine  truth,  from  His  kingly  office.  In  the 
Word,  also,  priest  and  priesthood  signify  Divine  good  ;  and 
fang  and  royalty  signify  Divine  truth :  those  two  things  were 
represented  by  priests  and  kings  in  the  Israelitish  church. 
As  to  what  concerns  redemption,  that  pertains  to  both 
offices  ;  but  what  part  of  it  to  the  one,  and  what  part  of  it 
to  the  other,  will  be  shown  in  what  follows.  But,  that  every 
thing  may  be  distinctly  perceived,  the  exposition  of  it  will 
be  divided  into  canons  or  articles,  as  follows :  I.  Redemp- 
tiofi  itself  was  a  subjugation  of  the  hells,  and  an  establisJwient 
of  order  in  the  heavens,  and  thereby  a  preparation  for  a  New 
Spiritual  Church.  II.  Without  that  redemption  no  man  could 
have  been  saved,  nor  could  the  angels  have  continued  to  exist  in  a 
state  of  integrity.  III.  The  Lord  thus  redeemed  not  only  men, 
but  also  angels.  IV.  Redemption  was  a  work  purely  Divifie. 
V.  This  redemption  itself  could  not  have  been  effected  but  by 
God  incarnate.  VI.  The  passion  of  the  cross  was  the  last 
temptation  which  He  as  the  greatest  Prophet  sustained,  and 
was  the  means  of  the  glorification  of  His  Human,  that  is,  of 
union  with  the  Divine  of  His  Father;  but  it  was  not  redemp- 
tion. VII.  The  belief  that  the  passion  of  the  cross  was  re- 
demption itself,  is  a  fundamental  error  of  the  church;  and 
that  error  together  7vith  the  error  concerning  three  Divifie  per- 
sons from  eternity,  has  perverted  the  whole  church,  so  that  not 
any  thing  spiritual  is  left  in  it.  These  things  will  now  be 
unfolded  one  bv  one. 


No.  116.]         THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


197 


115.  I.  Redemption  itself  was  a  Subjugation  of 
the  Hells,  and  an  Establishment  of  Order  in  the 
Heavens,  and  thereby  a  Preparation  for  a  New 
Spiritual  Church. 

That  these  three  things  are  redemption,  I  can  say  with 
aU  certainty,  since  the  Lord  is  also  at  this  day  performing 
a  redemption,  which  He  commenced  in  the  year  1757,  to- 
gether with  the  Last  Judgment  which  was  then  performed 
This  redemption  has  continued  from  that  time  even  to  this : 
the  reason  is,  because  at  this  time  is  the  Second  Coming 
of  the  Lord  ;  and  a  New  Church  is  to  be  instituted,  which 
cannot  be  instituted  unless  there  be  first  a  subjugation  of 
the  hells,  and  an  establishment  of  order  in  the  heavens ; 
and  because  it  was  granted  me  to  see  all,  I  can  describe 
how  the  hells  were  subjugated,  and  how  the  new  heaven 
was  ordered  and  established ;  but  this  would  be  the  sub- 
ject of  a  whole  work.  But  how  the  last  judgment  was  per- 
formed I  have  made  known  in  a  small  volume,  published 
at  London  in  the  year  1758.  That  the  subjugation  of  the 
hells,  the  establishment  of  order  in  the  heavens,  and  the 
establishment  of  a  New  Church,  were  redemption,  is  be- 
cause without  these  no  man  could  have  been  saved :  they 
follow,  also,  in  order ;  for  first  the  hells  are  to  be  subjugated 
before  a  new  angelic  heaven  can  be  formed  \  and  this  is  to 
be  formed  before  a  New  Church  upon  earth  can  be  insti- 
tuted j  for  men  in  the  world  are  so  conjoined  with  angels 
of  heaven  and  spirits  of  hell,  that,  in  the  interiors  of  the 
mind  on  both  sides,  they  make  one :  but  concerning  this 
we  shall  speak  in  the  last  chapter  of  this  work,  where  we 
shall  treat  specially  of  the  Consummation  of  the  Age,  of 
the  Coming  of  the  Lord,  and  of  the  New  Church. 

116.  That  the  Lord,  while  He  was  in  the  world,  fought 
against  the  hells,  and  conquered  and  subjugated  them,  and 
thus  brought  them  under  obedience  to  Him,  is  evident  from 
many  passages  in  the  Word,  of  which  I  shall  select  these 
few :  In  Isaiah,  Who  is  this  that  comet h  from  Edom,  with 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  _  [Chap.  II. 


dyed  garments  from  Bozrah,  this  that  is  glorious  in  His  ap- 
parel, travelling  in  the  greatness  of  His  strength  ?  I  that 
speak  in  righteousness,  mighty  to  save.  Wherefore  art  Thot* 
red  in  Thine  apparel,  and  Thy  garments  as  of  JIi?n  that  tread- 
eth  in  the  wine  fat?  I  have  trodden  the  wine-press  alone,  a?id 
of  the  people  not  a  man  with  Me  ;  for  I  have  trodden  them  in 
Mine  anger,  and  trampled  them  in  My  fury ,  thence  their  vic- 
tory is  sprinkled  upon  My  garments  ;  for  the  day  of  ve?igeance 
is  in  My  heart,  and  the  year  of  My  redeemed  is  come ;  My 
arm  brought  salvation  to  Me ;  I  made  their  victory  descend  to 
the  earth.  He  said,  Behold  My  people,  they  are  children  ;  so 
He  became  their  Saviour  ;  for  His  love  and  for  His  pity  He 
redeemed  them  (lxiii.  1-9).  These  things  are  concerning  the 
Lord's  combat  against  the  hells  \  by  the  garment  in  which 
He  was  glorious,  and  which  was  red,  is  meant  the  Word,  to 
which  violence  was  offered  by  the  Jewish  people.  The 
battle  itself  against  the  hells,  and  the  victory  over  them,  is 
described  by  this,  that  He  trod  them  in  His  anger,  and  tram- 
pled them  i?i  His  fury.  That  He  fought  alone  and  from 
His  own  power,  is  described  by  these  words  :  Of  the  people 
not  a  man  [vir]  with  Me ;  My  arm  brought  salvation  to  Me ; 
I  ?nade  their  victory  descend  to  the  earth.  That  thereby  He 
saved  and  redeemed,  by  these  words  :  Therefore  He  became 
their  Saviour ;  for  His  love  and  for  His  pity  He  redeemed 
them.  That  this  was  the  cause  of  His  coming  is  meant  by 
these  :  The  day  of  vengeance  is  in  My  heart,  and  the  year  of 
My  redeemed  is  come.  Again  in  Isaiah  :  He  saw  that  there 
was  no  man,  and  wondered  that  there  was  no  intercessor; 
therefore  His  arm  brought  salvation  unto  Him,  and  His  right- 
eousness it  sustained  Him  ;  thence  He  put  on  righteousness  as 
a  breastplate,  and  a  helmet  of  salvation  upon  His  head,  and 
He  put  Oft  the  garments  of  vengeance,  and  covered  Himself 
with  zeal  as  a  cloak  ;  then  came  to  Zion  the  Redeemer  (lix.  16, 
1 7,  20).  In  Jeremiah :  They  were  dismayed,  their  strong  ones 
were  beaten  down  ;  they  fled  apace,  and  they  looked  not  back  ; 
this  is  the  day  of  the  Lord  yehovih  Zebaoth,  a  day  of  ven- 


No.  116.]  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


199 


geance,  that  He  may  avenge  Him  of  His  adversaries  ;  that  the 
sword  may  devour  and  be  satiated  (xlvi.  5,10).  Both  of  these 
are  concerning  the  Lord's  battle  against  the  hells,  and  con- 
cerning the  victory  over  them.  In  David  :  Gird  Thy  sivord 
upon  Thy  thigh,  O  Mighty ;  Thy  arrows  are  sharp,  the  peo- 
ple shall  fall  under  Thee,  enemies  of  the  King  from  the  heart. 
Thy  throne  is  for  ever  and  ever.  Thou  hast  lovta  righteous- 
ness, therefore  God  hath  anointed  Thee  (Ps.  xlv.  4-7);  besides 
many  other  places.  Since  the  Lord  alone  conquered  the 
hells,  without  help  from  any  angel,  therefore  He  is  called  a 
Hero,  and  a  Max  of  wars  (Isa.  xlii.  13;  ix.  6);  the  King 
of  glory,  Jehovah  the  Mighty,  the  Hero  in  War  (Ps. 
xxiv.  8, 10);  The  Mighty  One  of  Jacob  (exxxii.  2);  and  in 
many  places,  Jehovah  Zeeaoth,  that  is,  Jehovah  of  hosts. 
And  also  His  advent  is  called  the  day  of  Jehovah,  terrible, 
cruel,  of  indignation,  of  wrath,  of  anger,  of  vengea?ice,  of  ruin, 
of  war,  of  a  trumpet,  of  a  loud  noise,  of  tumult,  &c.  In  the 
Evangelists  these  things  are  read  :  Now  is  the  judgme?it  of 
this  world;  the  prince  of  this  world  shall  be  cast  out  (John 
xii.  31).  The  prince  of  this  world  is  judged  (xvi.  11).  Be  of 
good  cheer ;  I  have  overcome  the  world  (xvi.  33).  /  beheld 
Satan  as  lightning  fall  from  heaven  (Luke  x.  18).  By  the 
world,  the  prince  of  the  world,  Satan,  and  the  devil,  is  meant 
hell.  Besides  these  things,  it  is  described  in  the  Apocalypse, 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  what  the  Christian  church  is  in 
quality  at  this  day,  and  it  is  also  told  that  the  Lord  is  about 
to  come  again,  and  subjugate  the  hells,  and  make  a  new 
angelic  heaven,  and  then  to  establish  a  New  Church  upon 
earth.  All  these  things  are  there  predicted,  but  they  have 
not  been  uncovered  till  the  present  time  •  the  reason  is, 
because  the  Apocalypse,  as  also  all  the  prr  p  hetical  parts  of 
the  Word,  was  written  throughout  by  mere  correspondences ; 
and  unless  these  had  been  made  known  by  the  Lord,  scarcely 
any  one  would  have  been  able  rightly  to  understand  a  single 
little  verse  there  ;  but  now,  for  the  sake  of  the  New  Church, 
all  the  things  which  are  there,  have  been  uncovered  in  the 


200  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 

"Apocalypse  Revealed,"  published  at  Amsterdam,  in  the 
year  1766  j  and  those  will  see  them  who  believe  the  Word  of 
the  Lord  in  Matt.  xxiv.  concerning  the  state  of  the  church 
at  the  present  time,  and  concerning  His  coming.  But 
this  belief  is  as  yet  only  wavering  with  those  who  have  im- 
pressed on  their  hearts,  so  deeply  that  it  cannot  be  rooted 
out,  the  faith  of  the  present  church  concerning  a  trinity  of 
Divine  persons  from  eternity,  and  concerning  the  passion 
of  Christ  that  it  was  redemption  itself.  But  these  (as  was 
said  in  the  Relation  above,  n.  113)  are  like  bottles  filled 
with  iron-filings  and  powdered  sulphur,  into  which  if  water 
be  poured,  there  is  first  produced  a  heat,  and  afterwards  a 
flame,  by  which  the  bottles  are  burst :  so  they,  when  they 
hear  any  thing  concerning  living  water,  which  is  the  genu- 
ine truth  of  the  Word,  and  this  enters  through  their  eyes 
or  ears,  are  violently  heated  and  inflamed,  and  reject  it,  as 
something  which  would  burst  their  heads. 

117.  The  subjugation  of  the  hells,  the  orderly  arrange- 
ment of  the  heavens,  and  afterwards  the  establishment  of 
a  church,  may  be  illustrated  by  various  similitudes.  The 
hells  may  be  illustrated  by  comparison  with  an  army  of 
robbers  or  rebels  who  invade  a  kingdom  or  a  city,  and  then 
set  fire  to  the  houses,  plunder  the  goods  of  the  inhabitants, 
and  divide  the  spoil  among  themselves,  and  then  exult  and 
triumph  :  but  redemption  itself  may  be  illustrated  by  com- 
parison with  a  just  king,  who  marches  against  them  with 
his  army,  puts  a  part  of  them  to  the  sword,  shuts  a  part  up 
in  work-houses,  takes  away  their  spoil  and  restores  it  to  his 
subjects,  and  afterward  establishes  order  in  the  kingdom, 
and  renders  it  secure  from  similar  invasions.  It  may  also 
be  illustrated  by  comparison  with  a  herd  of  wild  beasts, 
issuing  out  together  from  a  forest,  which  attacks  flocks  and 
herds,  and  also  men  ;  on  account  of  which,  no  man  dares 
go  out  from  the  walls  of  his  city  to  till  the  ground  ;  whence 
the  fields  will  be  deserted,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  city 
will  perish  by  famine :  and  redemption  may  be  illustrated 


No.  118.]  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


20 1 


by  the  destruction  and  dispersion  of  those  wild  beasts,  and 
the  protection  of  the  fields  and  plains  from  further  invasion 
by  such  animals.  It  may  also  be  illustrated  by  locusts  con- 
suming every  green  thing  on  the  face  of  the  ground,  and 
by  the  means  taken  to  prevent  their  further  progress  :  also, 
by  the  little  worms  in  early  summer,  which  deprive  the  trees 
of  leaves,  and  thus,  also,  of  fruits,  so  that  they  stand  naked 
as  in  the  midst  of  winter ;  and  by  shaking  them  off,  and 
thus  restoring  the  garden  to  the  state  of  its  bloom  and 
fruitfulness.  The  case  would  be  similar  with  the  church, 
unless  the  Lord,  by  redemption,  had  separated  the  good 
from  the  evil,  and  cast  the  latter  into  hell,  and  raised  the 
former  into  heaven.  What  would  become  of  an  empire  or 
a  kingdom,  if  there  were  no  justice  nor  judgment  by  which 
the  evil  might  be  taken  away  from  the  midst  of  the  good, 
and  the  good  protected  from  violence,  so  that  every  one 
might  live  securely  in  his  own  house,  and,  as  is  said  in  the 
Word,  might  sit  under  his  own  fig-tree  and  vine  in  tran- 
quillity ? 

118.   II.  Without  that  Redemption,  no  Man  could 

HAVE  BEEN  SAVED,  NOR  COULD  THE  ANGELS  HAVE  CON- 
TINUED to  exist  in  a  State  of  Integrity. 

In  the  first  place  it  shall  be  told  what  redemption  is. 
To  redeem  signifies  to  liberate  from  damnation,  to  deliver 
from  eternal  death,  to  rescue  from  hell,  and  take  away  cap- 
tives and  prisoners  out  of  the  hand  of  the  devil.  This  was 
done  by  the  Lord,  in  that  He  subjugated  the  hells,  and 
formed  a  new  heaven.  Man  could  not  otherwise  have  been 
saved,  because  the  spiritual  world  has  such  a  connection 
with  the  natural  world  that  they  cannot  be  separated.  This 
connection  is  principally  with  the  interiors  of  men,  which 
are  called  their  souls  and  minds :  those  of  the  good  are 
connected  with  the  souls  and  minds  of  angels,  and  those 
of  the  evil,  with  the  souls  and  minds  of  infernal  spirits. 
They  have  such  union,  that,  if  they  were  removed  from 

9* 


202 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


man,  he  would  fall  down  dead  as  a  stock  j  in  like  manner 
angels  and  spirits  could  not  continue  to  exist,  if  men  were 
withdrawn  from  them.  Thence  it  is  manifest  why  redemp- 
tion was  performed  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  why  heaven 
and  hell  were  first  to  be  arranged  in  order  before  the 
church  on  earth  could  be  established.  That  it  is  so,  is 
very  manifest  from  what  is  said  in  the  Apocalypse,  that, 
after  the  new  heaven  was  made,  the  New  Jerusalem, 
which  is  the  New  Church,  came  down  out  of  that  heaven 
(xxi.  i,  2). 

119.  The  reason  why  the  angels  could  not  have  con- 
tinued to  exist  in  a  state  of  integrity  unless  redemption 
had  been  performed  by  the  Lord,  is  that  the  whole  an- 
gelic heaven  together  with  the  church  on  earth  is  before 
the  Lord  as  one  man,  whose  internal  is  constituted  by  the 
angelic  heaven,  and  its  external  by  the  church :  or,  more 
particularly,  the  highest  heaven  constitutes  the  head ;  the 
second  and  the  lowest  constitute  the  breast  and  the  middle 
region  of  the  body ;  and  the  church  on  earth,  the  loins  and 
feet ;  and  the  Lord  Himself  is  the  Soul  and  Life  of  the  whole 
of  this  man :  wherefore,  unless  the  Lord  had  wrought  re- 
demption, this  man  would  have  been  destroyed ;  as  to  the 
feet  and  loins,  by  the  falling  away  of  the  church  on  earth ; 
as  to  the  gastric  region,  by  the  falling  away  of  the  lowest 
heaven ;  as  to  the  breast,  by  the  falling  away  of  the  second 
heaven ;  and  then  the  head,  having  no  correspondence  with 
the  body,  falls  into  a  swoon.  But  this  shall  be  illustrated 
by  similitudes.  It  is  as  when  mortification  attacks  the  feet, 
and,  in  its  ravages,  gradually  ascends,  and  infects  first  the 
loins,  then  the  viscera  of  the  abdomen,  and  at  length  in- 
vades the  neighborhood  of  the  heart ;  and  it  is  known  that 
man  then  falls  a  victim  in  death.  It  may  also  be  illustrated 
by  comparison  with  diseases  of  the  viscera  below  the  dia- 
phragm, that  when  they  have  any  rupture,  the  heart  begins 
to  palpitate,  and  the  lungs  to  pant  heavily,  and  at  length 
they  both  cease.    It  may  also  be  illustrated  by  comparison 


No.  119.]  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


203 


with  the  internal  and  external  man,  in  that  the  internal 
man  is  well  as  long  as  the  external  man  obediently  per 
forms  its  functions  j  but  if  the  external  does  not  obey, 
but  resists  the  internal,  and  still  more  if  it  assaults  it,  at 
length  the  internal  is  weakened  and  finally  carried  away 
by  the  enjoyments  of  the  external,  until  it  even  favors  and 
assents  to  it.  It  may  also  be  illustrated  by  comparison 
with  a  man  standing  upon  a  mountain,  who  sees  below 
him  the  country  inundated,  and  that  the  waters  are  rising 
higher  and  higher ;  and  when  they  reach  the  summit  on 
which  he  stands,  he  also  is  engulfed,  unless  he  is  enabled 
to  secure  his  safety  by  a  boat  which  comes  to  him  through 
the  flood :  in  like  manner,  if  any  one  from  a  mountain 
sees  a  dense  fog  rising  higher  and  higher  above  the  earth, 
and  hiding  the  fields,  villages,  and  cities ;  and  afterwards, 
when  the  fog  reaches  even  to  him,  he  does  not  see  any 
thing,  not  even  himself  where  he  is.  So  it  is  with  the 
angels  when  the  church  on  earth  perishes ;  then  the  lower 
heavens  also  pass  away.  The  reason  is,  because  the 
heavens  consist  of  men  from  the  earth ;  and  when  there 
no  longer  remains  any  good  of  heart  and  truth  of  the 
Word,  the  heavens  are  inundated  by  the  evils  which  rise 
up,  and  are  suffocated  by  them  as  by  Stygian  waters ;  but 
still  they  are  concealed  by  the  Lord  somewhere,  and  are 
reserved  to  the  day  of  the  last  judgment,  and  are  then 
raised  up  into  a  new  heaven.  These  are  they  who  are 
meant  in  the  Apocalypse  by  those  mentioned  in  the  follow- 
ing passage  :  I  saw  under  the  altar  the  souls  of  them  that 
were  slain  for  the  Word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony  which 
they  held ;  and  they  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  How 
long,  O  Lord,  Holy  and  7 rue,  dost  Thou  not  judge  and  avenge 
our  blood  on  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  ?  And  white 
robes  were  given  unto  every  one  of  them  ;  and  it  was  said 
unto  thrm,  that  ihry  should  rest  yet  for  a  little  season,  until 
their  fellow  servants  also,  and  their  brethren,  that  should  be 
killed  as  they  were,  should be  fulfilled '  (vi.  9,  10,  11). 


204  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II 


120.  One  reason,  among  many  others,  why,  without  re- 
demption by  the  Lord,  iniquity  and  wickedness  would 
spread  through  the  whole  Christian  orb,  in  both  worlds, 
the  natural  and  the  spiritual,  is,  because  every  man  after 
death  comes  into  the  world  of  spirits,  and  then  is  alto- 
gether like  himself,  such  as  he  was  before ;  and  at  his 
entrance  he  cannot  be  restrained  from  conversing  with 
deceased  parents,  brothers,  relatives,  and  friends ;  every 
husband  then  first  seeks  his  wife,  and  every  wife  her  hus- 
band ;   and  by  these  they  are  introduced  into  various 
companies  of  such  as  outwardly  appear  like  sheep,  and 
inwardly  are  like  wolves ;  and  by  these  even  those  are 
perverted  who  have  been  devoted  to  piety:  from  this 
cause,  and  from  abominable  arts  unknown  in  the  natural 
world,  the  world  of  spirits  is  as  full  of  the  wicked  and 
cunning,  as  stagnant  water  growing  green  with  the  spawn 
of  frogs.    That  intercourse  with  the  wicked  there  also 
effects  this,  may  be  rendered  manifest  from  these  consid- 
erations, that  whoever  associates  with  robbers  or  pirates 
at  length  becomes  like  them ;   and  whoever  lives  with 
adulterers  and  harlots  at  length  regards  adulteries  as 
nothing;  and,  also,  whoever  connects  himself  with  per- 
sons in  rebellion  at  length  does  not  scruple  to  do  violence 
to  any  one.    For  all  evils  are  contagious,  and  may  be 
compared  to  the  plague,  which  an  infected  person  com- 
municates by  breath  or  perspiration ;  and  also  to  a  cancer, 
or  to  gangrene  which  spreads  and  putrefies  the  parts 
near  it,  and  successively  those  more  distant,  until  the 
whole  body  perishes.    The  enjoyments  of  evil,  into  which 
every  one  is  born,  cause  wickedness  to  be  contagious. 
From  these  things  it  may  now  appear  evident  that  without 
redemption  by  the  Lord  no  one  could  be  saved,  nor  could 
the  angels  continue  to  exist  in  a  state  of  integrity.  The 
only  refuge,  that  one  may  not  perish,  is  in  the  Lord  ;  for 
He  says,  Abide  in  Me,  and  I  in  you  ;  as  the  branch  cannoi 
bear  fruit  of  itself  except  it  abide  in  the  7'inc,  no  more  can  yct 


No.  121.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


205 


except  ye  abide  in  Me.  I  am  the  Vine,  ye  are  the  branches :  he 
that  abideth  in  Me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth 
much  fruit ;  for  without  Me  ye  can  do  nothing.  If  a  7iian 
abide  not  i?i  Me,  he  is  cast  forth  as  a  branch,  and  being 
withered  is  cast  into  the  fire  and  burned  (John  xv.  4,  5,  6). 

121.  III.  The  Lord  thus  redeemed  not  only  Men, 
but  also  Angels. 

This  follows  from  what  was  said  in  the  preceding  article, 
That  without  redemptio?i  by  the  Lord,  the  angels  could  not 
have  continued  to  exist.  To  the  reasons  above  mentioned, 
these  may  be  added  :  1.  That,  at  the  time  of  the  first  com- 
ing of  the  Lord,  the  hells  had  grown  up  to  such  a  height 
that  they  filled  all  the  world  of  spirits,  which  is  in  the  midst 
between  heaven  and  hell,  and  thus  not  only  confused  the 
heaven  which  is  called  the  ultimate,  but  also  assaulted  the 
middle  heaven,  which  they  infested  in  a  thousand  ways, 
and  which  would  have  gone  to  destruction  unless  the 
Lord  had  protected  it.  Such  inroad  of  the  hells  is  meant 
by  the  tower  built  in  the  land  of  Shinar,  the  head  of  which 
was  to  reach  even  to  heaven ;  but  the  design  of  the 
builders  was  frustrated  by  the  confusion  of  languages, 
and  they  were  dispersed,  and  the  city  was  called  Babel 
(Gen.  xi.  1-9).  What  is  there  meant  by  the  tower  and  by 
the  confusion  of  languages  is  explained  in  the  "Arcana 
Ccelestia,"  published  at  London.  The  reason  that  the 
hells  had  grown  up  to  such  a  height  was,  that  at  the  time 
when  the  Lord  came  into  the  world,  the  whole  world  had 
entirely  alienated  itself  from  God  by  idolatries  and  magic  j 
and  the  church  which  had  been  among  the  sons  of  Israel, 
and  afterward  among  the  Jews,  was  utterly  destroyed  by 
falsification  and  adulteration  of  the  Word  j  and  these  two 
classes  after  deatli  all  flocked  into  the  world  of  spirits, 
where  at  length  they  so  increased  and  multiplied  that  they 
could  not  be  expelled  thence  but  by  the  descent  of  God 
Himself,  and  then  by  the  strength  of  His  Divine  Ann. 


206         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [Chap.  IL 

How  this  was  done  is  described  in  a  little  treatise  con- 
cerning the  "  Last  Judgment"  published  at  London  in  the 
year  1758.  This  was  accomplished  by  the  Lord  when  He 
was  in  the  world.  The  like,  also,  has  been  done  by  the 
Lord  at  this  day,  since  as  was  said  above,  at  this  day  is 
His  second  coming,  which  was  predicted  in  the  Apocalypse 
in  various  places  \  and  in  Matt.  xxiv.  3,  30 ;  in  Mark  xiii. 
26  ;  in  Luke  xxi.  27  ;  and  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  i.  11  ; 
and  in  other  places.  The  difference  is  that,  at  His  first 
coming,  the  hells  had  grown  to  such  a  degree  from  the 
multitude  of  idolaters,  magicians,  and  falsifiers  of  the 
Word ;  but  at  this  second  coming,  from  Christians  so 
called,  both  such  as  are  imbued  with  naturalism,  and 
also  such  as  have  falsified  the  Word,  by  confirmations 
of  their  fabulous  faith  concerning  three  Divine  Per- 
sons from  eternity,  and  concerning  the  passion  of  the 
Lord,  that  it  was  redemption  itself;  for  these  are  they 
who  are  meant  by  the  dragon  and  hie  two  beasts  in  the 
Apocalypse  xii.  and  xiii.  2.  The  second  reason  why  the 
Lord  also  redeemed  angels  is,  that  not  only  every  man, 
but  also  every  angel,  is  withheld  by  the  Lord  from  evil 
and  held  in  good ;  for  no  one,  whether  angel  or  man,  is  in 
good  from  himself,  but  all  good  is  from  the  Lord :  when, 
therefore,  the  footstool  of  the  angels,  which  is  in  the  world 
of  spirits,  was  taken  away  from  them,  it  was  then  with 
them  as  with  one  sitting  upon  a  throne  when  its  pedestals 
are  removed.  That  the  angels  are  not  pure  in  the  sight 
of  God  is  evident  from  the  prophetical  parts  of  the  Word, 
and  also  from  Job ;  and  likewise  from  this,  that  there  is 
not  any  angel  who  had  not  previously  been  a  man. 
Hereby  are  confirmed  those  things  which  are  said  in  the 
"  Faith  of  the  New  Heaven  and  the  New  Church  in  a  uni- 
versal and  a  particular  Form,"  prefixed  to  this  work,  namely, 
"  That  the  Lord  came  into  the  world  that  He  might  re- 
move hell  from  man,  and  that  He  did  remove  it  by  com- 
bats against  it  and  by  victories  over  it ;  thus  He  subjugated 


NO.  122.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


207 


it,  and  reduced  it  under  obedience  to  Himself."  And  also 
by  these  things  there,  "  That  Jehovah  God  descended  and 
assumed  the  Human,  to  the  end  that  He  might  reduce  to 
order  all  things  which  were  in  heaven  [and  all  things 
which  were  in  hell],  and  all  things  which  were  in  the 
church ;  since,  at  that  time,  the  power  of  the  devil,  that  is, 
of  hell,  prevailed  over  the  power  of  heaven,  and  upon 
earth  the  power  of  evil  over  the  power  of  good,  and  thence 
a  total  damnation  stood  threatening  before  the  door.  This 
impending  damnation  Jehovah  God  removed  by  means  of 
His  Human,  and  thus  He  redeemed  men  and  angels :  from 
which  it  is  manifest  that  without  the  coming  of  the  Lord 
no  one  could  have  been  saved.  It  is  similar  at  this  day ; 
wherefore,  unless  the  Lord  comes  again  into  the  world,  no 
one  can  be  saved."    See  above  (n.  2,  3). 

122.  That  the  Lord  has  delivered  the  spiritual  world,  and 
by  means  of  it  is  about  to  deliver  the  church  from  universal 
damnation,  may  be  illustrated  by  comparison  with  a  king, 
who,  by  victories  over  the  enemy,  liberates  the  princes  his 
sons,  who  had  been  taken  by  the  enemy,  confined  in  prisons, 
and  bound  with  chains,  and  brings  them  back  to  his  palace ; 
also  by  comparison  with  a  shepherd,  who,  like  Samson  and 
David,  rescues  his  sheep  from  the  jaws  of  the  lion  or  the 
bear,  or  drives  away  those  wild  beasts  when  they  rush  forth 
from  the  forest  into  the  pastures,  and  pursues  them  even  to 
the  utmost  limits,  and  at  last  forces  them  into  swamps  or 
deserts,  and  afterwards  returns  to  the  sheep,  and  feeds  them 
in  safety,  and  gives  them  drink  from  fountains  of  pure 
water.  It  may  also  be  illustrated  by  comparison  with  one 
who  sees  a  serpent  coiled  up,  lying  in  the  way,  and  ready 
to  wound  the  heel  of  the  traveller;  and  who  seizes  it  by  the 
neck,  and,  although  it  twists  itself  about  his  hand,  he  car- 
ries it  home,  and  there  cuts  off  its  head,  and  throws  the 
rest  into  the  fire.  It  may  also  be  illustrated  by  comparison 
with  a  bridegroom  or  a  husband,  who,  when  he  sees  an 
adulterer  attempting  to  do  violence  to  his  bride  or  wife, 


208 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


attacks  him,  and  either  wounds  his  hand  with  a  sword,  or 
covers  his  legs  and  loins  with  blows,  or  casts  him  into  the 
streets  with  the  help  of  his  servants,  who  pursue  him  with 
clubs  even  to  his  house ;  and  so  he  leads  her  away,  now  free, 
into  his  chamber.  By  a  bride  and  a  wife,  also,"  in  the  Word, 
is  meant  the  Lord's  church  ;  and  by  adulterers  are  meant 
its  violators,  who  are  those  who  adulterate  His  Word  \  and 
because  the  Jews  did  this,  they  were  called  by  the  Lord  an 
adulterous  generation. 

123.   IV.  Redemption  was  a  Work  purely  Divine. 

He  who  knows  what  hell  is,  and  what  was  its  height 
and  inundation  over  all  the  world  of  spirits  at  the  time 
of  the  Lord's  coming,  and  also  with  what  power  the  Lord 
cast  down  and  "dispersed  hell,  and  afterwards  reduced  it 
together  with  heaven  into  order,  cannot  but  be  amazed, 
and  exclaim  that  all  those  things  were  a  work  purely  Divine. 
First,  as  to  what  hell  is :  it  consists  of  myriads  of  myriads, 
since  it  consists  of  all  those  who,  from  the  creation  of  the 
world,  by  evils  of  life  and  falsities  of  faith,  have  alienated 
themselves  from  God.  Secondly,  as  to  the  height  and  inun- 
dation of  hell  over  all  the  world  of  spirits,  at  the  ti?nt  of  the 
Lord's  coming,  something  has  been  stated  in  the  preceding 
articles.  What  it  was  at  the  time  of  the  first  coming,  was 
not  made  known  to  any  one,  for  it  is  not  revealed  in  the 
literal  sense  of  the  Word.  But  what  it  was  at  the  time  of 
His  second  coming,  it  was  granted  to  see  with  my  eyes ; 
from  which  there  may  be  conclusions  concerning  the  former ; 
and  this  is  described  in  a  little  treatise  concerning  the  "Last 
Judgment,"  published  at  London  in  the  year  1758.  In  that 
work*  is  also  described,  with  what  power  the  Lord  cast  down 
and  dispersed  that  hell ;  but  to  transfer  hither  those  things 
which  are  described  from  personal  observation  in  that  little 
treatise  is  a  needless  work,  because  that  is  extant,  and  there 
are  yet  copies  in  abundance  at  the  bookseller's  in  London. 
Every  one  who  reads  that  treatise  may  clearly  see  that  this 


No.  123.]  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER.  20g 

was  the  work  of  God  Almighty.  Thirdly,  how  the  Lord 
afterwards  reduced  all  things,  both  in  heaven  and  in  hell,  i?ito 
order,  has  not  yet  been  described  by  me,  since  the  arrange- 
ment in  order  of  the  heavens  and  the  hells  has  continued 
in  progress  from  the  day  of  the  last  judgment  to  the  present 
time,  and  still  continues ;  but  after  this  book  is  published, 
if  it  be  desired,  it  shall  be  given  to  the  public.  As  to  myself, 
I  have  seen,  and  do  see  every  day,  the  Divine  omnipotence 
of  the  Lord  in  this  thing,  as  in  the  face.  This  last  work 
properly  belongs  to  redemption,  but  the  former  properly 
belongs  to  the  last  judgment;  those  who  view  these  two 
things  distinctly  may  see  many  things  which,  in  the  prophet- 
ical parts  of  the  Word,  are  concealed  under  figures  j  and 
yet  can  see  them  described  when,  by  an  explanation  of  the 
correspondences,  they  are  brought  forth  into  the  light  of 
the  understanding.  The  former  Divine  work  and  the  lat- 
ter can  be  illustrated  only  by  comparisons,  and  so  but 
imperfectly.  They  may  be  illustrated  by  comparison  with 
a  battle  against  the  armies  of  all  the  nations  in  the  whole 
world,  armed  with  spears,  shields,  swords,  muskets,  and 
cannon,  having  skilful  and  cunning  generals  and  other 
officers :  this  is  said,  because  many  in  hell  are  skilled  in 
arts  unknown  in  our  world,  in  which  they  practise  with 
each  other,  how  they  may  attack,  ensnare,  beset,  and 
assault  those  who  are  from  heaven.  The  combat  of  the 
Lord  with  hell  may  also  be  compared,  but  yet  imperfectly, 
with  a  combat  with  the  wild  beasts  of  the  whole  world,  and 
with  their  slaughter  and  subjugation,  until  not  one  oi  them 
dares  to  come  forth  and  make  an  assault  upon  any  man 
who  is  in  the  Lord  ;  whence,  if  any  one  shows  a  threaten- 
ing aspect,  he  suddenly  shrinks  back,  as  if  he  felt  the  vult- 
ure in  his  bosom,  endeavoring  to  eat  through  even  to  the 
heart.  Infernal  spirits  are  also  described  in  the  Word 
as  wild  beasts:  these,  too,  are  meant  in  Mark  i.  13,  by  the 
wild  beasts  with  which  the  Lord  was  for  forty  days.  There 
may  als^be  comparison  with  resistance  to  the  whole  ocean, 


210 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


rushing  with  its  billows  into  countries  and  cities  when  the 
dikes  are  demolished.  The  subjugation  of  hell  by  the  Lord 
is  also  meant  by  His  calming  the  sea,  by  saying,  Peace,  be 
still  (Mark  iv.  38,  39 ;  Matt.  viii.  26  3  Luke  viii.  23,  24). 
For  by  the  sea  there,  as  in  many  other  places,  is  signified 
hell.  The  Lord,  with  similar  Divine  power,  at  this  day 
rights  against  hell  in  every  man  who  is  becoming  regen- 
erate j  for  hell  assaults  all  such  with  diabolical  fury ;  and 
unless  the  Lord  resisted  and  subdued  it,  man  could  not  but 
yield.  For  hell  is  as  one  monstrous  man,  and  like  a  huge 
lion,  with  which  also  it  is  compared  in  the  Word.  Where- 
fore, unless  the  Lord  should  keep  that  lion,  or  that  monster, 
bound  with  manacles  and  fetters,  it  could  not  be  other- 
wise than  that  a  man,  when  rescued  from  one  evil,  would 
of  himself  fall  into  another,  and  then  into  many  more. 

124.    V.  This  Redemption  itself  could  not  have 

BEEN  EFFECTED,  BUT  BY  GOD  INCARNATE. 

In  the  preceding  article  it  was  shown  that  redemption 
was  a  work  purely  Divine ;  consequently,  that  it  could  not 
have  been  performed  but  by  an  omnipotent  God.  The 
reason  that  it  could  not  have  been  performed  but  by  God 
incarnate,  that  is,  made  Man,  is  because  Jehovah  God,  such 
as  He  is  in  His  infinite  essence,  cannot  draw  near  to  hell, 
much  less  enter  into  it;  for  He  is  in  purest  and  first 
things.  Wherefore  Jehovah  God,  being  in  Himself  such, 
if  He  should  only  breathe  upon  those  who  are  in  hell,  would 
kill  them  in  a  moment ;  for  He  said  to  Moses,  when  he 
wished  to  see  Him,  Thou  canst  not  see  My  face,  for  there 
shall  710  man  see  Me  and  live  (Ex.  xxxiii.  20).  As,  therefore, 
Moses  could  not,  still  less  could  those  who  are  in  hell, 
where  all  are  in  the  last  and  grossest  things,  and  so  in 
those  most  remote ;  for  they  are  the  lowest  natural.  Where- 
fore, unless  Jehovah  God  had  assumed  the  Human,  and 
thus  clothed  Himself  with  a  body  which  is  in  ultimates, 
He  might  have  undertaken  any  redemption  in  vaiji.  For 


No.  124.]         THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


211 


who  can  attack  any  enemy,  unless  he  approach  hirn,  and 
unless  he  be  furnished  with  arms  for  the  battle  ?  Or  who 
can  drive  away  and  destroy  dragons,  hydras,  and  basilisks 
in  some  desert,  unless  he  cover  his  body  with  a  coat  of 
mail  and  his  head  with  a  helmet,  and  have  a  spear  in  his 
hand  ?  Or  who  can  catch  whales  in  the  sea,  without  a  ship 
and  the  proper  implements  for  catching  them  ?  B)  these 
and  similar  things  may  be  illustrated,  though  not  justly 
compared,  the  battle  of  the  omnipotent  God  with  the  hells, 
upon  which  battle  He  could  not  have  entered,  unless  He 
had  before  put  on  the  Human.  But  it  should  be  known  that 
the  battle  of  the  Lord  with  the  hells  was  not  an  oral  battle, 
as  between  reasoners  and  wranglers ;  such  a  battle  effects 
nothing  at  all  there  :  but  it  was  a  spiritual  battle,  which  is 
of  Divine  truth  from  Divine  good,  which  was  the  very  vital 
principle  of  the  Lord :  the  influx  of  this  through  the  medium 
of  sight,  no  one  in  hell  can  resist.  There  is  in  it  such  power 
that  the  infernal  genii  flee  away  at  the  mere  perception  of  it, 
cast  themselves  down  into  the  deep,  and  creep  into  caverns 
that  they  may  hide  themselves.  This  is  the  same  that  is 
described  in  Isaiah  :  They  shall  enier  into  the  caverns  of  the 
rocks,  and  into  the  fissures  of  the  dust,  for  fear  of  Jehovah, 
when  He  shall  arise  to  terrify  the  earth  (ii.  19)  j  and  in  the 
Apocalypse  :  They  shall  all  hide  themselves  in  the  caves  and 
in  the  rocks  of  the  mountains,  and  shall  say  to  the  mountains 
and  rocks,  Fall  upon  us,  and  hide  us  from  the  face  of  Him 
that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb 
(vi.  15,  16,  17).  What  was  the  Lord's  power,  which  He  has 
from  the  Divine  good,  while  He  performed  the  last  judg- 
ment in  the  year  1757,  may  be  evident  from  those  things 
which  are  described  in  the  little  treatise  concerning  that 
judgment ;  as  that  He  tore  up  from  their  places  the  hills 
and  mountains  which  the  internals  occupied  in  the  world 
of  spirits,  and  removed  them  to  distant  places,  and  made 
some  sink  down  ;  and  that  He  deluged  their  cities,  villages, 
and  fields  with  a  flood,  and  tore  up  their  lands  from  the 


212  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


foundation,  and  cast  them,  together  with  the  inhabitants, 
into  whirlpools,  bogs,  and  fens;  besides  many  other  things; 
and  all  these  things  were  done  by  the  Lord  alone,  through 
the  power  of  Divine  truth  from  Divine  good. 

125.  That  Jehovah  God  could  not  have  operated  and 
effected  these  things,  except  by  His  Human,  may  be  illus- 
trated by  various  comparisons  ;  as  that  one  who  is  invisible 
cannot  join  hands  nor  converse  but  with  one  visible  to  him  ; 
an  angel  or  a  spirit  cannot  with  a  man,  although  he  should 
stand  close  to  his  body  and  before  his  face.  Neither  can 
any  one's  soul  speak  and  act  with  any  one,  except  through 
his  body.  The  sun  cannot  with  its  light  and  heat  enter 
into  any  man,  beast,  or  tree,  unless  it  first  enter  the  air,  and 
act  through  this  \  so,  too,  it  cannot  enter  into  fishes,  except 
through  the  water ;  for  it  must  act  by  means  of  the  element 
in  which  the  subject  is.  No  one  can  scale  a  fish  without  a 
knife,  nor  pick  the  feathers  from  a  crow  without  fingers,  nor 
descend  to  the  bottom  of  a  lake  without  a  diving-bell.  In  a 
word,  one  thing  must  be  accommodated  to  another,  before 
there  can  be  effected  any  communication  and  operation 
against  it  or  with  it. 

126.  VI.  The  Passion  of  the  Cross  was  the  last 
Temptation  which  the  Lord  as  the  greatest  Prophet 
sustained,  and  was  the  means  of  the  glorification 
of  His  Human,  that  is,  of  union  with  the  Divine  of 
His  Father;  but  it  was  not  Redemption. 

There  are  two  things  for  which  the  Lord  came  into  the 
world,  and  by  which  He  saved  men  and  angels,  viz.,  re- 
demption and  the  glorification  of  His  Human.  These  two 
are  distinct  from  each  other,  but  yet  they  make  one  with 
respect  to  salvation.  What  Redemption  is  has  been  shown 
in  the  preceding  articles,  namely,  that  it  was  battle  with  the 
hells,  subjugation  of  them,  and  afterwards  the  arrangement 
of  the  heavens  in  order.  But  glorification  is  the  unition  of 
the  Human  of  the  Lord  with  the  Divine  of  His  Father, 


No.  127.J 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


213 


This  was  done  successively,  and  was  fully  completed  by 
the  passion  of  the  cross ;  for  every  man  ought,  on  his  part, 
to  approach  to  God,  and  in  proportion  as  man  approaches, 
God  on  His  part  enters.  This  is  the  same  as  with  a  tem- 
ple ;  it  is  first  to  be  built,  and  this  is  done  by  the  hands  of 
men;  and  afterwards  it  is  to  be  consecrated,  and  finally 
prayer  offered  that  God  may  be  present,  and  unite  Himself 
with  the  church  there.  The  reason  why  the  union  itself 
was  fully  effected  by  the  passion  of  the  cross  is,  because 
that  was  the  last  temptation  which  the  Lord  underwent  in 
the  world,  and  conjunction  is  effected  by  temptations ;  for 
in  them  man  to  appearance  is  left  to  himself  alone,  although 
he  has  not  been  left,  for  God  is  then  most  really  present  in 
man's  inmosts,  and  supports  him  ;  wherefore,  when  any  one 
conquers  in  temptation  he  is  most  intimately  conjoined  with 
God  ;  and  the  Lord  then  was  most  intimately  united  to  God 
His  Father.  That  the  Lord  in  the  passion  of  the  cross  was 
left  to  Himself,  is  evident  from  this  His  exclamation  upon 
the  cross  :  My  God,  why  hast  Thou  forsaken  Me  ?  and  also 
from  these  words  of  the  Lord  :  No  o?ie  taketh  life  from  Me, 
but  I  lay  it  down  of  Myself ;  I  have  power  to  lay  it  down,  and 
I  have  poivcr  to  take  it  again  ;  this  commandment  have  I  re- 
ceived of  My  Father  (John  x.  18).  From  these  passages, 
now,  it  may  be  evident  that  the  Lord  did  not  suffer  as  to 
the  Divine,  but  as  to  the  human ;  and  that  then  an  inmost 
and  thus  a  complete  union  was  effected.  This  may  be  illus- 
trated by  this,  that  while  a  man  suffers  as  to  the  body,  his 
soul  does  not  suffer,  but  only  grieves  ;  and  God  takes  away 
this  grief  after  the  victory,  and  wipes  it  away  as  one  wipes 
tears  from  the  eyes. 

127.  These  two  things,  redemption  and  the  passion  of 
the  cross,  must  be  distinctly  perceived,  otherwise  the  human 
mind,  likp  a  ship,  falls  into  quicksands  or  upon  rocks  and 
is  lost,  together  with  the  pilot,  master,  and  sailors  ;  that  is, 
it  errs  in  all  those  things  which  are  of  salvation  by  the  Lord ; 
for  a  man  without  a  distinct  idea  concerning  those  two  things 


214 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


is  as  one  who  dreams,  and  sees  imaginary  things,  and  draws 
conclusions  from  those  things  which  he  thinks  to  be  real, 
when,  nevertheless,  they  are  ludicrous  ;  or  he  is  as  one  who 
walks  in  the  night,  and,  while  he  takes  hold  of  the  leaves 
of  some  tree,  he  thinks  them  to  be  the  hair  of  a  man,  and 
comes  nearer,  and  entangles  his  own  hair  in  the  branches. 
But  although  redemption  and  the  passion  of  the  cross  are 
two  distinct  things,  yet  they  make  one  with  respect  to  salva- 
tion ;  since  the  Lord,  by  union  with  His  Father,  which  was 
completed  by  the  passion  of  the  cross,  became  Redeemer 
to  eternity. 

128.  Concerning  the  Glorification,  by  which  is  meant 
the  unition  of  the  Divine  Human  of  the  Lord  with  the  Divine 
of  the  Father,  that  it  was  fully  completed  by  the  passion  of 
the  cross,  the  Lord  Himself  thus  speaks  in  the  Evangelists  : 
After  Judas  went  out,  Jesus  said,  Now  is  the  Son  of  Man 
glorified,  and  God  is  glorified  in  Him  ;  if  God  be  glorified  in 
Him,  God  shall  also  glorify  Him  in  Himself,  and  shall 
straightway  glorify  Him  (John  xiii.  31,  32):  Here  glorifi- 
cation is  said  both  of  God  the  Father  and  of  the  Son,  for  it 
is  said,  God  is  glorified  in  Him,  and  God  will  glorify  Him  in 
Llimself :  that  this  is  to  be  united  is  manifest.  Father,  the 
hour  is  come  ;  glorify  Thy  Son,  that  Thy  Son  also  may  glorify 
Thee  (xvii.  1,  5) :  It  is  so  said,  because  the  unition  was 
reciprocal,  and  as  it  is  said,  The  Father  in  Him  and  He  in 
the  Father.  Now  is  my  soul  troubled;  and  He  said,  Father, 
glorify  Thy  name  ;  and  there  came  a  voice  from  heaveti,  I  have 
both  glorified,  and  will  glorify  again  (xii.  27,  28) :  This  was 
said  because  the  unition  was  effected  successively.  Ought 
not  Christ  to  suffer  this,  and  enter  into  His  glory  1  (Luke 
xxiv.  26:)  Glory,  in  the  Word,  when  it  is  used  concern- 
ing the  Lord,  signifies  Divine  truth  united  to  Divine  good. 
From  these  passages  it  is  very  manifest  that  the  Human  of 
the  Lord  is  Divine. 

129.  The  reason  why  the  Lord  was  willing  to  be  tempted 
even  to  the  passion  of  the  cross  was,  because  He  was  The 


No.  130.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


215 


Prophet  ;  and  prophets  formerly  signified  the  doctrine  of 
the  church  from  the  Word,  and  thence  they  represented  the 
church,  such  as  it  was,  by  various  things,  and  even  by  things 
unjust,  grievous,  and  even  not  fit  to  be  mentioned,  which 
were  enjoined  on  them  by  God.  But  the  Lord,  because 
He  was  the  Word  itself,  as  The  Prophet  represented  bj 
the  passion  of  the  cross  the  Jewish  church,  how  it  profane^ 
the  Word  itself.  To  this  reason  another  may  be  added, 
that  thus  He  might  be  acknowledged  in  the  heavens  as  the 
Saviour  of  both  worlds  j  for  all  the  things  of  His  passion 
signified  such  things  as  belong  to  the  profanation  of  the 
Word,  and  the  angels  understand  them  spiritually  while 
the  men  of  the  church  understand  them  naturally.  That 
the  Lord  was  The  Prophet,  is  evident  from  these  pas- 
sages :  The  Lord  said,  A  prophet  is  not  without  honor  save 
in  his  own  country  and  in  his  own  house  (Matt.  xiii.  57;  Mark 
vi.  4  ;  Luke  iv.  24).  Jesus  said,  It  is  not  ?neet  that  a  prophet 
perish  out  of  Jerusale?n  (Luke  xiii.  33).  Fear  seized  them 
all,  praising  God,  and  saying  that  a  Great  Prophet  was 
raised  up  among  them  (Luke  vii.  16).  They  said  concerning 
Jesus,  This  is  the  Prophet  of  Nazareth  (Matt.  xxi.  11 ; 
John  vii.  40,  41).  That  a  Prophet  should  be  raised  up 
from  the  midst  of  the  brethren,  Whose  words  they  should  obey 
(Deut.  xviii.  15-19). 

130.  That  prophets  represented  the  state  of  their  church 
as  to  doctrine  from  the  Word,  and  as  to  a  life  according  to 
it,  is  evident  from  these  passages :  It  was  commanded  the 
prophet  Isaiah,  that  he  should  loose  the  sackcloth  from  off  his 
loins,  and  the  shoe  from  off  his  foot,  and  should  go  naked  and 
barefoot  three  years,  for  a  sign  and  a  wonder  (Isa.  xx.  2,  3). 
It  was  commanded  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  that  he  should  rep- 
resent the  state  of  the  church  by  making  vessels  for  removing, 
and  that  he  should  remove  to  another  place,  in  the  sight  of  the 
sons  of  Israel,  and  should  bring  forth  the  vessels  by  day,  and 
should  go  faith  in  the  evening  through  a  hole  dug  in  the  wall, 
and  should  cover  his  face  that  lie  might  not  see  the  ground, 


2l6  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


and  that  thus  he  should  be  a  sign  to  the  house  of  Israel,  and 
should  say,  Behold,  2  am  your  sign  ;  as  I  have  done,  so  shall 
it  be  done  to  you  (Ez.  xii.  3-7,  11).  It  was  commanded  the 
prophet  Hosea  that  he  should  represent  the  state  of  the 
church  by  taking  to  himself  a  harlot  to  wife  ;  and  also  he  took 
her,  and  she  brought  forth  to  him  three  sons,  one  of  whom  he 
called  yezreel,  another  Not-to-be-pitied,  and  the  third  Not-my- 
people.  And  again  it  was  commanded  him  that  he  should 
go  and  love  a  woman  beloved  by  her  co7npanion,  and  an  adul- 
teress, whom  also  he  bought  for  himself (Hos.  i.  2-9  ;  iii.  2,  3). 
It  was  also  enjoined  upon  a  certain  prophet  that  he  should 
put  ashes  upon  his  eyes,  and  suffer  himself  to  be  smitten  and 
beaten  (1  Kings  xx.  35,  37).  It  was  enjoined  upon  the 
prophet  Ezekiel,  that  he  should  represent  the  state  of  the 
church  by  taking  a  tile,  and  that  he  should  portray  upon  it 
Jerusale?n,  lay  siege,  and  cast  a  rampart  and  a  mound  against 
it,  should  put  a  pan  of  iro?i  between  himself  and  the  city,  and 
should  lie  upon  the  left  side  and  upon  the  right  side.  Also, 
that  he  should  take  wheat,  barley,  lentiles,  millet,  and  fitches, 
and  ?nake  bread  of  them,  and  also  a  cake  of  barley  with  man 's 
dung ;  and  because  he  prayed  that  this  might  not  be,  it  was 
permitted  that  he  should  make  it  with  cow 's  dung.  It  was 
said  to  him,  Lie  thou  upon  the  left  side,  and  lay  the  iniquity 
of  the  house  of  Israel  upon  it:  the  number  of  days  that 
thou  shalt  lie  tipon  it,  thou  shalt  bear  their  iniquity  ; 
for  I  will  give  thee  the  years  of  their  iniquity  accordi?ig  to  the 
nwnber  of  the  days,  three  hundred  and  ninety  days,  that  thou 

MAYEST  BEAR  THE  INIQUITY  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  ISRAEL ;  and 

when  thou  shalt  have  accomplished  them,  thou  shalt  lie  upon  thy 
right  side,  that  thou  mayest  bear  the  iniquity  of  the 
house  of  Judah  (Ez.  iv.  1-15).  That  the  prophet  by  these 
things  bore  the  iniquities  of  the  house  of  Israel,  and  of  the 
house  of  Judah,  and  did  not  take  them  away  and  thus  expiate 
them,  but  only  represented  and  pointed  them  out,  is  mani- 
fest from  what  follows  there  :  Thus  saith  Jehovah,  The  sons 
of  Israel  shall  eat  their  unclean  bread;  behold,  I  will  break 


No.  130.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


217 


the  staff  of  b?'ead,  that  they  may  zva?it  bread  and  water,  and 
be  made  desolate,  a  man  and  his  brother,  and  consume  away 
for  their  iniquity  (iv.  13,  16,  17).  The  like,  therefore,  is 
meant  concerning  the  Lord,  where  it  is  said,  He  hath 
borne  our  g?'iefs  and  carried  our  sorrows;  Jehovah  hath 
laid  on  Him  the  iniquities  of  us  all.  By  His  knowledge  hath 
He  justified  many,  because  He  hath  borne  their  iniqui- 
ties (Isa.  liii.  4,  &c),  where,  in  the  whole  chapter,  the  pas- 
sion of  the  Lord  is  treated  of.  That  the  Lord,  as  The 
Prophet,  represented  the  state  of  the  Jewish  church,  as  to 
the  Word,  is  manifest  from  the  particulars  of  His  passion ; 
as  that  He  was  betrayed  by  Judas  ;  that  He  was  taken  and 
condemned  by  the  chief  priests  and  by  the  elders ;  that  they 
buffeted  Him ;  that  they  smote  His  head  with  a  reed ;  that 
they  put  on  Him  a  crown  of  thorns ;  that  they  divided  His 
garments,  and  cast  the  lot  for  His  vesture  ;  that  they  crucified 
Him  ;  that  they  gave  Him  vinegar  to  drink  ;  that  they  pierced 
His  side ;  that  He  was  buried ;  and  that  on  the  third  day  He 
rose  again.  His  being  betrayed  by  Judas  signified  that  He 
was  betrayed  by  the  Jewish  nation,  with  whom  the  Word 
then  was,  for  Judas  represented  that  nation :  Llis  being 
taken  and  condemned  by  the  chief  priests  and  elders  signi- 
fied that  He  was  so  by  all  that  church  :  their  buffeting  Him, 
spitting  in  His  face,  scourging  Him,  and  smiting  His  head 
with  a  reed,  signified  that  they  did  in  like  manner  to  the 
Word  as  to  its  Divine  truths  :  their  putting  on  Him  a  crown 
of  thorns  signified  that  they  falsified  and  adulterated  those 
truths  :  their  dividing  His  garments  and  casting  the  lot 
upon  His  vesture  signified  that  they  dispersed  all  the  truths 
of  the  Word,  but  not  its  spiritual  sense ;  this  sense  was 
signified  by  the  Lord's  vesture  :  their  crucifying  Him  signi- 
fied thai  they  destroyed  and  profaned  the  whole  Word  : 
their  offering  Him  vinegar  to  drink  signified  that  the  truths 
which  they  had  were  merely  falsified  truths ;  wherefore  He 
did  not  drink  it :  their  piercing  His  side  signified  that  they 
totally  extinguished  all  the  truth  of  the  Word  and  all  the 
vol.  1.  10 


21 8  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


good  of  it:  His  being  buried  signified  the  rejection  of  what 
remained  from  the  mother :  His  rising  again  on  the  third 
day  signified  glorification  or  the  union  of  His  Human  with 
the  Divine  of  the  Father.  Hence  now  it  is  manifest  that 
to  bear  iniquities  does  not  mean  to  take  them  away,  but  to 
represent  the  profanation  of  the  truths  of  the  Word. 

131.  These  things,  also,  may  be  illustrated  by  compari- 
sons, which  is  done  for  the  sake  of  the  simple,  who  see 
better  by  means  of  comparisons  than  by  deductions  formed 
analytically  from  the  Word  and  at  the  same  time  from  rea- 
son. Every  citizen  or  subject  is  united  to  the  king  by  doing 
his  commands  and  precepts,  and  more  so  if  he  suffers  hard- 
ships for  him,  and  still  more  if  he  undergoes  death  for  him, 
which  is  done  in  combats  and  battles.  In  like  manner,  a 
friend  is  united  to  a  friend,  a  son  to  his  father,  and  a  ser- 
vant to  his  master,  by  doing  those  things  which  are  agree- 
able to  their  will,  and  more  so  if  they  defend  them  against 
their  enemies,  and  still  more  if  they  fight  for  their  honor. 
Who  is  not  united  to  the,virgin  whom  he  is  courting  for  a 
bride,  when  he  fights  with  those  who  defame  her,  and  con- 
tends with  his  rival  even  to  wounds  ?  That  they  are  united 
by  such  means,  is  according  to  a  law  inscribed  on  nature. 
The  Lord  says,  I  am  the  good  Shepherd;  the  good  Shepherd 
giveth  His  life  for  the  sheep  ;  therefore  doth  my  Father  love 
Me  (John  x.  11,  17). 

132.  VII.  The  Belief  that  the  Passion  of  the 
Cross  was  Redemption  itself  is  a  fundamental  Error 
of  the  Church  ;  and  that  Error,  together  with  the 
Error  concerning  three  Divine  Persons  from  Eter- 
nity, HAS  PERVERTED  THE  WHOLE  CHURCH,  SO  THAT  NOT 
ANY  THING  SPIRITUAL  IS  LEFT  IN  IT. 

What  at  this  day  more  fills  and  crams  the  books  of  the 
orthodox,  or  what  is  more  zealously  taught  and  inculcated 
in  the  schools,  and  more  frequently  preached  and  pro- 
claimed from  the  pulpits,  than  that  God  the  Father,  being 


No.  132.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


219 


enraged  against  the  human  race,  not  only  removed  it  from 
Himself,  but  also  sentenced  it  to  universal  damnation,  and 
thus  excommunicated  it ;  but,  because  He  is  gracious,  that 
He  persuaded  or  excited  His  Son  to  descend  and  take 
upon  Himself  the  determined  damnation,  and  thus  appease 
the  anger  of  His  Father ;  and  that  thus,  and  not  otherwise, 
lie  could  look  upon  man  with  some  favor  ?  Then,  that  this 
also  was  done  by  the  Son,  Who,  in  taking  upon  Himself 
the  damnation  of  the  human  race,  suffered  Himself  to  be 
scourged  by  the  Jews,  to  be  spit  upon  in  the  face,  and  then 
to  be  crucified  as  the  accursed  of  God  (Deut.  xxi.  23) ;  and 
that  the  Father,  after  this  was  done,  became  propitious, 
and  from  love  towards  His  Son  cancelled  the  sentence  of 
damnation,  but  only  in  respect  to  those  for  whom  the  Son 
should  intercede  j  and  that  He  thus  became  a  Mediator  in 
'.he  presence  of  His  Father  for  ever.  These  and  similar 
things  at  this  clay  are  sounded  in  the  temples,  and  are 
reverberated  from  the  walls  like  an  echo  from  the  woods, 
and  fill  the  ears  of  all  there.  But  cannot  any  one  whose 
reason  is  enlightened  and  made  sound  by  the  Word  see 
that  God  is  mercy  and  pity  itself,  because  He  is  love 
itself  and  good  itself,  and  that  those  are  His  essence  ? 
and  that  hence  it  is  a  contradiction  to  say  that  Mercy  itself 
or  Goodness  itself  can  look  upon  man  with  anger,  and 
decree  his  damnation,  and  still  continue  to  be  His  Divine 
Essence  ?  Such  things  are  scarcely  ascribed  to  a  good 
man,  but  to  a  wicked  man ;  nor  to  an  angel  of  heaven,  but 
to  a  spirit  of  hell :  wherefore  it  is  abominable  to  ascribe 
them  to  God.  But,  if  the  cause  be  sought,  it  is  this,  that 
they  have  taken  the  passion  of  the  cross  to  be  redemption 
itself :  thence  have  flowed  those  opinions,  as  from  one 
falsity  flow  falsities  in  a  continued  series,  or  as  from  a 
cask  of  vinegar  nothing  comes  but  vinegar,  or  from  an 
insane  mind  nothing  but  what  is  insane  ;  for  from  one 
established  principle,  theorems  of  the  same  sort  are  de- 
duced .  they  are  hidden  within  it,  and  they  proceed  from 


220 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


it  one  after  another ;  and  from  this  concerning  the  passion 
of  the  cross,  that  it  is  redemption,  still  many  other  things 
scandalous  and  dishonorable  to  God  may  go  forth  or  be 
drawn,  until  it  comes  to  pass,  as  Isaiah  says :  The  priest 
and  the  prophet  err  through  strong  drink;  they  stumble  in 
judgment ;  all  tables  are  full  of  vomit  and  filthiness  (xxviii. 
7-  8). 

133.  From  this  idea  concerning  God  and  concerning 
redemption,  all  theology  has  from  spiritual  become  in  the 
lowest  degree  natural ;  which  is  so,  because  merely  natural 
properties  have  been  attributed  to  God ;  and  yet  on  the 
idea  of  God,  and  on  the  idea  of  redemption,  which  makes 
one  with  salvation,  every  thing  of  the  church  depends.  For 
that  idea  is  like  the  head,  from  which  all  parts  of  the  body 
proceed  \  wherefore,  when  that  is  spiritual  all  things  of  the 
church  become  spiritual,  and  when  that  is  natural  all  things 
of  the  church  become  natural ;  hence,  because  the  idea  con- 
cerning God  and  concerning  redemption  has  become  merely 
natural,  that  is,  sensual  and  corporeal,  therefore  all  things 
which  the  heads  and  members  of  the  church  have  taught 
and  still  teach  in  their  dogmatical  theology  are  merely 
natural.  The  reason  why  nothing  but  falsities  can  be  pro- 
duced therefrom  is,  because  the  natural  man  continually 
acts  against  the  spiritual,  and  thence  he  regards  spiritual 
things  as  ghosts  and  phantoms  in  the  air.  Wherefore  it 
may  be  said  that  on  account  of  that  sensual  idea  concern- 
ing redemption,  and  thence  concerning  God,  the  ways  to 
heaven,  which  are  ways  to  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour,  have 
been  beset  with  thieves  and  robbers  (John  x.  1,  8,  9) ;  and 
that  in  the  temples  the  doors  have  been  thrown  down,  so 
that  dragons  and  owls,  the  tziim  and  the  ijim,  have  entered, 
and  sing  together  in  horrible  discord.  That  this  idea  con- 
cerning redemption  and  concerning  God  pervades  the  faith 
of  the  present  age,  is  known  ;  for  that  faith  is  that  men 
should  pray  to  God  the  Father  that  He  would  forgive  their 
sins  for  the  sake  of  the  cross  and  blood  of  His  Son ;  and  to 


No.  134.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


221 


God  the  Son,  that  He  would  pray  and  intercede  for  them  j 
and  to  God  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  He  would  justify  and 
sanctify  them.  And  what  else  is  this  than  to  make  sup- 
plication to  three  Gods  in  their  order  ?  And  how,  then,  is 
the  thought  concerning  the  Divine  government  different 
from  that  concerning  an  aristocratical  or  hierarchical  gov- 
ernment, or  from  that  concerning  a  triumvirate  such  as 
there  was  once  at  Rome  ?  But  instead  of  a  triumvirate  it 
may  be  called  a  triperso?iate.  And  what,  then,  is  easier  for 
the  devil  than  to  do,  as  is  said,  divide  and  rule  ?  that  is,  to 
distract  the  minds  of  men,  and  excite  rebellious  movements, 
now  against  one  God,  now  against  another,  as  has  been  done 
from  the  time  of  Arius  to  the  present  day  j  and  thus  to  cast 
down  from  the  throne  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour,  Who  has 
all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  (Matt,  xxviii.  18),  and  to 
set  upon  it  some  one  of  his  minions,  and  to  ascribe  wor- 
ship to  him ;  or,  because  it  is  taken  away  from  him,  to  take 
it  away  also  from  the  Lord  Himself  ? 

134.  To  the  above  will  be  added  these  Relations. 
First  :  I  once  went  into  a  temple  in  the  world  of  spirits, 
where  many  were  assembled  j  and,  before  the  sermon,  they 
reasoned  among  themselves  concerning  Redemption.  The 
temple  was  square,  and  there  were  no  windows  in  the  walls, 
but  a  large  opening  above  in  the  middle  of  the  roof,  through 
which  light  from  heaven  entered,  and  lighted  it  better  than 
if  there  had  been  windows  at  the  sides.  And  behold,  sud- 
denly, while  they  were  talking  about  redemption,  a  black 
cloud  coming  from  the  north  covered  the  opening;  whence 
it  became  so  dark  that  they  could  not  see  one  another,  and 
scarcely  could  any  one  see  the  palm  of  his  hand.  While 
they  stood  amazed  on  account  of  this,  lo,  that  black  cloud 
was  parted  in  the  middle,  and  through  the  parting  were 
leen  angels  descending  from  heaven  j  and  they  dispersed 
the  cloud  on  each  side,  whence  it  became  again  light  in  the 
temple ;  and  then  the  angels  sent  down  one  of  their  num- 
ber, who,  in  their  stead,  asked  the  congregation  what  they 


222  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Ciiap.  II. 


were  contending  about,  since  so  thick  a  cloud  came  over 
them,  and  took  away  the  light,  and  brought  on  darkness. 
They  replied  that  it  was  about  redemption,  and  that  this 
was  wrought  by  the  Son  of  God  by  the  passion  of  the 
cross,  and  that  by  this  He  made  expiation,  and  deliv- 
ered the  human  race  from  damnation  and  eternal  death. 
But  to  this  the  deputed  angel  said,  "What  by  the  pas- 
sion of  the  cross  ?  Explain,  why  by  that."  And  then  a 
priest  came  and  said,  "  I  will  set  forth  in  order  what  we 
know  and  believe,  which  is,  that  God  the  Father,  being 
angry  with  the  human  race,  condemned  it,  and  excluded 
it  from  His  clemency,  and  declared  all  accursed  and  rep- 
robate, and  doomed  them  to  hell;  and  that  He  wished 
His  Son  to  take  upon  Himself  that  condemnation,  and 
that  the  Son  Consented,  and  for  that  purpose  descended 
and  assumed  the  Human,  and  suffered  Himself  to  be  cru- 
cified, and  thus  the  condemnation  of  the  human  race  to  be 
transferred  to  Himself ;  for  it  is  written,  Cursed  is  every  one 
that  hangeth  on  the  wood  of  a  cross  ;  and  that  the  Son  thus 
appeased  the  Father  by  interceding  and  mediating ;  and 
that  then  the  Father,  from  love  towards  the  Son,  and  moved 
with  the  misery  seen  in  Him  upon  the  cross,  determined 
that  He  would  forgive ;  '  But  only  those  to  whom  I  impute 
Thy  righteousness ;  these  I  will  make,  from  sons  of  wrath 
and  curse,  sons  of  grace  and  blessing,  and  will  justify  and 
save ;  but  the  rest  may  remain,  as  was  before  determined, 
sons  of  wrath.'  This  is  our  faith,  and  these  things  are  the 
righteousness  which  God  the  Father  introduces  into  our 
faith,  which  alone  justifies  and  saves."  The  angel  having 
heard  these  words  was  silent  for  a  long  time,  for  he  was 
fixed  in  astonishment ;  and  afterwards  he  broke  silence, 
and  spoke  these  words :  "  Can  the  Christian  world  be  so 
insane,  and  wander  from  sound  reason  into  such  hallucina- 
tions, and  draw  conclusions  concerning  the  fundamental  arti- 
cle of  salvation  from  such  paradoxes  ?  Who  cannot  see  that 
those  things  are  diametrically  contrary  to  the  very  Divine 


No.  134.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


223 


essence,  that  is,  contrary  to  the  Lord's  Divine  love  and  His 
Divine  wisdom,  and,  at  the  same  time,  contrary  to  His  om- 
nipotence and  omnipresence  ?  No  good  master  can  deal 
so  with  his  servants  and  maids ;  nay,  a  wild  beast  is  not  so 
cruel  to  its  cubs,  nor  a 'bird  of  prey  to  its  young.  Is  it  not 
contrary  to  His  Divine  essence  to  annul  the  call  which  has 
been  made  to  all  and  every  one  of  the  human  race  ?  Is  it 
not  contrary  to  the  Divine  essence  to  change  the  order 
established  from  eternity,  which  is,  that  every  one  should 
be  judged  according  to  his  life  ?  Is  it  not  contrary  to  the 
Divine  essence  to  withdraw  love  and  mercy  from  any  man, 
and  much  more  from  the  whole  human  race  ?  Is  it  not 
contrary  to  the  Divine  essence  to  be  brought  back  to  mercy 
from  the  misery  seen  in  the  Son,  and  so  to  be  brought  back 
to  His  own  essence  ?  since  mercy  is  God's  very  essence ; 
and  it  is  abominable  to  think  that  He  ever  went  out  of  it, 
for  it  is  Himself  from  eternity  to  eternity.  Besides,  is  it 
not  impossible  to  introduce,  into  any  such  thing  as  your 
faith  is,  the  righteousness  of  redemption,  which  in  itself  is 
of  the  Divine  omnipotence,  and  to  impute  and  ascribe  it  to 
man,  and  to  declare  him  righteous,  pure,  and  holy  without 
any  other  means  ?  Is  it  not  impossible  to  remit  sins  to  any 
one,  and  to  renew,  regenerate,  and  save  any  one  by  impu- 
tation alone,  and  thus  to  turn  unrighteousness  into  right- 
eousness, and  the  curse  into  a  blessing?  If  that  were 
possible,  would  it  not  be  possible  to  turn  hell  into  heaven 
or  heaven  into  hell,  and  the  dragon  into  Michael  or  Michael 
into  the  dragon,  and  so  to  end  the  battle  between  them  ? 
What  is  necessary  but  to  take  away  the  imputation  of  your 
faith  from  one,  and  put  it  into  the  other  ?  So  we  who  are 
in  heaven  would  for  ever  be  in  trepidation.  Nor  is  it  in 
accordance  with  justice  and  judgment  that  one  should  take 
upon  himself  another's  wickedness,  and  the  wicked  become 
innocent,  and  that  wickedness  should  so  be  washed  away. 
Is  not  this  contrary  to  justice,  both  Divine  and  human  ? 
The  Christian  world  as  yet  does  not  know  that  order 


224  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


exist  s ;  and  still  less  does  it  know  what  the  order  is  which 
God  introduced  into  the  world  at  the  time  when  He  cre- 
ated it ;  and  that  God  cannot  act  contrary  to  it,  as,  if  He 
should,  He  would  be  acting  contrary  to  Himself ;  for  God 
is  Order  itself."  The  priest  understood  the  things  said  by 
the  angel,  because  the  angels  who  were  above  infused  light 
from  heaven;  and  then  he  groaned,  and  said,  "What  "s  to 
be  done  ?  All  at  this  day  so  preach  and  pray  and  believe. 
This  is  in  die  mouth  of  all,  '  Good  Father,  have  mercy  on 
us,  and  remit  to  us  our  sins  for  the  sake  of  Thy  Son's  blood, 
which  He  shed  for  us  on  the  cross ; '  and  to  Christ  it  is  said, 
'  Lord,  intercede  for  us ; '  to  which  we  priests  add,  1  Send 
to  us  the  Holy  Spirit.'  "  And  then  the  angel  said,  "  I  have 
observed  that  the  priests  prepare  eye-salve  from  the  Word 
not  interiorly  understood,  which  they  put  upon  the  eyes 
which  are  blinded  by  their  faith,  or  they  make  of  it  a  sort 
of  plaster  for  themselves,  which  they  put  upon  the  wounds 
inflicted  by  their  dogmas,  but  still  they  do  not  heal  them, 
because  they  are  inveterate ;  wherefore  go  to  him  who 
stands  there  (and  he  pointed  with  the  finger  to  me),  he 
will  teach  you  from  the  Lord  that  the  passion  of  the  cross 
was  not  redemption,  but  that  it  was  the  unition  of  the 
Human  of  the  Lord  with  the  Divine  of  the  Father,  while 
redemption  was  the  subjugation  of  the  hells  and"  the  ar- 
rangement of  the  heavens  in  order ;  and  that,  unless  those 
things  had  been  performed  by  the  Lord  when  He  was  in 
the  world,  there  would  have  been  no  salvation  for  any  on 
earth,  nor  for  any  in  the  heavens ;  and  he  will  teach  you 
also  the  order  introduced  at  the  creation,  according  to 
which  men  must  live  that  they  may  be  saved,  and  that 
they  who  do  live  according  to  it  are  numbered  among  the 
redeemed,  and  are  called  the  elect."  These  things  being 
said,  windows  were  made  in  the  temple  at  the  sides,  through 
which  light  \luminosum\  flowed  in  from  the  four  quarters  of 
the  world,  and  cherubs  appeared  flying  in  the  splendor  of 
light ;  and  the  angel  was  taken  up  to  his  companions  above 
the  opening,  and  we  retired  full  of  gladness. 


No.  135] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


225 


135.  Second  Relation.  One  morning,  as  I  awaked 
from  sleep,  the  Sun  of  the  spiritual  world  appeared  to  me 
in  its  splendor,  and  under  it  I  saw  the  heavens,  distant  as 
the  earth  is  from  its  sun ;  and  then  were  heard  from  the 
heavens  unspeakable  words,  which,  being  collected  to- 
gether, were  articulated  into  this  expression,  that  "  There 
is  one  God,  who  is  Man,  whose  habitation  is  in  that  Sun." 
This  articulate  sentence  descended  through  the  interme- 
diate heavens  to  the  lowtst,  and  from  this  into  the  world 
of  spirits,  where  I  was ;  and  I  perceived  that  the  idea  oi 
one  God,  which  the  angels  had,  was  changed,  according  to 
the  degrees  of  descent,  into  an  idea  of  three  Gods.  When 
I  observed  this,  I  began  to  speak  with  those  who  thought, 
of  three  Gods,  saying,  "  Oh,  what  an  enormity !  Whence 
did  you  get  that  ?  "  And  they  replied,  "  We  think  of  thiee, 
from  the  idea  of  our  perception  concerning  the  triune  God ; 
but  still  this  does  not  fall  into  our  mouth  j  when  we  speak, 
we  always  say  roundly,  that  1  God  is  one ; '  if  in  our  minds 
there  is  another  idea,  let  it  be  so,  provided  it  do  not  flow 
down  and  divide  the  unity  of  God  in  the  mouth ;  but  still 
from  time  to  time  it  does  flow  down,  because  it  is  within ; 
and  then,  if  we  should  speak  out,  we  should  say  'three 
Gods but  we  are  on  our  guard  against  this,  lest  we  should 
be  exposed  to  the  ridicule  of  those  who  hear  us."  And 
then  they  spoke  openly  from  their  thought,  saying,  "Are 
there  not  three  Gods,  because  there  are  three  Divine  per- 
sons, each  one  of  whom  is  God  ?  We  cannot  think  other- 
wise, since  the  leader  of  our  church,  from  the  depository  of 
his  holy  dogmas,  ascribes  creation  to  one,  redemption  to 
another,  and  sanctification  to  the  third ;  and,  especially, 
since  lie  attributes  to  each  of  them  His  peculiar  properties, 
which,  he  asserts,  are  incommunicable,  and  which  are  not 
only  creation,  redemption,  and  sanctification,  but  also  im- 
putation, mediation,  and  operation.  Is  there  not,  then, 
one  who  created  us,  and  he  also  imputes?  another  who 
redeemed  us,  and  he  also  mediates?  and  a  third  who  oper- 

10* 


226 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


ates  the  mediated  imputation,  and  he  also  sanctifies  ?  Who 
does  not  know  that  the  Son  of  God  was  sent  by  the  Father 
into  the  world  to  redeem  the  human  race,  and  thus  become 
an  Expiator,  Mediator,  Propitiator,  and  Intercessor  ?  And, 
because  he  is  one  with  the  Son  of  God  from  eternity,  are 
there  not  two  persons  distinct  from  each  other  ?  and  be- 
cause these  two  are  in  heaven,  one  sitting  at  the  right  hand 
of  the  other,  should  there  not  be  a  third  person,  who  may 
execute  in  the  world  what  is  decreed  in  heaven  ?"  Having 
heard  this,  I  was  silent,  but  thought  with  myself,  Oh,  what 
infatuation  !  They  do  not  know  any  thing  at  all  of  what  is 
meant  in  the  Word  by  mediation.  And  then,  by  the  com- 
mand of  the  Lord,  three  angels  descended  from  heaven 
and  were  associated  with  me,  in  order  that  from  an  interioi 
perception  I  might  speak  with  those  who  had  the  idea  of 
three  Gods ;  and  particularly  concerning  mediation,  inter- 
cession, propitiation,  and  expiation,  which  are  attributed 
by  them  to  the  second  person,  or  the  Son,  but  not  until  He 
had  become  man,  many  ages  after  the  creation,  when  those 
four  means  to  salvation  were  not  yet  in  existence,  and  thus 
God  the  Father  was  not  propitiated,  the  human  race  not 
expiated,  nor  any  one  sent  from  heaven,  to  intercede  and 
mediate.  Then,  from  the  inspiration  afforded  me,  I  spoke 
with  them,  saying,  "  Come  hither  as  many  of  you  as  can,  and 
hear  what  is  meant  in  the  Word  by  mediation,  intercession, 
expiation,  and  propitiation.  These  four  are  predicated  of 
the  grace  of  the  one  God  in  His  Human.  God  the  Father 
can  never  be  approached,  nor  can  He  come  to  any  man, 
because  He  is  infinite,  and  in  His  esse,  which  is  Jehovah  j 
and  if  He  should  come  to  man  from  this,  He  would  con- 
sume him,  as  fire  consumes  wood  and  reduces  it  to  ashes. 
This  is  manifest  from  these  considerations :  that  Lie  said 
to  Moses  who  wished  to  see  Him,  that  No  one  can  see  Him 
and  live  (Ex.  xxxiii.  20).  And  the  Lord  said,  No  one  hath 
ever  seen  God,  except  the  Son,  who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the 
[lather  (John  i.  18;  Matt.  xi.  27);  also  that  No  one  hath 


No.  135.J  THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


227 


heard  the  voice  of  fhe  Father,  nor  seen  His  shape  (John  v.  37). 
It  is  read,  indeed,  that  Moses  saw  Jehovah  face  to  face, 
and  spoke  with  Him  mouth  to  mouth ;  but  this  was  done 
through  an  angel ;  in  like  manner,  with  Abraham  and 
Gideon.  Now,  because  God  the  Father  in  Himself  is 
such,  He  was  pleased  to  assume  the  Human,  and  in  this 
to  admit  men  to  Himself,  and  thus  to  hear  them  and  to 
speak  with  them  ;  and  this  Human  is  what  is  called  the  Son 
of  God ;  and  this  is  what  mediates,  intercedes,  propitiates, 
and  expiates.  I  will  tell,  therefore,  what  those  four  things, 
predicated  of  the  Human  of  God  the  Father,  signify.  Media- 
tion signifies  that  the  Human  is  the  medium  between  them, 
through  which  man  may  come  to  God  the  Father,  and  God 
the  Father  may  come  to  man  and  so  teach  and  lead  him 
that  he  may  be  saved  ;  wherefore  the  Son  of  God,  by  whom 
is  meant  the  Human  of  God  the  Father,  is  called  Saviour ; 
and  in  the  world,  Jesus,  that  is,  Salvation.*  Intercession 
signifies  perpetual  mediation  3  for  love  itself,  the  properties 
of  which  are  mercy,  clemency,  and  grace,  perpetually  inter- 
cedes, that  is,  mediates,  for  those  who  do  His  command- 
ments, whom  He  loves.  Expiation  signifies  the  removal 
of  sins,  into  which  man  would  rush  if  Jehovah  not  clothed 
should  be  approached  by  him.  Propitiation  signifies  the 
operation  of  clemency  and  grace,  lest  man  by  sins  should 
bring  himself  into  condemnation ;  likewise  protection,  lest 
he  should  profane  holiness ;  this  was  signified  by  the  pro- 
pitiatory or  mercy-seat  over  the  ark  in  the  tabernacle.  It 
is  known  that  God  spoke  in  the  Word  according  to  appear- 
ances, as  that  He  is  angry,  avenges,  tempts,  punishes,  casts 
into  hell,  condemns,  yea,  that  He  does  evil  ;  when  yet  He 
is  angry  with  no  one,  He  does  not  avenge,  tempt,  punish, 
cast  into  hell,  nor  condemn  :  these  things  are  as  far  from 
God  as  heaven  is  from  hell,  and  infinitely  farther ;  where- 
fore they  are  forms  of  speech  according  to  appearance ; 
such,  also,  in  another  sense,  are  expiation,  propitiation,  in- 
tercession, and  mediation,  by  which  are  meant  the  ways  and 

*  Stilus.    Sec  p.  2{I< 


228  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IL 


means  of  access  to  God,  and  of  receiving  grace  from  God 
through  His  Human ;  which  not  being  understood,  men 
have  divided  God  into  three,  and  upon  these  three  have 
founded  all  the  doctrine  of  the  church,  and  so  have  falsi- 
fied the  Word :  hence  the  abomination  of  desolation, 
foretold  by  the  Lord  in  Daniel,  and  again  in  Matt,  xxiv." 
When  I  had  said  this,  the  company  of  spirits  retired  from 
around  me,  and  I  observed  that  they  who  actually  had  the 
thought  of  three  Gods  looked  towards  hell,  and  those  who 
had  the  thought  of  one  God,  in  whom  is  a  Divine  Trinity, 
and  that  this  is  in  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour,  looked  towards 
heaven  ;  and  to  these  appeared  the  Sun  of  heaven,  in  which 
Jehovah  is  in  His  Human. 

136.  Third  Relation.  I  saw,  at  a  distance,  five  gym- 
nasiums, each  of  which  was  surrounded  with  light  from 
heaven.  The  first  gymnasium  was  surrounded  with  purple 
light,  such  as  is  in  the  clouds  in  the  morning  before  sun- 
rise on  earth ;  the  second  gymnasium  was  surrounded  with 
a  yellow  light,  like  that  of  the  morning  after  sunrise ;  the 
third  gymnasium  was  surrounded  with  a  bright  light,  like 
that  of  noonday  in  the  world ;  the  fourth  gymnasium  was 
surrounded  with  a  middle  kind  of  light,  such  as  there  is 
when  it  begins  to  be  mixed  with  the  shade  of  evening; 
and  the  fifth  gymnasium  stood  in  the  very  shade  of  even- 
ing. The  gymnasiums  in  the  world  of  spirits  are  spacious 
halls,  where  the  learned  assemble,  and  discuss  various  im 
portant  questions,  which  serve  to  promote  their  knowledge, 
intelligence,  and  wisdom.  On  seeing  them,  I  felt  a  strong 
Mesire  to  go  to  one  of  them,  and  I  went  in  the  spirit  to  that 
which  was  surrounded  with  a  middle  kind  of  light ;  and  I 
entered,  and  there  was  seen  a  company  of  learned  men 
assembled,  who  were  discussing  what  is  involved  by  that 
which  is  said  concerning  the  Lord,  that,  being  taken  up  into 
heaven,  lie  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God  (Mark  xvi.  19). 
Most  of  the  company  assembled  said  that  those  things 
sr  >uld  be  understood  exactly  according  to  the  words,  that 


No.  136.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


229 


the  Son  thus  sits  beside  the  Father.  But  it  was  asked, 
"  Why  so  ?  "  Some  said  that  the  Son  was  placed  by  the 
Father  at  the  right  hand,  on  account  of  the  redemption 
which  He  accomplished  j  some,  that  He  sits  thus  out  of 
love  j  some,  that  it  was  in  order  that  He  might  be  His 
Counsellor,  and  because  He  is  so,  that  He  may  receive 
honor  from  the  angels ;  and  some  thjft  it  was  for  the  rea- 
son that  it  was  given  Him  by  the  Father  to  reign  in  His 
stead,  for  it  is  read  that  All  power  is  given  unto  Him  in 
heaven  and  in  earth  ;  but  a  great  part,  that  He  may  hear 
those  on  the  right  hand,  for  whom  He  intercedes ;  for  all 
in  the  church  at  this  day  go  to  God  the  Father,  and  pray 
Him  to  have  mercy  for  the  sake  of  the  Son ;  and  this 
causes  the  Father  to  turn  Himself  to  Him,  that  He  may 
receive  His  mediation.  But  some  said  that  only  the  Son 
of  God  from  eternity  sits  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father, 
that  He  may  communicate  His  Divinity  to  the  Son  of  Man 
born  in  the  world.  On  hearing  these  words,  I  wondered 
exceedingly  that  learned  men,  although  they  had  been  liv- 
ing some  time  in  the  spiritual  world,  should  still  be  so 
ignorant  of  heavenly  things  ;  but  I  perceived  the  cause, 
that,  by  reason  of  confidence  in  their  own  intelligence,  they 
did  not  suffer  themselves  to  be  instructed  by  the  wise.  But 
that  they  might  not  continue  any  longer  in  ignorance  con- 
cerning the  Son's  sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  I 
raised  my  hand,  requesting  that  they  would  listen  to  a  few 
words  which  I  wished  to  speak  on  that  subject.  And  as 
they  assented,  I  said,  "Do  you  not  know  from  the  Word 
that  the  Father  and  the  Son  are  one,  and  that  the  Father 
is  in  ths  Son  and  the  Son  in  the  Father?  This  the  Lord 
openly  says  in  John  x.  30,  and  xiv.  10,  11.  If  you  do  not 
believe  these  words,  you  divide  God  into  two,  which  being 
done,  you  cannot  think  otherwise  than  naturally,  sensually, 
yes,  materially,  concerning  God,  which  has  also  been  done 
in  the  world,  ever  since  the  Nicene  council,  which  intro- 
duced three  Divine  persona  from  eternity,  and  thereby 


230 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


turned  the  church  into  a  theatre,  ornamented  with  painted 
scenery,  within  which  the  actors  represented  new  scenes. 
Who  does  not  know  and  acknowledge  that  God  is  one? 
If  you  acknowledge  this  in  heart  and  spirit,  all  that  you 
have  said  is  dissipated  of  itself,  and  rebounds  into  the  air, 
like  idle  words  from  the  ear  of  a  wise  man."  At  these 
words,  many  were  Enraged,  and  longed  to  pull  my  ears, 
and  to  command  silence  \  but  the  president  of  the  assem- 
bly, in  a  fit  of  indignation,  said,  "The  discussion  here  is 
not  concerning  the  unity  and  the  plurality  of  God,  because 
we  believe  both  •  but  concerning  this :  What  is  involved  by 
the  Son's  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father  ?  If  you 
know  any  thing  about  this,  speak."  And  I  replied,  "I  will 
speak ;  but,  I  beseech  you,  stop  the  noise."  And  I  said, 
"  By  sitting  on  the  right  hand  is  not  meant  sitting  on  the 
right  hand ;  but  by  that  expression  is  meant  the  omnipo- 
tence of  God  by  means  of  the  Human  which  He  assumed 
in  the  world ;  by  this  He  is  in  the  lasts  as  well  as  in  the 
firsts;  by  this  He  entered,  destroyed,  and  subjugated  the 
hells ;  by  this  He  arranged  the  heavens  in  order ;  so  by 
this  He  redeemed  both  angels  and  men,  and  continues  to 
redeem  for  ever. 

"  If  you  consult  the  Word,  and  are  such  that  you  can  be 
enlightened,  you  will  perceive  that,  by  the  right  hand  there, 
is  meant  omnipotence,  as  in  Isaiah  :  My  hand  hath  laid  the 
foundation  of  the  earth,  and  My  right  hand  hath  spanned 
the  heavens  (xlviii.  13) ;  yehovah  hath  sworn  by  His  right 
hand,  and  by  the  arm  of  His  strength  (lxii.  8).  And  in 
David :  Thy  right  hand  holdeth  me  up  (Ps.  xviii.  35). 
Look  to  the  Son,  whom  Thou  madest  strong  for  Thyself ;  let 
Thy  hand  be  for  the  man  of  the  right  hand,  for  the  Son 
of  Man  whom  Thou  madest  strong  for  Thyself  (Ixxx.  15,  17). 
Thence  it  is  evident  how  this  is  to  be  understood :  yehovah 
said  unto  my  Lord :  Sit  Thou  at  My  right  hand,  until  I 
maize  Thine  enemies  Thy  footstool,  yehovah  shall  send  the 
rod  of  Thy  strength  out  of  Zion ;  rule  Thou  in  the  midst  of 


No.  137] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


231 


Thine  enemies  (Ps.  ex.  1,  2).  That  whole  psalm  treats  con- 
cerning the  battle  of  the  Lord  with  the  hells,  and  concern- 
ing their  subjugation.  Since  the  right  hand  of  God  signifies 
omnipotence,  therefore  the  Lord  says,  that  He  is  to  sit  at 

THE  RIGHT  HAND  OF  POWER  (Matt.  XXVL  64),  and  at  THE 
RIGHT  HAND  OF  THE  POWER  OF  GOD  (Luke  Xxii.  69)."  But 

at  these  words  the  company  became  tumultuous ;  and  I 
said,  "  Take  heed  to  yourselves ;  perhaps  a  hand  may  ap 
pear  from  heaven,  which,  when  it  appears  (as  it  had  to  me), 
strikes  an  incredible  dread  of  power ;  which  was  to  me  a 
confirmation,  that  the  right  hand  of  God  signifies  omnipo- 
tence." Scarcely  was  this  said,  when  a  hand  was  stretched 
out  under  heaven,  at  the  sight  of  which,  so  great  a  terror 
seized  them  that  they  rushed  in  crowds  to  the  gates,  and 
some  to  the  windows  that  they  might  cast  themselves  out, 
and  some,  losing  their  breath,  fainted  away.  But  I  re- 
mained not  terrified,  and,  after  them,  went  slowly  away; 
and  at  some  distance  thence  I  turned  about,  and  saw  that 
gymnasium  covered  over  with  a  dark  cloud ;  and  it  was 
told  me  from  heaven  that  it  was  so  covered  because  they 
spoke  from  the  belief  of  three  Gods,  and  that  the  former 
light  would  return  when  those  of  a  sounder  mind  should 
assemble  there. 

137.  Fourth  Relation.  I  heard  that  a  council  was 
convened  of  those  who  were  celebrated  for  their  writings 
and  learning  concerning  the  faith  of  the  present  time,  and 
concerning  the  justification  of  the  elect  by  it.  This  was  in 
the  world  of  spirits ;  and  it  was  given  me  to  be  present  in 
the  spirit ;  and  I  saw  those  summoned  from  the  clergy, 
some  assenting  and  some  dissenting.  On  the  right  stood 
those,  who,  in  the  world,  were  called  Apostolic  Fatherly  and 
who  lived  in  the  ages  preceding  the  Nicene  council ;  and 
on  the  left  stood  men  renowned  in  succeeding  ages  for 
their  books,  printed  or  written  out  by  students.  Many  of 
the  latter  had  their  faces  shaved,  and  their  heads  covered 
with  curled  wigs  made  of  women's  hair,  and  some  of  them 


232  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


had  collars  with  little  rolls  [in  collariis  ex  vohndis\  and 
some  had  collars  with  flying  ends  [in  collariis  ex  alls]  j  but 
the  former  had  long  beards,  and  wore  their  natural  hair. 
Before  both  parties  there  stood  a  man,  a  judge  and  critic 
of  the  writings  of  this  age,  with  a  staff  in  his  hand,  who 
struck  the  floor,  and  caused  silence.  He  ascended  to  the 
upper  step  of  the  pulpit,  and  breathed  out  a  groan ;  and 
from  that  he  wished  to  raise  his  voice  aloud,  but  the  sigh- 
ing gasp  kept  back  his  voice  in  the  throat;  but  at  length, 
speaking,  he  said,  "  Oh  !  my  brethren,  what  an  age !  There 
has  risen  up  one  from  the  herd  of  the  laity,  having  neither 
gown,  tiara,  nor  laurel,  who  has  pulled  down  our  faith  from 
heaven,  and  cast  it  into  the  Styx.  Oh,  horrible !  and  yet 
that  alone  is  our  star,  which  shines  like  Orion  in  the  night, 
and  like  Lucifer  in  the  morning.  That  man,  although  ad- 
vanced in  years,  is  entirely  blind  in  respect  to  the  mysteries 
of  our  faith,  because  he  has  not  opened  it,  and  seen  in  it  the 
righteousness  of  the  Lord  the  Saviour,  and  His  mediation 
and  atonement ;  and,  since  he  has  not  seen  those,  neither 
has  he  seen  the  wonders  of  His  justification,  which  are 
the  remission  of  sins,  regeneration,  sanctification,  and  salva- 
tion. This  man,  instead  of  our  faith,  which  is  in  the  high- 
est degree  saving,  because  it  is  in  the  three  Divine  persons, 
thus  in  the  whole  Deity,  has  transferred  faith  to  the  second 
person  ;  and  not  to  Him,  but  to  His  Human,  which,  indeed, 
we  call  Divine  from  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  from  eter- 
nity \  but  who  thinks  of  it  as  any  thing  more  than  merely 
human  ?  And  what  else  can  thence  result,  but  a  faith  from 
which  naturalism  flows  as  from  a  fountain?  And  such  a 
faith,  because  it  is  not  spiritual,  differs  but  little  from  faith 
in  a  pope  or  a  saint.  You  know  what  Calvin  said  in  his 
time,  concerning  worship  from  this  faith;  and  I  beseech 
you,  tell  me,  one  of  you,  whence  is  faith  ?  Is  it  not  imme- 
diately from  God,  which  thus  has  in  it  all  things  of  salva- 
tion ?  "  At  these  words,  his  companions  on  the  left  side, 
whose  faces  were  shaven,  and  who  wore  wigs  and  collars, 


No.  137.J 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


233 


clapped  their  hands,  and  exclaimed,  "You  have  spoken 
n.ost  wisely!  We  know  that  we  cannot  take  any  thing 
which  is  not  given  us  from  heaven.  Let  that  prophet  tell 
us  whence  faith  is,  and  what  it  is,  if  that  be  not  faith.  It 
is  impossible  that  there  should  be  any  other,  or  from  any 
other  source;  and  to  produce  a  faith  which  is  faith,  other 
than  this,  is  as  impossible  as  it  is  for  a  man  to  ride  on 
horseback  to  a  constellation  in  heaven,  and  take  thence  a 
star,  and  put  it  in  his  pocket,  and  bring  it  down."  This 
he  said,  that  his  companions  might  laugh  at  every  new 
faith.  On  hearing  these  words,  the  men  on  the  right,  who 
had  long  beards  and  wore  their  natural  hair,  were  filled 
with  indignation  j  and  one  of  them  rose  up  (an  old  man, 
but  still  he  seemed  like  a  young  man  afterwards,  for  he  was 
an  angel  from  heaven,  where  every  age  becomes  youthful), 
and  spoke,  saying,  "  I  have  heard  what  your  faith  is,  which 
the  man  in  the  pulpit  has  so  magnified.  But  what  is  that 
faith  but  the  sepulchre  of  our  Lord,  after  the  resurrection, 
again  closed  by  the  soldiers  of  Pilate  ?  I  have  opened  it, 
and  have  seen  nothing  there  but  the  rods  of  jugglers,  with 
which  the  magicians  in  Egypt  did  miracles.  Truly  your 
faith  externally  in  your  eyes  is  like  a  chest  made  of  gold 
and  set  with  precious  stones,  which  when  it  is  opened  is 
empty,  except  perhaps  in  the  corners  of  it  there  may  be 
dust  from  the  relics  of  Roman  Catholics ;  for  these,  also, 
have  the  same  faith,  only  at  this  day  it  is  covered  over  by 
them  with  external  sanctities.  It  is  also  (to  use  compari- 
sons) like  the  vestal  virgin  amongst  the  ancients,  buried 
under  the  ground,  because  she  let  the  sacred  fire  go  out ; 
and  I  can  solemnly  declare  that  to  my  eyes  it  is  like  the 
golden  calf,  around  which  the  children  of  Israel  danced, 
after  Moses  departed  and  ascended  into  mount  Sinai  to 
Jehovah.  Do  not  wonder  that  I  should  speak  of  your  faith 
by  such  comparisons,  because  we  speak  so  of  it  in  heaven. 
But  our  faith  is,  was,  and  will  for  ever  be,  in  the  Lord  God 
the  Saviour,  whose  Human  is  Divine,  and  whose  Divine  is 


234  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 


Human,  thus  accommodated  to  reception,  and  by  means  of 
which  the  spiritual  Divine  is  united  to  the  natural  of  man, 
and  there  results  a  spiritual  faith  in  the  natural,  whence  the 
natural  becomes  as  it  were  transparent,  from  the  spiritual 
light  in  which  our  faith  is.  The  truths  of  which  it  consists 
are  as  many  as  the  verses  in  the  sacred  volume;  those 
truths  are  all  like  stars  which  manifest  and  form  that  faith 
by  their  lights.  Man  takes  it  from  the  Word  by  means  of 
his  natural  light  [lumen],  in  which  it  is  knowledge,  thought, 
and  persuasion ;  but  the  Lord  causes  it  to  become,  in  such 
as  believe  in  Him,  conviction,  trust,  and  confidence ;  thus 
natural  faith  becomes  spiritual,  and  by  means  of  charity  it 
becomes  living.  This  faith  with  us  is  like  a  queen  adorned 
with  as  many  precious  stones  as  the  wall  of  the  holy  Jeru- 
salem (Apoc.  xxi.  17-20).  But  lest  you  should  suppose  that 
these  things  which  I  have  said  are  only  high-flown  words, 
and  that  they  may  not  therefore  be  despised,  I  will  read 
to  you  some  things  from  the  holy  Word,  from  which  it  will 
be  manifest  that  our  faith  is  not  in  a  man,  as  you  suppose, 
but  in  the  true  God,  in  whom  is  all  the  Divine.  John  says, 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  true  God  and  eternal  life  (1  John  v.  20)  ; 
Paul,  In  Christ  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily 
(Col.  ii.  9)  ;  and  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  that  he  preached, 
both  to  the  Jews  and  to  the  Greeks,  repentance  towards  God, 
and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  (xx.  21)  ;  and  the  Lord 
Himself,  that  All  power  is  given  to  Him  in  heaven  and  in 
earth  (Matt,  xxviii.  18);  these  are  but  few  of  the  passages." 
After  this,  the  angel  looked  at  me,  and  said,  "  You  know 
what  the  so-called  Evangelical  believe,  or  are  expected  to 
belie\  e,  concerning  the  Lord  the  Saviour  :  recite,  therefore, 
some  things,  that  we  may  know  whether  they  are  in  such  in- 
fatuation as  to  believe  that  His  Human  is  merely  human,  or 
whether  they  ascribe  to  it  something  of  the  Divine,  or  how 
they  do  believe."  Then,  in  the  presence  of  all  the  assem- 
bly, I  read  the  following  passages  from  those  which  I  had 
collected  from  their  book  of  orthodoxy,  called  "  Formula 


No.  137.]         THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


235 


Concordiae,"  and  printed  at  Leipsic  in  the  year  1756:  In 
Christ  the  Divine  a?id  human  natures  are  so  united  that  they 
make  one  person  (pp.  606,  762).  Christ  is  truly  God  and 
Man,  in  an  undivided  person,  and  continues  to  be  so  for  ever 
(pp.  609,  673,  762).  In  Christ  God  is  Man,  and  Man  God 
(pp.  607,  765).  The  human  nature  of  Christ  is  exalted  to  all 
Divine  majesty  ;  this  also  from  many  of  the  fathers  (pp.  844 
-852,  860-865,  869-878).  Christ,  as  to  the  human  nature,  is 
omnipresent,  and  fills  all  things  (pp.  768,  783-785).  Christ, 
as  to  the  human  nature,  has  all  power  in  heaven  a?id  in  earth 
(PP*  775>  77^>  780).  Christ,  as  to  the  humaji  nature,  sits  at 
the  right  hand  of  the  Father  (pp.  608,  764).  Christ,  as  to  the. 
human  nature,  is  to  be  invoked,  confirmed  by  quotations 
from  the  Scripture  (p.  226).  The  Augsburg  confession  very 
highly  approves  of  that  worship  (p.  19)."  After  these  pas- 
sages were  read,  I  turned  myself  to  the  president,  and  Said, 
"  I  know  that  all  here  are  consociated  with  their  like  in  the 
natural  world;  tell  me,  I  pray,  whether  you  know  with  whom 
you  are  consociated."  He  replied  in  a  grave  tone,  "  I  do 
know  j  I  am  consociated  with  a  famous  man,  a  leader  of 
illustrious  bands  from  the  army  of  the  church."  And  as 
he  answered  in  so  grave  a  tone,  I  said,  "  Allow  mc  to 
ask  whether  you  know  where  that  famous  leader  lives." 
And  he  said,  "  Yes,  I  do ;  he  lives  not  far  from  Luther's 
tomb."  At  this  I  smiled,  and  said,  "  Why  do  you  speak  of 
his  lomb  ?  Do  you  not  know  that  Luther  has  risen  again, 
and  that  he  has  now  renounced  his  erroneous  opinions  con- 
cerning justification  by  faith  in  three  Divine  persons  from 
etermty,  and  has  therefore  been  transferred  to  a  place 
among  the  happy  of  the  new  heaven,  and  that  he  sees 
and  laughs  at  those  who  are  running  mad  after  him  ?  "  And 
he  rejoined,  "I  know  it;  but  what  is  that  to  me?"  And 
then  I  addressed  him  in  a  tone  similar  to  his  own,  saying, 
"  Inspire  the  famous  companion  with  whom  you  are  con- 
sociated with  this,  —  that  I  am  afraid,  that,  contrary  to  the 
orthodoxy  of  his  church,  he  robbed  the  Lord  of  His  Divinity, 


236  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II 

or  suffered  his  pen  to  make  a  furrow  in  which  he  thought- 
lessly sowed  naturalism,  at  the  very  time  when  he  wrote 
against  the  worship  of  the  Lord  our  Saviour."  To  this 
he  replied,  "  I  cannot  do  this,  because  he  and  I,  as  to  this 
thing,  make  almost  one  mind  ;  but  he  does  not  understand 
the  things  that  I  say,  while  I  understand  clearly  all  that  he 
says  :  "  for  the  spiritual  world  enters  into  the  natural  world, 
and  perceives  the  thoughts  of  men  there ;  but  not  the  re- 
verse :  this  is  the  state  of  the  consociation  of  spirits  and 
men.  Now,  because  I  had  begun  to  speak  with  the  presi- 
dent, I  said,  "I  will  ask,  if  you  please,  another  question. 
Do  you  know  that  the  orthodoxy  of  the  Evangelical,  in  the 
hand-book  of  their  church,  called  the  "  Formula  Concordiae," 
teaches,  that  in  Christ  God  is  Man,  and  Man  is  God,  and 
that  His  Divine  arid  Human  are,  and  continue  for  ever  to 
be,  in  an  undivided  person  ?  How  then  could  he,  and  how 
can  you,  defile  the  worship  of  the  Lord  with  naturalism  ? " 
To  which  he  replied,  "  I  know  that,  and  yet  I  do  not  know 
it."  Wherefore  I  continued,  by  saying,  "  I  ask  him,  although 
he  is  absent,  or  you  in  his  stead,  Whence  was  the  soul  of 
our  Lord  ?  If  you  answer  that  it  was  from  the  mother,  you 
talk  insanely ;  if  from  Joseph,  you  profane  the  Word ;  but 
if  from  the  Holy  Spirit,  you  say  rightly,  if  only  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  you  mean  the  Divine  proceeding  and  operating,  so 
that  He  is  the  Son  of  Jehovah  God.  Again  I  ask,  What 
is  the  hypostatic  union  ?  If  you  answer  that  it  is  a  union 
as  between  two,  one  above  and  the  other  below,  you  talk 
insanely ;  for,  in  that  case,  you  might  have  made  God  the 
Saviour  two,  as  you  have  made  God  three ;  but  if  you  say 
that  it  is  a  personal  union  like  that  of  the  soul  and  body, 
you  say  rightly  :  this  also  is  according  to  your  doctrine  and 
also  to  that. of  the  fathers.  Consult  the  "  Formula  Con- 
cordiae "  (pp.  765-768) ;  also  the  creed  of  Athanasius,  where 
are  these  words  :  The  right  faith  is,  that  we  believe  and  con- 
fess that  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  God  and  Man;  Who, 
although  He  is  God  and  Man,  yet  is  not  two,  but  one  Christ : 


No.  137.] 


THE  LORD  THE  REDEEMER. 


237 


one  altogether,  not  by  co?ifusion  of  substance,  but  by  unity  of 
person  ;  for,  as  the  rational  soul  and  the  flesh  is  one  man,  so 
God  and  Man  is  one  Christ.  I  ask,  moreover,  What  else 
was  the  damnable  heresy  of  Arius  (on  account  of  whom 
the^Nicene  council  was  convened  by  the  emperor  Constan- 
tine  the  Great)  than  that  he  denied  the  Divinity  of  the  Lord's 
Human  ?  Again,  tell  me  whom  you  understand  by  these 
words  in  Jeremiah,  Behold  the  days  come,  whe?i  I  will  raise 
up  unto  David  a  righteous  Branch  who  shall  reign  a  King; 
and  this  shall  be  His  na?ne,  Jehovah  our  Righteousness 
(xxiii.  5,  6  j  xxxiii.  15,  16).  If  you  say,  the  Son  from  eter- 
nity, you  talk  insanely ;  that  was  not  the  Redeemer ;  but  if 
you  say,  the  Son  born  in  time,  who  was  the  Only-begotten 
Son  of  God  (John  i.  18;  iii.  16),  you  say  rightly;  He  by 
redemption  became  Righteousness,  from  which  you  make 
your  faith.  Read  also  Isaiah  ix.  6  j  besides  other  passages, 
in  which  it  is  foretold  that  Jehovah  Himself  was  about  to 
come  into  the  world."  At  these  words,  the  president  was 
silent,  and  turned  himself  away. 

After  these  things  were  done,  the  president  wished  to 
close  the  council  with  prayer;  but  suddenly  a  man  then 
started  up  from  the  company  on  the  left,  who  had  a  tiara  on 
his  head,  and  a  cap  over  that ;  and  he  touched  the  cap  with 
his  finger,  and  spoke,  saying,  "  I  am  also  consociated  with 
a  man  in  your  world,  who  is  there  in  a  place  of  high  honor : 
this  I  know,  because  I  speak  from  him,  as  he  does  from  me." 
And  I  asked,  "Where  is  the  abode  of  that  eminent  per- 
son?" He  replied,  "At  Gottenburg;  and  I  once  thought 
from  him  that  your  new  doctrine  savored  of  Mohamme- 
danism." On  hearing  which,  I  saw  that  all  on  the  right 
hand,  where  the  apostolic  fathers  stood,  were  astonished 
and  changed  countenance ;  and  I  heard  exclamations  com- 
ing from  their  minds,  through  the  mouth,  "  Oh,  horrible ! 
Oh,  what  an  age ! "  But  to  calm  their  just  resentment,  I 
put  forth  my  hands,  and  requested  a  hearing ;  which  being 
granted,  I  said,  "I  know  that  a  man  of  that  eminence 


238  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  II. 

wrote  some  such  thing  in  a  letter,  which  was  afterwards 
printed ;  but  if  he  had  known  at  the  time  what  a  blas- 
phemy that  is,  he  surely  would  have  torn  it  in  pieces  with 
his  fingers,  or  committed  it  to  the  flames.  It  is  such  con  • 
tumely  as  that  which  is  meant  by  the  words  of  the  Lord 
to  the  Jews  who  said  that  Christ  did  miracles  by  other 
power  than  the  Divine  (Matt.  xii.  22-32):  besides  this,  He 
also  says  in  the  same  place,  He  that  is  not  with  Me,  is 
against  Me ;  and  he  that  gather eth  not  with  Me,  scatter eth 
abroad  (v.  30)."  At  these  words,  the  consociated  spirit 
hung  down  his  head ;  but  presently  he  raised  it  up,  and 
said,  "  I  have  heard  severer  things  from  you  than  ever." 
But  I  rejoined,  "  The  two  charges  of  naturalism  and  Mo- 
hammedanism are  the  cause  of  this,  which  are  wicked  lies 
invented  by  craft,,  and  two  deadly  stigmas  designed  to 
turn  away  men's  wills  and  deter  them  from  the  holy  wor- 
ship of  the  Lord."  And  I  turned  myself  to  the  latter 
consociated  spirit,  and  said,  "  Tell  him  at  Gottenburg,  if 
you  can,  to  read  what  is  said  by  the  Lord  in  the  Apoca- 
lypse (iii.  18;  and  also  ii.  16)."  At  these  words,  a  noise 
was  made,  but  it  was  stilled  by  light  descending  from 
heaven  \  in  consequence  of  which  many  of  those  on  the 
left  side  went  over  to  those  on  the  right,  those  only  re- 
maining who  think  only  vain  things,  and  therefore  depend 
on  the  authority  of  some  master,  and  also  those  who  be- 
lieve concerning  the  Lord  in  the  human  only.  From  both 
of  these  classes  the  light  which  descended  from  heaven 
seemed  to  be  thrown  back,  and  to  flow  into  those  who  had 
passed  from  the  left  to  the  right  side. 


CHAPTER  THIRD. 


CONCERNING  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT,  AND  CONCERNING 
THE  DIVINE  OPERATION. 

138.  All  of  the  sacred  order  who  have  entertained  any- 
just  idea  concerning  the  Lord  our  Saviour,  on  their  en- 
trance into  the  spiritual  world,  which  is  generally  on  the 
third  day  after  their  decease,  are  first  instructed  concerning 
the  Divine  Trinity  ;  and  particularly  concerning  the  Holy 
Spirit,  that  it  is  not  a  God  by  itself,  but  that  by  it  in  the 
Word  is  meant  the  Divine  Operation,  proceeding  from  the 
one  omnipresent  God.  The  reason  why  they  are  partic- 
ularly instructed  concerning  the  Holy  Spirit  is,  because 
most  enthusiasts  after  death  fall  into  the  insane  fancy 
that  they  themselves  are  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  also  be- 
cause many  of  the  church,  who  in  the  world  believed  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  spoke  through  them,  terrify  others  by  the 
words  of  the  Lord  in  Matthew,  that  to  speak  against  those 
things  with  which  the  Holy  Spirit  inspired  them  is  the 
unpardonable  sin  (xii.  31,  32).  They  who  after  instruc- 
tion recede  from  the  faith  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  a  God 
by  itself  are  informed  afterwards  concerning  the  unity  of 
God,  that  it  is  not  divided  into  three  persons,  each  one  of 
whom  singly  is  God  and  Lord,  according  to  the  Athana 
sian  creed ;  but  that  the  Divine  Trinity  is  in  the  Lord  the 
Saviour,  as  the  soul,  the  body,  and  the  proceeding  virtue, 
with  every  man.  These  are  then  prepared  for  receiving 
the  faith  of  the  new  heaven ;  and,  after  they  are  prepared, 
a  way  is  opened  for  them  to  a  society  in  heaven,  where 
there  is  the  same  faith  ;  and  a  mansion  is  given  them 
ainuiig  their  brethren,  with  whom  they  will  live  in  blessed- 


240         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 


ness  for  ever.  Now,  because  we  have  treated  concerning 
God  the  Creator,  and  concerning  the  Lord  the  Redeemer, 
it  is  necessary  that  we  should  also  treat  concerning  the 
Holy  Spirit ;  and  this  subject,  like  the  rest,  is  to  be  divided 
into  its  articles,  which  are  the  following:  I.  The  Holy 
Spirit  is  the  Divine  Truth,  and  also  the  Divine  Virtue  and 
Operation,  proceeding  from  the  One  God  in  Whom  is  the  Di- 
vine Tri7iity,  thus  fi-om  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour.  II.  The 
Divi?ie  Vii-tue  and  Operation  which  are  7neant  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  are,  i?i  general,  Reformatio?i  and  Regeneration,  a7id, 
according  to  these,  Renovation,  Vivification,  Safictification,  and 
Justification  ;  and,  according  to  these,  Purification  from  evils 
and  Remission  of  sins  and  finally  Salvation.  III.  That 
Divine  Virtue  and  Operation  which  is  meant  by  the  send- 
ing of  the  Holy  Spirit,  with  the  clergy  specially,  is  En- 
lightenment a?id  Instruction.  IV.  The  Lord  operates  those 
virtues  in  those  who  believe  in  Him.  V.  The  Lord  operates  out 
of  Himself,  from  the  Father,  and  not  the  reverse.  VI.  The 
spirit  of  a  man  is  his  mind  and  whatsoever  proceeds  fro77i  it. 

139.  I.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  the  Divine  Truth,  and 
also  the  Divine  Virtue  and  Operation,  proceeding 
from  the  One  God  in  whom  is  the  Divine  Trinity, 
thus  from  the  lord  god  the  saviour. 

By  the  Holy  Spirit  is  properly  signified  the  Divine  Truth, 
thus  also  the  Word ;  and  in  this  sense  the  Lord  Himself  is 
also  the  Holy  Spirit;  but  because  in  the  church  at  this 
day  the  Divine  operation  which  is  actual  justification  is 
described  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  therefore  this  is  here  assumed 
as  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  of  this  chiefly  we  speak  for  the 
reason,  also,  that  the  Divine  operation  is  effected  by  the 
Divine  truth  which  proceeds  out  of  the  Lord ;  and  that 
which  proceeds  is  of  one  and  the  same  essence  with  Him 
from  Whom  it  proceeds,  like  these  three,  the  soul,  the  body, 
and  the  proceeding  virtue,  which  together  make  one  es- 
sence ;  with  man,  merely  human,  but  with  the  Lord,  Divine 


No.  139.J 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 


241 


and  Human  also ;  these  after  the  glorification  being  united 
together,  like  the  prior  with  its  posterior,  and  like  an 
essence  with  its  form.  Thus  the  three  essentials,  which 
are  called  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the 
Lord  are  one.  That  the  Lord  is  the  Divine  Truth  itself, 
or  Divine  Verity,  was  shown  above ;  and  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  also  the  same,  is  manifest  from  these  passages : 
And  there  shall  come  forth  a  Rod  out  of  the  stem  of  Jesse, 
and  the  Spirit  of  Jehovah  shall  rest  upon  Him,  the 
Spirit  of  wisdom  and  understandi7ig,  the  Spirit  of  counsel 
and  might ;  He  shall  smite  the  earth  with  the  rod  of  His 
mouth,  and  with  the  breath  of  His  lips  shall  He  slay  the 
wicked ;  righteousness  shall  be  the  girdle  of  His  loins,  and 
truth  the  girdle  of  His  reins  (Isa.  xi.  1,  4,  5).  He  shall'  come 
like  a  flood,  the  Spirit  of  Jehovah  shall  bear  the  standard 
against  him;  then  the  Redeemer  shall  come  to  Zion  (lix.  19, 
20).  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  J'ehovih  is  upon  Me,  Jehovah 
hath  anointed  Me,  He  hath  sent  Me  to  preach  good  tidings  to 
the  poor  (Ixi.  1 ;  Luke  iv.  18).  This  is  My  covenant;  My  Spirit 
that  is  upon  thee,  and  My  words  shall  not  depart  out  of  thy 
mouthy  from  henceforth  and  for  ever  (Isa.  lix.  21).  Since  the 
Lord  is  the  Truth  itself,  therefore  all  that  which  proceeds 
out  of  Him  is  truth ;  and  this  is  meant  by  the  Comforter, 
which  is  also  called  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit;  this  is  manifest  from  these  passages:  I  tell  you 
the  truth  j  it  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go  away  ;  for,  if  I 
go  not  away,  the  Comforter  will  ?iot  come  unto  you  ;  but  if  I 
depart,  I  will  send  Him  unto  you  (John  xvi.  7).  When  the 
Spirit  of  Truth  is  come,  He  shall  lead  you  into  all  truth  ; 
He  shall  not  speak  from  Himself,  but  whatsoever  He  shall 
hear  shall  He  speak  (xvi.  13).  He  shall  glorify  Me,  for  He 
shall  receive  of  Mine,  and  shall  show  unto  you :  all  thing* 
that  the  Father  hath,  are  Mine;  therefore  said  I,  that  He 
shall  take  of  Mink,  and  shall  show  unto  you  (xvi.  14,  15). 
/  will  ask  the  Father  that  tie  may  give  you  another  Com 
fortcr,  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  Whom  the  world  cannot  receive, 
vol.  1.  1 1 


242 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 


because  it  seeth  Him  not,  neither  knoweth  Him;  but  ye  know 
Hint,  because  He  dwelleth  with  you,  and  shall  be  in  you.  I 
will  not  leave  you  orphans  ;  I  will  come  to  you,  and  ye  shall 
see  Me  (John  xiv.  16-19).  When  the  Comforter  is  come^ 
Whom  I  will  send  to  you  from  the  Father,  the  Spirit  of 
Truth,  He  shall  testify  of  Me  (xv.  26).  This  is  called  the 
Holy  Spirit  (xiv.  26).  That  the  Lord  meant  Himself  by 
the  Comforter  or  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  manifest  from  those 
words  of  the  Lord,  that  the  world  did  not  yet  know  Him, 
but  ye  know  Him  ;  I  will  not  leave  you  orphans ;  I  will 
come  to  you ;  ye  shall  see  Me.  And  in  another  place,  Lo, 
I  am  with  you  always,  even  to  the  consummatio?i  of  the  age 
(Matt,  xxviii.  20) ;  also  from  these  words,  He  shall  not 
speak  from  Himself,  but  shall  receive  of  Mine. 

140.  Now,  because  the  Divine  Truth  is  meant  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  this  was  in  the  Lord,  and  was  the  Lord 
Himself  (John  xiv.  6),  and  so  because  it  could  not  pro- 
ceed from  any  other  source,  therefore  it  is  said,  The  Holy 
Spirit  was  not  yet,  because  Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified  (vii. 
39) ;  and  after  the  glorification,  He  breathed  upon  the  dis- 
ciples, and  said,  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Spirit  (xx.  22).  The 
reason  why  the  Lord  breathed  upon  the  disciples,  and  said 
this,  was  because  aspiration  [or  breathing  upon]  was  an 
external  representative  sign  of  Divine  inspiration ;  but  in- 
spiration is  an  insertion  into  angelic  societies.  From  these 
things  the  understanding  may  comprehend  this  which  was 
said  by  the  angel  Gabriel  concerning  the  conception  of 
the  Lord :  The  Holy  Spirit  shall  come  upon  thee,  and  the 
Power  of  the  Highest  shall  overshadow  thee ;  therefore  the 
Holy  Thing  which  is  born  of  thee  shall  be  called  the  So?i  of 
God  (Luke  i.  35).  Also,  The  angel  of  the  Lord  in  a  dream 
said  to  Joseph,  Fear  not  to  take  Mary  for  thy  wife,  for 
that  which  is  bortt  in  her  is  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  And 
Joseph  knew  her  not  till  she  had  brought  forth  her  first-borti 
son  (Matt.  i.  20,  25).  The  Holy  Spirit  there  is  the  Divine 
Truth  proceeding  from  Jehovah  the  Father;  and  this  pio- 


No.  141.] 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 


243 


ceeding  is  the  Power  of  the  Highest,  which  then  over- 
shadowed the  mother.  This,  therefore,  coincides  with  this 
in  John  :  The  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God ; 
and  the  Word  became  Flesh  (i.  1,  14).  That  by  the  Word 
is  there  meant  the  Divine  Truth,  see  in  "The  Faith  of 
the  New  Church,"  above  (n.  3). 

141.  That  the  Divine  Trinity  is  in  the  Lord  was  demon- 
strated above,  and  will  be  demonstrated  more  fully  in  the 
sequel,  when  we  come  to  treat  professedly  concerning  it. 
Here,  only  some  absurdities  following  from  that  trinity 
divided  into  persons  will  be  considered.  This  would  be 
as  if  some  minister  of  the  church  were  to  teach  from  the. 
pulpit  what  should  be  believed  and  what  should  be  done, 
and  beside  him  another  minister  should  stand  and  whisper 
in  his  ear,  "  You  say  this  rightly ;  add  also  something 
more;"  and  they  should  say  to  a  third,  standing  on  the 
stairs,  "  Descend  into  the  temple,  and  open  their  ears,  and 
pour  those  things  into  their  hearts,  and  at  the  same  time 
cause  them  to  be  purities,  sanctities,  and  pledges  of  right- 
eousness." A  Divine  Trinity  divided  into  persons,  each  of 
whom  singly  is  God  and  Lord,  is  also  similar  to  three  suns 
in  one  world ;  one  on  high,  near  another,  and  the  third 
beneath,  which  pours  its  rays  around  angels  and  men  and 
brings  the  heat  and  light  of  the  other  two  into  their  minds, 
hearts,  and  bodies,  and  subtilizes,  clarifies,  and  sublimates 
them,  as  fire  does  the  material  in  retorts.  Who  does  not 
see  that  if  it  were  so  man  would  be  burned  even  to  ashes  ? 
The  government  of  three  Divine  persons  in  heaven,  also, 
would  be  like  the  government  of  three  kings  in  one  king- 
dom, or  to  the  command  of  three  generals  of  equal  rank 
over  one  army ;  or  rather  to  the  Roman  government  before 
the  times  of  the  Cnesars,  when  there  were  a  consul,  a  senate, 
and  a  tribune  of  the  people ;  among  whom,  indeed,  the 
power  was  divided,  but  still  the  sovereignty  was  in  them 
all  together.  Who  does  not  see  that  it  is  absurd,  ridicu- 
lous, and  foolish,  to  introduce  such  a  government  into 


244         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chaf  III 


heaven ;  and  it  is  introduced  when  a  power  like  that  of  a 
chief  consul  is  ascribed  to  God  the  Father,  a  power  like 
that  of  the  senate  to  the  Son,  and  a  power  like  that  of  the 
tribune  of  the  people  to  the  Holy  Spirit;  and  this  is  done 
when  a  peculiar  office  is  ascribed  to  each  one,  especially  if 
it  is  added  that  those  properties  are  not  communicable. 

142.  II.  The  Divine  Virtue  and  Operation  which 
are  meant  by  the  Holy  Spirit  are,  in  general,  Ref- 
ormation and  Regeneration  ;  and,  according  to  these, 
Renovation,  Vivification,  Sanctification,  and  Justifi- 
cation; AND,  ACCORDING  TO  THESE,  PURIFICATION  FROM 

Evils  and  Remission  of  Sins  and  finally  Salvation. 

These  are,  in  their  order,  the  virtues  which  the  Lord  oper- 
ates in  those  who  believe  in  Him,  and  who  accommodate 
and  dispose  themselves  for  His  reception  and  abode ;  and 
this  is  done  by  means  of  Divine  truth,  and  with  Christians 
by  means  of  the  Word  j  for  this  is  the  only  medium  through 
which  man  draws  near  to  the  Lord,  and  into  which  the  Lord 
enters  ;  for,  as  was  said  above,  the  Lord  is  the  Divine  Truth 
itself,  and  whatsoever  proceeds  from  Him  is  Divine  truth. 
But  the  Divine  truth  from  good  is  to  be  understood,  which 
is  the  same  with  faith  from  charity ;  for  faith  is  no  other 
than  truth,  and  charity  is  no  other  than  goodness.  By 
means  of  Divine  truth  from  good,  that  is,  by  means  of 
faith  from  charity,  man  is  reformed  and  regenerated ;  also 
renovated,  vivified,  sanctified,  justified ;  and,  according  to 
the  progress  and  increase  of  these,  is  purified  from  evils ; 
and  purification  from  evils  is  remission  of  sins.  But  all 
these  operations  of  the  Lord  cannot  be  explained  here,  one 
by  one,  because  each  requires  its  analysis,  confirmed  from 
the  Word,  and  illustrated  by  reason ;  and  this  does  not 
belong  to  this  place ;  wherefore  the  reader  is  referred  to 
those  things  which  follow  in  order  in  this  work,  which  are 
concerning  Charity,  Faith,  Free  Will,  Repentance,  and  also 
Reformation  and  Regeneration.     It  should  be  known  that 


No.  144.J 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 


245 


the  Lord  is  continually  operating  those  saving  graces  with 
every  man,  for  they  are  steps  to  heaven,  for  the  Lord  wills 
the  salvation  of  all  j  wherefore  the  salvation  of  all  is  His 
end,  and  he  who  wills  an  end  wills  the  means.  His  coming, 
redemption,  and  the  passion  of  the  cross,  were  for  the  sake 
of  the  salvation  of  men  (Matt,  xviii.  1 1 ;  Luke  xix.  10) ;  and, 
because  the  salvation  of  men  was  and  for  ever  is  His  end, 
it  follows  that  the  above-mentioned  operations  are  mediate 
ends,  and  to  save  is  the  ultimate  end. 

143.  The  operation  of  these  virtues  is  the  Holy  Spirit 
that  the  Lord  sends  to  those  who  believe  in  Him  and  who 
dispose  themselves  to  receive  Him ;  and  it  is  meant  by  the 
Spirit  in  these  passages:  A  new  heart  also  will  I  give  you 
and  a  new  spirit  ;  /  will  put  My  Spirit  in  the  midst  of 
you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  My  statutes  (Ez.  xxxvi.  26, 
27  ;  xi.  19).  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God,  and  renew 
A  right  spirit  within  me :  restore  unto  me  the  joy  of  Thy 
salvation,  and  let  a  free  spirit  uphold  me  (Ps.  li.  10,  12). 
Jehovah  formeth  the  spirit  of  man  in  the  midst  of  him 
(Zech.  xii.  1).  With  my  soul  I  have  waited  for  Thee  in  the 
night,  and  with  my  spirit  in  the  midst  of  me  I  have  waited 
for  Thee  in  the  morning  (Isa.  xxvi.  9).  Make  you  a  new 
heart,  and  a  new  spirit:  why  will  ye  die ?  (Ez.  xviii.  31): 
besides  other  passages.  In  those  passages,  by  a  new  heart 
is  meant  the  will  of  good,  and  by  a  new  spirit,  the  under- 
standing of  truth.  That  the  Lord  operates  these,  in  those 
who  do  what  is  good,  and  believe  what  is  true,  thus  in 
those  who  are  in  the  faith  of  charity,  is  very  manifest  from 
the  things  there,  as  that  God  gives  a  soul  to  those  who  walk 
in  His  statutes;  and  also,  that  it  is  called  a  free  spirit: 
and  that  man  is  to  operate  on  His  part  is  manifest  from 
this  :  Make  you  a  new  heart,  and  a  new  spirit ;  why  will  ye 
die,  O  house  of  Israel  ? 

144.  We  read  that,  when  Jesus  was  baptized,  the  heavens 
were  opened,  and  John  saw  the  Holy  Spirit  descending  like  a 
<frltf  (Matt  iii.  16  \  Mark  i.  10  ;  Luke  iii.  21  ;  John  i.  32,  33). 


246         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 


This  took  place  because  baptism  signifies  regeneration  and 
purification,  as  also  does  the  dove.  Who  cannot  perceive, 
that  the  dove  was  not  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  that  the  Holy- 
Spirit  was  not  in  the  dove  ?  Doves  often  appear  in  heaven ; 
and  as  often  as  they  appear,  the  angels  know  that  they  are 
correspondences  of  the  affections  and  thence  the  thoughts 
in  relation  to  regeneration  and  purification,  with  some  who 
stand  near  by;  wherefore,  as  soon  as  they  come  up  to 
them,  and  speak  with  them  concerning  any  thing  eise  than 
what  was  in  their  thoughts  when  that  appearance  was  pre- 
sented, the  doves  instantly  vanish.  This  is  like  many  things 
which  appeared  to  the  prophets ;  as  that  a  lamb  appeared 
to  John  on  Mount  Zion  (Apoc.  xiv.  1 ;  and  in  other  places). 
Who  does  not  know  that  the  Lord  was  not  that  lamb,  nor 
in  the  lamb,  but  that  the  lamb  was  a  representation  of 
His  innocence  ?  Hence  is  manifest  the  error  of  those 
who  deduce  the  three  persons  of  the  trinity  from  the  dove 
seen  upon  the  Lord  when  He  was  baptized,  and  from  the 
voice  then  heard  from  heaven,  This  is  my  beloved  Son.  That 
the  Lord  regenerates  man  by  faith  and  charity,  is  meant 
by  what  John  the  Baptist  said:  I  baptize  you  with  water 
unto  repentance,  but  He  that  cometh  after  Me  will  baptize  with 
the  Holy  Spirit  and  with  fire  (Matt.  iii.  1 1 ;  Mark  i.  8 ; 
Luke  iii.  16).  To  baptize  with  the  Holy  Spirit  and  with 
fire  is  to  regenerate  by  the  Divine  truth  which  is  of  faith, 
and  by  the  Divine  good  which  is  of  charity.  The  like  is 
signified  by  these  words  of  the  Lord  :  Except  a  man  be  born 
)f  water  and  of  the  spirit,  he  cannot  enier  into  the  kmgdom  of 
God  (John  iii.  5).  By  water  here,  as  elsewhere  in  the  Word, 
is  signified  truth  in  the  natural  or  external  man,  and  by  the 
spirit,  truth  from  good  in  the  spiritual  or  internal  man. 

145.  Now,  because  the  Lord  is  Divine  Truth  itself  from 
the  Divine  Good,  and  this  is  His  very  essence,  and  every 
one  acts  what  he  acts  from  his  essence,  it  is  evident  that 
the  Lord  continually  wills  (nor  can  He  will  otherwise) 
to  implant  truth  and  good,  or  faith  and  charity,  in  every 


No.  146.I 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 


247 


man.  This  may  be  illustrated  by  many  things  in  the  world, 
as  by  this,  that  every  man  wills  and  thinks,  and,  as  far 
as  it  is  allowable,  speaks  and  acts,  from  his  essence ;  as, 
for  example,  a  faithful  man  thinks  and  intends  faithful 
things  j  an  honest,  upright,  pious,  and  religious  man,  hon- 
est, upright,  pious,  and  religious  things ;  and,  on  the  con- 
trary, a  haughty,  cunning,  treacherous,  and  covetous  man, 
such  things  as  make  one  with  his  essence.  A  fortune-tellei 
wishes  only  to  tell  fortunes,  and  a  fool  only  to  prate  against 
the  things  which  are  of  wisdom ;  in  a  word,  an  angel  medi- 
tates and  practises  only  heavenly  things,  and  a  devil  only 
infernal  things.  The  case  is  similar  with  every  subject  of 
lower  rank  in  the  animal  kingdom,  as  with  a  bird,  a  beast, 
a  fish,  an  insect,  winged  and  not  winged  j  every  one  is  cog- 
nized from  its  essence  or  nature,  from  which  and  according 
to  which  is  the  instinct  of  each.  In  like  manner  in  the 
vegetable  kingdom  every  tree,  every  shrub,  and  every  herb, 
is  cognized  from  its  fruit  and  seed,  in  which  its  essence  is 
innate  ;  nor  can  any  thing  else  be  produced  therefrom,  but 
what  is  similar  to  itself  and  its  own  ;  yes,  every  kind  of 
ground,  clay,  and  stone,  noble  and  ignoble,  and  every 
mineral  and  metal,  is  estimated  from  its  essence. 

146.  III.  That  Divine  Virtue  and  Operation  which 
is  meant  by  the  sending  of  the  holy  spirit,  with 
the  Clergy  specially,  is  Enlightenment  and  Instruc- 
tion. 

The  Lord's  operations  enumerated  in  the  preceding  arti- 
cle, which  are  reformation,  regeneration,  renovation,  vivifi 
cation,  sanctification,  justification,  purification,  remission  of 
sins,  and  finally  salvation,  flow  in  from  the  Lord,  as  well 
with  the  clergy  as  with  the  laity,  and  are  received  by  those 
who  are  in  the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  in  them  (John  vi.  56  ; 
xiv.  20  ;  xv.  4,  5).  But  the  reasons  why  enlightenment  and 
instruction  are  for  the  clergy  specially,  are,  because  these 
belong  to  their  office,  and  inauguration  into  the  ministry 


248         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  Ill 

brings  them  with  it  \  and  also  they  believe  that,  while  they 
are  preaching  from  zeal,  they  are  inspired,  like  the  disciples 
of  the  Lord  on  whom  the  Lord  breathed,  saying,  Receive  ye 
the  Holy  Spirit  (John  xx.  22  ;  and  also  Mark  xiii.  1 1).  Some 
also  affirm  that  they  have  felt  the  influx.  But  they  should 
be  very  cautious  how  they  persuade  themselves  that  the 
zeal  by  which  many  are  actuated  while  they  are  speaking 
in  public  is  the  Divine  operation  in  their  hearts ;  for  a 
similar  and  even  a  warmer  zeal  is  excited  in  the  breasts  of 
enthusiasts,  and  also  in  those  who  are  in  extreme  falsities 
of  doctrine ;  yes,  in  those  who  despise  the  Word,  and  wor- 
ship nature  instead  of  God,  and  cast  faith  and  charity  as 
it  were  into  a  bag  behind  the  back ;  and  whilst  they  are 
preaching  and  teaching  they  hang  it  before  them  as  a  kind 
of  stomach,  like  a  ruminant's,  from  which  they  select  and 
give  out  such  things  as  they  know  will  serve  for  food  to  the 
hearers.  For  zeal  viewed  in  itself  is  a  violent  heating  of 
the  natural  man  ;  if  there  is  within  it  the  love  of  truth,  then 
it  is  like  the  sacred  fire  which  flowed  into  the  apostles,  con- 
cerning which  it  is  thus  written  in  the  Acts :  There  appeared 
to  them  cloven  tongues,  as  of  fire,  and  sat  upon  every  one  of 
them,  whence  they  all  were  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit  (ii.  3,  4). 
But  if  the  love  of  falsity  lies  inwardly  concealed  in  that  zeal 
or  heat,  it  is  then  like  fire  imprisoned  in  wood,  which  bursts 
forth  and  burns  the  house.  You-,  who  deny  the  sanctity  of 
the  Word  and  the  Divinity  of  the  Lord,  take  off",  I  beseech 
you,  your  bag  from  your  back,  and  open  it,  as  you  do 
freely  at  home,  and  you  will  see.  I  know  that  those  who 
are  meant  by  Lucifer  in  Isaiah,  and  who  are  of  Babel,  when 
they  enter  the  temple,  and  especially  when  they  ascend  the 
pulpit,  particularly  those  who  call  themselves  of  the  society 
of  Jesus,  are  hurried  away  by  a  zeal  which  in  many  cases 
is  from  infernal  love ;  and  hence  they  shout  more  vehe- 
mently, and  fetch  deeper  sighs  from  their  breasts,  than 
those  who  are  in  zeal  from  heavenly  love.  That  there  are 
two  other  spiritual  operations  with  the  clergy  may  be  seen 
below  (n.  155). 


No.  147.I  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT.  .  249 

147.  The  church  is  yet  nearly  ignorant  that  in  all  man's 
will  and  thought,  and  hence  in  all  his  action  and  speech, 
there  is  an  internal  and  an  external,  and  that  man  from 
infancy  is  taught  to  speak  from  the  external,  however  the 
internal  dissents ;  thence  proceed  dissimulation,  flattery, 
and  hypocrisy ;  consequently  that  he  is  double-minded ; 
and  he  only  is  single-minded  whose  external  thinks  and 
speaks  and  wills  and  acts  from  the  internal :  these  also  are 
meant  by  the  simple  [by  honest  and  single]  in  the  Word 
(as  Luke  viii.  15  j  xi.  34;  and  in  other  places) ;  although 
they  are  wiser  than  the  double-minded.  That  there  is 
doubleness  and  triplicity  in  every  created  thing  is  evident 
from  these  things  in  the  human  body :  every  nerve  therein 
consists  of  fibres,  and  every  fibre  of  fibrils ;  every  muscle 
of  little  bundles  of  fibres,  and  these  of  moving  fibres  j  every 
artery  of  coats  in  a. triple  series.  It  is  the  same  with  the 
human  mind,  whose  spiritual  organism  is  such  j  this  is  ac- 
cording to  what  was  said  above,  that  the  human  mind  is 
distinguished  into  three  regions,  the  highest  of  which  (this 
is  also  the  inmost)  is  called  heavenly  [celestial],  the  mid- 
dle spiritual^  and  the  lowest  natural.  The  minds  of  all 
men  who  deny  the  sanctity  of  the  Word  and  the  Divinity 
of  the  Lord  think  in  the  lowest  region ;  but,  because  from 
infancy  they  have  learned  also  the  spiritual  things  which 
are  of  the  church,  and  receive  them,  but  put  them  below 
natural  things  (which  are  various  scientific,  political,  and 
civil-moral  things),  and  because  these  have  a  seat  in  the 
mind  lowest  and  nearest  to  the  speech,  they  speak  from 
these  in  temples  and  in  companies ;  and,  what  is  wonder- 
ful, they  then  know  no  otherwise  than  that  they  speak  and 
teach  from  belief  in  them  j  when,  nevertheless,  as  soon  as 
they  are  in  their  freedom,  which  is  the  case  at  home,  the 
door  is  opened  which  has  closed  the  internal  of  their  mind, 
and  then  sometimes  they  laugh  at  those  things  which  thev 
have  preached  in  public,  saving  in  heart,  that  theological 
things  are  specious  snares  for  catching  doves. 

11* 


250         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 

148.  The  internal  and  external  of  such  persons  may  be 
likened  to  poisons  covered  over  with  coatings  of  sugar; 
and  also  to  the  wild  gourds  which  the  sons  of  the  prophets 
gathered  and  cast  into  the  pottage,  and  while  they  were 
eating  it,  they  cried  out,  There  is  death  in  the  pot  (2  Kings 
iv.  38-43).  They  may  also  be  compared  to  the  beast  com- 
ing up  out  of  the  earth,*  which  had  two  horns  as  of  a  lamb, 
and  spoke  as  a  dragon  (Apoc.  xiii.  11).  In  what  follows, 
that  beast  is  called  the  false  prophet.  And  they  are  like 
robbers  in  a  city  where  the  citizens  are  moral,  who  in  the 
city  act  morally  and  speak  rationally,  but  when  they  return 
into  the  forests  they  are  wild  beasts ;  or  they  are  also  like 
pirates,  who  upon  the  land  are  men,  but  at  sea  crocodiles. 
While  on  land  or  in  the  city,  these  walk  about  like  pan- 
thers clothed  with  the  skin  of  the  sheep,  or  like  apes 
dressed  in  men's  clothes,  with  masks  of  the  human  coun- 
tenance covering  their  faces.  They  may  also  be  likened 
to  a  harlot,  who  anoints  herself  with  balsam,  and  paints 
her  face  with  carmine,  and  clothes  herself  with  white  silk, 
ornamented  with  flowers ;  who  when  she  returns  to  her 
house  undresses  in  the  presence  of  her  paramours,  and 
infects  them  with  her  loathsome  disease.  That  those  who 
in  heart  deny  sanctity  to  the  Word  and  Divinity  to  the 
Lord  are  such  has  been  given  me  well  to  know,  by  the 
experience  of  years  in  the  spiritual  world ;  for  there  all 
at  first  are  kept  in  their  externals,  but  afterwards,  when 
these  are  removed,  they  are  let  into  internals,  and  then 
their  comedy  becomes  a  tragedy. 

149.  IV.  The  Lord  operates  those  Virtues  in 

THOSE  WHO  BELIEVE  IN  HlM. 

That  the  Lord  operates  those  virtues,  which  are  meant 
by  the  sending  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  those  who  believe  in 
Him,  that  is,  that  He  reforms,  regenerates,  renovates,  vivi- 
fies, sanctifies,  justifies,  purifies  from  evils,  and  finally 

*  The  Latin  here  reads  ex  mart,  out  of  Ike  sea. 


No.  150.] 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 


251 


saves  them,  is  evident  from  all  the  passages  in  the  Word 
that  may  be  seen  adduced  above  (n.  107),  which  prove  that 
those  have  salvation*  and  eternal  life,  who  believe  in  the 
Lord ;  and,  moreover,  from  this :  Jesus  said,  He  that  BE- 
lieveth  in  Me,  as  the  Scripture  saith,  out  of  his  belly  shall 
flow  rivers  oflivi?ig  water  ;  this  spake  He  of  the  Spirit  which 
they  that  believe  in  Him  should  receive  (John  vii.  38,  39) ; 
and  also  from  this :  The  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  Spirit 
of  Prophecy  (Apoc.  xix.  10).  By  the  spirit  of  prophecy  is 
meant  the  truth  of  doctrine  from  the  Word ;  prophecy  sig- 
nifies no  other  than  doctrine,  and  to  prophesy,  to  teach  it; 
and  by  the  testimoiiy  of  Jesus  is  meant  confession  from  faith 
in  Him.  The  like  is  meant  by  His  testimony  in  this  passage : 
The  angels  of  Michael  overcame  the  dragon  by  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb,  and  by  the  word  of  their  testimony  ;  and  the  dragon 
went  to  make  war  with  the  remnant  of  her  seed,  who  keep  the 
commandments  of  God,  and  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ 
(Apoc.  xii.  11,  17). 

1 50.  The  reason  why  those  who  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  are  to  receive  those  spiritual  virtues,  is,  because  He 
is  Salvation*  and  Eternal  Life;  Salvation,*  because  He  is 
the  Savior  j  His  name  Jesus  also  means  this  :  Eternal  Life, 
because  those  in  whom  He  is,  and  who  are  in  Him,  have 
eternal  life ;  wherefore  also  He  is  called  Eternal  Life  (1  John 
v.  20).  Now,  because  He  is  Salvation*  and  Eternal  Life, 
it  follows  that  He  is  all  that  by  which  salvation*  and  eternal 
life  are  obtained ;  consequently,  that  He  is  the  all  of  refor- 
mation, regeneration,  renovation,  vivification,  sanctification, 
justification,  purification  from  evils,  and  at  length  is  Salva- 
tion, t  The  Lord  operates  these  in  every  man ;  that  is,  He 
strives  to  introduce  them ;  and  when  man  accommodates 
and  disposes  himself  for  the  reception,  He  does  introduce 
them.  The  active  [work]  of  accommodation  and  disposition 
is  also  from  the  Lord ;  but  if  man  does  not  receive  them  with 
a  free  spirit,  then,  notwithstanding  the  Lord's  effort  which 
constantly  continues,  He  cannot  introduce  them. 
*  Sii/us,  the  state  of  salvation,    t  $.:frati'p%  salvation  in  an  active  sense. 


252         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 


151.  To  believe  in  the  Lord  is  not  only  to  acknowledge 
Him,  but  also  to  do  His  commandments ;  for  merely  to 
acknowledge  Him  is  only  of  the  thought,  from  some  un- 
derstanding; but  to  do  His  commandments  is  also  of 
acknowledgment  from  the  will.  Man's  mind  consists  of 
understanding  and  will,  and  it  is  the  part  of  the  under- 
standing to  think,  and  of  the  will  to  do ;  wherefore,  while 
man  only  acknowledges  from  the  thought  of  the  under- 
standing, he  goes  to  the  Lord  from  half  of  the  mind  only ; 
but  when  he  does  His  commandments,  then  from  the 
whole ;  and  this  is  to  believe.  Otherwise,  a  man  may 
divide  his  heart,  and  compel  its  surface  to  raise  itself  up- 
wards, while  its  flesh  turns  itself  downwards ;  and  thus  he 
flies  like  an  eagle  between  heaven  and  hell ,  and  yet  man 
does  not  follow  his  sight,  but  the  enjoyment  of  his  flesh; 
and  because  this  is  in  hell,  therefore  he  flies  down  thither  ; 
and,  after  he  has  there  sacrificed  to  his  sensual  pleasures, 
and  poured  out  libations  of  wine  to  demons,  he  puts  on  a 
countenance  of  gayety,  and  causes  his  eyes  to  sparkle  with 
fire,  and  thus  counterfeits  an  angel  of  light.  They  who 
acknowledge  the  Lord  but  do  not  keep  His  command- 
ments, become  such  satans  after  death. 

152.  It  was  shown  in  the  foregoing  article  that  the  sal- 
vation and  eternal  life  of  men  are  the  first  and  the  last 
ends  of  the  Lord ;  and,  because  the  first  and  the  last  ends 
contain  in  them  the  mediate  ends,  it  follows  that  the 
above-mentioned  spiritual  virtues  are  together  in  the  Lord, 
and  also  from  the  Lord  in  man,  but  still  they  come  forth 
successively;  for  the  mind  of  man  grows  like  his  body; 
the  body  in  stature,  but  the  mind  in  wisdom.  Thus,  also,  the 
latter  is  exalted  from  region  to  region ;  that  is,  from  the 
natural  to  the  spiritual,  and  from  this  to  the  heavenly 
[celestial]  ;  and  in  this  region  man  is  called  wise,  in  that 
i?itelligent,  and  in  the  lowest  knowing;  but  this  exaltation 
of  the  mind  is  not  effected  except  from  time  to  time ;  and 
it  is  effected  as  man  procures  for  himself  truths  and  con- 


No.  153.] 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 


253 


joins  them  with  good.  As  with  one  who  is  building  a  house : 
he  first  procures  for  himself  the  materials  for  it,  as  bricks, 
tiles,  beams,  and  rafters ;  and  so  he  lays  the  foundation, 
raises  the  walls,  divides  it  into  rooms,  makes  doors  for 
them,  and  windows  in  the  walls,  and  stairs  from  one  story 
to  another ;  all  these  things  are  together  in  the  end,  which 
is  a  commodious  and  elegant  habitation,  which  he  foresees 
and  provides.  It  is  similar  with  a  temple  when  it  is  build- 
ing; all  things  for  its  construction  exist  together  in  the 
end,  which  is  the  worship  of  God.  It  is  similar  with  all 
other  things,  as  with  gardens  and  fields,  and  also  with 
offices  and  employments,  for  which  the  end  procures  for 
itself  the  requisite  instruments. 

153.  V.  The  Lord  operates  out  of  Himself  from 
the  Father,  and  not  the  reverse. 

By  operating  is  here  meant  the  same  thing  as  by  sending 
the  Holy  Spirit,  since  the  above-mentioned  operations, 
which  are,  in  general,  reformation,  regeneration,  renova- 
tion, vivification,  sanctification,  justification,  purification 
from  evils,  and-  remission  of  sins,  which  are  at  this  day 
attributed  to  the  Holy  Spirit  as  to  a  God  by  Himself,  are 
the  operations  of  the  Lord.  That  these  are  out  of  the 
Lord  from  the  Father,  and  not  the  reverse,  shall  be  first 
confirmed  from  the  Word,  and  afterwards  illustrated  by 
many  things  which  are  of  reason.  From  the  Word  by 
these :  When  the  Co7?iforter  is  come,  whom  I  will  send 
from  the  Father,  the  Spirit  of  truth  which  proceedeth 
from  the  Father,  He  shall  testify  of  Me  (John  xv.  26).  If 
I  go  not  away,  the  Comforter  will  not  come  to  you  ;  but  if  I 
depart,  I  will  SEND  Him  unto  YOU  (xvi.  7).  The  Comforter, 
the  Spirit  of  truth,  will  not  speak  from  Himself  but  He  7oill 
take  of  Mine,  and  shall  show  unto  you;  all  things  w/iat so- 
ever the  Father  hath  are  Mine;  therefore  said  f  that  He 
shall  take  <jv  Mine,  and  shall  show  unto  you  (xvi.  13-15). 
2he  Holy  Spirit  was  not  yet,  because  J  ESUS  was  not  YET 


254         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  Ill, 

glorified  (vii.  39).  Jesus  breathed  on  the  disciples,  and 
said,  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Spirit  (xx.  22).  Whatsoever  ye 
shall  ask  in  My  name,  that  will  I  do,  that  the  Father  may 
be  glorified  in  the  Son.  If  ye  shall  ask  any  thing  in  My 
name,  I  will  do  it  (xiv.  13,  14).  From  these  passages  it 
is  very  manifest  that  the  Lord  sends  the  Holy  Spirit,  that 
is,  operates  those  things  which  at  this  day  are  ascribed  to 
the  Holy  Spirit  as  a  God  by  Himself ;  for  it  is  said  that 
He  would  send  Him  from  the  Father ;  that  He  would 
send  Him  to  you ;  that  the  Holy  Spirit  was  not  yet,  be- 
cause Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified ;  that  after  the  glorifica- 
tion He  breathed  on  the  disciples,  and  said,  Receive  ye  the 
Holy  Spirit ;  and  also  that  He  said,  Whatsoever  ye  shall 
ask  in  My  name,. I  will  do;  as  also,  The  Comforter  will 
take  of  Mine,  what  He  will  show.  That  the  Comforter 
is  the  same  as  the  Holy  Spirit  may  be  seen,  John  xiv. 
26.  That  God  the  Father  does  not  operate  those  virtues 
out  of  Himself  through  the  Son,  but  that  the  Son  operates 
them  out  of  Himself  from  the  Father,  is  evident  from 
these  words  :  No  one  hath  seen  God  at  any  time ;  the  Only- 
begotten  Son,  Who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  'Father,  He  hath 
manifested  Him  (John  i.  18);  and  in  another  place,  Ye  have 
not  heard  the  voice  of  the  Father  at  any  time,  nor  see?i  His 
shape  (v.  37).  From  these,  therefore,  it  follows,  that  God 
the  Father  operates  in  the  Son  and  into  the  Son,  but  not 
through  the  Son  ;  but  that  the  Lord  operates  out  of  Him- 
self from  His  Father ;  for  Fie  says,  All  things  of  the  Father 
are  Mine  (John  xvi.  15);  that  the  Father  hath  given  all 
things  into  the  hand  of  the  Son  (iii.  35) ;  and  also  that,  As 
the  Father  hath  life  in  Himself  so  He  hath  given  to  the  Son 
to  have  life  in  Himself  (v.  26) ;  as  also,  The  words  that  I 
speak  are  spirit  and  life  (vi.  63).  The  reason  why  the  Lord 
says  that  the  Spirit  of  truth  proceeds  from  the  Father 
(John  xv.  26),  is  because  it  does  proceed  from  God  the 
Father  into  the  Son,  and  out  of  the  Son  from  the  Father ; 
wherefore  also  He  says,  At  that  day  ye  shall  know  that  the 


No.  154] 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 


255 


Father  is  in  Me,  and  I  in  the  Father,  and  ye  in  Me,  and  I  in 
you  (xiv.  11,  20).  From  these  plain  declarations  of  the 
Lord,  an  error  in  the  Christian  world  is  very  manifest, 
which  is,  that  God  the  Father  sends  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
man;  and  the  error  of  the  Greek  church,  that  God  the 
Father  sends  the  Holy  Spirit  immediately.  That  the  Lord 
sends  the  Holy  Spirit  out  of  Himself  from  God  the  Father, 
and  not  the  reverse,  —  this  is  from  heaven ;  and  the  angeis 
call  it  an  arcatium,  because  it  has  not  yet  been  made 
known  in  the  world. 

154.  These  things  may  be  illustrated  by  many  things 
which  are  of  reason,  as  by  these :  It  is  known  that  the 
apostles,  after  they  had  received  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
from  the  Lord,  preached  the  Gospel  through  a  great  part 
of  the  world,  and  that  they  promulgated  it  by  speaking 
and  writings ;  and  they  did  this  out  of  themselves  from 
the  Lord;  for  Peter  taught  and  wrote  in  one  manner, 
James  in  another,  John  in  another,  and  Paul  in  another  : 
each  according  to  his  own  intelligence  j  the  Lord  filled 
them  all  with  His  Spirit,  but  each  took  of  it  a  measure 
according  to  the  quality  of  his  perception,  and  they  exer- 
cised it  according  to  the  quality  of  their  ability.  All  the 
angels  in  the  heavens  are  filled  by  the  Lord,  for  they  are  in 
the  Lord  and  the  Lord  in  them  j  but  still  each  speaks  and 
acts  according  to  the  state  of  his  mind,  some  in  simplicity, 
some  in  wisdom,  so  with  an  infinite  variety ;  and  yet  every 
one  speaks  out  of  himself  from  the  Lord.  It  is  similar 
with  every  minister  of  the  church,  whether  he  be  in  truths 
or  in  falsities ;  each  has  his  own  mouth  and  his  own  intel- 
ligence, and  each  speaks  out  of  his  own  mind,  that  is,  out 
of  his  spirit  which  he  possesses.  While  all  Protestants, 
whether  they  are  called  Evangelical  or  Reformed,  have 
been  instructed  in  the  dogmas  delivered  by  Luther,  Me- 
lancthon,  or  Calvin,  —  these  leaders  or  their  dogmas  do  not 
speak  out  of  themselves  through  their  followers,  but  their 
followers  speak  out  of  themselves  from  them ;  every  single 


256 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  Hi. 


dogma  also  may  be  set  forth  in  a  thousand  ways,  for  eacli 
is  like  a  co?-nucopia,  from  which  every  one  takes  out  what 
is  favorable  and  adapted  to  his  own  genius,  and  presents  it 
according  to  his  own  talent.  This  may  be  illustrated  by 
the  action  of  the  heart  in  the  lungs  and  upon  them,  and 
by  the  reaction  of  the  lungs  of  themselves  from  the  heart ; 
these  are  two  distinct  things,  but  still  reciprocally  united  ; 
the  lungs  respire  of  themselves  from  the  heart,  not  the 
heart  through  the  lungs  ;  if  this  were  done,  both  would 
stop.  It  is  similar  also  with  the  heart's  action  in  the 
viscera  and  upon  the  viscera  of  the  whole  body ;  the  heart 
sends  forth  the  blood  in  all  directions,  but  the  viscera 
receive  therefrom  each  its  portion,  according  to  the  kind 
of  use  which  it  performs,  and  each  also  acts  according  to 
this  ;  thus  they  act  in  various  ways.  The  same  may  be 
illustrated  by  these  things :  Evil  from  parents,  which  is 
called  hereditary,  acts  in  man  and  upon  man  \  in  like  man- 
ner, good  from  the  Lord ;  the  latter  acts  above  or  within, 
the  former  acts  below  or  without  ;  if  evil  should  act 
through  the  man,  he  would  not  be  capable  of  being  re- 
formed, nor  would  he  be  a  subject  of  blame ;  in  like  man- 
ner, if  good  from  the  Lord  should  act  through  the  man,  he 
would  not  be  capable  of  being  reformed ;  but  because  each 
depends  on  the  free  choice  of  man,  he  becomes  guilty 
when  he  acts  out  of  himself  from  evil,  and  guiltless  when 
he  acts  out  of  himself  from  good.  Now,  because  evil 
is  the  devil,  and  good  is  the  Lord,  he  becomes  guilty  if 
he  acts  from  the  devil,  and  guiltless  if  he  acts  from  the 
Lord.  Owing  to  that  free  choice  which  every  man  has, 
man  can  be  reformed.  It  is  similar  with  all  the  internal  and 
external  in  man ;  these  are  two  distinct  things,  but  still 
reciprocally  united  ;  the  internal  acts  in  the  external  and 
upon  it,  but  it  does  not  act  through  the  external ;  for  the 
internal  revolves  a  thousand  things,  of  which  the  external 
takes  only  such  as  are  accommodated  to  use ;  for  in  the 
internal  of  man,  by  which  is  meant  his  mind,  voluntary 


No.  154.] 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 


257 


and  perceptive,  there  are  heaps  of  ideas  in  a  volume, 
which,  if  they  should  flow  out  through  man's  mouth,  would 
be  like  a  blast  from  the  bellows.  The  internal,  because 
it  revolves  universals,  may  be  compared  to  an  ocean,  a 
flower-bed,  or  a  garden,  from  which  the  external  takes  out 
as  much  as  is  sufficient  for  use.  The  Word  of  the  Lord  is 
like  an  ocean,  a  flower-bed,  and  a  garden ;  when  the  Word 
is  in  any  degree  of  fulness  in  a  man's  internal,  then  the 
man  speaks  and  acts  out  of  himself  from  the  Word,  and 
not  the  Word  through  him.  So  it  is  with  the  Lord,  be- 
cause He  is  the  Word,  that  is,  the  Divine  Truth  and  the 
Divine  Good  therein  ;  the  Lord  acts  out  of  Himself  or  out 
of  the  Word,  in  man  and  upon  him,  but  not  through  him, 
for  a  man  acts  and  speaks  freely  from  the  Lord  while  he 
acts  and  speaks  from  the  Word.  But  this  may  be  more 
familiarly  illustrated  by  the  mutual  intercourse  between 
the  soul  and  the  body,  which  are  two  distinct  things,  but 
reciprocally  united  ;  the  soul  acts  in  the  body  and  upon 
the  body,  yet  not  through  the  body ;  but  the  body  acts  out 
of  itself  from  the  soul.  That  the  soul  does  not  act  through 
the  body,  is  because  they  do  not  consult  and  deliberate 
with  each  other ;  nor  does  the  soul  command  or  request 
the  body  to  do  this  or  that,  or  to  speak  out  of  its  mouth ; 
nor  does  the  body  require  or  ask  the  soul  to  give  or  supply 
any  thing,  for  every  thing  of  the  soul  is  the  body's  mutually 
and  interchangeably.  It  is  similar  with  the  Divine  and 
the  Human  of  the  Lord ;  for  the  Divine  of  the  Father  is 
the  Soul  of  His  Human,  and  the  Human  is  His  Body; 
and  the  Human  does  not  ask  its  Divine  to  tell  what  it 
shall  speak  or  do ;  wherefore  the  Lord  says,  At  that  day 
ye  shall  ask  in  My  name,  an  J  I  say  not  unto  you  that  I  will 
pray  the  Father  for  you  ;  for  the  Father  Himself  loveth  you, 
because  ye  have  loved  Me  (John  xvi.  26,  27)  ;  in  that  day,  is 
after  the  glorification,  that  is,  after  perfect  and  absolute 
union  with  the  Father.  This  arcanum  is  from  the  Lord 
Himself,  for  those  who  will  be  of  His  New  Churjh. 


258 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 


155.  It  was  shown  above,  in  the  third  article,  that  that 
Divine  virtue  which  is  meant  by  the  operation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  with  the  clergy  is  specially  enlightenment  and  in- 
struction. But  in  addition  to  these  two  there  are  two 
intermediate  ones,  which  •  are  perception  and  disposition ; 
wherefore  there  are  four,  which  with  the  clergy  follow  in 
order  —  Enlightenment,  Perception,  Disposition,  a?id  Instruc- 
tion. Enlightenment  is  from  the  Lord.  Perception  is 
with  man  according  to  the  state  of  his  mind  formed  by 
doctrinals ;  if  these  are  true,  the  perception  becomes  clear, 
from  the  light  which  enlightens ;  but  if  they  are  false,  the 
perception  becomes  obscure,  which  may  nevertheless  ap- 
pear as  if  it  were  clear  from  confirmations  ;  but  this  is 
from  illusive  light  which  to  merely  natural  sight  is  like 
clearness.  But  Disposition  is  from  the  affection  of  the 
love  in  the  will ;  the  enjoyment  coming  from  this  love  dis- 
poses ;  if  this  is  from  the  love  of  evil  and  thence  of  falsity, 
it  excites  a  zeal  which  outwardly  is  stern,  rough,  burning, 
and  naming ;  and  inwardly  it  is  anger,  rage,  and  unmerci- 
fulness :  but  if  it  be  of  good,  and  thence  of  truth,  it  is 
outwardly  mild,  smooth,  thundering,  and  flashing ;  and 
inwardly  it  is  charity,  grace,  and  mercy.  Instruction 
follows  as  an  effect  from  the  preceding  as  causes.  Thus 
the  enlightenment  which  is  from  the  Lord  is  turned  into 
various  lights  and  into  various  heats  with  every  one,  ac- 
cording to  the  state  of  his  mind. 

156.  VI.  Man's  Spirit  is  his  Mind,  and  whatever 

PROCEEDS  FROM  HIM. 

By  the  spirit  of  man,  in  the  concrete,  no  other  is  meant 
than  his  mind  ;  for  it  is  this  which  lives  after  death,  and 
then  is  called  a  spirit ;  if  good,  an  angelic  spirit,  and  after- 
wards an  angel ;  if  evil,  a  satanic  spirit,  and  afterwards  a 
satan.  The  mind  of  every  man  is  his  internal  man  which 
actually  is  the  man,  and  is  within  the  external  man  which 
makes  his  body ;  wherefore,  when  the  body  is  rejected, 


No.  1 56. J 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 


259 


which  is  done  by  death,  it  is  in  a  complete  human  form. 
They  are  therefore  in  error  who  believe  that  man's  mind 
is  in  the  head  only;  it  is  there  in  principles  only,  from 
which  first  goes  forth  ever}'  thing  that  man  thinks  from 
the  understanding  and  acts  from  the  will ;  but  it  is  in 
the  body  in  the  derivatives  formed  for  sensation  and 
action  •  and  because  inwardly  it  adheres  to  the  things  of 
the  body,  it  imparts  to  them  sense  and  motion,  and  in- 
spires a  perception  as  if  the  body  thought  and  acted  from 
itself ;  but  every  wise  man  knows  that  this  is  a  fallacy. 
Now  because  man's  spirit  thinks  from  the  understanding 
and  acts  from  the  will,  and  the  body  does  not  think  and 
act  from  itself  but  from  the  spirit,  it  follows  that  by  man's 
spirit  is  meant  his  intelligence  and  the  affection  of  love, 
and  whatever  proceeds  from  them  and  operates.  That  the 
spirit  of  man  signifies  such  things  as  are  of  the  mind  is 
evident  from  many  passages  in  the  Word,  for  while  they 
are  only  adduced  it  may  be  seen  by  any  one  that  they  mean 
no  other.  Of  the  many  these  are  a  few  :  Bczaleelwas  filled 
with  the  spirit  of  wisdom,  intelligence,  and  knowledge  (Ex. 
xxxi.  3).  Nebuchadnezzar  said  concerning  Daniel,  that 
an  excellent  spirit  of  hnowledgc,  intelligence,  and  wisdom  was 
in  him  (Dan.  v.  12).  Joshua  was  filled  with  the  spirit  of 
wisdom  (Deut.  xxxiv.  9).  Make  you  a  new  heart  and  a 
7iew  spirit  (Ez.  xviii.  31).  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit, 
for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  (Matt.  v.  3).  /  diucll 
in  the  contrite  and  humble  spirit,  to  revive  the  spirit  of  the 
humble  (Isa.  lvii.  15).  The  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken 
spirit  (Ps.  li.  17).  /  will  give  the  garment  of  praise  for 
the  spirit  of  heaviness  (Isa.  lxi.  3) ;  besides  other  places. 
That  spirit  signifies  such  things  as  are  of  a  perverted  and 
wicked  mind,  is  evident  from  these  :  He  said  to  the  foolish' 
prophets  that  follow  their  own  spirit  (Ez.  xiii.  3).  Con- 
ceive chaff,  bring  forth  stubble ;  as  to  your  spirit,  fire  shall 
devour  you  (Isa.  xxxiii.  1  r).  A  man  who  is  a  wanderer  in 
spirit,  and  who  uttereth  falsehood  (Micah  ii.  11).    A  genera- 


260         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  Ill 


tion  whose  spirit  7vas  not  steadfast  with  God  (Ps.  lxxviii.  8). 
The  spirit  of  whoredoms  (Hosea  v.  4 ;  iv.  12).  That  every 
heart  may  melt,  and  every  spirit  may  faint  (Ez.  xxi.  7). 
That  which  cometh  into  your  spirit  shall  never  be  done  (Ez. 
xx.  32).  In  whose  spirit  there  is  no  guile  (Ps.  xxxii.  2).  Tht 
spirit  of  Pharaoh  was  troubled  (Gen.  xli.  8).  In  like  man- 
ner of  Nebuchadnezzar  (Dan.  ii.  3).  From  these  and  very 
many  other  passages,  it  is  fully  manifest  that  spirit  signifif  s 
the  mind  of  man  and  such  things  as  are  of  the  mind. 

157.  Since  by  the  spirit  of  man  is  meant  his  mind, 
therefore  by  being  in  the  spirit,  which  is  sometimes 
said  in  the  Word,  is  meant  a  state  of  the  mind  separate 
from  the  body ;  and  because  in  that  state  the  prophets  saw 
such  things  as  exist  in  the  spiritual  world,  it  is  called  the 
vision  of  God.  They  were  then  in  a  state  such  as  spirits 
and  angels  themselves  are  in,  in  that  world.  In  that 
state,  the  spirit  of  man,  like  his  mind  as  to  sight,  may  be 
transported  from  place  to  place,  the  body  remaining  in 
its  own.  This  is  the  state  in  which  I  have  now  been  for 
twenty-six  years,  with  this  difference,  that  I  have  been  in 
the  spirit  and  at  the  same  time  in  the  body,  and  only  some 
times  out  of  the  body.  That  Ezekiel,  Zechariah,  Daniel, 
and  John  when  he  wrote  the  Apocalypse,  were  in  that 
state,  is  evident  from  the  following  passages :  Ezekiel 
says,  The  spirit  took  me  up  and  brought  me  back  into  Chal- 
dea,  to  the  captivity,  in  vision,  in  the  spirit  of  God  ;  so  the 
vision  which  I  saw  went  up  from  me  (xi.  1,  24).  That  the 
spirit  took  him  up,  and  he  heard  behind  him  an  earthquake 
(iii.  12,  13).  That  the  spirit  lifted  him  up  between  the  earth 
and  the  heaven,  and  carried  him  away  to  Jerusalem,  and  he 
saw  abominations  (viii.  3,  and  following  verses).  7hat  hi 
-saw  four  animals,  which  were  cherubs,  and  various  things 
with  them  (chapters  i.  and  x.).  And  also  a  new  earth,  and  a 
new  temple,  and  an  angel  measuring  them  (xl.  to  xlviii.).  That 
he  was  then  in  vision  and  in  the  spirit  (xl.  2,  xliii.  5).  The 
case  was  similar  with  Zechariah,  in  whom  there  was  then 


No.  157.] 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 


26l 


an  angel,  when  he  saw  a  man  riding  on  a  horse,  among  the 
myrtle-trees  (i.  S,  and  following  verses).  When  he  saw 
four  horns,  and  a  man  in  whose  hand  was  a  measuring  line 
(i.  18  ;  ii.  f,  and  following  verses)  :  Joshua,  the  high  priest, 
(iii.  1,  and  following  verses) :  four  chariots  going  out  between 
two  mountains,  and  horses  (vi.  r,  and  following  verses). 
In  a  similar  state  was  Daniel,  when  he  saw  four  beasts 
coming  up  out  of  the  sea,  and  many  more  things  concerning 
them  (vii.  1,  and  following  verses) :  when  he  saw  the  battles 
of  the  ra?n  and  the  he-goat  (viii.  1,  and  following  verses). 
He  saw  those  things  in  vision  (vii.  1,  2,  7,  13  ;  viii.  2  ;  x.  1, 
7,  8)  :  the  angel  Gabriel  appeared  to  him  in  vision,  and  talked 
with  him  (ix.  21).  The  case  was  similar  with  John  when 
he  wrote  the  Apocalypse,  who  says  that  he  was  in  the  spirit 
on  the  Lord's  day  (Apoc.  i.  10):  that  he  was  carried  in  the 
spirit  into  the  wilderness  (xvii.  3)  :  upon  a  high  mountain 
in  the  spirit  (xxi.  10).  It  is  said  that  he  saw  in  vision  (ix. 
17);  and  in  other  places,  that  he  saw  those  things  which 
he  described ;  as  that  he  saw  the  Son  of  Man  in  the  midst 
of  the  seven  candlesticks ;  a  tabernacle,  a  temple,  an  ark, 
and  an  altar,  in  heaven ;  the  book  sealed  with  seven  seals, 
and  horses  going  out  of  it ;  the  four  animals  around  the 
throne ;  the  twelve  thousand  chosen  out  of  each  tribe  ;  the 
Lamb  on  Mount  Zion  ;  locusts  ascending  out  of  the  abyss ; 
the  dragon  and  his  battle  with  Michael  j  a  woman  bring- 
ing forth  a  male  child,  and  fleeing  into  the  wilderness  on 
account  of  the  dragon  ;  two  beasts,  one  ascending  out  of 
the  sea,  and  the  other  out  of  the  earth ;  a  woman  sitting 
upon  a  scarlet-colored  beast ;  the  dragon  cast  into  a  lake 
of  fire  and  brimstone  ;  a  white  horse,  and  a  great  supper ; 
the  holy  city  Jerusalem  coming  down,  described  as  to  the 
gates,  the  wall,  and  its  foundations  ;  the  river  of  living 
water,  and  the  trees  of  life  yielding  fruit  every  month  ; 
besides  many  other  things.  In  a  similar  state  were  Peter, 
James,  and  John,  when  they  saw  Jesus  transfigured ;  and 
Paul,  when  he  heard  out  of  heaven  ineffable  things. 


262         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 


158.  A  Corollary.  Since  we  have  treated  in  this 
chapter  concerning  the  Holy  Spirit,  it  ought  by  all 
means  to  be  mentioned  that  in  the  Word  of  the  Old 
Testament  the  Holy  Spirit  is  nowhere  named,  but  only  the 
Spirit  of  Holiness  in  three  places ;  once  in  David  (Ps.  li. 
11),  and  twice  in  Isaiah  (lxiii.  10,  11):  but  in  the  Word 
of  the  New  Testament,  both  in  the  Evangelists  and  in  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  in  their  Epistles,  frequently. 
The  reason  is,  because  the  Holy  Spirit  was  then  for  the 
first  time  when  the  Lord  came  into  the  world,  for  the 
Holy  Spirit  proceeds  out  of  Him  from  the  Father;  for 
the  Lord  only  is  Holy  (Apoc.  xv.  4)  ;  wherefore  also  it 
is  said  by  the  angel  Gabriel  to  Mary  the  mother,  The 
Holy  Thing  which  shall  be  bor?i  of  thee  (Luke  i.  35).  The 
reason  why  it  was  said,  The  Holy  Spirit  was  not  yet,  because 
Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified  (John  vii.  39),  and  yet  it  is  said 
before  that  the  Holy  Spirit  filled  Elizabeth  (Luke  i.  41, 
and  Zechariah  i.  67),  as  also  Simeon  (ii.  25),  was,  because 
the  Spirit  of  Jehovah  the  Father  filled  them,  which  was 
called  the  Holy  Spirit  on  account  of  the  Lord  who  was 
already  in  the  world.  This  is  the  reason  why,  in  the  Word 
of  the  Old  Testament,  it  is  nowhere  said  that  the  prophets 
spoke  from  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  from  Jehovah ;  for  every- 
where it  is  said,  Jehovah  spake  to  me ;  The  Word  of  Jeho- 
vah came  to  me ;  Jehovah  said ;  the  saying  of  Jehovah. 
That  no  one  may  doubt  but  that  it  is  so,  I  will  cite  only 
from  Jeremiah,  where  these  things  are  said:  i.  4,  7,  11,  12, 

13,  J4>  h  2>  3,  4,  5>  9>  *9>  22>  29>  31  ;  i"-  h  6,  10, 
12,  14,  16;  iv.  1,  3,  9,  17,  27  ;  v.  11,  14,  18,  22,  29;  vi.  6, 
9,  12,  15,  16,  21,  22  ;  vii.  1,  3,  11,  13,  19,  20,  21  j  viii.  1,  3, 
12,  13  ;  ix.  3,  6,  9,  12,  13,  15,  20,  22,  23  ;  x.  1,  2,  18  ;  xi.  1,  3, 
6,  9,  11,  17,  18,  21,  22  j  xii.  14,  17  j  xiii.  1,  6,  9,  11,  12,  13, 

14,  1  &  25 ;  xiv-  h  io>  j4, 15 ;  xv-  h  2>  3, 6, 11, 19, 2°; 

xvi.  1,  3,  5,  9,  14,  16  ;  xvii.  5,  19,  20,  21,  24;  xviii.  1,  5,  6, 
11,  13;  xix.  1,  3,  6,  12,  15;  xx.  4;  xxi.  1,  4,  7,  8,  11,  12; 
xxii.  2,  5,  6,  11,  18,  24,  29,  30;  xxiii.  2,  5,  7,  12,  15,  24,  29. 


No.  159] 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 


263 


31,  38  ;  >.  dv.  3,  5,  8  •  xxv.  1,  3,  7,  8,  9,  15,  27,  28,  29,  32  ; 
xxvi.  1,  2,  i3 ;  xxvii.  1,  2,  4,  8,  11,  16,  19,  21,  22  ;  xxviii. 
2,  12,  14,  16;  xxix.  4,  8,  9,  16,  19,  20,  21,  25,  30,  31,  32; 
xxx.  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  8,  io,  11,  12,  17,  18  ;  xxxi.  1,  2,  7,  10,  15, 

16,  17,  23,  27,  28,  31,  32,  33,  34,  35,  36,  37,  38;  xxxii.  1, 
6,  14,  15*  25>  26>  28,  3°>  36,  42  J  xxxiii.  1,  2,  4,  10,  12,  13, 

17,  19,  20,  23,  25;  xxxiv.  1,  2,  4.  8,  12,  13,  17,  22  ;  xxxv. 
j,  13,  17,  18,  19;  xxxvi.  1,  6,  27,  29,  30;  xxxvii.  6,  7,  9  ; 
xxxviii.  2,  3,  17  ;  xxxix.  15,  16,  17,  18  ;  xl.  1  ;  xlii.  7,  9,  15, 

18,  19;  xliii.  8,  10  j  xliv.  1,  2,  7,  11,  24,  25,  26,  30;  xlv. 
2,  5  j  xlvi.  1,  23,  25,  28  ;  xlvii.  1  j  xlviii.  1,  8,  12,  30,  35,  38, 
40,  43»  44,  47  J  xlix-  2,  5>  6>  7,  I2>  *3j  i6>  i8>  26,  28,  3°>  32> 
35>  37,  38,  39  j  L  ^  4,  10,  i8,  20,  21,  30,  31,  33,  35,  40  •  li. 
25>  33>  3^5  39>  52>  58-  These  in  Jeremiah  only;  the  like  is 
said  in  all  the  other  prophets,  and  not  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
spoke,  nor  that  Jehovah  spoke  to  them  by  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

159.  To  the  above  I  will  add  these  Relations.  First: 
Once  when  I  was  in  company  with  angels  in  heaven,  I  saw, 
at  a  distance  below,  a  great  smoke,  and  occasionally  fire 
bursting  out  of  it ;  and  then  I  said  to  the  angels  who  were 
talking  with  me,  that  few  here  know  that  the  smoke  seen 
in  the  hells  arises  from  falsities  confirmed  by  reasonings, 
and  that  the  fire  is  anger  kindling  against  those  who  con- 
tradict j  to  which  I  added,  that  this  is  as  unknown  in  this 
world  as  it  is  in  my  world,  where  I  live  in  the  body,  that 
flame  is  nothing  but  smoke  set  on  fire  :  that  it  is  so,  I 
have  often  proved  by  experiment,  for  I  have  seen  smoke 
ascending  from  the  wood  in  the  fire-place,  and  when  I 
applied  fire  to  it  by  a  lighted  torch,  I  saw  that  smoke 
turned  into  flame,  and  this  in  a  similar  form  with  that ; 
for  the  particles  of  smoke  become  little  sparks,  and  they 
all  blaze  together,  as  is  also  the  case  with  lighted  powder. 
It  is  so  with  the  smoke  which  we  see  below ;  this  consists 
of  as  many  falsities,  and  the  fire  bursting  forth  as  a  flame 
there,  is  the  kindling  of  zeal  in  favor  of  them.    Then  the 


264         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 

angels  said  to  me,  "  Let  us  pray  to  the  Lord,  that  it  may 
be  allowed  us  to  descend  and  approach,  so  that  we  may 
perceive  what  are  the  falsities  which  with  them  thus  smoke 
and  burn."  And  leave  was  given ;  and  lo,  there  appeared 
around  us  a  pillar  of  light  extending  continuously  to  the 
place  ;  and  then  we  saw  four  companies  of  spirits  who  were 
strenuously  maintaining  that  God  the  Father,  because  He  is 
invisible,  is  to  be  approached  and  worshipped,  and  not  His 
Son  born  in  the  world,  because  He  is  a  man  and  visible. 
When  I  looked  to  the  sides,  at  the  left  appeared  the  learned 
of  the  clergy,  and  behind  them  the  unlearned ;  and  at  the 
right  the  learned  of  the  laity,  and  behind  them  the  un- 
learned ;  but  between  us  and  them  there  was  a  yawning 
gulf,  which  could  not  be  passed.  But  we  turned  our  eyes 
and  ears  to  the  left,  where  were  the  learned  of  the  clergy, 
and  the  unlearned  behind  them,  and  we  heard  them  reason- 
ing about  God  after  this  manner:  "We  know  from  the  doc- 
trine of  our  church,  which  respecting  God  is  the  same  in 
the  whole  European  world,  that  God  the  Father,  because 
He  is  invisible,  is  to  be  approached,  and  at  the  same  time 
God  the  Son  and  God  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  also  are  invisi- 
ble, because  coeternal  with  the  Father ;  and  because  God 
the  Father  is  the  Creator  of  the  universe  and  therefore  is 
in  the  universe,  wherever  we  turn  our  eyes  He  is  present ; 
and  when  we  pray  to  Him  He  graciously  hears ;  and,  after 
having  accepted  of  the  Son's  mediation,  He  sends  the  Holy 
Spirit,  Who  brings  into  our  hearts  the  glory  of  His  Son's 
righteousness  and  blesses  us.  Being  appointed  teachers 
of  the  church,  while  we  have  been  preaching  we  have  felt 
the  holy  operation  of  that  mission  in  our  breasts,  and  we 
have  breathed  out  our  devotion  from  His  presence  in  our 
minds.  We  are  so  affected  because  we  direct  all  our  senses 
towards  the  invisible  God,  who  operates  not  singly  in  the 
sight  of  our  understanding,  but  universally  in  the  whole 
system  of  our  mind  and  body,  by  His  emissary  Spirit:  such 
effects  would  not  result  from  the  worship  of  a  visible  God, 


No.  159.] 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 


265 


or  one  who  is  conspicuous  to  our  minds  as  a  man."  At 
these  words  the  unlearned  of  the  clergy  who  stood  behind 
them  manifested  their  approval,  and  added  this:  ''Whence 
is  what  is  holy  but  from  the  Divine,  unseen,  and  impercep- 
tible ?  At  this,  as  soon  as  it  reaches  our  ears,  our  counte- 
nances expand,  and  we  are  exhilarated  as  by  the  fragrance, 
of  an  odoriferous  aura,  and  also  we  beat  our  breasts :  it  is 
otherwise  with  what  is  seen  and  perceptible ;  this,  when  it 
enters  the  ear,  becomes  merely  natural  and  not  Divine. 
For  a  similar  reason  the  Roman  Catholics  say  their  masses 
in  Latin,  and  the  Host,  concerning  which  they  tell  Divine 
mystical  things,  they  take  out  from  the  recesses  of  the 
altars  and  show ;  at  which,  as  at  the  most  sacred  mysteries, 
the  people  fall  upon  their  knees,  and  breathe  out  some- 
thing holy."  After  this  we  turned  towards  the  right,  where 
stood  the  learned  and  behind  them  the  unlearned  of  the 
laity;  and  from  the  learned  I  heard  these  things:  "We 
know  that  the  wisest  among  the  ancients  worshipped  an 
invisible  God,  Whom  they  called  Jehovah ;  but  that  after 
these,  in  the  age  which  succeeded,  they  made  for  them- 
selves gods  of  deceased  monarchs,  among  whom  were  Sat- 
urn, Jupiter,  Neptune,  Pluto,  Apollo,  and  also  Minerva, 
Diana,  Venus,  Themis,  and  built  temples  for  them,  and 
offered  Divine  worship ;  from  which  worship,  when  in  time 
it  degenerated,  arose  idolatry,  which  at  length  filled  the 
whole  world  with  insanity.  We  therefore  unanimously 
agree  with  our  priests  and  elders,  that  there  were  and  are 
three  Divine  Persons  from  eternity,  each  of  whom  is  God  j 
and  it  is  enough  for  us  that  they  are  invisible."  To  this  the 
unlearned  behind  them  added,  "We  concur.  Is  not  God 
God,  and  man  man  ?  But  we  know  that  if  any  one  should 
set  forth  the  view  of  a  God-Man,  the  common  herd  of 
mankind,  who  have  a  sensual  idea  concerning  God,  would 
accede  to  it."  After  these  words  their  eyes  were  opened 
and  they  saw  us  near  them  ;  and  then,  from  indignation 
that  we  had  heard  them,  they  became  silent :  but  then  the 
vol.  1.  12 


266         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 

angels,  by  a  power  given  to  them,  closed  the  exterior  or 
lower  regions  of  their  thoughts  from  which  they  spoke,  and 
opened  the  interior  or  higher  regions,  and  compelled  them 
to  speak  concerning  God  from  these ;  and  then  they  spoke 
and  said,  "  What  is  God  ?  We  have  not  seen  His  shape 
nor  heard  His  voice.  What  then  is  God  but  nature  in  its 
firsts  and  its  lasts  ?  This  we  have  seen,  for  it  shines  in  our 
eyes  \  and  this  we  have  heard,  for  it  sounds  in  our  ears." 
On  hearing  these  words,  we  said  to  them,  "  Have  you  ever 
seen  Socinus,  who  acknowledged  only  God  the  Father  ?  or 
Arius,  who  denied  the  Divinity  of  the  Lord  the  Saviour  ? 
or  any  of  their  followers  ?  "  To  which  they  replied,  "  We 
have  not."  "  They  are,"  we  said,  "  in  the  deep  below  you." 
And  presently  some  were  called  up  thence,  and,  being  ques- 
tioned concerning  God,  they  spoke  in  like  manner  as  those 
had  before,  and  said  moreover,  "  What  is  God  ?  We  can 
make  as  many  gods  as  we  please."  And  then  we  said,  "  It 
is  in  vain  to  talk  with  you  about  the  Son  of  God,  born  in 
the  world  ;  but  still  we  will  say  this  :  Lest  faith  respecting 
God,  in  Him  and  from  Him  (and  this  in  the  first  and  the 
second  age  was  like  a  bubble  beautifully  colored),  should 
also  in  the  third  and  the  following  age  burst  into  nothing- 
ness because  no  one  saw  Him,  it  pleased  Jehovah  God  to 
descend  and  assume  the  Human,  and  thus  to  exhibit  Him- 
self to  view,  and  to  evince  that  God  is  not  a  thing  of  rea- 
soning, but  the  Itself,  which  was,  is,  and  will  be  from  eternity 
to  eternity ;  and  that  God  is  not  a  mere  word  of  three  let- 
ters, but  that  He  is  the  all  of  reality  from  Alpha  to  Omega  ; 
consequently,  that  He  is  the  life  and  salvation  of  all  who 
believe  in  Him  as  visible,  and  not  of  those  who  say  that 
they  believe  in  an  invisible  God ;  for  to  believe,  to  see,  and 
to  know,  make  one ;  wherefore  the  Lord  said  to  Philip,  He 
that  seeth  and  knoweth  Afe,  seeth  and  knoweth  the  FatJicr ; 
and,  in  other  places,  that  it  is  the  will  of  the  Father  that 
they  should  believe  in  the  Son,  and  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  the  Son  hath  eternal  life,  but  he  who  believeth 


No.  160.]  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT.  267 

not  the  Son,  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth 
on  him.  All  these  things  He  says  in  John  hi.  15,  16,  36; 
xiv.  6-15."  On  hearing  these  things,  many  of  the  four  com- 
panies were  so  enraged  that  smoke  and  fire  came  out  of 
their  nostrils ;  wherefore  we  went  away,  and  the  angels, 
after  they  had  accompanied  me  home,  ascended  into  their 
heaven. 

160.  Second  Relation.  Once,  in  company  with  angels, 
I  walked  in  the  world  of  spirits,  which  is  mediate  between 
heaven  and  hell,  into  which  all  men  after  death  first  come, 
and  are  prepared,  the  good  for  heaven,  and  the  bad  for 
hell  j  and  I  conversed  with  them  concerning  many  things, 
among  them  also  concerning  this,  that  in  the  world,  where 
I  am  in  the  body,  there  appear  in  the  time  of  night  innu- 
merable stars,  greater  and  smaller,  and  that  they  are  so 
many  suns,  which  only  transmit  the  light  into  the  world  to 
which  our  sun  belongs ;  "  and  when  I  saw,  that  in  your 
world,  also,  stars  are  to  be  seen,  I  conjectured  that  these 
may  be  as  many  as  there  are  in  the  world  where  I  am." 
The  angels,  being  delighted  with  this  discourse,  said  that 
perhaps  there  may  be  as  many,  since  every  society  of 
heaven,  to  those  who  are  under  heaven,  sometimes  shines 
like  a  star ;  and  the  societies  of  heaven  are  innumerable, 
all  arranged  in  order,  according  to  the  varieties  of  the  affec- 
tions of  the  love  of  good,  which  in  God  are  infinite,  and 
thence  from  Him  innumerable ;  and  because  these  were 
foreseen  before  the  creation,  I  suppose  that,  according  to 
the  number  of  them,  there  have  been  provided,  that  is,  cre- 
ated, as  many  stars  in  the  world  where  men  are,  who  must 
be  in  a  natural  material  body.  When  we  were  thus  talking 
together,  I  saw  in  the  north  a  paved  way,  so  crowded  with 
spirits  that  there  was  scarcely  room  to  step  between  two, 
and  I  said  to  the  angels  that  I  had  also  seen  this  way 
before,  and  that  I  had  heard  that  this  was  the  way  through 
which  all  pass  who  depart  from  the  natural  world.  The 
reason  why  that  way  was  covered  with  so  great  a  number  of 


268         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 

spirits,  is  because  some  myriads  of  men  die  every  week, 
and  they  all  pass  into  this  world  after  death.  To  this  the 
angels  added,  that  that  way  is  terminated  in  this  world  in 
the  middle  of  it,  where  we  now  are ;  the  reason  why  it  is 
terminated  in  the  middle  of  it,  is,  that  on  the  side  towards 
the  east  are  the  societies  which  are  in  love  to  God  and 
towards  the  neighbor ;  and  to  the  left,  towards  the  west, 
the  societies  of  those  who  are  in  opposition  to  those  loves ; 
and  forwards,  in  the  south,  the  societies  of  those  who  are 
more  intelligent  than  the  rest.  Thence  it  is,  that  new- 
comers from  the  natural  world  first  come  hither.  When 
they  are  here,  they  are  then  in  the  externals  in  which  they 
were  last  in  the  former  world ;  and  afterwards  they  are  suc- 
cessively let  into  their  internals,  and  are  explored  as  to 
their  quality,  and,  after  exploration,  are  carried,  the  good 
to  their  places  in  heaven,  and  the  bad  to  their  places  in 
hell. 

We  stopped  in  the  middle,  where  the  way  terminated  by 
which  they  were  flocking  in,  and  said,  "  Let  us  stay  here  a 
little  while,  and  speak  with  some  of  the  new-comers."  And 
we  chose  twelve  from  those  flocking  in ;  and,  because  they 
all  had  just  come  from  the  natural  world,  they  knew  not 
but  that  they  were  still  there ;  and  we  asked  them  what 
were  their  sentiments  about  heaven  and  hell,  and  what 
about  a  life  after  death.  To  which  one  of  them  re- 
plied, as  follows :  "  Our  sacred  order  impressed  upon  me 
the  belief,  that  we  shall  live  after  death,  and  that  there  is  a 
heaven  and  a  hell  j  and  I  have  therefore  believed  that  all 
who  live  morally  come  into  heaven ;  and,  because  all  live 
morally,  that  no  one  goes  to  hell,  and  thus  that  hell  is  a 
fable  invented  by  the  clergy,  that  people  may  be  deterred 
from  living  wickedly.  What  matter  is  it,  if  I  think  about 
God  in  this  way  or  that  ?  Thought  is  only  like  chaff,  or 
a  bubble  upon  the  water  which  bursts  and  goes  off." 
Another  near  him  said,  "  It  is  my  belief  that  there  is 
a  heaven  and  a  hell,  and  that  God  governs  heaven,  and 


No.  160.] 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 


26g 


the  devil  hell ;  and  because  they  are  enemies,  and  therefore 
opposed  to  each  other,  one  calls  evil  what  the  other  calls 
good ;  and  that  the  moral  man,  who  can  dissemble,  and 
cause  evil  to  appear  as  good,  and  good  as  evil,  stands  on 
che  side  of  both.  What  then  is  the  difference,  whether  I 
am  with  the  one  or  the  other  lord,  if  he  only  favors  me : 
Evil  and  good  give  men  equal  enjoyment."  A  third  at 
his  side  said,  "  Of  what  consequence  is  it  to  me  to  believe 
that  there  is  a  heaven  and  a  hell,  for  who  has  come  thence 
and  told  ?  If  every  man  lived  after  death,  why  should  not 
one  out  of  so  great  a  multitude  have  returned  and  told  ? " 
A  fourth  near  him  said,  "  I  will  inform  you  why  no  one 
has  ever  returned  and  told :  the  reason  is,  that  when  man 
has  breathed  out  his  soul  and  has  died,  he  then  either  be- 
comes a  spectre  and  is  dissipated,  or  is  like  the  breath  of 
the  mouth,  which  is  only  wind.  How  can  such  a  one  return 
and  speak  with  any  one  ? "  A  fifth  took  up  the  matter 
and  said,  "  My  friends,  wait  till  the  day  of  the  last  judg- 
ment, for  all  will  then  return  into  their  own  bodies,  and  you 
will  see  them,  and  talk  with  them,  and  then  they  will  tell 
each  other  their  destinies."  A  sixth,  standing  opposite 
and  smiling  said,  "  How  can  a  spirit,  which  is  wind,  return 
into  a  body  eaten  up  by  worms,  and  at  the  same  time  into 
its  skeleton  burnt  up  by  the  sun  and  reduced  to  dust?  And 
how  can  any  Egyptian,  who  has  been  made  a  mummy,  and 
has  been  mixed  in  by  the  apothecary  with  his  extracts 
and  emulsions  to  be  drank  or  eaten,  return  and  relate  anv 
thing  ?  Wherefore  wait,  if  you  have  faith,  till  that  last  day , 
but  you  may  wait  for  ever  and  ever  in  vain."  After  him 
the  seventh  said,  "If  I  believed  that  there  is  a  heaven  and 
a  hell,  and  thus  a  life  after  death,  I  should  also  believe 
that  birds  and  beasts  would  likewise  live.  Are  not  some 
01  them  moral  and  rational  equally  with  men  ?  It  is  denied 
that  beasts  live ;  wherefore  I  deny  that  men  do  :  the  reason 
is  equal ;  one  follows  from  the  other.  What  is  man  but 
an  animal  ?  "    An  eighth,  standing  behind  him,  came  up 


270         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 


and  said,  "  Believe  there  is  a  heaven,  if  you  will  \  but  I  do 
not  believe  there  is  a  hell.  Is  not  God  omnipotent  ?  and  is 
lie  not  able  to  save  every  one  ?  "  Then  a  ninth,  patting 
his  hand,  said,  "  God  is  not  only  omnipotent  but  also  gra- 
cious, and  cannot  send  any  one  into  eternal  fire ;  and  if 
any  one  is  there,  He  cannot  but  take  him  out  thence  and 
lift  him  up."  A  tenth  ran  out  of  his  rank  into  the  midst, 
and  said,  "  Neither  do  I  believe  there  is  a  hell.  Did  not 
God  send  His  Son,  and  did  not  He  make  an  atonement, 
and  take  away  the  sins  of  the  whole  world  ?  What  then 
can  the  devil  avail  against  that  ?  And  because  he  cannot 
prevail,  what  then  is  hell  ? "  An  eleventh,  who  was  a 
priest,  on  hearing  this  grew  warm  and  said,  "  Do  you  not 
know  that  those  who  have  obtained  the  faith  on  which  the 
merit  of  Christ  is  inscribed  are  saved,  and  that  those  whom 
God  elects  obtain  that  faith  ?  Is  not  election  according  to 
the  will  of  the  Almighty  ?  and  is  it  not  His  prerogative  to 
judge  who  are  worthy  ?  Who  can  do  any  thing  against  His 
will  and  judgment  ? "  The  twelfth,  who  was  a  politician, 
was  silent ;  but,  being  asked  to  crown  all  with  an  answer, 
he  said,  "  I  shall  not  say  any  thing  concerning  heaven,  hell, 
and  a  life  after  death,  since  no  one  knows  any  thing  about 
them ;  but  still  allow  the  priests  without  rebuke  to  preach 
those  things ;  for  so  the  minds  of  the  common  people  are 
held  bound  by  an  invisible  bond  to  the  laws  and  the  leaders: 
does  not  the  public  safety  depend  on  this  ? " 

We  were  amazed  at  hearing  such  things,  and  said  among 
ourselves,  "These,  although  they  are  called  Christians, 
are  not  men  nor  beasts,  but  men-beasts."  But,  in  order  to 
awaken  them  out  of  sleep,  we  said,  "There  is  a  heaven 
and  a  hell,  and  there  is  a  life  after  death ;  you  will  be 
convinced  that  there  is,  when  we  dispel  your  ignorance 
concerning  the  state  of  life  in  which  you  now  are ;  for 
every  one,  in  the  first  days  after  death,  knows  not  but  that 
he  still  is  living  in  the  same  world  in  which  he  lived  before ; 
for  the  time  past  is  like  a  sleep  from  which,  when  any  one 


No.  160.] 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 


271 


is  awaked,  he  perceives  not  but  that  he  is  where  he  was. 
It  is  so  with  you  now ;  wherefore  you  have  spoken  just  as 
you  thought  in  the  former  world."  And  the  angels  dis- 
pelled their  ignorance,  and  then  they  saw  themselves  in 
another  world,  and  among  those  whom  they  did  not  recog 
nize ;  and  then  they  exclaimed,  "  Oh !  where  are  we  ?  " 
And  we  said,  "  You  are  no  longer  in  the  natural  world,  but 
in  the  spiritual  world,  and  we  are  angels."  Then,  after 
waking  up,  they  said,  "  If  you  are  angels,  show  us  heaven." 
And  we  replied,  "  Wait  here  a  little  while,  and  we  will  re  - 
turn." And  on  our  return,  after  half  an  hour,  we  saw 
them  expecting  us,  and  said,  "Follow  us  into  heaven." 
And  they  followed,  and  we  ascended  with  them ;  and  be- 
cause we  were  with  them,  the  keepers  opened  the  gate  and 
let  us  in.  And  we  said  to  those  who  at  the  threshold 
receive  new-comers,  "  Examine  these."  And  they  turned 
them  about,  and  saw  that  the  hinder  parts  of  their  heads 
were  very  hollow ;  and  then  they  said,  *  Depart  hence, 
because  you  have  enjoyment  from  the  love  of  doing  evil, 
and  therefore  you  are  not  conjoined  with  heaven  j  for  in 
your  hearts  you  have  denied  God  and  despised  religion." 
And  we  then  said  to  them,  "  Do  not  delay,  for  if  you  do 
you  will  be  cast  out."  And  they  hastened  down  and  went 
away. 

On  the  way  home,  we  spoke  of  the  cause  why  the  back 
parts  of  the  head,  with  those  who  have  enjoyment  in  doing 
evil,  are  in  this  world  hollow.  And  I  said  that  this  was  the 
cause,  that  man  has  two  brains,  one  in  the  back  part  of 
the  head,  which  is  called  the  cerebellum,  and  the  other  in 
the  fore  part,  which  is  called  the  cerebrum,  and  that  in  the 
cerebellum  dwells  the  love  of  the  will,  and  in  the  cerebrum 
the  thought  of  the  understanding;  and  that,  when  the 
thought  of  the  understanding  does  not  lead  the  love  of 
man's  will,  the  inmost  parts  of  the  cerebellum,  which  in 
themselves  are  heavenly  [celestial],  collapse,  and  thence 
there  is  hoi  1  own  ess. 


2/2         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 


1 6 1.  Third  Relation.  Once  I  heard  in  the  spirit- 
ual world  a  sound  as  of  a  mill ;  it  was  in  the  northern 
quarter  of  that  world.  I  wondered  at  first  what  this  was  ; 
but  I  recollected  that  by  a  mill  and  by  grinding  in  a  mill 
is  meant  to  seek  from  the  Word  what  is  serviceable  for 
doctrine.  Wherefore  I  went  up  to  the  place  where  the 
sound  was  heard  ;  and  when  I  was  near,  the  sound  died 
away ;  and  then  I  saw  a  kind  of  arched  roof  above  the 
ground,  the  entrance  to  which  was  through  a  cave.  Seeing 
which,  I  descended  and  entered and,  behold,  there  was  a 
chamber,  in  which  I  saw  an  old  man  sitting  among  books, 
holding  before  him  the  Word,  and  seeking  therefrom  what 
was  serviceable  for  his  doctrine.  Scraps  of  paper  lay 
around,  on  which  he  wrote  down  what  served  him.  There 
were  scribes  in  "an  adjoining  room,  who  gathered  up  the 
scraps,  and  copied  the  things  written  on  them  upon  an 
entire  sheet.  I  asked  first  about  the  books  around  him. 
He  said  that  they  all  treated  of  justifying  faith  j  those 
which  were  from  Sweden  and  Denmark  profoundly,  those 
which  were  from  Germany  more  profoundly,  those  which 
were  from  Britain  more  profoundly  still,  and  most  pro- 
foundly those  from  Holland.  And  he  added  that  they 
differ  in  various  things,  but  that  in  the  article  concerning 
justification  and  salvation  by  faith  alone,  they  all  agree. 
Afterwards  he  said  that  he  was  now  collecting  from  the 
Word  this  first  article  of  justifying  faith,  that  God  the 
Father  receded  from  grace  towards  the  human  race,  on 
account  of  their  iniquities ;  and  that  therefore  there  was  a 
Divine  necessity,  for  the  saving  of  men,  that  satisfaction, 
reconciliation,  propitiation,  and  mediation  should  be  made 
by  some  one  who  should  take  upon  himself  the  condemna- 
tion of  justice ;  and  this  could  by  no  means  be  done  but 
by  His  only  Son  ;  and  that  after  this  was  done,  access  to 
God  the  Father  was  open  for  His  sake  j  for  we  say,  "  Father, 
have  mercy  on  us  for  the  sake  of  Thy  Son."  And  he  said, 
"  I  see  and  have  seen  that  this  is  according  to  all  reason 


No.  161.I 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 


273 


and  Scripture.  How  otherwise  could  God  the  Father  have 
been  approached,  except  through  faith  in  the  merit  of  the 
Son  ? "  I  heard  this,  and  was  astonished  that  he  should 
say  that  it  was  according  to  reason  and  according  to 
Scripture,  when  yet  it  is  contrary  to  reason  and  contrary  to 
Scripture,  which  I  also  told  him  plainly.  He  then  rejoined, 
in  the  heat  of  his  zeal,  "  How  can  you  talk  so  ? "  Where- 
fore I  opened  my  mind,  saying,  "  Is  it  not  contrary  to 
reason  to  think  that  God  the  Father  receded  from  grace 
towards  the  human  race,  and  rejected  and  excommuni- 
cated it  ?  Is  not  the  Divine  Grace  an  attribute  of  the 
Divine  Essence  ?  Wherefore  to  recede  from  grace  would 
be  to  recede  from  the  Divine  Essence ;  and  to  recede  from 
His  Divine  Essence  would  be  to  be  no  longer  God.  Can 
God  be  alienated  from  Himself  ?  Believe  me,  that  grace, 
on  the  part  of  God,  as  it  is  infinite,  is  also  eternal.  The 
grace  of  God  may  be  lost  on  the  part  of  man  if  he  does 
not  receive  it.  If  grace  were  to  depart  from  God  there 
would  be  an  end  of  all  heaven  and  all  the  human  race,  for 
which  reason  grace  on  the  part  of  God  endures  for  ever, 
not  only  towards  angels  and  men,  but  also  towards  the 
devils  in  hell.  Since  this  is  according  to  reason,  why  do 
you  say  that  the  only  access  to  God  the  Father  is  through 
faith  in  the  merit  of  the  Son,  when  yet  there  is  perpetual 
access  through  grace  ?  But  why  do  you  say  access  to  God 
the  Father  for  the  sake  of  the  Son,  and  not  through  the 
Son  ?  Is  not  the  Son  the  Mediator  and  Saviour  ?  Why 
do  you  not  go  to  the  Mediator  and  Saviour  Himself?  Is 
He  not  God  and  Man  ?  Who  on  earth  goes  immediately 
to  any  emperor,  king,  or  prince  ?  Must  there  not  be  some 
one  to  procure  admission  and  introduce  him  ?  Do  you 
not  know  that  the  Lord  came  into  the  world  that  He  might 
introduce  us  to  the  Father  ?  and  that  access  is  not  given 
except  through  Him?  and  that  this  access  is  perpetual, 
when  you  go  immediately  to  the  Lord  Himself,  since  He  is 
in  the  Father  and  the  Father  in  Ilim  ?    Search  now  in  the 


274         THE  TRL~E  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 

Scripture,  and  you  will  see  that  this  is  according  to  it,  and 
that  your  way  to  the  Father  is  as  contrary  to  it  as  it  is 
contrary  to  reason.  I  tell  you,  too,  that  it  is  presumption 
to  climb  up  to  God  the  Father,  and  not  through  Him  Who 
is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  and  Who  alone  is  with  Him. 
Have  you  not  read  John  xiv.  6  ?  "  Hearing  these  things, 
the  old  man  was  so  angry  that  he  sprang  from  his  seat,  and 
called  to  his  scribes  to  cast  me  out.  And  when  I  went 
out  immediately  of  my  own  accord,  he  threw  out  of  doors 
after  me  the  book  which  his  hand  happened  to  seize,  and 
that  book  was  the  Word. 

162.  Fourth  Relation.  There  arose  a  question  among 
certain  spirits,  whether  any  one  can  see  any  doctrinal 
truth  in  the  Word,  except  from  the  Lord.  They  all  agreed 
in  this,  that  no  one  can,  except  from  God,  because  a  man 
can  receive  nothing  except  it  be  given  him  from  heaven  (John 
iii.  27)  :  for  which  reason  the  dispute  was  whether  any  one 
can,  unless  he  goes  immediately  to  the  Lord.  They  said, 
on  the  one  side,  that  the  Lord  is  to  be  approached  directly, 
because  He  is  the  Word  ;  on  the  other  side,  that  doctrinal 
truth  may  also  be  seen  when  God  the  Father  is  immedi- 
ately approached.  And  so  the  dispute  settled  down  to 
this  first  point,  Whether  it  is  lawful  for  any  Christian  to  go 
immediately  to  God  the  Father,  and  so  to  climb  over  the 
Lord  •  and  whether  this  is  not  insolence  and  audacity,  both 
indecent  and  rash ;  because  the  Lord  says  that  no  one 
cometh  to  the  Father  but  by  Him  (John  xiv.  6).  But  they 
left  this,  and  said,  that  a  man  can  see  doctrinal  truth  from 
the  Word  by  his  own  natural  light  \lumen\  \  but  this  was 
rejected :  wherefore  they  insisted  that  it  may  be  seen  by 
those  who  pray  to  God  the  Father.  And  something  was 
read  to  them  from  the  Word ;  and  then  they  prayed  upon 
their  knees  that  God  the  Father  would  enlighten  them ; 
and  as  to  the  words  which  had  been  read  to  them  from  the 
Word,  they  said  that  this  and  that  was  the  truth  therein ; 
but  it  was  false  :  and  this  repeatedly,  to  tediousness.  At 


No.  162.]  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT.  275 

length  they  confessed  that  it  was  not  possible.  But,  on  the 
other  hand,  they  who  went  immediately  to  the  Lord  saw 
truths  and  informed  the  others.  After  this  disputation 
was  thus  decided,  there  came  up  some  out  of  the  abyss 
who  appeared  at  first  like  locusts,  and  afterwards  like 
dwarfs.  They  were  those  who  in  the  world  prayed  to  God 
the  Father,  and  confirmed  themselves  in  justification  by 
faith  alone.  They  were  the  same  who  are  treated  of  in  the 
Apocalypse  (ix.  1-11).  They  said  that  they  saw  the  tenet, 
That  man  is  justified  by  faith  alone,  without  the  works  of  the 
law,  in  clear  light,  and  also  from  the  Word.  They  were 
asked,  "By  what  faith?"  They  replied,  "In  God  the 
Father."  But  after  they  were  examined,  it  was  said  to 
them  from  heaven,  that  they  did  not  know  even  one  doc- 
trinal truth  from  the  Word.  But  they  rejoined,  that  they 
still  saw  their  truths  in  the  light.  It  was  then  said  to  them, 
that  they  saw  them  in  fatuous  light.  They  asked,  "  What 
is  fatuous  light  ?  "  They  were  informed  that  fatuous  light 
is  the  light  of  the  confirmation  of  falsity;  and  that  this 
light  corresponds  to  the  light  in  which  birds  of  night  and 
bats  are,  to  which  darkness  is  light,  and  light  is  darkness. 
This  was  confirmed  by  the  fact,  that  when  they  looked 
upwards  to  heaven,  where  light  itself  is,  they  saw  darkness  ; 
but  when  they  looked  downwards  to  the  abyss  whence 
they  came,  they  saw  light.  Being  indignant  at  this  con- 
firmation, they  said  that  thus  light  and  darkness  are  not 
any  thing,  but  only  the  state  of  the  eye,  according  to  which 
light  is  called  light,  and  darkness  darkness.  But  it  was 
shown  that  their  light  was  fatuous  light,  which  is  the  light 
of  the  confirmation  of  falsity ;  and  that  it  was  only  the 
activity  of  their  mind,  arising  from  the  fire  of  lust  j  not  un- 
like the  light  of  cats,  whose  eyes  (in  consequence  of  their 
burning  appetite  for  mice)  appear  like  candles  in  cellars  m 
the  night.  On  hearing  this  they  angrily  replied  that  they 
were  not  cats,  nor  like  cats ;  because  they  could  see,  if 
they  would.    But,  because  they  were  afraid  of  being  asked 


276 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 


why  they  would  not,  they  retired  and  let  themselves  down 
into  their  abyss.  They  who  are  there,  and  others  like  them, 
are  also  called  by  the  angels  birds  of  night  and  bats,  and 
also  locusts. 

When  they  came  to  their  companions  in  the  abyss,  and 
told  that  the  angels  said,  "  We  do  not  know  any  doctrinal 
truth,  not  even  one,  and  they  called  us  birds  of  night,  bats, 
and  locusts,"  a  tumult  was  made  there;  and  they  said, 
"  Let  us  pray  to  God  for  permission  to  ascend,  and  we 
will  show  clearly  that  we  have  many  doctrinal  truths,  which 
the  archangels  themselves  will  acknowledge."  And  be- 
cause they  prayed  to  God,  leave  was  given;  and  they 
ascended  to  the  number  of  three  hundred.  And  when 
they  appeared  above  the  earth,  they  said,  "  We  were  cele- 
brated and  renowned  in  the  world,  because  we  knew  and 
taught  the  mysteries  of  justification  by  faith  alone  :  from 
confirmations  we  not  only  saw  the  light,  but  saw  it  as  a 
flashing  radiance  ;  as  we  still  do  in  our  cells.  And  yet  we 
have  heard  from  our  companions  who  were  with  you,  that 
that  light  is  not  light,  but  darkness,  because  we  have  not, 
as  you  said,  any  doctrinal  truth  from  the  Word.  We  know 
that  every  truth  of  the  Word  shines ;  and  we  believe  that 
our  radiance  is  therefrom,  while  we  meditate  profoundly 
on  our  mysteries.  We  will,  therefore,  demonstrate  that 
we  have  truths  from  the  Word  in  great  abundance." 
And  they  said,  "  Have  we  not  this  truth,  that  there  is  a 
Trinity,  God  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
that  we  must  believe  in  the  Trinity  ?  Have  we  not  this 
truth,  that  Christ  is  our  Redeemer  and  Saviour?  Have 
we  not  this  truth,  that  Christ  alone  is  righteousness,  and 
that  He  alone  has  merit ;  and  that  he  is  unjust  and  im- 
pious who  wishes  to  claim  to  himself  any  thing  of  His 
merit  and  righteousness  ?  Have  we  not  this  truth,  that  no 
mortal  can  do  any  spiritual  good  from  himself,  but  that 
all  good  which  is  good  in  itself  is  from  God  ?  Have  we 
not  this  truth,  that  there  is  meritorious  and  also  hypocriti- 


No.  162.] 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 


277 


cal  good,  and  that  these  goods  are  evil  ?  Have  we  not 
this  truth,  that  still  good  works  are  to  be  done  ?  Have  we 
not  this  truth,  that  there  is  faith,  and  that  one  must  believe 
in  God,  and  that  every  one  has  life  according  to  his  belief ? 
besides  many  others  from  the  Word  ?  Can  any  of  you 
deny  one  of  these  ?  And  yet  you  said  that  we  have  not 
any  truth  in  our  schools,  not  even  one.  Have  you  not 
laid  such  things  to  our  charge  ungraciously  ?  "  But  they 
then  received  the  answer:  "All  the  things  which  you 
have  advanced  are  in  themselves  true,  but  with  you  they 
are  truths  falsified,  which  are  falsities,  because  they  are  de- 
rived from  a  false  principle.  That  it  is  so,  we  will  demon- 
strate even  to  the  eye.  There  is  a  place,  not  far  from  this, 
into  which  light  flows  directly  from  heaven.  In  the  midst 
of  it,  there  is  a  table.  When  any  paper  on  which  a  truth 
from  the  Word  is  written  is  laid  upon  it,  that  paper,  from 
the  truth  written  on  it,  shines  like  a  star.  Write  your 
truths,  therefore,  on  a  paper,  and  let  it  be  laid  upon  the 
table,  and  you  will  see."  They  did  so,  and  gave  it  to  the 
keeper,  who  laid  it  upon  the  table,  and  then  said  to  them, 
"  Draw  back,  and  look  at  the  table."  And  they  drew  back 
and  looked ;  and  behold,  the  paper  shone  like  a  star.  And 
then  the  keeper  said,  "  You  see  that  the  things  which  you 
wrote  on  the  paper  are  truths  ;  but  come  nearer,  and  fix  your 
gaze  on  the  paper."  And  they  did  so,  and  then  the  light 
suddenly  disappeared,  and  the  paper  became  black,  as  if 
covered  with  the  soot  of  a  furnace.  And  the  keeper  said 
further,  "  Touch  the  paper  with  your  hands,  but  be  careful 
not  to  touch  the  writing."  And  when  they  did  so,  a  flame 
burst  forth  and  consumed  it.  After  these  things  were 
seen,  it  was  said  to  them,  "  If  you  had  touched  the  writing, 
you  would  have  heard  an  explosion,  and  would  have  burned 
your  fingers."  And  it  \v;is  then  said  to  them,  by  those 
who  stood  back,  "  You  have  now  seen  that  the  truths 
which  you  have  abused  to  confirm  the  mysteries  of  your 
justification,  are  truths  in  themselves,  but  that  in  you  they 


278         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 

are  truths  falsified."  They  then  looked  upwards,  and 
heaven  appeared  to  them  as  blood,  and  afterwards  as  thick 
darkness ;  and  they  seemed  before  the  eyes  of  angelic 
spirits,  some  like  bats,  some  like  owls,  and  some  like  other 
birds  of  night ;  and  they  fled  away  into  their  own  dark- 
ness, which  to  their  eyes  shone  illusively. 

The  angelic  spirits  who  were  present  wondered  that 
they  had  not  before  known  any  thing  of  that  place  and  of 
the  table  there.  And  then  a  voice  came  to  them  from  the 
southern  quarter,  saying,  "  Come  up  hither,  and  you  will 
see  something  still  more  wonderful."  And  they  drew  near, 
and  entered  into  a  chamber,  whose  walls  glittered  as  if 
they  were  of  gold ;  and  they  saw  there  also  a  table,  upon 
which  lay  the  Word,  set  around  with  precious  stones  in 
a  heavenly  form.  And  the  angel  keeper  said,  "  When  the 
Word  is  opened,  there  beams  forth  from  it  a  light  of  ineffa- 
ble brightness ;  and  at  the  same  time  there  is  from  the 
precious  stones  the  appearance  as  of  a  rainbow  above  and 
around  the  Word.  When  any  angel  from  the  third  heaven 
comes  thither,  there  appears  above  and  around  the  Word 
a  rainbow  on  a  red  ground.  When  an  angel  from  the 
second  heaven  comes  thither  and  looks,  there  appears  a 
rainbow  on  a  blue  ground.  When  an  angel  from  the  low- 
est heaven  comes  thither  and  looks,  there  appears  a  rain- 
bow on  a  white  ground.  When  any  good  spirit  comes 
thither  and  looks,  there  appears  a  variegation  of  light,  as 
of  marble."  That  it  is  so,  was  also  shown  them  visibly. 
The  angel  keeper  further  said,  "  If  any  one  comes  up  who 
has  falsified  the  Word,  the  splendor  is  then  first  dissipated ; 
and  if  he  comes  near,  and  fixes  his  eyes  upon  the  Word, 
there  comes  the  appearance  as  of  blood  around ;  and  he 
is  then  admonished  to  depart,  because  there  is  danger." 
But  a  certain  one,  who  in  the  world  had  been  a  great 
champion  of  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  alone, 
came  up  boldly,  and  said,  "When  I  was  in  the  world  I 
did  not  falsify  the  Word ;  I  also  exalted  charity,  together 


No.  162.] 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 


with  faith,  and  taught  that  man,  in  the  state  of  faith,  in 
which  he  does  charity  and  its  works,  is  renewed,  regener- 
ated and  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  also  that  faith 
is  not  solitary,  that  is,  without  good  works ;  as  a  good  tree 
is  not  without  fruit,  the  sun  without  light,  and  fire  without 
heat ;  and  I  also  blamed  those  who  said  that  good  works 
were  not  necessary,  and  who  said,  besides,  that  I  magnified 
the  precepts  of  the  decalogue  and  repentance  also,  and  thai 
so  I  applied  all  things  of  the  Word  to  the  article  concerning 
faith  in  a  wonderful  way,  which  I  still  set  forth  and  demon- 
strated to  be  alone  saving."  In  the  confidence  of  his  asser- 
tion that  he  had  not  falsified  the  Word,  he  came  up  to  the 
table,  and,  contrary  to  the  warning  of  the  angel,  touched 
the  Word.  But  then  suddenly  fire  with  smoke  issued 
from  the  Word,  and  an  explosion  took  place  with  a  crash, 
by  which  he  was  thrown  to  a  corner  of  the  room,  and  lay 
there  as  dead  for  half  an  hour.  The  angelic  spirits  won- 
dered at  this ;  but  it  was  said  to  them  that  this  prelate 
had  exalted  the  goods  of  charity,  as  proceeding  from  faith, 
more  than  others,  but  that  still  he  meant  no  other  than 
political  works,  which  are  also  called  moral  and  civil,  and 
which  are  to  be  done  for  the  sake  of  the  world  and  of 
prosperity  therein,  and  not  at  all  for  the  sake  of  salvation ; 
and  also,  that  he  substituted  some  hidden  works  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  concerning  which  man  knows  nothing,  which, 
in  the  state  of  faith,  are  ingenerated  in  faith. 

The  angelic  spirits  then  conversed  with  each  other  con- 
cerning the  falsification  of  the  Word ;  and  they  agreed 
upon  this,  that  to  falsify  the  Word  is  to  take  truths  from 
it  and  apply  them  to  confirm  falsities  j  which  is  to  drag 
them  forth,  outside  of  the  Word,  and  to  slay  them.  As 
for  example  :  to  apply  all  those  truths,  which  were  adduced 
above  by  those  from  the  abyss,  to  the  faith  now  prevalent, 
and  to  explain  them  from  it.  That  this  faith  is  impreg- 
nated with  falsities  will  be  demonstrated  in  what  follows. 
Again,  to  take  from  the  Word  this  truth,  that  charity  is 


280         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 

to  be  exercised,  and  that  good  is  to  be  done  to  the  neigh- 
bor ;  if  any  one  then  confirms  this,  that  it  is  to  be  done, 
but  not  for  the  sake  of  salvation,  as  all  the  good  from  man 
is  not  good  because  it  is  meritorious,  he  drags  that  truth  of 
the  Word  out  of  the  Word,  and  destroys  it ;  since  the  Lord 
in  His  Word  enjoins  it  upon  every  man  who  wishes  to  be 
saved,  to  love  the  neighbor,  and  from  love  to  do  him  good. 
So  in  other  cases. 

CONCERNING  THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 

163.  We  have  treated  of  God  the  Creator,  and  at  the  san,e 
time  we  treated  also  of  Creation ;  then  of  the  Lord  the  Re 
deemer,  and  at  the  same  time  of  Redemption  ;  and  lastly  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  at  the  same  time  of  the  Divine  Opera- 
tion. And  having  thus  treated  of  the  Triune  God,  it  is 
necessary  to  treat  also  of  the  Divine  Trinity,  which  is 
known  in  the  Christian  world,  and  yet  is  unknown.  For 
by  this  alone  can  a  just  idea  of  God  be  obtained ;  and  a 
just  idea  of  God  is,  in  the  church,  like  the  shrine  and 
the  altar  in  a  temple,  and  like  a  crown  on  the  head  and 
a  sceptre  in  the  hand  of  a  king  on  his  throne ;  for  on 
a  just  idea  of  God  depends  the  whole  body  of  theology, 
as  a  chain  depends  on  its  first  link.  And,  if  you  will  be- 
lieve it,  every  one  is  allotted  his  place  in  the  heavens 
according  to  his  idea  of  God ;  for  that  is,  as  it  were,  the 
touchstone  by  which  are  tested  the  gold  and  the  silver,  that 
is,  good  and  truth,  as  to  their  quality  with  man  :  for  there  is 
with  him  no  saving  good  except  from  God,  nor  is  there  any 
truth  which  does  not  derive  its  quality  from  the  bosom  of 
good.  But  that  it  may  be  seen,  with  both  eyes,  what  the 
Divine  Trinity  is,  the  exposition  of  it  shall  be  divided  into 
articles,  as  follows :  I.  There  is  a  Divine  Trinity \  which  is  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit.  II.  These  three,  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  are  the  three  essentials  of  one  God.  which 
make  one,  as  soul,  body,  and  operation  ma  he  one  in  nau. 


No.  164.] 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


III.  Before  the  world  was  created  there  was  not  this  Trinity  ; 
but  after  the  world  was  created,  when  God  became  incarnate, 
it  was  provided  and  made ;  and  then  in  the  Lord  God,  the. 
Redeemer  and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ  IV.  A  Trinity  of 
Divine  Persons  from  eternity,  or  before  the  world  was  created, 
is,  in  the  ideas  of  thought ^  a  Trinity  of  Gods  ;  and  this  can- 
not be  abolished  by  the  oral  confessio?i  of  one  God.  V.  A 
Trinity  of  Persons  was  unknown  in  the  Apostolic  Church, 
but  was  first  broached  by  the  Nicene  Council,  and  fro??i  that 
was  introduced  into  the  Roma?i  Catholic  Church,  and  from 
this  into  the  Churches  that  were  separated  from  it.  VI. 
From  the  Nicene  Trinity  and  the  Athanasian  together,  a  faith 
arose  which  had  perverted  the  whole  Christian  Church. 

VII.  Thence  is  that  abomination  of  desolation,  and  the  affliction 
such  as  has  not  bee?i  nor  ever  shall  be,  which  the  Lord  had 
foretold  i?i  Daniel,  in  the  Fvangelists,  and  in  the  Apocalypse. 

VIII.  Thence  also  it  is  that  unless  a  New  Heaven  and  a  New 
Church  are  founded  by  the  Lord,  no  flesh  would  be  saved. 

IX.  From  a  Trinity  of  Persons,  each  one  of  whom  singly  is 
God,  according  to  the  Athanasian  Creed,  have  existed  many 
discordant  and  heterogeneous  ideas  about  God,  which  are  hal- 
lucinations and  abortions.  These  will  now  be  explained 
one  by  one. 

164.  I.  There  is  a  Divine  Trinity,  which  is  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit. 

That  there  is  a  Divine  Trinity,  the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  very  evident  from  the  Word,  and 
from  these  things  there :  The  angel  Gabriel  said  unto  Mary, 
The  Holy  Spirit  shall  come  upon  thee,  and  the  Power  of 
the  Highest  shall  overshadow  thee;  therefore  also  that 
Holy  Thing  which  shall  be  born  of  thee,  shall  be  called  the 
Son  of  God  (Luke  i.  35).  Here  three  are  named,  the 
Highest  Who  is  God  the  Father,  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the 
Son  of  God.  When  Jesus  was  baptized,  Lo,  the  /nunv/is 
were  opened,  and  John  saw  the  Sririt  of  God  descending 


282 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  Ill 


like  a  dove,  and  lighting  upon  Him :  and  lo,  a  voice  from 
heaven,  saying,  This  is  My  beloved  Son,  in  Whom  I  am 
well  pleased  (Matt.  iii.  16,  17  ;  Mark  i.  10,  11  ;  John  i.  32). 
And  still  more  plainly  from  these  words  of  the  Lord  to  the 
disciples :  Go  ye,  make  disciples  of  all  nations,  baptizing 
them  into  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  (Matt,  xxviii.  19);  and  moreover 
from  these  words  in  1  John  v.  7  :  There  are  three  that  bear 
record  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit.  And  further,  that  the  Lord  prayed  to  His  Father, 
and  spoke  of  Him  and  with  Him,  and  said  that  He  would 
send  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  also  did  send  Him.  Finally, 
that  the  apostles  in  their  epistles  frequently  named  the 
Father,  and  the-  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit.  From  these 
things  it  is  manifest  that  there  is  a  Divine  Trinity,  which 
is  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit. 

165.  But  how  all  this  is  to  be  understood;  whether  they 
are  three  Gods  who  in  essence  and  therefore  in  name 
are  one  God,  or  that  there  are  three  objects  belonging 
to  one  subject  so  that  they  are  merely  qualities  or  attri- 
butes of  one  God  which  are  so  named,  or  that  this  is 
to  be  understood  in  some  other  way,  unaided  reason  can 
by  no  means  see.  But  what  must  be  done  ?  There  is 
no  other  way  than  for  man  to  go  to  the  Lord  God  the 
Saviour,  and  read  the  Word  under  His  auspices,  for  He  is 
the  God  of  the  Word ;  and  man  will  be  enlightened,  and 
will  see  truths  which  reason  also  will  acknowledge.  But, 
if  you  do  not  go  to  the  Lord,  though  you  read  the  Word  a 
thousand  times,  and  see  therein  a  Divine  Trinity  and  Unity 
also,  you  surely  will  never  understand  but  that  there  are 
three  Divine  Persons,  each  one  of  whom  singly  is  God, 
and  thus  that  there  are  three  Gods.  But  because  this  is 
repugnant  to  the  common  perception  of  all  men  in  the 
whole  world,  therefore  to  avoid  reproach  they  have  come 
to  this,  —  that,  although  there  are  in  truth  three  Gods, 
still  faith  requires  that  three  Gods  shall  not  be  named,  but 


No.  165.] 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


283 


one;  and  furthermore,  lest  they  should  be  overwhelmed 
with  censure  on  this  subject  especially,  the  understanding 
must  be  imprisoned,  and  held  bound  in  obedience  to  faith ; 
and  this  must  be  the  established  law  of  Christian  order  in 
the  Christian  church  evermore.  Such  a  paralytic  birth 
resulted  from  their  not  reading  the  Word  under  the  Lord's 
auspices  ;  for  every  one  who  does  not  read  the  Word  under 
His  auspices,  reads  it  under  the  auspices  of  his  own  intel- 
ligence, which  is  like  an  owl  in  respect  to  such  things  as 
are  in  spiritual  light,  as  are  all  the  essentials  of  the  church. 
And  while  he  reads  such  things  in  the  Word  as  concern  a 
Trinity,  and  from  them  thinks  that  although  there  are  three 
still  they  are  one,  this  appears  to  him  like  the  answer  from 
a  tripod,  which,  because  he  does  not  understand  it,  he  rolls 
between  his  teeth  ;  for  if  he  were  to  put  it  before  his  eyes, 
it  would  be  an  enigma,  which  the  more  he  tries  to  unfold, 
the  more  he  involves  himself  in  darkness,  until  he  begins  to 
think  of  it  without  understanding,  which  is  like  seeing  with- 
out the  eye.  In  short,  to  read  the  Word  under  the  auspices 
of  one's  own  intelligence,  which  is  done  by  all  who  do  not 
acknowledge  the  Lord  as  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth, 
and  who  therefore  do  not  approach  and  worship  Him  alone, 
may  be  likened  to  children  playing,  who  tie  a  handkerchief 
over  their  eyes,  and  wish  to  walk  in  a  straight  line ;  and 
they  also  think  that  they  are  doing  so,  when  yet,  step  by  step, 
they  turn  aside,  and  finally  go  on  in  the  opposite  direction, 
strike  against  a  stone,  and  fall  clown.  They  are  also  like 
mariners  sailing  without  a  compass,  who  run  the  vessel 
against  the  rocks  and  perish.  And  they  are  like  one  walk- 
ing over  a  wide  plain  in  a  thick  fog,  who,  seeing  a  scorpion 
and  believing  it  to  be  a  bird,  wishes  to  catch  it  with  his 
hand  and  take  it  up,  and  then  is  struck  with  a  deadly 
wound.  One  who  so  reads  the  Word  is  also  like  a  diver 
or  a  kite,  which  sees  a  small  portion  of  the  back  of  a  great 
fish  above  the  water,  and  flies  upon  it,  and  fixes  its  beak 
into  it,  and  is  drawn  under  by  the  fish  and  drowned.  He 


284         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 


is  also  like  one  who  enters  a  lalyrinth  without  a  guide  or 
a  thread ;  and  the  further  he  goes  in,  the  more  is  he  at  a 
loss  as  to  the  way  out.  The  man  who  does  not  read  the 
Word  under  the  Lord's  auspices,  but  under  the  auspices 
of  his  own  intelligence,  believes  himself  to  be  a  lynx,  and 
to  have  more  eyes  than  Argus,  when  yet  he  inwardly  sees 
no  truth  whatever,  but  only  what  is  false  ;  and  when  he  has 
persuaded  himself  that  this  is  true,  it  appears  to  him  like 
the  polar  star,  by  which  he  directs  all  the  sails  of  his 
thought ;  and  then  he  sees  truths  no  more  than  a  mole ; 
or  if  he  sees  any,  he  bends  them  to  favor  his  own  fancy, 
and  so  perverts  and  falsifies  the  holy  things  of  the  Word. 

166.  II.  These  three,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Spirit,  are  the  three  Essentials  of  one  God,  which 
make  one,  as  the  Soul,  Body,  and  Operation  in  Man. 

There  are  general  and  also  particular  essentials  of  one 
thing,  and  together  these  make  one  essence.  The  general 
essentials  of  one  man  are  his  soul,  body,  and  operation. 
That  these  make  one  essence,  may  be  seen  from  this,  that 
one  is  from  another,  and  for  the  sake  of  another,  in  con- 
tinual series  \  for  man  begins  from  the  soul,  which  is  the 
very  essence  of  the  seed  :  this  not  only  initiates  but  also 
produces  in  its  own  order  the  things  which  are  of  the  body, 
and  afterwards  the  things  which  proceed  from  them  both, 
the  soul  and  body  together,  which  are  called  operations: 
wherefore,  from  the  production  of  one  from  another,  and 
thence  the  insertion  and  conjunction,  it  is  manifest  that 
these  three  are  of  one  essence,  and  they  are  therefore  called 
three  essentials. 

167.  Every  one  acknowledges  that  these  three  essen- 
tials, namely,  the  soul,  body,  and  operation,  were  and  are  in 
the  Lord  God  the  Saviour.  That  His  soul  was  from  Jeho- 
vah the  Father,  can  be  denied  only  by  Antichrist,  for  in  the 
Word  of  both  Testaments  He  is  called  the  Son  of  Jehovah^ 
the  Son  of  the  Most  High  God,  the  Only-begotten ;  the  Divine 


No.  168.] 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


285 


of  the  Father,  like  the  soul  in  man,  is  therefore  His  first 
essential.  That  the  Son  whom  Mary  brought  forth,  is  the 
body  of  that  Divine  soul,  follows  from  this,  that  in  the 
womb  of  a  mother  nothing  is  prepared  but  the  body,  con- 
ceived and  derived  from  the  soul ;  this,  therefore,  is  the 
second  essential.  Operations  make  the  third  essential, 
because  they  proceed  from  the  soul  and  body  together; 
and  the  things  which  proceed  are  of  the  same  essence  with 
those  which  produce  them.  That  the  three  essentials,  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  are  one  in  the  Lord,  like 
the  soul,  body,  and  operation,  in  man,  is  very  evident  from 
the  Lord's  words,  that  the  Father  and  He  are  one,  and 
that  the  Father  is  in  Him  and  He  in  the  Father ;  in  like 
manner,  that  He  and  the  Holy  Spirit  are  one,  since  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  the  Divine  proceeding  out  of  the  Lord  from 
the  Father,  as  fully  demonstrated  above  from  the  Word, 
(n.  153,  154);  wherefore  to  demonstrate  it  again  would  be 
superfluous,  and  like  loading  a  table  with  food  when  all 
have  eaten  enough. 

168.  When  it  is  said  that  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Spirit,  are  the  three  essentials  of  one  God,  like  the  soul, 
body,  and  operation  in  man,  it  appears  to  the  human  mind 
as  if  three  persons  were  the  three  essentials,  which  is  not 
possible ;  but  when  it  is  understood  that  the  Divine  of  the 
Father  which  makes  the  Soul,  and  the  Divine  of  the  Son 
which  makes  the  Body,  and  the  Divine  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
or  the  proceeding  Divine,  which  makes  the  Operation,  are 
the  three  essentials  of  one  God,  this  then  falls  within  the 
understanding  For  God  the  Father  is  His  own  Divine, 
the  Son  from  the  Father  is  His,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  from 
both  is  His ;  and  these,  because  they  are  of  one  essence 
and  unanimous,  make  one  God.  But  if  these  three  Divine 
essentials  are  called  persons,  and  to  each  one  is  attributed 
His  own  property,  as  imputation  to  the  Father,  to  the  Son 
mediation,  and  to  the  Holy  Spirit  operation,  then  the  Divine 
essence  becomes  divided,  which  yet  is  one  and  indivisible; 


286         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 

so  no  one  of  the  three  is  God  in  fulness,  but  each  in  the 
power  divided  among  three ;  and  this,  a  sound  understand- 
ing cannot  but  reject. 

169.  Who,  then,  cannot  have  a  perception  of  the  trinity 
in  the  Lord  from  the  trinity  in  every  man  ?  In  every  man 
there  is  a  soul,  a  body,  and  operation ;  so,  too,  in  the  Lord, 
for  in  the  Lord  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily, 
according  to  Paul  (Col.  ii.  9) ;  wherefore  the  trinity  in  the 
Lord  is  Divine,  but  in  man  it  is  human.  Who  does  not 
see  that,  in  the  mystical  notion  that  there  are  three  Divine 
persons,  and  yet  one  God,  and  that  this  God,  although  one, 
still  is  not  one  person,  reason  has  no  part ;  but  that,  lulled 
to  sleep,  it  still  compels  the  mouth  to  speak  like  a  parrot  ? 
When  reason  is  lulled  to  sleep,  what  then  is  the  speech  of 
the  mouth  but  something  inanimate  ?  When  the  mouth 
utters  that  from  which  reason  dissents  and  turns  away, 
what  then  is  the  speech  but  folly  ?  Human  reason  is  at 
this  day  bound  in  relation  to  the  Divine  Trinity,  like  a 
man  manacled  and  fettered  in  prison ;  and  it  may  be  com- 
pared to  a  vestal  virgin  buried  in  the  earth  because  she  let 
the  sacred  fire  go  out ;  when  yet  the  Divine  Trinity  in  the 
minds  of  men  of  the  church  ought  to  shine  like  a  lamp, 
since  God,  in  His  Trinity,  and  in  the  Unity  of  it,  is  All  in 
all  the  sanctities  of  heaven  and  the  church.  For  what  is 
the  difference  between  making  one  God  of  the  Soul,  an- 
other of  the  Body,  and  a  third  of  the  Operation,  and  mak- 
ing three  parts  distinct  from  one  another  out  of  these  same 
three  essentials  in  one  man  ?  And  what  would  that  be  but 
to  cut  him  in  pieces  and  kill  him  ? 

170.  III.  Before  the  World  was  created,  there 
was  not  this  trinity  ;  but  after  the  world  was  cre- 
ated, when  god  became  incarnate,  it  was  provided 
and  made;  and  then  in  the  Lord  God,  the  Redeemer 
and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ. 

In  the  Christian  church  at  the  present  day,  a  Divine 


No.  171.] 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


287 


Trinity  is  recognized  as  having  been  before  the  world  was 
created,  which  is  this  :  that  Jehovah  God  begat  a  Son  from 
eternity,  and  that  the  Holy  Spirit  then  went  forth  from  both, 
and  that  each  of  the  three  is  by  Himself,  or  singly,  God, 
because  each  is  one  person  subsisting  of  Himself.  But  this, 
because  it  does  not  come  within  any  reason,  is  called  a 
mystery,  which  can  only  be  entered  in  this  way,  that  the 
three  have  one  Divine  essence,  by  which  is  meant  eternity, 
immensity,  omnipotence,  and  thence  equal  Divinity,  glory, 
and  majesty.  But  that  this  is  a  Trinity  of  three  Gods,  and 
therefore  no  Divine  Trinity,  will  be  demonstrated  in  what 
follows.  But  that  the  Trinity  (which  is  also  of  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Spirit)  which  was  provided  and  made  after 
God  became  incarnate,  thus  after  the  world  was  created,  is 
a  Divine  Trinity,  because  it  is  of  one  God,  is  evident  from 
all  that  precedes.  This  Divine  Trinity  is  in  the  Lord  God 
the  Redeemer  and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ,  because  the  three 
essentials  of  one  God,  which  make  one  essence,  are  in  Him. 
That  in  Him  is  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead,  as  Paul  says, 
is  evident  also  from  the  Lord's  own  words,  that  all  things 
of  the  Father  are  His,  and  that  the  Holy  Spirit  does  "  not 
speak  from  Himself,"  but  from  Him ;  and  further,  that  He 
took  from  the  sepulchre,  when  He  arose,  His  whole  Human 
Body,  both  as  to  the  Flesh  and  as  to  the  Bones  (Matt,  xxviii. 
1-8;  Mark  xvi.  5,  6;  Luke  xxiv.  1-3;  John  xx.  n-15), 
unlike  every  other  man.  This  also  He  attested  to  His 
disciples,  to  the  life,  saying,  Behold  My  hands  a?id  My  feet, 
that  it  is  I  Myself ;  handle  Me  and  see,  for  a  Spirit  hath  not 
Flesh  and  Bones  as  ye  see  Me  have  (Luke  xxiv.  39).  From 
this  every  man  may  be  convinced,  if  he  will,  that  the  Human 
of  the  Lord  is  Divine ;  consequently,  that  in  Him  God  is 
Man,  and  Man  God. 

171.  The  Trinity  which  the  present  Christian  church  has 
embraced  and  introduced  into  its  faith,  is,  that  God  the 
Father  begat  a  Son  from  eternity,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  then 
proceeded  from  them  both,  and  that  each  one  by  Himself 


288         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 

is  God.  This  Trinity  can  be  conceived  by  human  minds 
only  as  a  triarchy,  and  as  a  government  of  three  kings  in 
one  kingdom,  or  of  three  generals  over  one  army,  or  of 
three  masters  in  one  house,  all  having  equal  power.  What 
but  destruction  could  come  from  this  ?  And  if  any  one 
wishes  to  figure  or  shadow  forth  this  triarchy  to  the  sight 
of  his  mind,  and  at  the  same  time  the  unity  of  those  in  it, 
he  can  present  it  to  his  contemplation  only  as  a  man  with 
three  heads  on  one  body,  or  three  bodies  with  one  head. 
Such  a  monstrous  image  of  the  Trinity  must  appear  to 
those  who  believe  there  are  three  Divine  persons,  and  that 
each  by  Himself  is  God,  and  who  join  these  together  into 
one  God,  and  deny  that  because  God  is  one  He  is  one  per- 
son. That  a  Son  of  God  born  from  eternity  descended 
and  assumed  the  Human,  may  be  compared  to  the  fables 
of  the  ancients,  that  human  souls  were  created  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world,  and  enter  into  bodies  and  become 
men ;  and  also  to  the  absurd  opinions  that  the  soul  of  one 
passes  into  another,  as  many  in  the  Jewish  church  believed ; 
as,  that  the  soul  of  Elijah  passed  into  the  body  of  John  the 
Baptist  j  and  that  David  is  to  return  into  his  own  or  an- 
other's body,  and  to  reign  over  Israel  and  Judah,  because 
it  is  said  in  Ezekiel,  I  will  set  up  one  Shepherd  over  them,  and 
He  shall  feed  them,  My  servant  David;  He  shall  be  their  Shep- 
herd, and  I  jfehovah  will  be  their  God,  a?id  David  a  Prince 
among  the?n  (xxxiv.  23,  24,  and  in  other  places) ;  not  know- 
ing that  by  David  is  there  meant  the  Lord. 

172.  IV.  A  Trinity  of  Divine  Persons  from  Eter- 
nity, or  before  the  World  was  created,  is,  in  the 
Ideas  of  Thought,  a  Trinity  of  Gods  ;  and  this  can- 
not BE  ABOLISHED  BY  THE  ORAL  CONFESSION  OF  ONE  GOD. 

That  a  Trinity  of  Divine  Persons  from  eternity  is  a  Trinity 
of  Gods,  is  very  evident  from  the  following  passage  in  the 
Athanasian  Creed  :  "  There  is  one  person  of  the  Father, 
another  of  the  Son,  and  another  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The 


No.  172.] 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


289 


Father  is  God  and  Lord,  the  Son  is  God  and  Lord,  and 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  God  and  Lord ;  nevertheless  there  are 
not  three  Gods  and  Lords,  but  one  God  and  Lord ;  for,  as 
we  are  compelled  by  Christian  verity  to  confess  each  per- 
son singly  to  be  God  and  Lord,  so  are  we  forbidden  by  the 
Catholic  religion  to  say  three  Gods  or  three  Lords."  This 
creed  is  received  as  oecumenical  or  universal  by  the  whole 
Christian  church ;  and  all  that  is  at  this  day  known  and 
acknowledged  concerning  God,  is  from  it.  That  no  other 
Trinity  than  a  Trinity  of  Gods  was  understood  by  those 
who  were  in  the  Nicene  council,  from  which  what  is  called 
the  Athanasian  Creed  came  forth  like  a  posthumous  birth, 
any  one  may  see  who  but  reads  it  with  open  eyes.  That 
not  only  was  a  Trinity  of  Gods  understood  by  them,  but 
also  that  no  other  Trinity  is  understood  in  the  Christian 
world,  is  the  consequence:  all  the  knowledge  concerning 
God  is  from  that  creed,  and  every  one  abides  in  the  belief 
of  the  words  there.  That  no  other  Trinity  than  a  Trinity 
of  Gods  is  at  this  day  understood  in  the  Christian  world, 
I  appeal  to  every  one,  to  layman  and  clergyman,  to  lau- 
relled masters  and  doctors,  and  to  consecrated  bishops 
and  archbishops ;  also  to  cardinals  in  their  purple,  and 
even  to  the  Roman  pontiff  himself ;  let  every  one  counsel 
with  himself,  and  then  speak  out  from  the  ideas  of  his  own 
mind.  From  the  words  of  this  universally  accepted  doc- 
trine concerning  God,  this  is  as  manifest  and  clear  as  water 
through  a  crystal  cup,  that  there  are  three  persons,  and 
that  each  one  of  them  is  God  and  Lord,  and  also  that  from 
Christian  verity  men  ought  to  confess  or  acknowledge  each 
person,  singly,  as  God  and  Lord,  but  that  the  Catholic  or 
Christian  religion  or  faith  forbids  them  to  say  or  name 
three  Gods  and  Lords ;  and  thus  that  verity  and  religion, 
or  truth  and  faith,  are  not  one  thing,  but  two  things  con- 
tiary  to  each  other.  But  it  was  added,  that  there  are  not 
tHrcc  Gods  and  Lords,  but  one  God  and  Lord,  lest  they  should 
be  exposed  to  ridicule  before  the  whole  world;  for  who 
vol.  1.  13 


29O         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  Ill 

would  not  laugh  at  three  Gods  ?  Yet  who  does  not  see  a 
contradiction  in  this  addition  ?  But  if  they  had  said  that 
the  Father  has  the  Divine  essence,  the  Son  the  Divine 
essence,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  the  Divine  essence,  yet  that 
there  are  not  three  Divine  essences,  but  that  the  essence  is 
one  and  indivisible,  then  this  mystery  would  be  explicable ; 
that  is,  when  by  the  Father  is  understood  the  Divine  from 
which  [are  all  things],  by  the  Son  the  Divine  Human  there- 
from, and  by  the  Holy  Spirit  the  proceeding  Divine,  which 
are  the  three  [essentials]  of  one  God  ■  or  if  by  the  Divine  of 
the  Father  the  like  is  understood  as  by  the  soul  in  man,  by 
the  Divine  Human  the  like  as  by  the  body  of  that  soul,  and 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  the  like  as  by  the  operation  which  pro- 
ceeds from  both,  then  are  understood  three  essences  which 
are  of  one  and  the  same  person,  and  so  together  make  one 
and  an  indivisible  essence. 

173.  The  idea  of  three  Gods  cannot  be  blotted  out  by  the 
oral  confession  of  one  God,  because  it  has  been  implanted 
in  the  memory  from  childhood,  and  every  man  thinks  from 
the  things  which  are  there.  The  memory  with  men  is  like 
the  stomach  connected  with  rumination  in  birds  and  beasts ; 
into  that  stomach  they  store  the  food  from  which  they  may 
gradually  have  nourishment,  and  from  time  to  time  they 
draw  it  thence  and  convey  it  to  the  true  stomach,  where  it 
is  digested,  and  distributed  for  all  the  uses  of  the  body. 
The  human  understanding  is  this  stomach,  as  the  mem- 
ory is  the  other.  Any  one  may  see  that  the  idea  of  three 
Divine  persons  from  eternity,  which  is  the  same  as  an 
idea  of  three  Gods,  cannot  be  abolished  by  the  oral  con- 
fession of  one  God,  merely  from  this,  that  it  has  not  yet 
been  abolished,  and  that  there  are  amongst  the  celebrated 
those  who  are  not  willing  that  it  should  be  abolished ;  for 
they  insist  that  the  three  Divine  persons  are  one  God,  while 
they  obstinately  deny  that  God  because  He  is  one  is  also 
one  person.  But  what  wise  man  docs  not  think  within  him- 
self that  by  person  is  certainly  not  meant  person,  but  it  is  the 


No.  174.] 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


29I 


predication  of  some  quality;  but  what  quality  is  not  known 
and  because  it  is  not  known,  that  which  has  been  implanted 
in  the  memory  from  childhood  remains,  like  the  root  of  a 
tree  in  the  earth,  from  which  a  shoot  still  grows  if  the  tree 
itself  is  cut  down.  But,  my  friend,  not  only  cut  down  that 
tree,  but  also  pull  up  its  root,  and  then  plant  in  your  gar- 
den trees  of  good  fruit.  Beware,  therefore,  lest  the  idea  of 
three  Gods  fix  itself  in  your  mind,  and  the  mouth  sound 
one  God,  but  with  no  idea.  What,  then,  is  the  understand- 
ing above  the  memory,  which  thinks  of  three  Gods,  and  the 
understanding  below  it,  from  which  the  mouth  at  the  same 
time  utters  one  God,  but  like  a  player  on  the  stage  who  can 
personate  two  characters  by  running  from  one  side  to  the 
other,  on  one  side  saying  something,  and  on  the  other  say- 
ing the  opposite,  and  by  such  contradiction  calling  himself 
here  a  wise  man,  and  there  a  fool  ?  What  else  results  from 
this,  but  that,  while  he  stands  in  the  middle  and  looks  both 
ways,  he  thinks  that  neither  one  nor  the  other  is  any  thing? 
and  so,  perhaps,  that  there  is  neither  one  God  nor  three, 
and  thus  that  there  is  none.  The  naturalism  reigning  at 
this  day  is  from  no  other  origin.  In  heaven,  no  one  can 
say  a  trinity  of  persons,  each  one  of  whom  singly  is  God  ; 
for  the  heavenly  aura,  in  which  their  thoughts  (like  sounds 
in  our  air)  fly  and  undulate,  resists  it.  A  hypocrite  only 
can  do  it  there ;  but  the  tone  of  his  voice  grates  in  the 
heavenly  aura,  like  tooth  grinding  against  tooth  \  or  it 
croaks  like  a  raven  wishing  to  sing  like  a  bird  of  song. 
I  have  heard  also  from  heaven,  that  to  abolish  the  faith 
established  in  the  mind  by  confirmations  in  favor  of  a 
Trinity  of  Gods,  by  the  oral  confession  of  one  God,  is  as 
impossible  as  it  is  to  draw  a  tree  through  its  seed,  or  a 
man's  chin  through  a  hair  of  his  beard. 

174.  V.  A  Trinity  of  Persons  was  unknown  in  the 
Apostolic  Church  ;  hut  was  first  broached  by  the 
Nicene  Council,   and   from   that  was  introduced 


292 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 


into  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  from  this 
into  the  Churches  that  were  separated  from  it. 

By  the  Apostolic  Church  is  meant  not  only  the  church 
which  existed  in  various  places  in  the  time  of  the  apos- 
tles, but  also  in  the  two  or  three  centuries  after  their  day. 
But  at  length  they  began  to  wrest  from  its  hinges  the  door 
of  the  temple,  and  like  thieves  to  break  into  its  shrine. 
By  the  tei7iple  is  meant  the  church,  by  the  door  the  Lord 
God  the  Redeemer,  and  by  the  shrine  His  Divinity;  for 
Jesus  says,  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  he  that  e?itereth  not  by 
the  Door  into  the  sheepfold,  but  climbeth  up  some  other  way, 
the  same  is  a  thief  and  a  robber.  I  am  the  Door ;  by  Me  if 
any  man  enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved  (John  x.  1,  9).  This 
deed  of  crime  was  done  by  Arius  and  his  followers ;  and 
on  that  account  a  council  was  called  together  by  Constan- 
tine  the  Great,  at  Nice,  a  city  in  Bithynia ;  and  in  order  to 
cast  out  the  damnable  heresy  of  Arius,  it  was  devised,  con- 
cluded, and  ratified,  by  those  who  were  there  convened,  that 
there  were  three  Divine  Persons  from  eternity,  the  Father, 
the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  each  of  whom  had  person- 
ality, existence,  and  subsistence  by  himself  and  in  himself ; 
and  also  that  the  second  person,  or  the  Son,  descended 
and  assumed  the  Human,  and  wrought  redemption  ;  and 
that  thence  there  was  Divinity  to  His  Human  by  hypo- 
static union,  and  that  by  this  union  He  had  close  rela- 
tionship with  God  the  Father.  From  that  time,  heaps  of 
abominable  heresies,  concerning  God  and  concerning  the 
person  of  Christ,  began  to  spring  out  of  the  earth,  and 
Antichrists  began  to  lift  the  head,  and  to  divide  God 
into  three,  and  the  Lord  the  Saviour  into  two,  and  so 
to  destroy  the  temple  built  by  the  Lord  through  the  apos- 
tles, and  this  even  till  not  one  stone  was  left  upon  another 
which  was  not  thrown  down,  according  to  His  own  words 
in  Matthew  xxiv.  2  ;  where,  by  the  temple,  is  meant  not  only 
the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  but  also  the  church,  the  consum- 
mation or  end  of  which  is  treated  of  in  the  whole  of  that 


No.  176.] 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


293 


chapter.  But  what  else  could  have  been  expected  from 
that  council  and  from  those  that  followed,  which  in  like 
manner  divided  the  Godhead  into  three  persons,  and  placed 
the  incarnate  God  under  them  upon  their  footstool  ?  For 
they  separated  the  Head  of  the  church  from  its  body  by 
climbing  up  another  way ;  that  is,  they  passed  Him  by,  and 
climbed  beyond  to  God  the  Father  as  to  another,  with 
the  mere  mention  of  Christ's  merit  in  the  mouth,  that  He 
would  have  mercy  for  the  sake  of  that,  and  that  thus  might 
immediately  flow  into  them  justification  with  all  its  train, 
—  remission  of  sins,  renewal,  sanctification,  regeneration, 
and  salvation,  and  these  without  the  use  of  any  means  on 
the  part  of  man. 

175.  That  the  apostolic  church  knew  nothing  whatever 
of  a  trinity  of  Persons,  or  of  three  Divine  Persons  from 
eternity,  is  very  evident  from  the  creed  of  that  church, 
which  is  called  the  Apostles'  Creed,  in  which  are  these 
words :  I  believe  in  God  the  Father  Almighty,  Creator  of 
heaven  and  earth;  and  in  Jesus  Christ  His  only  Son  our 
Lord,  Who  was  conceived  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  bom  of  the  Vir- 
gin Mary :  also  in  the  Holy  Spirit.  There  no  mention  is 
made  of  any  Son  from  eternity,  but  of  the  Son  conceived 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  and  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary  j  they 
knowing  from  the  apostles  that  Jesus  Christ  was  the  true 
God  (1  John  v.  20) ;  and  that  in  Him  dwelt  all  the  fulness 
of  the  Godhead  bodily  (Col.  ii.  9) ;  that  the  apostles 
preached  faith  in  Him  (Acts  xx.  21);  and  that  He  had  all 
power  in  heaven  and  in  earth  (Matt,  xxviii.  18). 

176.  What  confidence  is  to  be  had  in  councils,  while 
they  do  not  go  immediately  to  the  God  of  the  church  ?  Is 
not  the  church  the  Lord's  body,  and  He  its  Head  ?  What 
is  a  body  without  a  head  ?  And  what  sort  of  a  body  is 
that  on  which  have  been  put  three  heads,  under  the  aus- 
pices of  which  men  hold  consultations  and  make  decrees  ? 
Does  not  enlightenment  (which,  from  the  Lord  alone,  Who 
is  the  God  of  heaven  and  the  church,  and  at  the  same  time 


294         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IIL 


the  God  of  the  Word,  is  spiritual)  then  become  more  and 
more  natural,  and  at  length  sensual  ?  And  then  no  genuine 
theological  truth  is  perceived  in  its  internal  form,  without 
its  being  immediately  cast  out  from  the  thought  of  the 
rational  understanding,  and  dispersed  like  chaff  into  the 
air  before  the  winnower's  fan.  In  this  state  fallacies  then 
present  themselves  instead  of  truths,  and  darkness  in- 
stead of  rays  of  light :  and  men  stand,  as  it  were,  in  a 
cave,  with  spectacles  on  their  noses  and  a  candle  in  the 
hand,  and  close  their  eyelids  to  spiritual  truths,  which  are 
in  the  light  of  heaven,  and  open  them  to  sensual  truths, 
which  are  in  the  delusive  light  of  the  senses  of  the  body. 
And  so  it  is  afterwards,  while  the  Word  is  read ;  the 
mind  is  then  asleep  to  truths,  and  awake  to  falsities,  and 
becomes  like  the  beast  described  as  rising  up  out  of  the 
sea,  as  to  the  mouth  like  a  lion,  in  body  like  a  leopard,  and 
as  to  the  feet  like  a  bear  (Apoc.  xiii.  2).  It  is  said  in  heaven 
that,  when  the  Nicene  council  was  closed,  these  things 
were  at  the  same  time  accomplished  which  the  Lord  fore- 
told to  the  disciples  :  The  sun  shall  be  darkened,  and  the 
moon  shall  not  give  her  light,  and  the  stars  shall  fall  from 
heaven,  and  the  powers  of  the  heave?is  shall  be  shaken  (Matt, 
xxiv.  29).  Indeed  the  apostolic  church  actually  was  like  a 
new  star  appearing  in  the  starry  heaven ;  but  the  church; 
after  the  two  Nicene  councils,  became  like  the  same  star 
afterward  darkened  and  lost  to  view,  just  as  has  sometimes 
happened  in  the  natural  world,  according  to  the  observa 
tion  of  astronomers.  In  the  Word  it  is  read  that  Jehovah 
God  dwelleth  in  light  inaccessible :  who  then  could  go  to 
Him,  unless  He  were  to  dwell  in  light  accessible  ?  that  is, 
if  He  did  not  descend  and  assume  the  Human,  and  become 
in  this  the  Light  of  the  world  (John  i.  9  ;  xii.  46).  Who  can- 
not see,  that  to  go  to  Jehovah  the  Father,  in  His  light,  is  as 
impossible  as  for  one  to  take  the  wings  of  the  morning, 
and  by  means  of  them  rly  to  the  sun  ?  or  as  it  is  to  feed  on 
the  sun's  rays,  and  not  on  elementary  food  ?  or  as  for  a 
bird  to  fly  in  ether,  or  a  stag  to  run  in  the  air? 


No.  177-] 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


295 


177.    VI.  From  the  Nicene  Trinity  and  the  Atha- 

NASIAN  TOGETHER,  A  FAITH  AROSE  WHICH  HAD  PERVERTED 
THE  WHOLE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 

That  the  Nicene  Trinity  together  with  the  Athanasian 
is  a  Trinity  of  Gods,  may  be  seen  above,  shown  from 
their  creeds  (n.  172).  From  them  arose  the  faith  of  the 
present  church,  which  is  in  God  the  Father,  God  the  Son, 
and  God  the  Holy  Spirit:  —  in  God  the  Father,  that  He 
may  impute  the  righteousness  of  His  Son,  the  Saviour, 
and  ascribe  it  to  man ;  in  God  the  Son,  that  He  may  inter- 
cede and  covenant ;  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  He  may 
actually  inscribe  the  imputed  righteousness  of  the  Son, 
and  seal  it  when  established,  by  justifying,  sanctifying,  and 
regenerating  man.  This  is  the  faith  of  the  present  time, 
which  by  itself  is  evidence  that  it  is  a  Trinity  of  Gods 
which  is  acknowledged  and  worshipped.  From  the  faith 
of  every  church  arises  not  only  all  its  worship,  but  also  all 
that  is  dogmatic ;  wherefore  it  may  be  said  that  such  as 
the  faith  is,  such  is  its  doctrine.  That  this  faith,  because 
it  is  a  faith  in  three  Gods,  has  perverted  all  things  of  the 
church,  therefore  follows ;  for  faith  is  the  principle,  and 
doctrinals  are  derivatives ;  and  derivatives  derive  their 
essence  from  the  principle.  If  one  submits  the  several 
doctrines  to  examination,  as  the  doctrine  concerning  God, 
concerning  Christ's  person,  concerning  charity,  repentance, 
regeneration,  free  will,  election,  the  use  of  the  sacraments, 
which  are  baptism  and  the  holy  supper,  he  will  clearly  see 
that  a  Trinity  of  Gods  is  in  every  one  of  them  ;  and  if  it  does 
not  actually  appear  to  be  in  them,  still  they  flow  from  it,  as 
from  their  fountain.  But  as  such  an  examination  cannot  be 
made  here,  and  yet  it  is  important  that  it  should  be  made 
in  order  to  open  the  eyes,  therefore  an  Appendix  will  be 
added  to  this  work,  in  which  there  will  be  a  demonstration 
of  it.  The  faith  of  the  church  respecting  God  is  like  the 
soul  of  the  body,  and  doctrinals  are  like  its  members  ;  and, 
moreover,  faith  in  God  is  like  a  queen,  and  dogmas  are 


296         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 

like  the  officers  of  her  court ;  and  as  these  all  hang  upon 
the  word  of  the  queen,  so  do  dogmas  upon  the  utterance 
of  faith.  From  that  faith,  according  to  its  measure,  it 
may  be  seen  how  the  Word  is  understood  in  the  church 
where  it  is  ;  for  a  faith  adapts  and  draws  to  itself,  as  it 
were  by  cords,  whatsoever  it  can.  If  the  faith  is  false,  it 
plays  the  harlot  with  every  truth  there,  and  perverts  and 
falsifies  it,  and  makes  man  insane  in  spiritual  things.  But 
if  the  faith  is  true,  then  the  whole  Word  favors  it,  and  the 
God  of  the  Word,  Who  is  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour,  pours 
light  upon  it,  breathes  upon  it  His  Divine  assent,  and 
makes  man  wise.  That  the  faith  of  the  present  time  (which 
in  the  internal  form  is  a  faith  in  three  Gods,  but  in  the 
external  a  faith  in  one  God)  has  extinguished  the  light  in 
the  Word,  and  removed  the  Lord  from  the  church,  and  has 
thus  precipitated  its  morning  into  night,  will  be  seen  also 
in  the  Appendix.  This  was  done  by  heretical  doctrines 
before  the  Nicene  council,  and  afterwards  by  the  heretical 
views  that  arose  from  that  council,  and  after  it.  But  what 
confidence  is  to  be  placed  in  councils  that  do  not  enter 
through  the  door  into  the  sheepfold,  but  climb  up  some 
other  way,  according  to  the  words  of  the  Lord  in  John 
(x.  1,  9)  ?  Their  deliberation  is  not  unlike  the  walking  of  a 
blind  man  in  the  day,  or  of  a  man  who  sees,  in  the  night ; 
neither  of  whom  sees  the  pit  before  he  has  fallen  into 
it.  What  confidence,  for  example,  can  be  placed  in  the 
councils  that  established  the  vicarship  of  the  pope,  the 
canonization  of  the  dead,  and  the  invocation  of  them  as 
deities,  the  worship  of  their  images,  authority  to  grant 
indulgences,  the  division  of  the  eucharist,  and  so  on  ?  Or 
what  confidence  ought  we  to  place  in  the  council  which 
established  an  abominable  predestination,  and  hung  it  up 
before  the  temples  of  its  church,  as  the  palladium  of  re- 
ligion ?  But,  my  friend,  go  to  the  God  of  the  Word,  and 
so  to  the  Word,  and  thus  enter  through  the  door  into  the 
sheepfold,  that  is,  into  the  church,  and  you  will  be  en- 


No.  178.I 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


297 


lightened ;  and  then  you  will  yourself  see,  as  from  a  moun- 
tain, not  only  the  steps  and  wanderings  of  many  others 
but  your  own  former  steps  and  wanderings  in  the  dark 
forest  below. 

178.  The  faith  of  every  church  is  as  seed  from  which 
all  its  dogmas  spring;  and  it  may  be  compared  to  the 
seed  of  a  tree,  from  which  grows  every  thing  belonging  to 
the  tree,  even  to  the  fruit ;  and  also  to  the  seed  of  man, 
from  which  are  begotten  offspring  and  families  in  suc- 
cessive series.  Wherefore,  when  the  primary  faith,  which 
from  its  predominance  is  called  saving,  is  known,  there 
is  a  cognition  of  the  quality  of  that  church.  This  may 
be  illustrated  by  an  example :  Let  the  faith  be,  that  nature 
is  the  creator  of  the  universe.  From  this  it  follows  that 
the  universe  is  what  is  called  God  ;  that  nature  is  its  es- 
sence ;  that  the  ether  is  the  supreme  God,  whom  the  an- 
cients called  Jupiter ;  the  air  the  goddess  whom  they  called 
Juno,  and  whom  they  made  the  wife  of  Jupiter  \  that  the 
ocean  is  a  God  below  them,  that  may  be  called  Neptune, 
after  the  manner  of  the  ancients ;  and  because  the  divinity 
of  nature  reaches  to  the  very  centre  of  the  earth,  that 
there  is  a  God  there  also,  that,  as  with  the  ancients,  may 
be  called  Pluto ;  that  the  sun  is  the  court  of  all  the  gods, 
where  they  meet  whenever  Jupiter  summons  a  council ; 
and,  moreover,  that  fire  is  life  from  God ;  and  thus  that 
birds  fly,  beasts  walk,  and  fishes  swim,  in  God ;  and,  fur- 
ther, that  thoughts  are  merely  modifications  of  ether,  as 
words  from  them  are  only  modulations  of  air  j  and  that 
love's  affections  are  occasional  changes  of  state,  from  the 
influx  of  the  sun's  rays  into  them ;  moreover,  that  life  after 
death,  together  with  heaven  and  hell,  is  a  fable  invented 
by  the  clergy  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring  honor  and  gain  \ 
but  although  a  fable,  that  still  it  is  useful,  and  ought  not 
to  be  openly  ridiculed,  because  it  is  serviceable  to  the  pub- 
lic in  keeping  the  minds  of  the  simple  in  the  bonds  of 
obedience  to  magistrates  ;  but  still,  that  those  who  are 

«3* 


298 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 


inveigled  into  religion,  are  men  of  abstract  minds,  their 
thoughts  phantasms,  their  actions  ludicrous,  and  they  the 
drudges  of  the  priests,  believing  what  they  do  not  see,  and 
seeing  what  transcends  the  sphere  of  their  minds.  These 
consequences,  and  many  others  like  them,  are  included 
within  the  faith  that  nature  is  the  creator  of  the  universe ; 
and  they  proceed  from  it  when  it  is  opened.  They  are 
presented  that  it  may  be  known  that  within  the  faith  of 
the  present  church,  which  in  its  internal  form  is  a  faith  in 
three  Gods,  and  in  its  external  form  in  one,  there  aie 
troops  of  falsities ;  and  that  they  may  be  drawn  out  of 
it,  as  many  as  the  little  spiders  in  the  little  ball  produced 
by  a  spider.  Any  one  whose  mind  has  been  made  truly 
rational  by  light  from  the  Lord,  may  see  this.  But  how  is 
any  one  else  to  see  it,  when  the  door  to  that  faith  and  its 
offspring  is  shut  and  barred  by  the  statute  that  it  is  unlaw- 
ful for  reason  to  look  into  its  mysteries  ? 

179.  VII.  Thence  is  that  Abomination  of  Desola- 
tion and  the  Affliction  such  as  has  not  been  nor 
ever  shall  be,  which  the  lord  had  foretold  in 
Daniel,  and  the  Evangelists,  and  in  the  Apoca- 
lypse. 

In  Daniel  we  read :  At  length  upon  the  bird  of  abomina- 
tions there  shall  be  desolation,  and  even  to  a  consummation 
and  decree  shall  it  drop  upon  the  devastatio?i  (ix.  27).  In 
the  Evangelist  the  Lord  says :  Ma?ty  false  prophets  shall 
rise,  and  shall  deceive  many  ;  when  ye,  therefore,  shall  see  the 
abo??iination  of  desolation,  spoke?i  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet, 
stand  i?i  the  holy  place,  whoso  readeth  let  him  note  it  well 
(Matt.  xxiv.  11,  15);  and  afterwards  in  the  same  chapter 
(verse  21):  Then  shall  be  great  affliction,  such  as  has  not  been 
since  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this  time,  no,  nor  ever 
shall  be.  This  affliction  and  that  abomination  are  treated 
of  in  seven  chapters  of  the  Apocalypse,  and  they  are  what 
are  meant  by  the  black  horse  and  the  pale  horse,  coming 


No.  180.] 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


299 


out  of  the  book,  the  seal  of  which  was  opened  by  the  Lamb 
(Apoc.  vi.  5-8)  \  also  by  the  beast  coming  up  out  of  the 
abyss,  which  made  war  with  the  two  witnesses  and  slew  them 
(xi.  7,  and  following  verses) ;  as  also  by  the  dragon  which 
stood  before  the  woman  about  to  bring  forth,  that  he  might 
devour  her  child,  and  who  pursued  her  into  the  wilderness, 
and  there  cast  out  from  his  mouth  a  flood  of  water  to 
drown  her  (chap,  xii.) ;  and  also  by  the  beasts  of  the 
dragon,  one  from  the  sea  and  the  other  from  the  earth 
(chap,  xiii.) ;  also  by  the  three  spirits  like  frogs,  which 
came  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  dragon,  out  of  the  mouth  of 
the  beast,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  false  prophet  (xvi. 
13) ;  and  moreover  by  this,  that  after  the  seven  angels 
poured  out  the  vials  of  the  wrath  of  God,  in  which  were 
the  seven  last  plagues,  upon  the  earth,  the  sea,  the  foun- 
tains and  rivers,  upon  the  sun,  the  throne  of  the  beast,  the 
Euphrates,  and  finally  upon  the  air,  there  was  a  great 
earthquake,  such  as  had  not  been  since  men  were  made 
(chap.  xvi.).  An  earthquake  signifies  an  inversion  of  the 
church,  which  is  made  by  falsities  and  falsifications  of  the 
truth,  which  likewise  is  signified  by  the  great  affliction  such 
as  had  not  been  since  the  beginning  of  the  world  (Matt, 
xxiv.  21).  Similar  things  are  meant  by  these  words  :  The 
angel  thrust  in  the  sickle,  ami  gathered  the  vine  of  the  earth, 
and  cast  it  into  the  great  wine-press  of  the  wrath  of  God ; 
and  the  wine-press  was  trodden,  and  blood  cai?ie  out  even 
to  the  horses'  bridles,  for  a  thousand  six  hundred  furlongs 
(xiv.  19,  20).  The  blood  signifies  truth  falsified.  Besides 
other  things  contained  in  those  seven  chapters. 

180.  In  the  Evangelists  (Matt,  xxiv.,  Mark  xiii.,  and 
Luke  xxi.)  are  described  the  successive  states  of  the  de- 
cline and  corruption  of  the  Christian  church  ;  and  by  the 
great  affliction  such  as  had  not  been  since  the  beginning 
of  the  world,  neither  should  be,  is  there  meant  (as  every- 
where  else  in  the  Word)  the  infestation  of  truth  by  falsities, 
until  there  remains  no  truth  which  is  not  falsified  and 


300         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 


consummated  :  this  also  is  there  meant  by  the  abomination 
of  desolation ;  and  this  likewise  is  meant  by  the  desolation 
upon  the  bird  of  abominations,  and  by  the  consummation 
and  decree  in  Daniel  ;  and  this  same  thing  is  described  in 
the  Apocalypse  by  the  passages  which  have  just  been  ad  • 
duced  from  it.  This  came  to  pass  because  the  church  has 
not  acknowledged  the  Unity  of  God  in  Trinity  and  His  Trin- 
ity in  Unity  in  one  person,  but  in  three ;  and  therefore  the 
church  has  been  based  in  the  mind  on  the  idea  of  three 
Gods,  and  in  the  mouth  upon  the  confession  of  one  God ; 
for  thus  men  separated  themselves  from  the  Lord,  and  at 
length  so  far  as  to  have  no  idea  left  of  Divinity  in  His 
Human  nature,  when  yet  He  is  God  the  Father  Himself  in 
the  Human ;  wherefore,  also,  He  is  called  the  Father  of 
eternity  (Isa.  ix.  6)  \  and  He  says  to  Philip,  He  that  seeth 
Me,  seeth  the  Father  (John  xiv.  7,  9). 

181.  But  it  is  asked,  Whence  is  the  very  vein  of  the  foun- 
tain, from  which  has  flowed  such  abomination  of  desolation 
as  is  described  in  Daniel  (ix.  27),  and  such  affliction  as 
never  was  nor  ever  will  be  (Matt.  xxiv.  21)  ?  The  answer 
is,  From  the  faith  which  universally  prevails  in  the  Chris- 
tian world,  and  from  its  influx,  operation,  and  imputation, 
according  to  traditions.  It  is  wonderful  that  the  doctrine 
of  justification  by  that  faith  alone  (although  it  is  not  a  faith, 
but  a  chimera)  carries  every  point  in  Christian  churches  \ 
that  is,  that  it  reigns  there  with  the  clerical  order,  almost 
as  the  only  thing  in  theology.  It  is  that  which  all  students 
in  theology  eagerly  study  in  the  schools,  drink  in,  and 
absorb ;  and  afterward,  as  if  inspired  with  heavenly  wis- 
dom, teach  in  the  churches,  and  publish  in  books ;  by  it 
also  they  seek  and  obtain  a  name  for  superior  erudition, 
fame,  and  glory  ;  for  it  also  degrees,  diplomas,  and  rewards 
are  conferred  \  and  these  things  are  done,  although  by 
that  faith  alone  the  sun  is  now  darkened,  the  mcor.  is 
deprived  of  her  light,  the  stars  of  the  heavens  are  fallen, 
and  the  powers  of  the  heavens  are  shaken,  according  to  the 


No.  182.] 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


301 


words  of  the  Lord's  prediction  in  Matt.  xxiv.  29.  That 
the  doctrine  of  that  faith  has  at  this  day  blinded  the  minds 
of  men  to  such  a  degree  that  they  will  not,  and  therefore 
as  it  were  cannot,  see  any  Divine  truth  interiorly,  by  the 
light  of  the  sun  or  by  the  light  of  the  moon,  but  only 
exteriorly,  as  on  some  rough  surface,  by  the  light  of  the 
hearth  by  night,  has  been  proved  to  me  :  wherefore  I  could 
predict,  that  if  Divine  truths  concerning  the  true  conjunc- 
tion of  charity  and  faith,  concerning  heaven  and  hell,  the 
Lord,  the  life  after  death,  and  eternal  happiness,  were  sent 
from  heaven  written  in  letters  of  silver,  they  would  not  be 
deemed  worth  reading  by  those  who  justify  and  sanctify 
by  faith  alone  j  but,  on  the  other  hand,  if  a  treatise  con- 
cerning justification  by  faith  alone  should  be  sent  from 
the  lower  regions,  this  they  would  take  up,  kiss,  and  carry 
home  in  their  bosom. 

182.  VIII.  Thence  also  it  is  that  unless  a  New 
Heaven  and  a  New  Church  are  founded  by  the 
Lord,  no  Flesh  would  be  saved. 

It  is  read  in  Matthew,  Then  shall  be  great  affliction,  such 
as  was  not  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this  time,  no, 
nor  ever  shall  be :  and  except  those  days  should  be  shortened, 
there  should  no  flesh  be  saved  (xxiv.  21,  22).  That  chapter 
treats  of  the  consummation  of  the  age,  by  which  is  meant 
the  end  of  the  church  of  the  present  day ;  wherefore  by 
shortening  those  days,  is  meant  to  end  that  church,  and  to 
establish  a  new  one.  Who  does  not  know  that,  unless  the 
Lord  had  come  into  the  world  and  wrought  redemption, 
no  flesh  could  have  been  saved  ?  To  work  redemption 
means,  to  found  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  church.  That 
the  Lord  would  again  come  into  the  world,  He  foretold  in 
the  Evangelists  (Matt.  xxiv.  30,  31  ;  Mark  xiii.  26  ;  Luke 
xii.  40  ;  xxi.  27);  and  in  the  Apocalypse,  particularly  in 
the  last  chapter.  That  He  is  also  working  redemption 
to-day  by  founding  a  new  heaven  and  establishing  a  new 


302         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 


church,  to  the  end  that  man  may  be  saved,  was  shown 
above,  in  the  lemma  concerning  Redemption.  The  great 
arcanum,  that  unless  a  new  church  is  established  by  the 
Lord  no  flesh  can  be  saved,  is  this :  So  long  as  the  dragon 
with  his  horde  remains  in  the  world  of  spirits  into  which 
he  has  been  cast,  no  Divine  truth  united  to  Divine  good 
can  pass  through  to  men  on  earth,  without  being  perverted 
and  falsified,  or  without  perishing.  This  is  what  is  meant 
by  this  passage  in  the  Apocalypse  :  The  dragon  was  cast  out 
into  the  earth,  and  his  angels  were  cast  out  with  him.  Wo 
to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  and  of  the  sea,  for  the  devil 
has  come  down  to  them,  having  great  wrath  (xii.  9,  12).  But 
after  the  dragon  was  cast  into  hell  (xx.  10),  John  saw  a 
new  heaven  and  a  new  earth,  and  the  New  Jerusalem 
coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven  (xxi.  1,  2).  By  the 
dragon,  are  meant  those  who  are  in  the  faith  of  the  present 
church. 

I  have  several  times  conversed  in  the  spiritual  world 
with  the  justifiers  of  men  by  faith  alone,  and  have  said 
that  their  doctrine  is  erroneous,  and  also  inconsistent,  and 
that  it  induces  the  feeling  of  security,  blindness,  sleep, 
and  night,  in  spiritual  things,  and  consequently  death  to 
the  soul  j  and  I  have  exhorted  them  to  desist  from  it.  But  I 
received  for  answer  :  "  Why  desist  ?  Is  not  the  superiority 
of  the  erudition  of  the  clergy  over  that  of  the  laity  depend- 
ent on  that  doctrine  alone  ?  "  But  I  replied  that  so  they 
do  not  regard  the  salvation  of  souls  as  any  end,  but  the 
excellence  of  their  own  reputation ;  and  that  because  they 
have  applied  the  truths  of  the  Word  to  their  false  prin- 
ciples, and  so  have  adulterated  them,  they  are  angels  of 
the  abyss,  called  Abaddons  and  Apollyons  (Apoc.  ix.  11); 
by  whom  are  signified  the  destroyers  of  the  church  by  the 
total  falsification  of  the  Word.  But  they  replied  :  "  What 
is  that  ?  By  our  knowledge  of  the  mysteries  of  that  faith, 
we  are  oracles ;  and  from  it  as  from  the  shrine  we  give 
responses  ;  wherefore  we  are  not  Apollyons,  but  Apollos." 


No.  183.] 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


303 


Indignant  at  this,  I  said  :  "  If  you  are  Apollos,  you  are  also 
Leviathans  ;  the  first  of  you  the  crooked  Leviathans,  and 
the  next  the  extended  Leviathans,  that  God  will  visit  with 
Kis  hard  and  great  sword  "  (Isa.  xxvii.  1).  But  they  laughed 
at  these  words. 

183.  IX.  From  a  Trinity  of  Persons,  each  one  of 
whom  singly  is  god,  according  to  the  athanasian 
Creed,  have  existed  many  discordant  and  hetero- 
geneous Ideas  about  God,  which  are  Hallucinations 
and  Abortions. 

From  the  doctrine  of  three  Divine  persons  from  eternity, 
which  is  in  itself  the  head  of  all  doctrinals.  in  Christian 
churches,  have  sprung  many  ideas  concerning  God  that 
are  unbecoming  and  unworthy  of  the  Christian  world, 
which  yet  ought  to  be  and  might  be  a  luminary  to  all  peo- 
ples and  nations  in  the  four  parts  of  the  earth,  respect- 
ing God  and  His  Unity.  All  who  live  outside  of  the 
Christian  church,  as  Mohammedans  and  Jews  alike,  and 
besides  these  the  Gentiles  of  every  mode  of  worship,  are 
averse  to  Christianity  solely  on  account  of  the  faith  in 
three  Gods  therein.  Its  propagators  know  this,  and  they 
therefore  are  very  cautious  not  to  teach  openly  the  Trinity  of 
persons  such  as  it  is  in  the  Nicene  and  Athanasian  creeds, 
for  if  this  were  done,  they  would  be  shunned  and  ridiculed. 
The  discordant,  ludicrous,  and  frivolous  ideas,  which  have 
sprung  from  the  doctrine  of  three  Divine  persons  from 
eternity,  and  which  spring  up  with  every  one  who  remains  in 
the  belief  of  the  words  of  that  doctrine,  and  from  the  ears 
and  the  eyes  rise  up  into  the  sight  of  the  thought,  are 
these  :  That  God  the  Father  sits  on  high  above  the  head, 
the  Son  at  His  right  hand,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  before 
them,  listening,  and  instantly  running  throughout  all  the 
world  ;  and,  according  to  their  decision,  He  dispenses  the 
gifts  of  justification  and  inscribes  them,  and  makes  men 
from  children  of  wrath  to  be  children  of  grace,  and  from 


3O4         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 

being  damned  to  be  elect.  I  appeal  to  the  learned  of  the 
clergy,  and  to  the  well  instructed  of  the  laity,  whether  in 
their  minds  they  entertain  any  other  than  this  ideal  view ; 
for  it  flows  in  spontaneously  from  the  doctrine  itself ;  see 
the  Relation  above  (n.  16).  There  also  flows  in  a  curiosity 
for  conjecturing  what  they  conversed  about  with  each  other 
before  the  world  was  created j  whether  about  the  world  which 
was  to  be  created,  or  whether  also  about  those  who  were 
to  be  predestined  and  justified,  according  to  the  Supra- 
lapsarians,  or  whether  also  about  redemption  ;  and  likewise 
what  they  have  been  conversing  about  since  the  world  was 
created,  —  the  Father  from  the  authority  and  power  to  im- 
pute, the  Son  from  the  power  to  mediate ;  also  that  impu- 
tation, which  is  election,  is  from  the  mercy  of  the  Son 
interceding  for  all,  and  for  some  individually,  and  that  for 
them  the  Father  has  grace,  He  being  moved  by  love 
to  the  Son,  and  by  the  agony  seen  in  Him  when  on  the 
cross.  But  who  cannot  see  that  such  things  are  ravings  of 
the  mind  concerning  God  ?  And  yet  they  are,  in  Chris- 
tian churches,  the  holy  things  which  are  to  be  kissed  with 
the  lips,  yet  are  not  to  be  examined  with  the  eye  of  the 
mind,  because  they  are  things  above  reason;  and  if  they 
are  raised  from  the  memory  into  the  understanding,  the  man 
becomes  insane.  Still  this  does  not  take  away  the  idea  of 
three  Gods,  but  induces  a  stupid  faith,  from  which  man 
thinks  of  God  as  one  while  asleep  thinks  in  a  dream,  walk- 
ing in  the  darkness  of  night,  or  as  one  blind  from  his  birth 
walks  in  the  light  of  day. 

184.  That  a  Trinity  of  Gods  is  fixed  in  the  minds  of 
Christians,  although  from  shame  they  deny  it,  is  very  evi- 
dent from  the  ingenuity  of  many  in  demonstrating  that 
three  are  one,  and  one  three,  by  various  things  in  geometry, 
stereometry,  arithmetic,  and  physics,  and  likewise  by  the 
folding  of  pieces  of  cloth  and  paper;  thus  they  play  with 
the  Divine  Trinity  as  jugglers  play  together.  Their  jug- 
gling concerning  it  may  be  compared  to  the  visioo  of  those 


No.  185.] 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


305 


who,  while  sick  with  fever,  see  one  object  (whether  it  be  a 
man,  or  a  table,  or  a  candle)  as  three,  or  three  as  one.  It 
may  also  be  compared  with  the  mockery  of  those  who 
turn  soft  wax  between  their  fingers,  and  mould  it  into  vari- 
ous forms,  now  making  it  triangular  to  show  the  Trinity, 
and  now  spherical  to  show  the  Unity,  and  saying,  "  Is 
it  not  still  one  and  the  same  substance  ? "  When  yet 
the  Divine  Trinity  is  like  a  pearl  of  the  greatest  value ; 
but,  when  divided  into  persons,  it  is  like  a  pearl  divided 
into  three  parts,  which,  consequently,  is  utterly  and  mani- 
festly ruined. 

185.  To  the  above  will  be  added  these  Relations. 
First  :  In  the  spiritual  world  there  are  climates  and  zones 
as  in  the  natural  world ;  there  is  not  any  thing  in  this 
world  which  is  not  also  in  that ;  but  they  differ  in  origin. 
In  the  natural  world,  climates  vary  according  to  the  dis- 
tances of  the  sun  from  the  equator  j  in  the  spiritual  world, 
they  vary  according  to  the  distances  of  the  affections  of 
the  will,  and  thence  of  the  thoughts  of  the  understanding, 
from  true  love  and  true  faith ;  all  things  in  that  world  are 
correspondences  of  these.  In  the  frigid  zones  of  the 
spiritual  world,  appear  things  similar  to  those  in  the  frigid 
zones  of  the  natural  world  ;  lands  there  appear  bound  in 
ice,  and  likewise  the  waters,  and  also  snow  upon  them. 
Those  come  thither  and  dwell  there,  who,  in  the  world, 
lulled  the  understanding  to  sleep  from  their  sluggishness 
in  thinking  of  spiritual  things,  and  who  therefore  were,  at 
the  same  time,  sluggish  in  doing  any  uses :  they  are  called 
boreal  spirits.  I  was  once  seized  with  a  desire  to  see  some 
region  in  the  frigid  zone  where  those  boreal  spirits  were ; 
and  therefore  I  was  led  in  the  spirit  to  the  north,  even  to 
a  region  where  all  the  land  appeared  covered  with  snow, 
and  all  the  water  bound  in  ice.  It  was  the  Sabbath  day; 
and  I  saw  men,  that  is,  spirits,  of  a  similar  stature  with 
men  of  the  world  ;  but,  on  account  of  the  cold,  their  heads 
were  clothed  with  lions'  skins,  the  mouth  of  the  skin  being 


306         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 

fitted  to  their  mouth  ;  but  their  bodies,  before  and  behind 
as  far  down  as  the  loins,  were  covered  with  the  skins  of 
leopards ;  and  their  feet  with  the  skins  of  bears.  And  I 
also  saw  many  riding  in  chariots,  and  some  in  chariots  carved 
in  the  form  of  a  dragon  whose  horns  projected  forward. 
The  chariots  were  drawn  by  little  horses  whose  tails  had 
been  cut  off ;  they  were  running  like  terrible  wild  beasts,  and 
the  driver,  holding  the  reins  in  his  hands,  was  continually 
speeding  and  urging  them  on  their  course.  I  saw,  at  length, 
that  the  multitudes  were  nocking  to  a  temple,  which  had  not 
been  seen  because  covered  with  snow.  But  those  who  had 
the  care  of  the  temple  were  removing  the  snow,  and,  by 
digging,  were  preparing  an  entrance  for  the  coming  wor- 
shippers who  alighted  and  entered.  It  was  granted  me 
also  to  see  the  inside  of  the  temple.  It  was  lighted  with 
torches  and  lamps  in  abundance ;  there  was  an  altar  there 
of  hewn  stone,  behind  which  hung  a  tablet,  with  the  in- 
scription, The  Divine  Trinity,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Spirit,  Who  essentially  are  one  God,  but  personally 
three.  At  length  a  priest,  standing  at  the  altar,  after 
kneeling  three  times  before  the  tablet  of  the  altar,  ascended 
the  pulpit  with  book  in  hand,  and  began  a  sermon  on  the 
Divine  Trinity.  "  Oh,  how  great  a  mystery  !  "  he  exclaimed, 
"  that  God  in  the  Highest  begat  a  Son  from  eternity,  and 
by  Him  sent  forth  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  three  joining  them- 
selves together  by  essence,  but  separating  themselves  by 
their  properties,  which  are  imputation,  redemption,  and 
operation !  But  if  we  look  into  these  things  by  reason, 
the  sight  becomes  darkened,  and  a  spot  comes  before  it, 
as  before  the  eye  of  him  who  fixes  his  gaze  upon  the 
naked  sun.  Wherefore,  my  hearers,  in  this  let  us  keep  the 
understanding  under  obedience  to  faith."  After  this,  he 
exclaimed  again,  "Oh,  how  great  a  mystery  is  our  Holy 
Faith !  which  is  this :  That  God  the  Father  imputes  the 
righteousness  of  the  Son,  and  sends  the  Holy  Spirit,  Who, 
from  that  imputed  righteousness,  works  out  the  pledges  of 


No.  185.]  THE  DIVINE  TRINITY.  307 

justification,  which  in  the  sum  are  the  remission  of  sins, 
renewal,  regeneration,  and  salvation ;  concerning  the  in- 
flux of  which,  or  the  act,  man  knows  no  more  than  the 
statue  of  salt  into  which  Lot's  wife  was  turned ;  and  con- 
cerning the  indwelling  of  which,  or  the  state,  he  knows  no 
more  than  a  fish  in  the  sea.  But,  my  friends,  there  is  hid 
in  it  a  treasure,  so  enclosed  and  concealed  that  not  a  par- 
ticle of  it  appears.  Wherefore,  in  this  also  let  us  keep  the 
understanding  under  obedience  to  faith."  After  some 
sighs,  he  again  exclaimed,  saying,  "  Oh,  how  great  a  mys- 
tery is  Election !  He  becomes  of  the  elect  to  whom  God 
imputes  that  faith  which  at  His  free  pleasure,  and  out  of 
pure  grace,  He  infuses  into  whom  He  will,  and  when  He 
will  j  and  man  is  like  a  stock  while  it  is  infused,  but  he 
becomes  like  a  tree  when  it  has  been  infused.  Fruits, 
which  are  good  works,  hang  indeed  from  that  tree,  which 
in  a  representative  sense  is  our  faith  j  but  still  they  do  not 
cohere  j  wherefore  the  value  of  that  tree  is  not  from  the 
fruit.  But,  because  this  sounds  like  heterodoxy,  and  yet 
is  a  mystical  truth,  let  us,  my  brethren,  keep  the  under- 
standing under  obedience  to  faith  in  this."  And  then, 
after  a  pause,  standing  as  if  he  would  yet  draw  something 
more  from  the  memory,  he  continued  :  "  From  the  store  of 
mysteries  I  will  produce  still  another,  which  is,  that  man, 
in  spiritual  things,  has  not  a  grain  of  free  will  ;  for  our 
rulers,  the  primates  and  priests,  in  their  theological  canons, 
say  that  in  things  which  pertain  to  faith  and  salvation, 
which  are  specially  called  spiritual,  man  cannot  will,  think, 
or  understand  any  thing,  nor  can  he  even  accommodate  and 
apply  himself  to  receive  them  ;  wherefore  from  myself  I 
say  that  man  of  himself  cannot  think  concerning  those 
tilings  from  reason,  and  talk  about  them  from  thought, 
except  like  a  parrot,  a  magpie,  or  a  raven ;  so  that  man  in 
spiritual  things  is  truly  an  ass,  and  a  man  only  in  natural 
things.  But,  my  companions,  lest  this  should  trouble  your 
reason,  let  us  in  it,  as  in  the  rest,  keep  the  understanding 


308         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  Ill, 


under  obedience  to  faith.  For  our  theology  is  an  abyss 
without  a  bottom  ;  and  if  you  let  your  understanding  look 
into  it,  you  will  sink  and  perish  as  by  shipwreck.  But  still, 
hear :  we  are,  nevertheless,  in  the  very  light  of  the  gospel, 
which  shines  high  above  our  heads ;  but,  alas  !  the  hair  of 
our  heads  and  the  bones  of  our  skulls  stand  in  the  way 
and  oppose  its  penetrating  the  inner  chamber  of  our  under- 
standing." Having  said  this,  he  descended ;  and  after  he 
had  offered  his  vows  in  prayer  at  the  altar,  and  the  service 
was  ended,  I  went  up  to  some  who  were  talking  together, 
where  also  was  the  priest ;  and  those  standing  around  him 
said  :  "  We  give  you  everlasting  thanks  for  a  sermon  so 
magnificent  and  rich  in  wisdom."  But  then  I  said  to  them : 
"  Did  you  understand  any  thing  ?  "  And  they  replied  : 
"  We  took  it  all  in  with  full  ears ;  but  why  do  you  ask 
whether  we  understood  it?  Is  not  the  understanding  stu- 
pefied in  the  presence  of  such  things  ? "  And  the  priest 
added  this  to  wrhat  was  said :  "  Because  you  have  heard 
and  have  not  understood,  you  are  blessed ;  for  thence  is 
salvation  for  you."  Afterwards  I  spoke  with  the  priest, 
and  asked  him  if  he  had  a  degree ;  and  he  replied  :  "  I  am 
a  laureate  Master."  And  then  I  said :  "  Master,  I  have 
heard  you  preaching  mysteries  :  if  you  know  them,  and  not 
any  thing  which  they  contain,  you  know  nothing;  for  they 
are  just  like  caskets  locked  up  with  a  triple  lock;  and 
unless  you  open  them  and  look  inside  (which  must  be  done 
by  the  understanding),  you  do  not  know  whether  the  things 
they  contain  are  precious,  or  worthless,  or  hurtful ;  they 
may  be  the  eggs  of  the  asp  or  the  spider,  according 
to  the  description  in  Isaiah  (lix.  5)."  As  I  spoke  these 
words,  the  priest  looked  at  me  with  a  stern  countenance, 
and  the  worshippers  withdrew,  and  mounted  their  chariots, 
intoxicated  with  paradoxes,  infatuated  with  empty  words, 
and  enveloped  with  darkness  in  all  the  things  of  faith  and 
the  means  of  salvation. 

186.  Second  Relation.    I  was  once  engaged  in  think 


No.  186.] 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


309 


ing  in  what  region  of  the  mind  matters  of  theology  have 
their  seat  with  man,  and  at  first  I  believed  that  they  were 
in  the  highest  region,  because  they  are  spiritual  and  heav- 
enly [celestial] ;  for  the  human  mind  is  divided  into  three 
distinct  regions,  as  a  house  is  divided  into  three  stories, 
and  likewise  as  the  abodes  of  the  angels  into  three  heavens. 
And  then  an  angel  stood  before  me,  and  said :  "  Things  of 
theology,  with  those  who  love  truth  because  it  is  truth,  rise 
up  even  into  the  highest  region,  because  their  heaven  is 
there,  and  they  are  in  the  light  in  which  the  angels  are  j 
but  morals,  theoretically  contemplated  and  perceived,  place 
themselves  beneath  these,  in  the  second  region,  because 
they  communicate  with  spiritual  things ;  and  political  things 
have  place  under  these,  in  the  first  region  \  but  matters  of 
science,  which  are  manifold,  and  may  be  referred  to  gen- 
eral and  particular  classes,  make  the  door  to  those  higher 
things.  Those  in  whom  spiritual,  moral,  political,  and 
scientific  things  are  thus  subordinated,  think  what,  they 
think,  and  do  what  they  do,  from  justice  and  judgment. 
This  is  because  the  light  of  truth,  which  is  also  the  light 
of  heaven,  from  the  highest  region,  illumines  the  things 
which  follow  on,  as  the  light  of  the  sun,  passing  through 
the  ethers  and  the  air  progressively,  illumines  the  vision  of 
men,  beasts,  and  fishes.  It  is  not  so  with  the  things  of 
theology  in  those  who  do  not  love  truth  because  it  is  truth, 
but  only  for  the  glory  of  their  reputation.  With  them,  mat- 
ters of  theology  have  their  seat  in  the  lowest  region,  where 
are  matters  of  science;  and  in  some  cases  they  mingle 
themselves  with  these,  and  in  some  they  cannot  mingle 
themselves.  Under  these,  in  the  same  region,  are  political 
things,  and  under  these  moral,  since  with  such  persons  the 
two  higher  regions  are  not  opened  on  the  right  side  ;  where- 
fore they  have  no  interior  reason  of  judgment,  nor  affection 
of  justice,  but  only  ingenuity,  from  which  they  can  speak 
upon  every  subject  as  if  from  intelligence,  and  confirm 
whatever  presonts  itself  as  if  from  reason  \  but  the  objects 


310         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IIL 


of  reason  which  they  principally  love  are  falsities,  because 
these  cohere  with  the  fallacies  of  the  senses.  Thence  it  is 
that  there  are  so  many  in  the  world  who  see  the  truths  of 
doctrine  from  the  Word  no  more  than  those  born  blind ; 
and  when  they  hear  them  they  close  their  nostrils,  lest 
their  odor  should  offend  them  and  excite  nausea;  but 
they  open  all  their  senses  to  falsities,  and  drink  them  in 
as  whales  drink-in  water." 

187.  Third  Relation.  Once,  when  I  was  meditating 
about  the  dragon,  the  beast,  and  the  false  prophet,  that  are 
mentioned  in  the  Apocalypse,  an  angelic  spirit  appeared 
to  me,  and  asked,  "  What  are  you  meditating  upon  ? "  I 
said  that  it  was  upon  the  false  prophet.  Then  he  said, 
"  I  will  lead  you  to  the  place  where  they  are  who  are  meant 
by  the  false  prophet."  He  said  that  they  are  the  same  as 
are  meant  in  chapter  xiii.  of  the  Apocalypse,  by  the  beast 
out  of  the  earth  which  had  two  horns  like  a  lamb,  and 
spake  like  a  dragon.  I  followed  him,  and  behold,  I  saw  a 
crowd,  in  the  midst  of  which  were  leaders  of  the  church, 
who  taught  that  nothing  saves  man  but  faith  in  the  merit 
of  Christ ;  and  that  works  are  good,  but  not  for  salvation ; 
and  that  still  they  are  to  be  taught  from  the  Word,  that  the 
laity,  especially  the  simple,  may  be  held  the  more  strictly  in 
bonds  of  obedience  to  the  magistrates,  and  as  from  religion, 
thus  interiorly,  may  be  compelled  to  exercise  moral  charity. 
And  then  one  of  them,  seeing  me,  said,  "  Do  you  wish  to 
see  our  temple,  in  which  there  is  an  image  representative 
of  our  faith  ?  "  I  drew  near  and  saw  j  and  lo,  it  was  mag- 
nificent, and  in  the  midst  of  it  was  the  image  of  a  woman, 
clothed  in  a  scarlet  dress,  holding  in  her  right  hand  a 
golden  coin,  and  in  the  left  a  chain  of  pearls  j  but  both 
the  image  and  the  temple  were  induced  by  fantasy;  for 
infernal  spirits  can  by  fantasies  represent  magnificent 
things,  by  closing  up  the  interiors  of  the  mind  and  open- 
ing only  its  exteriors.  But  when  I  noticed  that  they  were 
such  illusions,  I  prayed  to  the  Lord,  and  suddenly  the  in- 


No.  187.] 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


teriors  of  my  mind  were  opened ;  and  I  then  saw  in 
place  of  the  magnificent  temple  a  house  full  of  chinks 
from  top  to  bottom,  in  which  nothing  held  together ;  and 
instead  of  the  woman  I  saw  hanging  in  that  house  an 
image,  the  head  of  which  was  like  a  dragon's,  the  body 
like  a  leopard's,  the  feet  like  a  bear's,  and  the  mouth  like 
that  of  a  lion ;  thus  precisely  like  the  beast  out  of  the  sea 
(described,  Apoc.  xiii.  2) ;  and  in  place  of  a  floor,  there  was 
a  quagmire,  in  which  was  a  multitude  of  frogs  ;  and  it  was 
told  me  that  under  the  quagmire  there  was  a  great  hewn 
stone,  under  which  lay  the  Word,  deeply  hidden.  On  see- 
ing these  things,  I  said  to  the  deceiver,  "  Is  this  your  tem- 
ple ? "  And  he  said  that  it  was.  But  then  suddenly  his 
interior  sight  also  was  opened,  by  which  he  saw  the  same 
things  that 'I  did;  on  seeing  which,  with  a  great  cry  he 
said,  "  What  is  this  ?  and  whence  is  this  ? "  And  I  said, 
"  It  is  from  the  light  of  heaven,  which  discloses  the  quality 
of  every  form,  and  thus  the  quality  of  your  faith  separated 
from  spiritual  charity."  And  forthwith  the  east  wind  blew, 
and  carried  away  the  temple,  with  the  image,  and  also  dried 
up  the  quagmire,  and  thus  laid  bare  the  stone  under  which 
lay  the  Word.  And  after  this  a  warmth  like  that  of  spring 
was  breathed'from  heaven  \  and  lo,  then  in  the  same  place 
there  was  seen  a  tabernacle,  simple  in  its  outward  form ; 
and  the  angels  who  were  with  me  said,  "  Behold  the  taber- 
nacle of  Abraham,  such  as  it  was  when  the  three  angels 
came  to  him,  and  foretold  the  birth  of  Isaac.  This  appears 
before  the  eyes  as  simple,  but  it  becomes  more  and  more 
magnificent  according  to  the  influx  of  light  from  heaven." 
And  it  was  given  them  to  open  the  heaven  in  which  were 
the  spiritual  angels,  who  are  in  wisdom  ;  and  then,  from  the 
light  flowing  in  therefrom,  that  tabernacle  appeared  like  a 
temple  similar  to  that  of  Jerusalem.  When  I  looked  into  it, 
I  saw  the  foundation-stone,  under  which  the  Word  was  de- 
posited, set  around  with  precious  stones,  from  which  as  it 
were  lightning  Hashed  upon  the  walls  on  which  were  the 


312         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Ckap.  III. 


forms  of  cherubs,  and  variegated  them  beautifully  with 
colors.  When  I  was  admiring  these  things,  the  angels 
said,  "You  shall  see  some  thing  still  more  wonderful." 
And  it  was  given  them  to  open  the  third  heaven,  in  which 
were  the  heavenly  [celestial]  angels,  who  are  in  love ;  and 
then,  from  the  flamy  light  flowing  in  therefrom,  the  whole  of 
that  temple  vanished ;  and  instead  of  it  the  Lord  alone  was 
seen,  standing  upon  the  foundation-stone  which  was  the 
Word,  in  appearance  like  that  in  which  He  was  seen  by 
John  (Apoc.  chap.  i.).  But  because  the  interiors  of  the 
angels'  minds  were  then  rilled  with  a  holiness  which  inclined 
them  to  fall  down  upon  their  faces,  the  way  of  the  light 
from  the  third  heaven  was  suddenly  closed  by  the  Lord,  and 
the  way  was  opened  for  the  light  from  the  second  heaven  : 
in  consequence  of.  which  the  former  appearance' of  the  tem- 
ple returned,  and  also  of  the  tabernacle,  this  now  being 
in  the  midst  of  the  temple.  By  this  was  illustrated  what  is 
meant  (Apoc.  chap,  xxi.)  by  this  passage  :  Behold  the  taber- 
nacle of  God  is  with  men,  and  He  will  dwell  with  them 
(verse  3)  \  and  also  by  this :  /  saw  no  temple  in  the  New 
Jerusalem  ;  for  the  Lord  God  Almighty  is  the  Temple  of  it, 
and  the  Lamb  (verse  22). 

188.  Fourth  Relation.  Since  it  has  been  given  me  by 
the  Lord  to  see  wonderful  things  which  are  in  the  heavens 
and  below  the  heavens,  I  must,  as  commanded,  relate  what 
has  been  seen.  There  was  seen  a  magnificent  palace,  and 
in  its  inmost  a  temple ;  in  the  midst  of  this  was  a  table  of 
gold,  upon  which  was  the  Word,  near  which  stood  two 
angels.  Around  the  table  were  seats  in  three  rows  \  the 
seats  of  the  first  row  were  covered  with  silken  cloth  of  a 
purple  color,  the  seats  of  the  second  row  with  silken  cloth 
of  a  blue  color,  and  the  seats  of  the  third  row  with  white 
cloth.  Under  the  roof,  high  above  the  table,  there  ap- 
peared a  wide-spread  canopy,  shining  with  precious  stones, 
from  the  splendor  of  which  there  was  an  effulgence  as  of 
a  rainbow  when  the  sky  becomes  serene  after  a  shower. 


No.  188.] 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


313 


There  then  suddenly  appeared  a  number  of  clergymen 
sufficient  to  occupy  all  the  seats,  all  clothed  in  the  gar- 
ments of  priestly  service.  At  one  side  was  a  wardrobe, 
where  an  angel-keeper  stood,  and  in  it  lay  splendid  gar- 
ments in  beautiful  order.  It  was  a  council  called  together 
by  the  Lord;  and  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying, 
"Deliberate."  But  they  said,  "On  what?"  It  was  said, 
"  Concerning  the  Lord  the  Saviour,  and  concerning  the  Holy 
Spirit."  But  when  they  began  to  think  on  these  subjects, 
they  were  not  in  enlightenment ;  wherefore  they  made  sup- 
plication. And  then  light  flowed  down  from  heaven,  which 
illumined  first  the  back  parts  of  their  heads,  then  their  tem- 
ples, and  at  last  their  faces ;  and  then  they  made  a  begin- 
ning \  and,  as  it  was  commanded,  first  concerning  the  Lord 
the  Saviour.  The  first  thing  proposed  and  discussed  was, 
"Who  assumed  the  Human  in  the  Virgin  Mary ? "  And 
an  angel,  standing  at  the  table,  upon  which  was  the  Word, 
read  before  them  these  words  in  Luke  :  The  angel  said  to 
Mary,  Behold,  thou  shall  conceive  in  thy  womb,  and  bring 
forth  a  Son,  and  shall  call  His  name  Jesus ;  He  shall  be 
great,  and  shall  be  called  the  Son  of  the  Highest.  Then 
said  Mary  unto  the  angel,  How  shall  this  be,  seeing  J  know 
not  a  man  ?  And  the  angel  answered  and  said,  The  Holy 
Spirit  shall  come  upon  thee,  and  the  Power  of  the 
Highest  shall  overshadow  thee;  therefore,  also,  the 
Holy  Thing  Which  shall  be  born  of  thee  shall  be  called 
the  Son  of  God  (i.  30-32,  34,  35).  Then  also  he  read 
these  words  in  Matthew :  The  angel  said  to  Joseph  in  a 
dream,  Joseph,  thou  son  of  David,  fear  not  to  take  unto  thee 
Mary  thy  wife,  for  That  Which  is  conceived  in  her  is 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  And  Joseph  knew  her  not  until 
she  had  brought  forth  her  first-born  Son,  and  he  called  His 
name  Jesus  (i.  20,  25).  And  besides  these  passages,  he 
read  many  more  from  the  F.vangelists  (as  Matt.  iii.  17; 
XVH-  S  >  Jonn  i.  18;  iii.  16;  xx.  31);  and  many  others, 
where  the  Lord  as  to  the  Human  is  called  the  Son  of 
vol.  1.  14 


314         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 

God,  and  where  He  from  His  Human  calls  Jehovah  His 
Father.  He  read  also  from  the  Prophets,  where  it  is 
foretold  that  Jehovah  Himself  would  come  into  the  world  ; 
among  others  these  two  passages  in  Isaiah  :  7?  shall  be  said 
in  that  day,  Lo,  this  is  our  God,  Whom  we  have  waited  for, 
that  He  may  deliver  us :  this  is  Jehovah,  Whom  we  have 
waited  for  ;  let  us  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  His  salvatio?i  (xxv.  9). 
The  voice  of  Him  that  cryeth  in  the  wilderness,  Prepare  ye  the 
way  of  Jehovah,  make  straight  in  the  desert  a  highway  for 
our  God  ;  for  the  glory  of  Jehovah  shall  be  revealed ;  and 
all  flesh  shall  see  it  together.  Behold,  the  Lord  Jehovih 
cometh  in  strength.  He  shall  feed  His  flock  like  a  shepherd 
(xl.  3,  5,  10,  11).  And  the  angel  said,  "Since  Jehovah 
Himself  came  into  the  world,  and  assumed  the  Human 
[*  and  thereby  saved  and  redeemed  men],  therefore,  in  the 
Prophets,  He  is  called  the  Saviour  and  the  Redeemer." 
And  then  he  read  to  them  the  following  passages  :  Surely 
God  is  i?i  thee,  and  there  is  ?io  God  besides :  verily  Thou  art  a 
hidden  God,  O  God  of  Israel  the  Saviour  (Isa.  xlv.  14, 
15).  Am  not  /  Jehovah?  and  there  is  no  God  else  beside 
Me;  a  just  God  and  a  Saviour,  there  is  none  beside 
Me  (xlv.  21).  I  am  Jehovah,  and  beside  Me  there  is 
no  Saviour  (xliii.  11).  I  Jehovah  am  thy  God,  and  thou 
s halt  acknowledge  no  God  but  Me,  and  there  is  no  Saviour 
beside  Me  (Hos.  xiii.  4).  That  all  flesh  may  know  that  I 
Jehovah  am  thy  Saviour  and  thy  Redeemer  (Isa.  xlix. 
26  ;  Ix.  16).  As  for  our  Redeemer,  Jehovah  Zebaoth  is 
His  name  (xlvii.  4).  Their  Redeemer  is  strong  ;  Jeho- 
vah Zebaoth  is  His  name  (Jer.  1.  34).  O  Jehovah,  my 
Rock  and  my  Redeemer  (Ps.  xix.  14).  Thus  said  Jehovah 
thy  Redeemer,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  I  Jehovah  am  thy 
God  (Isa.  xlviii.  17;  xliii.  14;  xlix.  7  j  liv.  8).  Thou  Jeho- 
vah art  our  Father,  our  Redeemer  from  everlasting  is  Thy 
na?ne  (lxiii.  16).    Thus  said  Jehovah  thy  Redeemer,  I  am 

*  The  words  within  brackets  are  from  "Apocalypse  Revealed,' 
962. 


No.  188.] 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


315 


Jehovah  that  maketh  all  things,  and  alone,  of  Myself  (xliv. 
24).  Thus  said  Jehovah  the  King  of  Israel,  and  His  Re- 
deemer, Jehovah  Zebaoth,  I  am  the  First  and  the  Last, 
and  beside  Me  there  is  no  God  (Isa.  xliv.  6).  Jehovah 
Zebaoth  is  His  name,  and  thy  Redeemer,  the  Holy  One 
of  Israel,  the  God  of  the  whole  earth  shall  He  be 
called  (liv.  5).  Behold  the  days  co?ne,  that  I  will  raise 
wito  David  a  righteous  Branch,  Who  shall  reign  King;  and 
this  is  His  name,  Jehovah  our  Righteousness  (Jer.  xxiii. 
5,  6;  xxxiii"  15,  16).  In  that  day,  Jehovah  shall  be  King 
over  all  the  earth ;  in  that  day  shall  Jehovah  be  one, 
and  His  name  one  (Zech.  xiv.  9).  Being  confirmed  from 
all  these  passages,  those  that  sat  upon  the  seats  said  unani- 
mously, that  Jehovah  Himself  assumed  the  Human  to  re- 
deem and  save  men.  But  a  voice  was  then  heard  from  the 
Roman  Catholics,  who  had  hid  themselves  behind  the  altar, 
saying :  "  How  can  Jehovah  God  become  Man  ?  Is  He  rot 
the  Creator  of  the  universe  ? "  And  one  of  those  who  sat 
upon  the  seats  of  the  second  row,  turned  himself  about, 
and  said,  "  Who  then  ?  "  And  he  behind  the  altar,  now 
standing  close  to  the  altar,  replied,  "  The  Son  from  eter- 
nity." But  he  received  for  answer,  "  Is  not  the  Son  from 
eternity,  according  to  your  confession,  the  Creator  of  the 
universe  also  ?  And  what  is  a  Son  and  a  God  born  from 
eternity  ?  And  how  can  the  Divine  Essence,  which  is  one 
and  indivisible,  be  separated,  and  one  part  of  it  descend, 
and  not  the  whole  at  once?"  The  second  Discussion 
concerning  the  Lord  was  upon  this  point :  Are  not 
the  Father  and  He  thus  one,  as  soul  and  body  are  one  ? 
They  said  that  this  is  a  consequence,  because  the  soul  is 
from  the  Father.  Then  one  of  those  who  sat  upon  the 
seats  in  the  third  row  read,  from  the  general  Creed 
which  is  called  Athanasian,  these  words:  " Although  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  is  God  and  Man, 
still  they  are  not  two,  but  one  Christ ;  yea,  He  is  alto- 
gether one ;  He  is  one  Person  :  since,  as  the  soul  and  die  body 


316         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 

make  one  man,  so  God  and  Man  are  one  Christ"  The 
reader  said  that  the  creed  in  which  are  those  words  is 
received  in  the  whole  Christian  world,  even  by  the  Roman 
Catholics.  And  they  said,  "  What  need  is  there  of  more  ? 
God  the  Father  and  He  are  one,  as  the  soul  and  the  body 
are  one."  And  they  said :  "  As  it  is  so,  we  see  that  the 
Lord's  Human  is  Divine,  because  it  is  the  Human  of  Jeho- 
vah ;  and  also  that  the  Lord  as  to  the  Divine  Human  is 
to  be  approached,  and  that  so  and  not  otherwise  can  the 
Divine  which  is  called  the  Father  be  approached."  This 
conclusion  of  theirs  the  angel  confirmed  by  many  more 
passages  from  the  Word,  among  which  were  these :  Unto 
us  a  Child  is  barn,  unto  us  a  Son  is  given,  Whose  name  is 
Wonderful,  Counsellor,  God,  the  Mighty,  the  Father  of 
Eternity,  the  Prince  of  Peace  (Isa.  ix.  6).  Though  Abra- 
ham be  ignorant  of  us  and  Israel  acknowledge  us  not,  Thou, 
Jehovah,  art  our  Father,  our  Redeemer  from  ever- 
lasting is  Thy  Name  (lxiii.  16) ;  and  in  John,  yesus  said, 
He  that  bclieveth  in  Me,  believeth  in  Him  that  sent  Me :  and 
he  that  seeth  Me,  seeth  Him  that  sent  Me  (xii.  44,  45). 
Philip  said  unto  yesus,  Show  us  the  Father,  yesus  saith  unto 
him,  He  that  seeth  Me,  seeth  the  Father  ;  how  sayest 
thou  then,  Show  us  the  Father  ?  Believest  thou  not  that  I  am 
in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  Me  ?  Believe  Me,  that 
I  am  in  the  Father  and  the  Father  in  Me  (xiv.  8-1 1). 
Jesus  said,  I  and  the  Father  are  one  (x.  30) ;  and  also, 
All  things  that  the  Father  hath  are  Mine,  and  all  Mine  are 
the  Father's  (xvi.  15;  xvii.  10).  Lastly,  yesus  said,  I  am 
the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life ;  no  one  comet h  to  the  Father 
but  by  Me  (xiv.  6).  To  this  the  reader  added  that  things 
like  these  here  said  by  the  Lord  concerning  Himself  and 
His  Father  may  also  be  said  by  man  concerning  himself 
and  his  soul.  Having  heard  these  things,  they  all  said, 
with  one  mouth  and  heart,  that  "the  Lord's  Human  is 
Divine,  and  this  is  to  be  approached  that  the  Father 
may  be  approached ;  since  Jehovah  God  by  It  sent  Him- 


No.  i8S.]  THE  DIVINE  TRINITY.  317 

self  into  the  world,  and  made  Himself  visible  to  the  eyes 
of  men,  and  thus  accessible.  He  likewise  made  Himself 
visible,  and  thus  accessible,  in  a  human  form,  to  the  an- 
cients, but  then  through  an  angel ;  but  because  this  Form 
was  representative  of  the  Lord  Who  was  to  come,  there- 
fore all  things  of  the  church  with  the  ancients  were  rep 
resentative." 

After  this  followed  a  deliberation  concerning  the  Hoi) 
Spirit ;  and  in  the  first  place  was  set  forth  the  idea  of  many 
concerning  God  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit ; 
which  was,  that  God  the  Father  was  sitting  on  high,  and 
the  Son  at  His  right  hand,  and  they  were  sending  forth 
the  Holy  Spirit  from  them  to  enlighten,  teach,  justify,  and 
sanctify  men.  But  a  voice  was  then  heard  from  heaven, 
saying,  "We  cannot  endure  that  idea  of  thought.  Who 
does  not  know  that  Jehovah  God  is  omnipresent  ?  Who- 
ever knows  and  acknowledges  this  will  also  acknowledge 
that  He  Himself  enlightens,  teaches,  justifies,  and  sancti- 
fies, and  that  there  is  not  an  intermediate  God  distinct 
from  Him  (and  still  less  from  two),  as  one  person  from 
another.  Therefore  let  the  former  idea,  which  is  vain,  be 
removed ;  and  let  this,  which  is  just,  be  received ;  and 
then  you  will  see  this  clearly."  But  a  voice  was  then 
heard  from  the  Roman  Catholics,  who  were  standing  by 
the  altar  of  the  temple,  saying,  "What  then  is  the  Holy 
Spirit,  Who  in  the  Word  is  named  in  the  Evangelists,  and 
in  Paul,  by  Whom  so  many  learned  men  of  the  clergy, 
and  especially  of  ours,  say  that  they  are  led  ?  Who  in  the 
Christian  world  at  this  day  denies  the  Holy  Spirit  and 
His  operations  ?  "  At  these  words,  one  of  those  who  were 
sitting  upon  the  seats  of  the  second  row,  turned  round,  and 
said :  "  You  say  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  a  person  by  Him- 
self, and  a  God  by  Himself ;  but  what  is  a  person  going 
forth  and  proceeding  from  a  person,  but  operation  going 
forth  and  proceeding  ?  One"  person  cannot  go  forth  and 
proceed  from  another,  but  operation  can  go  forth  and  pro- 


31 8         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 


ceed.  Or  what  is  a  God  going  forth  and  proceeding  from 
God,  but  the  Divine  going  forth  and  proceeding  ?  One 
God  cannot  go  forth  and  proceed  from  another,  but  the 
Divine  can  go  forth  and  proceed  from  the  One  God." 
On  hearing  these  things,  they  who  sat  upon  the  seats  con- 
cluded unanimously,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  not  a  person 
by  Itself,  so  not  a  God  by  Itself ;  but  that  it  is  the  Holy 
Divine,  going  forth  and  proceeding  from  the  Only  Omnipres- 
ent God,  Who  is  the  Lord.  To  this  the  angels  that  stood 
by  the  golden  table  upon  which  was  the  Word,  said : 
"  Well.  It  is  nowhere  read  in  the  Old  Testament,  that 
the  prophets  spake  the  Word  from  the  Holy  Spirit,  but 
from  Jehovah ;  and  where  the  Holy  Spirit  is  mentioned 
in  the  New  Testament,  the  proceeding  Divine  is  meant, 
which  is  the  Divine  enlightening,  teaching,  vivifying,  re- 
forming, and  regenerating."  After  this  there  followed 
another  Discussion  concerning  the  Holy  Spirit,  upon  the 
question,  From  whom  does  the  Divine  which  is  meant  by 
the  Holy  Spirit  proceed  ?  From  the  Father  or  from  the 
Lord  ?  And  when  they  were  discussing  this  the  light  shone 
in  from  heaven,  from  which  they  saw  that  the  Holy  Divine, 
which  is  meant  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  does  not  proceed  out 
of  the  Father  through  the  Lord,  but  out  of  the  Lord  from 
the  Father;  comparatively  as  with  man,  whose  activity 
does  not  proceed  from  the  soul  through  the  body,  but  out 
of  the  body  from  the  soul.  This  the  angel  standing  at  the 
table  confirmed  by  these  things  from  the  Word  :  He  Whom 
the  Father  hath  sent,  speaketh  the  words  of  God :  He  hath 
not  given  the  Spirit  by  7neasure  wito  Him.  The  Father 
loveth  the  Son,  and  hath  given  all  things  into  His  hand  (John 
iii.  34,  35).  There  shall  come  forth  a  Rod  out  of  the  stem  of 
Jesse,  the  spirit  of  Jehovah  shall  rest  upon  Him,  the  spirit 
of  wisdom  and  understanding,  the  spirit  of  counsel  and  might 
(Isa.  xi.  1).  That  the  spirit  of  Jehovah  was  put  upon  Him, 
and  was  in  Him  (xlii.  1;  lix.  20,  21;  Ixi.  1;  Luke  iv.  18). 
When  the  Holy  Spirit  is  come,  that  I  will  send  unto  you 


No.  188.J 


THE  DIVINE  TRINITY. 


319 


from  the  Father  (John  xv.  26).  He  shall  glorify  Me,  for 
He  shall  receive  of  Mine,  and  shall  show  you  :  all 
things  that  the  father  hath  are  mlne  j  therefore 

SAID    I,    THAT   HE    SHALL    TAKE    OF    MlNE,    AND  SHALL 

show  unto  you  (xvi.  14,  1 5).  If  I  depart  I  wili  send 
the  Comforter  unto  you  (xvi.  7).  That  the  Comforter  is 
the  Holy  Spirit  (xiv.  26).  The  Holy  Spirit  was  not 
yet,  because  Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified  (vii.  39). 
But  after  the  glorification,  Jesus  breathed  on  the  dis- 
ciples,   AND   SAID    UNTO    THEM,  RECEIVE  YE  THE  HOLY 

Spirit  (xx.  22).  And  in  the  Apocalypse,  Who  shall  ?wt 
glorify  Thy  name,  O  Lord?  for  Thou  alone  art  holy 
(xv.  4).  Since  the  Lord's  Divine  operation,  from  His  Divine 
omnipresence,  is  meant  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  therefore, 
when  He  spoke  to  the  disciples  •  concerning  the  Holy 
Spirit,  which  He  was  about  to  send  from  the  Father,  He 
also  said,  /  will  not  leave  you  orpha?is ;  I  go  away,  and 
come  unto  you  ;  and  in  that  day  ye  shall  know  that  I  am 
in  my  Father,  and  ye  in  Me,  and  I  in  you  (xiv.  18, 
20,  28).  And  just  before  His  departure  out  of  the  world, 
He  said,  Lo,  I  am  with  you  all  the  days  until  the  consum- 
mation of  the  age  (Matt,  xxviii.  20).  Having  read  these 
words  to  them,  the  angel  said :  "  From  these  and  many 
other  passages  in  the  Word,  it  is  manifest  that  the  Divine 
which  is  called  the  Holy  Spirit  proceeds  out  of  the  Lord, 
from  the  Father."  To  this  they  who  sat  upon  the  seats 
said:  "This  is  the  Divine  Truth." 

At  length  this  decision  was  made ;  that,  "  From  the 
deliberations  in  this  Council  we  have  clearly  seen,  and 
therefore  acknowledge  as  holy  truth,  that  in  the  Lord  God 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  there  is  a  Divine  Trinity,  which 
is  this :  The  Divine  from  which  are  all  things,  which  is  called 
the  Father;  the  Divine  Human,  which  is  called  the  Son; 
and  the  proceeding  Divine,  which  is  called  the  Holy  Spirit." 
And  together  they  exclaimed  :  "  In  Jesus  Christ  dwflleth 
all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily  (Col.  ii.  9). 
Thus  there  is  one  God  in  the  church." 


320         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  III. 


After  these  things  were  concluded  in  that  magnificent 
Council,  they  rose  up,  and  the  angel-keeper  of  the  ward- 
robe came,  and  brought  to  each  of  those  who  sat  upon  the 
seats  splendid  garments  interwoven  here  and  there  with 
threads  of  gold,  and  said :  "  Receive  the  wedding  gar- 
ments." And  they  were  conducted  in  glory  into  the  New 
Christian  Heaven,  with  which  the  Lord's  Church  on  earth, 
which  is  the  New  Jerusalem,  will  be  conjoined. 


CHAPTER  FOURTH. 


CONCERNING  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE,  OR  THE 
WORD  OF  THE  LORD. 

I.  The  Sacred  Scripture,  or  the  Word,  is  the  Divin* 
Truth  itself. 

189.  It  is  on  every  one's  lips  that  the  Word  is  from  God, 
is  divinely  inspired,  and  consequently  holy ;  but  still  it  has 
not  hitherto  been  known  where  in  the  Word  the  Divine  is. 
For  in  the  letter  the  Word  appears  like  an  ordinary  writing, 
in  a  foreign  style,  neither  sublime  nor  lucid,  as  the  writings 
of  the  present  age  apparently  are.  Owing  to  this,  a  person 
who  worships  nature  instead  of  God,  or  more  than  God, 
and  who  therefore  thinks  from  himself  and  his  proprium 
\ownhood\  and  not  from  heaven  from  the  Lord,  may  easily 
fall  into  error  respecting  the  Word,  and  into  contempt  for 
it,  saying  within  himself  when  he  is  reading  it,  "  What  is 
this  ?  What  is  that  ?  Is  this  Divine  ?  Can  God,  Who  has 
infinite  wisdom,  speak  so  ?  Where  is  its  holiness  ?  and 
whence,  unless  from  some  religious  system,  and  persuasion 
from  it  ? " 

190.  But  he  who  thinks  in  this  manner  does  not  conside) 
that  Jehovah  the  Lord,  Who  is  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth, 
spake  the  Word  through  Moses  and  the  Prophets,  and  that 
it  must  therefore  be  the  Divine  Truth  itself ;  for  that  which 
Jehovah  Himself  speaks  can  be  nothing  else.  Nor  does 
he  consider  that  the  Lord  the  Saviour,  Who  is  the  same  as 
Jehovah,  spake  the  Word  written  in  the  Evangelists,  many 
things  from  His  own  mouth,  and  the  rest  from  the  Breath 
of  His  mouth,  which  is  the  Holy  Spirit,  through  His  twelve 
apostles.    Thence  it  is,  as  He  Himself  says,  that  in  His 

14* 


322 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


words  there  are  spirit  and  life,  and  He  Himself  is  the 
Light  which  enlightens,  and  is  the  Truth  ;  which  is  manifest 
from  the  following  passages  :  Jesus  said,  The  words  that  I 
speak  unto  you  are  spirit  a?id  are  life  (John  vi.  63).  Jesus 
said  to  the  woman  at  Jacob's  well,  Jf  thou  knewest  the  Gift 
of  God,  and  Who  it  is  That  saith  to  thee,  Give  Me  to  drink, 
thou  wouldst  ask  of  Him,  and  He  would  give  thee  living 
water.  Whosoever  drinketh  of  the  water  that  I  shall  give 
him  shall  never  thirst ;  but  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him 
shall  be  in  him  a  fountain  of  water,  springing  up  into  ever- 
lasti?ig  life  (John  iv.  10,  14).  By  the  fountain  [or  well]  of 
Jacob  is  signified  the  Word  (as  also  Deut.  xxxiii.  28) ;  there- 
fore the  Lord  because  He  is  the  Word,  sat  there,  and  talked 
with  the  woman ;  and  by  living  water,  is  signified  the  truth 
of  the  Word.  Jesus  said,  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come 
unto  Me  and  drink.  He  that  believeth  in  Me,  as  the  Scripture 
hath  said,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water 
(John  vii.  37,  38).  Peter  said  to  Jesus,  Thou  hast  the  words 
of  eternal  life  (John  vi.  68).  Jesus  said,  Heaven  and  earth 
shall  pass  away,  but  My  words  shall  not  pass  away  (Mark 
xiii.  31).  The  Lord's  words  are  truth  and  life,  because  He 
is  the  Truth  and  the  Life,  as  He  teaches  in  John :  - 1  am  the 
Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life  (xiv.  6).  And  in  the  same : 
In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God, 
and  the  Word  was  God ;  in  Him  was  life,  and  the  life  was 
the  light  of  men  (John  i.  1,  4).  By  the  Word  is  meant  the 
Lord  as  to  Divine  Truth,  in  Whom  alone  there  is  life  and 
there  is  light.  From  this  it  is  that  the  Word,  which  is  from 
the  Lord  and  which  is  the  Lord,  is  called  the  fountain 
of  living  waters  (Jer.  ii.  13  ;   xvii.  13  ;  xxxi.  9) ;  the 

FOUNTAIN  OF  SALVATION  (Isa.  xii.  3)  j   A  FOUNTAIN  (Zech 

xiii.  1) ;  and  a  river  of  the  water  of  life  (Apoc.  xxii.  i)  , 
and  it  is  said  that  The  Lamb,  Who  is  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne,  shall  feed  them  at  living  fountains  of  waters 
(Apoc.  vii.  17);  besides  other  passages  where  the  Word  is 
also  called  a  Sanctuary  and  a  Tabernacle  in  which  the 
Lord  dwells  with  man. 


No.  192.]  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


323 


191.  But  still  the  natural  man  cannot  from  these  consid- 
erations be  persuaded  that  the  Word  is  the  Divine  Truth 
itself,  in  which  are  Divine  Wisdom  and  Divine  Life ;  for  he 
looks  at  it  from  its  style,  in  which  he  does  not  see  those 
things.  Yet  the  style  of  the  Word  is  the  Divine  style  itself, 
with  which  no  other  can  be  compared,  however  sublime  and 
excellent  it  may  seem.  The  style  of  the  Word  is  such  that 
holiness  is  in  every  sentence,  and  in  every  word,  yes  in 
some  places  in  the  very  letters :  thence  the  Word  conjoins 
man  with  the  Lord,  and  opens  heaven.  There  are  two 
things  which  proceed  from  the  Lord,  Divine  Love  and 
Divine  Wisdom,  or,  what  is  the  same,  Divine  Good  and 
Divine  Truth  •  the  Word,  in  its  essence,  is  both  of  these : 
and  because  it  conjoins  man  with  the  Lord  and  opens 
heaven,  as  was  said,  therefore  the  Word  fills  man  with  the 
goods  of  love  and  the  truths  of  wisdom  j  his  will  with  the 
goods  of  love,  and  his  understanding  with  the  truths  of 
wisdom  :  hence  man  has  life  through  the  Word.  But  it 
should  be  well  known  that  only  those  have  life  from  the 
Word,  who  read  it  for  the  purpose  of  drawing  Divine  truths 
from  it,  as  from  their  fountain,  and  at  the  same  time  for 
the  purpose  of  applying  the  Divine  truths  drawn  therefrom 
to  the  life ;  and  that  the  contrary  takes  place  with  those 
who  read  it  only  for  the  sake  of  acquiring  honors  and 
gaining  the  world. 

192.  No  person  who  is  ignorant  that  there  is  a  certain 
spiritual  sense  in  the  Word,  as  the  soul  is  in  the  body,  can 
judge  in  any  other  way  concerning  the  Word  than  from  the 
sense  of  its  letter;  when  yet  this  is  as  a  case  containing 
precious  things,  which  are  its  spiritual  sense.  When,  there- 
fore, this  internal  sense  is  not  known,  one  cannot  judge  of 
the  Divine  sanctity  of  the  Word,  otherwise  than  as  he 
judges  of  a  precious  stone  from  the  matrix  which  envel- 
opes it,  and  which  sometimes  appears  as  a  common  stone; 
or  from  the  box,  made  of  jasper,  lapis  lazuli,  amianthus,  or 
agate,  in  which  lie,  in  their  order,  diamonds,  rubies,  the 


324         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 

sardonyx,  the  oriental  topaz,  &c.  While  this  is  unknown, 
it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  if  the  box  is  esteemed  only  ac- 
cording to  the  price  of  its  material,  which  is  visible.  It  is 
similar  with  the  Word,  as  to  the  sense  of  its  letter.  There- 
fore lest  man  should  be  in  doubt  as  to  whether  the  Word  is 
Divine  and  most  holy,  its  internal  sense  has  been  revealed 
to  me,  which  in  its  essence  is  spiritual,  and  is  within  the 
external  sense  which  is  natural,  as  the  soul  is  in  the  body. 
That  sense  is  the  spirit,  which  gives  life  to  the  letter ;  it  can 
therefore  bear  witness  to  the  Divinity  and  sanctity  of  the 
Word,  and  can  convince  even  the  natural  man,  if  he  is 
willing  to  be  convinced. 

II.  In  thy:  Word  there  is  a  Spiritual  Sense,  hitherto 

UNKNOWN. 

193.  When  it  \s  said  that  the  Word  because  it  is  Divine  is 
in  its  bosom  spiritual,  who  does  not  acknowledge  this  and 
give  his  assent?  But  who  as  yet  has  known  what  the 
spiritual  is,  and  where  in  the  Word  it  is  stored  ?  But  what 
the  spiritual  is,  will  be  shown  in  a  Relation  following  this 
chapter ;  and  where  it  is  concealed  in  the  Word,  in  what 
now  follows.  The  Word  in  its  bosom  is  spiritual  because 
it  descended  from  Jehovah  the  Lord,  and  passed  through 
the  angelic  heavens ;  and  the  Divine,  which  in  itself  is  in- 
effable and  imperceptible,  was  in  its  descent  adapted  to 
the  perception  of  angels,  and  at  last  to  the  perception  of 
men.  Hence  is  the  spiritual  sense,  which  is  inwardly  in 
the  natural,  as  the  soul  is  in  man,  the  thought  of  the  under- 
standing in  speech,  and  the  affection  of  the  will  in  action ; 
and  if  it  is  allowable  to  compare  it  with  such  things  as  ap- 
pear before  the  eyes  in  the  natural  world,  the  spiritual  sense 
is  in  the  natural  as  the  whole  brain  is  within  its  meninges 
or  matres,  or  as  the  branches  of  a  tree  are  within  their  inner 
and  outer  barks ;  yes,  as  all  things  needful  for  the  produc- 
tion of  the  little  bird  are  within  the  shell  of  the  egg,  &c. 


No.  194.]  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


325 


But  that  there  is  such  a  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  within 
its  natural  sense,  no  one  as  yet  has  divined ;  it  is  therefore 
necessary  that  this  arcanum  (which  in  itself  stands  pre-em- 
inent above  all  the  other  arcana  hitherto  disclosed)  should 
be  opened  to  the  understanding,  as  it  will  be  when  ex- 
plained in  the  following  order  :  1.  What  the  Spiritual  Sense 
is.  2.  This  sense  is  in  each  and  every  thing  in  the  Word. 
3.  //  is  from  it  that  the  Word  is  divinely  inspired,  and 
holy  in  every  word.  4.  That  sense  has  been  hitherto  un- 
known. 5.  It  will  not  be  given  to  any  one  hereafter  who  is 
not  in  genuine  truths  from  the  Lord.  6.  Wonderfid  things 
concerning  the  Word,  from  its  spiritual  sense.  These  things 
shall  now  be  unfolded  one  by  one. 

194.  (1.)  What  the  Spiritual  Sense  is.  The  spiritual 
sense  is  not  that  which  shines  forth  from  the  sense  of  the 
letter  of  the  Word  when  any  one  is  studying  and  explain- 
ing the  Word  to  confirm  some  dogma  of  the  church :  this 
sense  may  be  called  the  literal  and  ecclesiastical  sense  of 
the  Word  ;  but  if  the  spiritual  sense  does  not  appear  in  the 
sense  of  the  letter  it  is  inwardly  in  it,  as  the  soul  is  in 
the  body,  as  the  thought  of  the  understanding  is  in  the 
eyes,  and  as  the  affection  of  love  is  in  the  face.  It  is  prin- 
cipally that  sense  which  makes  the  Word  spiritual,  not  only 
for  men,  but  also  for  angels ;  wherefore  the  Word  by  that 
sense  communicates  with  the  heavens.  Since  the  Word  is 
inwardly  spiritual,  it  is  therefore  written  by  mere  corre- 
spondences ;  and  what  is  written  by  correspondences,  is  in 
the  ultimate  sense  written  in  a  style  such  as  is  found  in 
the  Prophets,  the  Evangelists,  and  the  Apocalypse ;  which, 
although  it  seems  commonplace,  still  conceals  within  it 
Divine  wisdom,  and  all  angelic  wisdom.  What  correspond- 
ence is,  may  be  seen  in  the  work  concerning  "  Heaven  and 
Hell,"  published  at  London  in  1758,  where  it  treats  of  The 
Correspondence  of  all  the  things  of  heaven  with  all  the  things 
of  man  (n.  87-102),  and  The  Correspondence  of  all  the  things 
of  heaven  with  all  the  things  of  the  earth  (n.  103-T 15).  And 


326 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


it  will  be  seen  more  fully  by  examples  from  the  Word 
presented  below. 

195.  From  the  Lord  proceeds  the  Heavenly  [Celes- 
tial] Divine,  the  Spiritual  Divine,  and  the  Natural 
Divine,  one  after  another.  That  is  called  the  Heavenly 
[Celestial]  Divine  which  proceeds  from  His  Divine  Love, 
and  it  all  is  Good :  that  is  called  the  Spiritual  Divine 
which  proceeds  from  His  Divine  Wisdom,  and  it  all  is 
Truth.  The  Natural  Divine  is  from  both,  and  is  their 
complex  in  the  ultimate.  The  angels  of  the  heavenly  [celes- 
tial] kingdom,  of  whom  is  the  third  or  highest  heaven,  are 
in  the  Divine  which  proceeds  from  the  Lord  that  is  called 
Heavenly  [Celestial] ;  for  they  are  in  the  good  of  love  from 
the  Lord.  The  angels  of  the  Lord's  spiritual  kingdom,  of 
whom  is  the  second  or  middle  heaven,  are  in  the  Divine 
which  proceeds  from  the  Lord  that  is  called  Spiritual;  for 
they  are  in  Divine  wisdom  from  the'  Lord.  The  angels  of 
the  Lord's  natural  kingdom,  of  whom  is  the  first  or  low- 
est heaven,  are  in  the  Divine  which  proceeds  from  the  Lord 
that  is  called  the  Natural  Divine,  and  they  are  in  the  faith 
of  charity  from  the  Lord.  But  the  men  of  the  church  are 
in  one  of  those  kingdoms  according  to  their  love,  wisdom, 
and  faith ;  and  into  that  in  which  they  are,  they  also  come 
after  death.  Such  as  heaven  is,  such  also  is  the  Word  of 
the  Lord  :  in  its  ultimate  sense  it  is  natural,  in  its  interioi 
sense  it  is  spiritual,  and  in  its  inmost  sense  it  is  heavenly 
[celestial],  and  in  each  one  of  these  senses  it  is  Divine ; 
wherefore  it  is  accommodated  to  the  angels  of  the  three 
heavens,  and  also  to  men. 

196.  (2.)  The  Spiritual  Sense  is  i7i  each  and  every  thing 
in  the  Word.  This  cannot  be  seen  better  than  by  exam- 
ples, such  as  the  following :  John  says,  in  the  Apocalypse, 
I  saw  heaven  opetied,  and  behold,  a  white  horse  ;  and  He  that 
sat  upon  him  was  called  Faithful  and  True,  and  in  righteous- 
ness He  doth  judge  and  make  war.  His  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of 
fire,  and  on  His  head  were  many  crowns ;  and  He  had  a  natne 


No.  196.]  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


327 


written,  that  no  one  knotveth  but  He  Himself ;  and  He  was 
clothed  in  a  vesture  dipped  in  blood ;  and  His  name  is  called 
the  Word  of  God.  And  the  armies  in  heaven  followed  Him 
upon  white  horses,  clothed  in  fine  linen,  white  and  clean.  He 
hath  upon  His  vesture  and  upon  His  thigh  a  ?iame  written, 
King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords.  And  I  saw  an  a?igel 
standing  in  the  sun,  and  he  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  Come  and 
gather  yourselves  together  unto  the  great  supper,  that  ye  may 
eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  and  the  flesh  of  captains,  a?id  the  flesh  of 
the  mighty,  and  the  flesh  of  horses,  and  of  them  that  sit  o?i 
them,  and  the  flesh  of  all,  free  and  bond,  small  and  great 
(xix.  11-18).  What  these  things  signify,  no  one  can  see 
but  from  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  \  and  no  one  can 
see  the  spiritual  sense  except  from  a  knowledge  of  corre- 
spondences ;  for  all  the  words  are  correspondences,  and 
no  word  is  without  meaning.  The  science  of  correspond- 
ences teaches  what  is  signified  by  the  white  horse;  what  by 
Hi?n  IVJio  sat  upon  him  ;  what  by  the  eyes  which  were  as  a 
fla?ne  of  fire ;  what  by  the  crowns  upon  His  head ;  what  by 
the  vesture  tinged  with  blood ;  what  by  the  white  fine  linen, 
in  which  they  who  were  of  His  army  in  heaven  were  clothed ; 
what  by  the  angel  standing  in  the  sun  ;  and  what  by  the  great 
supper  to  which  they  were  to  come  and  be  gathered  together  ; 
and  also  what  by  the  flesh  of  kings  and  captains  ;  and  of  many 
other  things  which  they  should  eat.  But  what  each  of  those 
expressions,  in  the  spiritual  sense,  signifies,  may  be  seen  ex- 
plained in  the  "  Apocalypse  Revealed  "  (from  n.  820  to  83S)  ; 
and  also  in  a  little  work  concerning  the  "White  Horse;" 
wherefore  it  is  unnecessary  to  explain  them  further.  In 
these  it  is  shown  that  the  Lord  is  there  described  as  to  the 
Word ;  and  that  by  His  eyes,  which  were  as  a  flame  of  fire, 
is  meant  the  Divine  wisdom  of  His  Divine  love ;  and  by 
the  crowns  which  were  upon  His  head,  and  by  the  name 
which  no  one  knoweth  but  Himself,  are  meant  the  Divine 
truths  of  the  Word  from  Him,  and  that  what  the  Word  is, 
in  its  spiritual  sense,  no  one  sees  but  the  Lord  and  those 


328         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV 


to  whom  He  reveals  it ;  also,  that  by  the  vesture  dipped  in 
blood,  is  meant  the  natural  sense  of  the  Word,  which  is  fhe 
sense  of  its  letter,  to  which  violence  has  been  done.  That 
it  is  the  Word  which  is  thus  described,  is  very  manifest ;  for 
it  is  said,  His  name  is  called  the  Word  of  God.  That  it 
is  the  Lord  Who  is  meant,  is  also  very  manifest ;  for  it  is 
said  that  the  name  of  Him  Who  sat  upon  the  white  hone  ivas 
King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords;  in  like  manner  as  in 
Apoc.  xvii.  14,  where  it  is  said,  And  the  Lamb  shall  over- 
come them,  because  He  is  Lord  of  lords  and  King  of 
kings.  That  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  is  to  be 
opened  at  the  end  of  the  church,  is  signified  not  only  by 
those  things  which  are  said  concerning  the  white  horse 
and  Him  Who  sat  upon  him,  but  also  by  the  great  supper, 
to  which  the  angel  standing  in  the  sun  invited  all  to  come, 
and  eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  and  of  captains,  &c. ;  by  which 
is  signified  the  appropriation  of  all  good  things  from  the 
Lord.  All  the  expressions  there  would  be  empty  words, 
and  without  life  and  spirit,  unless  there  was  a  spiritual 
sense  within  them,  as  the  soul  is  in  the  body. 

197.  In  Apoc.  xxi.,  the  New  Jerusalem  is  thus  described : 
That  in  it  there  was  a  light  like  unto  a  stone  most  precious,  as 
it  were  a  jasper  stone,  shining  like  crystal.  That  it  had  a 
wall  great  and  high,  having  twelve  gates,  and  twelve  angels 
over  the  gates,  and  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  the  sons 
of  Israel  written.  That  the  wall  was  of  a  hundred  and  forty- 
foicr  cubits,  which  is  the  measure  of  a  7nan,  that  is,  of  an 
angel.  That  the  building  of  the  wall  was  jasper,  and  its 
foundations  of  every  precious  stone  ;  of  jasper,  sapphire,  chal- 
cedony, emerald^  sardonyx,  sardius,  chrysolite,  beryl,  topaz, 
chrysoprasus,  jacinth,  and  amethyst.  That  the  gates  were 
twelve  pearls.  That  the  city  itself  was  pure  gold,  like  pure 
glass;  and  that  it  was  four-square,  the  length,  the  breadth, 
and  the  height  equal,  being  twelve  thousand  furlongs ;  besides 
many  other  things.  That  all  these  things  are  to  be  under- 
stood spiritually  may  be  evident  from  this,  that  by  the 


No.  198.J  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE.  329 


New  Jerusalem,  is  meant  a  New  Church,  which  is  to  be 
established  by  the  Lord,  as  is  shown  in  the  "  Apocalypse 
Revealed "  (n.  880) ;  and  because  by  Jerusalem  is  there 
signified  the  church,  it  follows,  that  all  the  things  which 
are  said  of  it  as  a  city  —  of  its  gates,  of  its  wall,  of  the 
foundations  of  the  wall,  also  the  things  which  are  said  of 
their  measures  —  contain  a  spiritual  sense,  since  the  things 
which  are  of  the  church  are  spiritual ;  but  what  they  signify 
has  been  shown  in  the  "  Apocalypse  Revealed "  (from 
n.  896  to  925) ;  wherefore  it  would  be  superfluous  to  demon- 
strate them  further;  it  is  enough  that  it  may  thence  be 
known  that  there  is  a  spiritual  sense  in  the  several  particu- 
lars of  that  description,  as  the  soul  in  the  body ;  and  that 
without  that  sense  nothing  of  the  church  would  be  under- 
stood in  those  things  which  are  written  there ;  as  that  the 
city  was  of  pure  gold,  its  gates  of  pearls,  the  wall  of  jasper, 
the  foundations  of  the  wall  of  precious  stones ;  that  the 
wall  was  of  a  hundred  and  forty-four  cubits,  which  is  the 
measure  of  a  man,  that  is,  of  an  angel ;  and  that  the  city 
was  in  length,  breadth,  and  height,  twelve  thousand  fur- 
longs ;  besides  many  other  things.  But  he,  who  from  a 
knowledge  of  Correspondences  knows  the  spiritual  sense, 
understands  these  things ;  as  that  the  wall  and  its  founda- 
tions signify  the  doctrinals  of  that  church,  from  the  sense 
of  the  letter  of  the  Word;  and  that  the  numbers,  12,  144, 
12,000,  signify  all  things  belonging  to  it,  or  its  truths  and 
goods  in  one  complex. 

198.  Where  the  Lord  speaks  to  His  disciples  of  the 
consummation  of  the  age,  which  is  the  last  time  of  the 
church,  at  the  end  of  the  predictions  concerning  its  sue 
cessive  changes,  He  says  :  Immediately  after  the  affliction  of 
those  days  shall  the  sun  be  darkened,  and  the  moon  shall  not 
give  her  light,  and  the  stars  shall  fall  from  heaven,  and  the 
powers  of  the  heavens  shall  be  shaken  ;  and  then  shall  appear 
the  sign  of  the  Son  of  Man  in  heaven ;  and  then  shall  all 
the  tribes  of  the  earth  mourn,  and  they  shall  see  the  Son  of 


330 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


Man  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  with  power  and  great 
glory.  Afid  He  shall  send  the  angels,  with  a  great  sound 
of  a  trumpet,  and  they  shall  gather  together  His  elect  fro?n 
the  four  winds,  from  one  end  of  the  heavens  even  to  the 
other  (Matt.  xxiv.  29,  30,  31).  By  these  words,  in  the 
spiritual  sense,  it  is  not  meant  that  the  sun  and  moon 
would  be  darkened,  that  the  stars  would  fall  from  heaven, 
and  that  the  sign  of  the  Lord  would  appear  in  the  heavens, 
and  that  they  would  see  Him  in  the  clouds,  and  at  the 
same  time  the  angels  with  trumpets  ;  but  by  every  particu- 
lar word  there  are  meant  spiritual  things  which  are  of  the 
church ;  and  these  things  are  said  concerning  the  state 
of  the  church  at  its  end.  For  in  the  spiritual  sense  by 
the  sun,  which  will  be  darkened,  is  meant  love  to  the  Lord ; 
by  the  moo?i,  which  will  not  give  her  light,  is  meant  faith  in 
Him ;  by  the  stars,  which  will  fall  from  heaven,  are  meant 
cognitions  of  truth  and  good ;  by  the  sign  of  the  Son  of 
Man  i?i  heaven,  is  meant  the  appearing  of  Divine  Truth  in 
the  Word  from  Him  \  by  the  tribes  of  the  earth,  which  shall 
mourn,  is  meant  the  want  of  all  truth  which  is  of  faith,  and 
of  all  good  which  is  of  love  j  by  the  Coming  of  the  Son  of 
Man  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and  glory,  is  meant 
the  Lord's  presence  in  the  Word,  and  revelation  \  by  the 
clouds  of  heaven,  is  signified  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the 
Word,  and  by  glory,  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word ;  by 
the  angels  with  a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet,  is  meant 
heaven,  whence  is  Divine  Truth ;  by  gathering  together  the 
elect  from  the  four  winds,  from  one  e?id  of  the  heavens  to  the 
other,  is  meant  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  church  of  those 
who  have  faith  in  the  Lord  and  live  according  to  His 
commandments.  That  the  darkening  of  the  sun  and  moon 
and  the  falling  of  the  stars  to  the  earth  are  not  meant,  is 
very  manifest  from  the  prophets,  for  in  them  similar  things 
are  said  concerning  the  state  of  the  church,  when  the  Lord 
was  about  to  come  into  the  world  ;  as  in  Isaiah,  Behold, 
the  day  of  jfchovah  will  come,  cruel  both  with  wrath  and 


No.  199.J 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


331 


fierce  anger:  the  stars  of  heaver,  and  the  co?isteIlations 
thereof  shall  not  give  their  light ;  the  sun  shall  be  darkened 
in  his  going  forth,  and  the  moon  shall  not  cause  her  light  to 
shine.  I  will  punish  the  world  for  their  wickedness  (xiii. 
9-1 1  j  also  xxiv.  19-23).  In  Joel,  The  day  of  Jehovah 
cometh,  a  day  of  darkness  and  thick  darkness  ;  the  sun  and 
the  moon  shall  be  dark,  and  the  stars  shall  withdraw  their 
shining  (ii.  1,  2,  10;  also  iii.  15).  In  Ezekiel,  /  will  cover 
the  heavens,  and  make  the  stars  dark ;  I  will  cover  the  sun 
with  a  cloud,  and  the  moon  shall  not  cause  her  light  to  shine. 
All  the  luminaries  of  light  I  will  make  dark,  and  set  dark- 
ness upon  the  earth  (xxxii.  7,  8).  By  the  day  of  Jehovah,  is 
meant  the  Coming  of  the  Lord,  which  was  when  there  was 
no  longer  any  good  of  love  and  truth  of  faith  remaining  in 
the  church,  or  any  cognition  of  the  Lord ;  therefore  it  is 
called  a  day  of  darkness  and  of  thick  darkness. 

199.  That  the  Lord  when  in  the  world  spake  by  cor 
respondences,  thus  that  when  He  spake  naturally  He 
also  spake  spiritually,  may  be  evident  from  His  parables, 
in  the  several  words  of  which  there  is  a  spiritual  sense. 
Let  the  parable  of  the  ten  virgins  be  for  an  example.  He 
said,  The  kingdom  of  the  heavens  is  like  ten  virgins,  who,  tak- 
i?ig  their  lamps,  we?it  forth  to  meet  the  bridegroom  ;  five  of  them 
were  wise,  and  five  were  foolish.  They  that  were  foolish  took 
their  lamps,  and  took  ?io  oil ;  but  the  wise  took  oil  in  their  lamps. 
While  the  bridegroom  tarried,  they  all  sliunbercd  and  slept. 
And  at  midnight  there  was  a  cry  made,  Behold  the  bride- 
groom cometh  ;  go  ye  out  to  meet  him.  Then  all  those  virgins 
arose  a?id  trimmed  their  lamps.  And  the  foolish  said  unto 
the  wise,  Give  us  of  your  oil,  for  our  lamps  are  going  out. 
But  the  wise  a?iswercd,  saying,  Lest  perchance  there  be  not 
enough  for  us  a?id  you,  go  ye  rather  to  them  who  sell,  and  buy 
for  yourselves.  And  while  they  went  to  buy,  the  bridegroom 
came,  and  they  that  were  ready  went  in  with  him  to  the  mar- 
riage; and  the  door  was  shut.  Afterward  came  also  the 
other  virgins,  saying,  Lord,  lord,  open  to  us.     But  he  an 


332 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


swered  and  said,  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  I  know  you  not 
(Matt.  xxv.  1-12).  That  in  these  several  words  there  is  a 
spiritual  sense,  and  thence  a  Divine  Holiness,  no  one  sees 
but  he  who  knows  that  there  is  a  spiritual  sense,  and  what 
its  quality  is.  In  the  spiritual  sense,  by  the  kingdom  of  the 
heavens  is  meant  heaven  and  the  church ;  by  the  bridegroo?n, 
the  Lord ;  by  the  wedding,  the  marriage  of  the  Lord  with 
them,  by  the  good  of  love  and  the  truth  of  faith ;  by  vir- 
gins, those  who  are  of  the  church ;  by  ten,  all ;  by  Jive, 
some ;  by  lamps,  the  things  which  are  of  faith ;  by  oil,  the 
things  which  are  of  the  good  of  love ;  by  sleeping  and 
rising,  the  life  of  man  in  the  world,  which  is  natural,  and 
his  life  after  death,  which  is  spiritual ;  by  buying,  to  pro- 
cure for  themselves  ;  by  going  to  them  that  sell  and  buying 
oil,  to  procure  for  themselves  the  good  of  love  from  others 
after  death  \  and  because  then  it  is  no  longer  procured, 
therefore,  though  they  came  with  lamps  and  the  oil  which 
they  had  bought  to  the  door  where  the  wedding  was,  still 
it  was  said  to  them  by  the  bridegroom,  /  know  you  not. 
The  reason  is,  because  man  remains,  after  the  life  in  the 
world,  such  as  he  had  lived  in  the  world.  From  these 
examples,  it  is  manifest  that  the  Lord  spake  by  mere  cor- 
respondences, and  this  because  He  spake  from  the  Divine 
which  was  in  Him,  and  was  His.  Because  virgins  signify 
those  who  are  of  the  church,  therefore  so  often  in  the 
prophetical  Word  it  is  said,  the  virgin  and  the  daughter  of 
Zion,  of  Jerusalem,  of  Judah,  of  Israel.  And  because  oil 
signifies  the  good  of  love,  therefore  all  the  holy  things  of  the 
church  were  anointed  with  oil.  It  is  similar  in  the  rest  of 
the  parables,  and  in  all  the  words  which  the  Lord  spake. 
Thence  it  is  that  the  Lord  says  that  His  words  are  spirit 
and  are  life  (John  vi.  63). 

200.  (3.)  //  is  from  the  Spiritual  Sense  that  the  Word 
is  divinely  inspired,  and  holy  in  every  word.  It  is  said 
in  the  church  that  the  Word  is  holy,  and  this  because 
Jehovah  the  Lord  spake  it ;  but  inasmuch  as  its  holi- 


No.  200.]  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


333 


ness  is  not  apparent  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  alone, 
any  one  who  for  that  reason  once  has  doubts  concerning 
its  holiness,  when  he  afterwards  reads  the  Word  confirms 
himself  in  them  by  many  things  therein ;  for  he  says  to 
himself,  "  Is  this  holy  ?  Is  this  Divine  ? "  Lest,  there- 
fore, such  a  thought  should  flow  in  with  many,  and  after- 
ward grow  stronger,  and  the  Word  should  therefore  be 
rejected  as  a  worthless  writing,  and  the  conjunction  of  the 
Lord  with  man,  by  means  of  it,  should  perish,  it  has 
pleased  the  Lord  now  to  reveal  its  spiritual  sense,  in  order 
that  it  may  be  known  where  in  the  Word  the  Divine  holi- 
ness is  concealed.  But  let  examples  illustrate  this.  The 
Word  treats  sometimes  of  Egypt,  sometimes  of  Assyria, 
sometimes  of  Edom,  of  Moab,  of  the  sons  of  Amnion,  of 
the  Philistines,  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  and  of  Gog.  He  who 
does  not  know  that  by  their  names  are  signified  things 
pertaining  to  heaven  and  the  church  may  be  led  into  the 
error  that  the  Word  treats  much  of  peoples  and  nations, 
and  but  little  of  heaven  and  the  church ;  thus  much  of 
worldly,  and  little  of  heavenly  things ;  but  when  he  knows 
what  is  signified  by  them,  or  by  their  names,  he  may  be 
led  back  from  error  into  the  truth.  In  like  manner,  while 
he  sees  that  in  the  Word  are  so  often  mentioned  gardens, 
groves,  forests,  aad  their  trees,  as  the  olive,  the  vine,  the 
cedar,  the  poplar,  and  the  oak  j  and  so  often  the  lamb,  the 
sheep,  the  goat,  the  calf,  the  ox ;  and  also  mountains,  hills, 
valleys,  and  the  fountains,  rivers,  and  waters  in  them,  and 
many  such  things ;  he  who  knows  nothing  of  the  spiritual 
sense  of  the  WTord,  cannot  but  believe  that  only  those 
things  are  meant ;  for  he  does  not  know  that  by  a  garden, 
grove,  and  forest,  are  meant  wisdom,  intelligence,  and 
knowledge ;  that  by  an  olive,  vine,  cedar,  poplar,  and  oak, 
are  meant  the  good  and  truth  of  the  church,  heavenly 
\celestial\  spiritual,  rational,  natural,  and  sensual  ;  that  by 
a  lamb,  a  sheep,  a  goat,  a  calf,  an  ox,  are  meant  innocence, 
charity,  and  natural  affection  ;  that  by  mountains,  hills,  and 


334         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


valleys,  are  meant  the  higher,  the  lower,  and  the  lowest 
things  of  the  church ;  also  that  by  Egypt  is  signified  the 
scientific ;  by  Assyria,  the  rational ;  by  Edom,  the  natural ; 
by  Moab,  the  adulteration  of  good  •  by  the  sons  of  Am- 
nion, the  adulteration  of  truth  :  by  the  Philistines,  faith 
without  charity ;  by  Tyre  and  Sidon,  the  cognitions  of 
good  and  truth  \  by  Gog,  external  worship  without  internal. 
In  general,  by  Jacob,  in  the  Word,  is  meant  the  natural 
church ;  by  Israel,  the  spiritual  church  j  and  by  Judah,  the 
heavenly  [celestial']  church.  When  a  man  knows  all  these 
things,  he  is  then  able  to  think  that  the  Word  treats  only 
of  heavenly  things,  and  that  those  worldly  things  are  only 
the  subjects  in  which  are  the  heavenly.  But  an  example 
from  the  Word  may  illustrate  this  also.  We  read  in  Isaiah, 
In  that  day  shall  there  be  a  highway  out  of  Egypt  into  As- 
syria, that  Assyria  may  co??ie  into  Egypt,  and  Egypt  into 
Assyria;  and  that  the  Egyptians  may  serve  with  Assy- 
ria. In  that  day  shall  Israel  be  the  third  with  Egypt  and 
Assyria,  a  blessing  in  the  midst  of  the  land ;  whom  Jehovah 
Zebaoth  shall  bless,  saying,  Blessed  be  My  people  Egypt,  and 
Assyria,  the  work  of  My  hands,  and  Israel,  Mine  inheritance 
(xix.  23-25).  By  these  words  in  the  spiritual  sense  is 
meant,  that  at  the  time  of  the  Coming  of  the  Lord,  the 
scientific,  the  rational,  and  the  spiritual*  will  make  one, 
and  that  then  the  scientific  will  serve  the  rational,  and  they 
both  will  serve  the  spiritual ;  for,  as  was  said,  by  Egypt  is 
signified  the  scientific,  by  Assyria  the  rational,  and  by  Israel 
the  spiritual ;  by  the  day  twice  mentioned,  is  meant  the 
first  and  the  second  Qoming  of  the  Lord. 

201.  (4.)  The  Spiritual  Sense  of  the  Word  has  bee?i  hitherto 
unknown.  That  all  things  and  each  thing  in  nature  corre- 
spond to  spiritual  things,  and  in  like  manner  all  things 
and  each  thing  in  the  human  body,  has  been  shown 
in  the  work  concerning  "  Heaven  and  Hell  "  (n.  87-105). 
But  what  Correspondence  is,  has  been  hitherto  unknown ; 
but  in  most  ancient  times,  it  was  very  well  known  ;  for 


NO.  202.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


335 


to  those  who  then  lived,  a  knowledge  of  correspondences  was 
the  knowledge  of  knowledges,  and  was  so  universal  that  all 
their  manuscripts  and  books  were  written  by  correspond- 
ences. The  book  of  Job,  which  is  a  book  of  the  ancient 
church,  is  full  of  correspondences.  The  hieroglyphics  of 
i he  Egyptians,  and  also  the  fabulous  stories  of  the  earliest 
times,  were  correspondences.  All  the  ancient  churches 
were  churches  representative  of  spiritual  things.  Their 
rites,  and  also  the  statutes  according  to  which  their  wor- 
ship was  instituted,  consisted  of  mere  correspondences, 
so  did  all  things  of  the  church  with  the  sons  of  Israel. 
The  burnt-offerings,  sacrifices,  meat-offerings,  and  drink- 
offerings,  with  every  thing  pertaining  to  them,  were  cor- 
respondences j  likewise  the  tabernacle  with  all  the  things 
in  it;  and  also  their  feasts,  as  the  feast  of  unleavened 
bread,  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  and  the  feast  of  the  first- 
fruits  ;  also  the  priesthood  of  Aaron  and  the  Levites,  as  also 
their  garments  of  holiness  j  but  what  the  spiritual  things 
were  to  which  all  these  things  corresponded  has  been 
shown  in  the  "Arcana  Ccelestia,"  published  at  London. 
Besides  these,  all  the  statutes  and  judgments  which  con- 
cerned their  worship  and  life  were  also  correspondences. 
Now  because  Divine  things  present  themselves  in  the 
world  in  correspondences,  therefore  the  Word  was  written 
by  mere  correspondences  ;  wherefore  the  Lord,  because 
He  spake  from  the  Divine,  spake  by  correspondences ;  for 
that  which  is  from  the  Divine  falls  into  such  things  in  nat- 
ure as  correspond  to  Divine  things,  and  which  then  store 
up  in  their  bosom  Divine  things  which  are  called  heavenly 
[celestial]  and  spiritual. 

202.  I  have  been  instructed  that  the  men  of  the  most 
ancient  church,  which  was  before  the  flood,  were  of  a 
genius  so  heavenly  that  they  spoke  with  the  angels  of 
heaven,  and  that  they  were  able  to  speak  with  them  by 
correspondences :  thence  the  state  of  their  wisdom  became 
such  that  whatever  they  saw  on  earth  they  thought  of  it 


336 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


not  only  naturally,  but  also  spiritually  at  the  same  time  ; 
thus  also  conjointly  with  the  angels  of  heaven.  Further- 
more, I  have  been  informed  that  Enoch,  of  whom  mention 
is  made  in  Genesis  (v.  21-24),  with  his  associates,  collected 
correspondences  from  the  lips  of  those  people,  and  trans- 
mitted the  knowledge  of  them  to  posterity;  in  consequence 
of  which,  the  science  of  correspondences  was  not  only 
known,  but  it  was  also  cultivated,  in  many  kingdoms  of 
Asia,  especially  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  Egypt,  Assyria, 
Chaldea,  Syria,  Arabia,  Tyre,  Sidon,  and  Nineveh,  and 
was  thence  carried  into  Greece ;  but  there  it  was  turned 
into  fabulous  tales,  as  is  evident  from  the  writings  of  the 
most  ancient  authors  there. 

203.  That  it  may  be  seen  that  the  knowledge  of  corre- 
spondences was  long  preserved  among  the  nations  of 
Asia,  but  among  those  who  were  called  diviners  and  sages, 
and,  by  some,  Magi,  I  will  present  one  example  from  1  Sam. 
v.  and  vi.  It  is  there  recorded  that  the  ark,  in  which  were 
the  two  tables  on  which  the  decalogue  was  written,  was 
captured  by  the  Philistines,  and  placed  in  the  temple  of 
Dagon  at  Ashdod,  and  that  Dagon  fell  to  the  ground  be- 
fore it,  and  afterwards  his  head  and  the  palms  of  his 
hands,  severed  from  his  body,  lay  upon  the  threshold  of 
the  temple ;  and  that  on  account  of  the  ark,  the  men  of 
Ashdod  and  Ekron  were  smitten  by  thousands  with  em- 
erods,  and  their  land  laid  waste  by  mice.  The  Philistines 
therefore  called  together  the  princes  and  diviners,  and  in 
order  to  prevent  their  destruction  they  determined  to  make 
five  emerods  and  five  mice  out  of  gold,  also  a  new  cart,  and 
upon  this  to  place  the  ark,  and  near  it  the  emerods  and 
mice  of  gold ;  and,  by  two  cows  which  lowed  in  the  way 
before  the  cart,  to  send  back  the  ark  to  the  sons  of  Israel, 
by  whom  the  cows  and  the  cart  were  ofTered  in  sacrifice, 
and  so  the  God  of  Israel  was  propitiated.  That  all  these 
things,  studied  out  by  the  diviners  of  the  Philistines,  were 
correspondences,  is  evident  from  their  signification,  which 


No.  205.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


337 


is  as  follows :  The  Philistines  themselves  signified  those 
who  are  in  faith  separate  from  charity ;  Dagon  represented 
that  religious  system;  the  emerods  with  which  they  were 
smitten,  signified  natural  loves,  which  separate  from 
spiritual  love  are  unclean ;  and  the  mice  signified  the  dev- 
astation of  the  church  by  falsifications  of  the  truth ;  the 
new  cart  signified  natural  doctrine  of  the  church  (for  doc- 
trine from  spiritual  truths  is  signified  in  the  Word  by 
chariot)  :  the  cows  signified  good  natural  affections ;  the 
emerods  of  gold  signified  natural  loves  purified  and  made 
good  ;  the  mice  of  gold  signified  the  vastation  of  the  church 
removed  by  good  (for  gold  in  the  Word  signifies  good) ; 
the  lowing  of  the  cows  in  the  way  signified  the  difficult 
conversion  of  the  natural  man's  lusts  of  evil  into  good 
affections  j  the  offering  of  the  cows  together  with  the  cart 
for  a  whole  burnt-offering,  signified  that  thus  the  God  of 
Israel  was  propitiated.  All  these  things,  which  the  Philis- 
tines did  by  the  persuasion  of  their  diviners,  were  corre- 
spondences j  from  which  it  is  manifest  that  a  knowledge  of 
them  was  long  preserved  among  the  Gentiles. 

204.  Since  the  representative  rites  of  the  church,  which 
were  correspondences,  in  the  course  of  time  began  to  be 
turned  into  what  was  idolatrous  and  also  into  what  was 
magical,  that  knowledge,  by  the  Divine  Providence  of  the 
Lord,  was  then  gradually  lost,  and,  with  the  nation  of  Israel 
and  Judah,  was  totally  obliterated.  The  worship  of  this 
nation  did  indeed  consist  of  mere  correspondences,  and 
was  therefore  representative  of  heavenly  things ;  but  still 
they  did  not  know  what  any  thing  signified,  for  they  were 
wholly  natural  men,  and  consequently  they  would  not 
and  could  not  know  any  thing  concerning  spiritual  and 
heavenly  things  ;  nor  therefore  any  thing  concerning  cor- 
respondences ;  for  correspondences  are  representations  of 
spiritual  and  heavenly  things  in  natural  things. 

205.  The  idolatries  of  nations  in  ancient  times  had  their 
origin  from  a  knowledge  of  correspondences,  because  all 

vol.  l  15 


338         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    TChap.  IV 


things  which  appear  upon  the  earth  correspond ;  thus  not 
only  trees,  but  also  beasts  and  birds  of  every  kind,  also 
fishes  and  all  other  things.  The  ancients  who  had  a 
knowledge  of  correspondences,  made  for  themselves  im- 
ages which  corresponded  to  heavenly  things,  and  wefe 
delighted  with  them  because  they  signified  such  things  as 
were  of  heaven  and  the  church ;  and  therefore  they  placed 
them  not  only  in  their  temples  but  also  in  their  houses, 
not  to  adore  them,  but  to  call  to  mind  the  heavenly  things 
which  they  signified.  Therefore  in  Egypt  and  elsewhere 
there  were  images  of  calves,  oxen,  serpents,  also  of  boys, 
old  men,  and  virgins ;  because  calves  and  oxen  signified 
the  affections  and  powers  of  the  natural  man ;  serpents, 
the  prudence  and  also  the  cunning  of  the  sensual  man  ; 
boys,  innocence  and  charity ;  old  men,  wisdom  ;  and  vir- 
gins, affections  for  truth ;  and  so  on.  Their  posterity, 
when  the  knowledge  of  correspondences  was  obliterated, 
began  to  worship  as  holy,  and  at  length  as  deities,  the 
images  and  figures  set  up  by  the  ancients,  because  they 
were  in  their  temples  and  near  them.  Hence  also  the 
ancients  had  worship  in  gardens  and  in  groves,  according  to 
the  kinds  of  trees  in  them  ;  also  on  mountains  and  hills  ;  for 
gardens  and  groves  signified  wisdom  and  intelligence,  and 
each  particular  tree  signified  something  pertaining  to  wis- 
dom and  intelligence  ;  thus  the  olive  signified  the  good  of 
love ;  the  vine,  truth  from  that  good ;  the  cedar,  rational 
good  and  truth  \  a  mountain,  the  highest  heaven  :  and  a 
hill,  the  heaven  below  that.  That  the  knowledge  of  cor- 
respondences remained  with  many  of  the  people  of  the 
East  even  to  the  Coming  of  the  Lord,  is  also  evident  from 
the  wise  men  from  the  east,  who  came  to  the  Lord  when  He 
was  born  •  wherefore  a  star  went  before  them,  and  they 
brought  with  them  gifts,  gold,  frankincense,  and  myrrh 
(Matt.  ii.  i,  2,  9,  io,  n);  for  the  star  which  went  before 
them  signified  knowledge  from  heaven ;  the  gold  signified 
heavenly  \cclestiaf\  good ;  the  frankincense,  spiritual  good  \ 


No.  206.I 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


339 


and  the  myrrh,  natural  good ;  from  which  three  is  all  wor- 
ship. But  still  with  the  nation  of  Israel  and  Judah  there 
was  no  knowledge  whatever  of  correspondences,  although 
every  thing  pertaining  to  their  worship,  and  all  the  statutes 
and  judgments  given  them  by  Moses,  and  all  the  things 
of  the  Word,  were  mere  correspondences.  This  was  be- 
cause they  were  in  heart  idolaters,  and  therefore  such  that 
they  were  not  even  willing  to  know  that  any  thing  in  their 
worship  signified  what  is  heavenly  and  spiritual ;  for  they 
believed  that  all  those  things  were  holy  in  themselves ; 
therefore,  if  heavenly  and  spiritual  things  had  been  dis- 
closed to  them  they  would  not  only  have  rejected,  but 
would  also  have  profaned  them  ;  wherefore  heaven  was  so 
closed  to  them  that  they  scarcely  knew  that  there  was  any 
eternal  life.  That  this  is  so  is  very  manifest  from  the  fact 
that  they  did  not  acknowledge  the  Lord,  although  all  the 
Sacred  Scripture  prophesied  concerning  Him,  and  for*, told 
His  Coming.  They  rejected  Him  for  the  sole  reason  that 
He  taught  them  of  a  heavenly  and  not  of  an  earthly  king- 
dom ;  for  they  wished  for  a  Messiah  who  would  exalt  them 
above  all  the  nations  in  the  whole  world,  and  not  for  any 
Messiah  who  would  provide  for  their  eternal  safety. 

206.  The  science  of  correspondences,  through  which  is 
given  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  was  not  disclosed 
after  those  times,  because  the  Christians  of  the  primitive 
church  were  so  very  simple  that  it  could  not  be  dis- 
closed to  them ;  for,  if  disclosed,  it  would  have  been  of 
no  use  to  them,  nor  would  it  have  been  understood. 
After  their  times,  darkness  spread  over  all  the  Christian 
world ;  first  by  the  heretical  opinions  of  many  that  were 
scattered  abroad,  and  soon  after  by  the  deliberations  and 
decrees  of  the  Council  of  Nice,  respecting  three  Divine 
persons  from  eternity,  and  concerning  the  person  of  Christ 
as  the  son  of  Mary  and  not  as  the  Son  of  Jehovah  God. 
Thence  originated  the  present  faith  of  justification,  in  which 
three  Gods  are  approached  in  their  order;  on  which  faith 


340         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


the  things  of  the  church  are  at  this  day  dependent,  all  and 
every  one  of  them,  as  the  members  of  the  body  depend  on 
their  head ;  and  as  all  things  of  the  Word  have  been  applied 
to  confirm  this  erroneous  faith,  the  spiritual  sense  could  not 
be  disclosed  ;  for,  if  it  had  been,  they  would  have  applied 
this  sense  also  to  that  faith,  and  thereby  would  have  pro- 
faned the  very  holiness  of  the  Word  •  and  so  they  would 
have  wholly  closed  heaven  against  themselves,  and  would 
have  removed  the  Lord  from  the  church. 

207.  The  science  of  correspondences,  through  which  the 
spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  is  given,  has  been  revealed  at 
this  day,  because  now  the  Divine  truths  of  the  church  are 
coming  forth  into  the  light,  and  of  these  the  spiritual  sense 
of  the  Word  consists ;  and  while  these  are  in  man,  the  sense 
of  the  letter  of  the  Word  cannot  be  perverted.  For  the 
sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  can  be  turned  hither  and 
thither;  but  if  it  is  turned  to  the  false,  then  its  internal 
holiness  perishes,  and  with  it  the  external ;  but  if  turned  to 
what  is  true,  its  holiness  remains.  But  of  this  more  will  be 
said  in  the  following  pages.  That  the  spiritual  sense  would 
be  opened  at  this  time,  is  meant  by  John's  seeing  heaven 
open,  and  then  seeing  a  white  horse  ;  and  also  by  his  seeing 
and  hearing  that  an  angel,  standing  in  the  sun,  called  all 
together  to  a  great  supper  (concerning  which  see  Apoc. 
xix.  11-18).  But  that  for  a  long  time  it  would  not  be  ac- 
knowledged, is  meant  by  the  beast  and  by  the  kings  of  the 
earth  who  were  to  make  war  with  Him  Who  sat  upon  the 
white  horse  (Apoc.  xix.  19) ;  as  also  by  the  dragon,  that  he 
persecuted  the  woman  who  brought  forth  the  son,  even  into 
the  wilderness,  and  there  cast  forth  from  his  mouth  waters 
as  a  flood  that  he  might  drown  her  (Apoc.  xii.  13-17). 

208.  (5.)  The  Spiritual  Sense  of  the  Word  will  not  be 
given  to  any  o?ie  hereafter  who  is  fiot  in  genuine  Truths  from 
the  Lord.  The  reason  is  that  no  one  can  see  the  spiritual 
sense  except  from  the  Lord  alone,  and  unless  he  is  in 
Divine  truths  from  the  Lord ;  for  the  spiritual  sense  of  the 


No.  209. 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


341 


Word  treats  of  the  Lord  alone,  and  of  His  kingdom ;  and 
that  is  the  sense  in  which  His  angels  in  heaven  are,  for  it 
is  His  Divine  truth  there.  A  man  can  violate  this  if  he 
has  a  knowledge  of  correspondences,  and  wishes  by  it  to 
investigate  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  from  His  own 
intelligence ;  for  by  means  of  some  correspondences  known 
to  him  he  can  pervert  that  sense,  and  force  it  to  confirm 
even  what  is  false ;  and  this  would  be  doing  violence  to 
Divine  truth,  and  thus  also  to  heaven  in  which  it  has  its 
habitation.  Wherefore,  if  any  one  wishes,  from  himself  and 
not  from  the  Lord,  to  open  that  sense,  heaven  is  closed  \ 
and  when  it  is  closed  man  either  sees  nothing  of  truth,  or 
becomes  spiritually  insane.  The  reason  also  is  that  the 
Lord  teaches  every  one  by  the  Word,  and  He  teaches  him 
from  the  cognitions  which  are  with  the  man,  and  does  not 
infuse  new  ones  immediately.  Wherefore  if  man  is  not  in 
Divine  truths,  or  if  he  is  in  only  a  few  truths  and  at  the 
same  time  is  in  falsities,  he  may  by  these  falsify  the  truths, 
as  is  also  done  by  every  heretic  with  the  sense  of  the  letter 
of  the  Word.  Lest,  therefore,  any  one  should  enter  into 
the  spiritual  sense,  and  should  pervert  the  genuine  truth 
which  is  of  that  sense,  guards  are  placed  by  the  Lord,  which 
are  meant  in  the  Word  by  cherubs. 

209.  (6.)  Wonderful  things  concerni?ig  the  Word,  from  its 
Spiritual  Sense.  In  the  natural  world  no  wonderful  things 
exist  from  the  Word,  because  the  spiritual  sense  does  not 
there  appear,  nor  is  it  inwardly  received  by  man,  such  as 
it  is  in  itself ;  but  in  the  spiritual  world,  wonderful  things 
appear  from  the  Word  because  all  there  are  spiritual,  and 
spiritual  things  affect  the  spiritual  man  as  natural  things 
the  natural  man.  The  wonderful  things  which  exist  in 
the  spiritual  world,  from  the  Word,  are  many;  a  few  of 
which  I  will  here  mention.  The  Word  itself,  in  the  shrines 
of  the  temples  there,  shines  before  the  eyes  of  the  angels 
like  a  great  star,  and  sometimes  like  the  sun  ;  and  also, 
from  the  bright  radiance  round  about  it,  there  appear 


342 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


as  it  were  most  beautiful  rainbows ;  this  happens  as  soon 
as  a  shrine  is  opened.  That  the  truths  of  the  Word 
each  and  all  are  shining,  was  made  evident  to  me  from 
this,  that  when  any  single  verse  of  the  Word  is  written 
out  upon  paper,  and  this  is  thrown  into  the  air,  the  paper 
itself  shines  in  the  form  in  which  it  was  cut ;  wherefore 
spirits  are  able  to  produce  by  the  Word  various  shining 
forms,  even  those  of  birds  and  fishes.  And.  what  is  still 
more  wonderful,  when  any  one  rubs  the  face,  the  hands,  or 
the  clothes  which  he  has'  on,  with  the  open  Word,  touching 
them  with  its  writing,  the  face  itself,  the  hands,  and  the 
clothes  shine,  as  if  he  were  standing  in  a  star,  surrounded 
with  its  light.  This  I  have  often  seen  and  wondered  at ; 
from  which  it  was  plain  to  me  whence  it  was  that  the  face 
of  Moses  shone  when  he  brought  the  tables  of  the  covenant 
down  from  mount  Sinai. 

Besides  these,  there  are  many  other  wonderful  things 
there,  which  are  from  the  Word ;  as,  for  instance,  if  any 
one  who  is  in  falsities  looks  at  the  Word  as  it  lies  in  the 
holy  place,  thick  darkness  spreads  before  his  eyes,  and  con- 
sequently the  Word  appears  to  him  black,  and  sometimes 
as  if  covered  over  with  soot ;  but,  if  he  also  touches  the 
Word,  there  comes  an  explosion  with  a  crash,  and  he  is 
thrown  to  a  corner  of  the  room,  and  for  a  brief  hour  he 
lies  there  as  if  he  were  dead.  If  some  thing  from  the  Word 
is  written  on  paper  by  any  one  who  is  in  falsities,  and  the 
paper  is  thrown  up  toward  heaven,  then  in  the  air,  between 
his  eye  and  heaven,  there  comes  a  similar  explosion,  and 
the  paper  is  torn  to  atoms  and  vanishes :  the  same  takes 
place  if  the  paper  is  thrown  towards  an  angel  *  who  stands 
near :  this  I  have  often  seen.  Thence  it  was  manifest  to 
me,  that  those  who  are  in  falsities  of  doctrine  have  no  com- 
munication with  heaven  by  means  of  the  Word ;  but  that 
their  reading  is  dispersed  in  the  way,  and  perishes,  like 

*  The  Latin  here  reads  unguium,  a  corner.  This  is  believed  to  be 
a  misprint  for  angclum,  an  angel. 


No.  210.]  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


343 


gunpowder  enclosed  in  paper,  when  it  is  set  on  fire  and 
thrown  into  the  air.  The  contrary  happens  with  those  who 
are  in  truths  of  doctrine  from  the  Lord  through  the  Word : 
their  reading  of  the  Word  penetrates  even  into  heaven,  and 
makes  conjunction  with  the  angels  there.  The  angels  them- 
selves, when  they  descend  from  heaven  to  discharge  any 
duty  below,  appear  encompassed  with  little  stars,  especially 
about  the  head  ;  which  is  a  sign  that  Divine  truths  from  the. 
Word  are  in  them. 

Furthermore,  in  the  spiritual  world  there  are  things  simi- 
lar to  those  which  are  upon  earth,  but  all  and  every  thing 
there  is  from  a  spiritual  origin ;  so  there  are  also  gold  and 
silver,  and  precious  stones  of  every  kind,  and  their  spiritual 
origin  is  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word.  Therefore 
in  the  Apocalypse  the  foundations  of  the  wall  of  the  New 
Jerusalem  are  described  by  precious  stones  the  reason  is 
that  by  the  foundations  of  its  wall  are  signified  the  doc- 
trinals  of  the  New  Church,  from  the  sense  of  the  letter  of 
the  Word.  For  the  same  reason  also  in  Aaron's  ephod 
there  were  also  twelve  precious  stones,  called  Urim  and 
Thummim,  and  by  means  of  these  answers  were  given  from 
heaven.  Besides  these,  there  are  many  other  wonderful 
things  from  the  Word  which  concern  the  power  of  truth 
there,  which  is  so  immense,  that,  if  described  it  would  sur- 
pass all  belief.  For  the  power  is  such  as  to  overturn  moun- 
tains and  hills  there,  to  remove  them  far  away,  and  cast 
them  into  the  sea ;  beside  many  other  things.  In  short, 
the  Lord's  power  from  the  Word  is  infinite. 

III.  The  Sense  of  the  Letter  ok  the  Word  is  the 
Basis,  the  Container,  and  the  Support  of  its 
Spiritual  and  Heavenly  [Celestial]  Sense. 

210.  In  every  thing  Divine,  there  is  a  first,  a  mediate,  and 
an  ultimate ;  and  the  first  goes  through  the  mediate  to  the 
ultimate,  and  so  exists  and  subsists;  hence  the  ultimate  is 


344         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


the  basis.  The  first,  also,  is  in  the  mediate,  and  through 
the  mediate  in  the  ultimate  \  thus  the  ultimate  is  the  con- 
tainer. And  because  the  ultimate  is  the  container  and  the 
basis,  it  is  also  the  support.  It  is  comprehended  by  one 
who  is  well  educated,  that  these  three  may  be  named  end, 
cause,  and  effect;  and  also  esse  [to  he],  fieri  [to  become],  and 
existere  [to  exist] ;  and  that  the  end  is  the  esse,  the  cause 
the  fieri,  and  the  effect  the  existere ;  consequently,  that  in 
every  complete  thing  there  is  a  trine,  which  is  called  the 
first,  the  mediate,  and  the  ultimate;  also  end,  cause,  and 
effect.  When  these  things  are  comprehended,  it  is  also 
comprehended  that  every  Divine  work  is  complete  and  per- 
fect in  the  ultimate ;  and,  likewise,  that  the  all  is  in  the  ulti- 
mate, because  in  it  the  two  prior  [elements]  are  together. 

211.  It  is  from  this,  that  by  three,  in  the  Word,  in  the 
spiritual  sense  is  meant  what  is  complete  and  perfect,  and 
also  all  at  once ;  and  because  this  is  the  signification  of 
that  number,  it  is  used  in  the  Word  whenever  any  such 
thing  is  designated,  as  in  these  passages :  Isaiah  went 
naked  and  barefoot  three  years  (Isa.  xx.  3).  Jehovah 
called  Samuel  three  times,  and  Samuel  ?-an  three  times 
to  Eli,  and  Eli  the  third  time  widerstood  (1  Sam.  iii.  1-8). 
Jonathan  told  David  to  hide  himself  in  the  field  three  days, 
and  Jonathan  afterwards  shot  three  arrows  on  the  side  of 
a  stone ;  a?id  David  then  bowed  himself  three  times  before 
Jonathan  (xx.  5,  12-42).  Elijah  stretched  himself  THREE 
times  upon  the  widow \f  son  (1  Kings  xvii.  21).  Elijah 
commanded  that  they  should  pour  water  upon  the  burnt-offer- 
ing three  times  (xviii.  34).  Jesus  said  that  the  kingdom  of 
the  heavens  is  like  unto  leaven,  which  a  woman  took  and  hid 
in  three  measures  of  meal,  till  the  whole  was  leavened 
(Matt.  xiii.  33).  Jesus  said  to  Peter,  that  he  would  deny  Him 
three  times  (xxvi.  34).  Jesus  said  three  times  to  Peter, 
Loves t  thou  Me?  (John  xxi.  15-17).  Jonah  was  in  the  belly 
of  a  whale  three  days  and  three  nights  (Jon.  i.  17). 
Jesus  said,  Destroy  this  Tc?nple,  and  I  7vill  raise  it  up  in 


No.  213.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


345 


three  days  (John  ii.  19 ;  Matt.  xxvi.  61).  Jesus ,  in  Geth- 
semane, prayed  three  times  (Matt.  xxvi.  39-44).  Jesus  rose 
again  the  third  day  (Matt,  xxviii.  1) :  besides  other  places, 
where  the  number  three  is  used ;  and  it  is  used  where  a  work 
finished  and  perfect  is  treated  of,  because  this  is  what  that 
number  signifies. 

212.  There  are  three  heavens,  a  highest,  a  middle,  and 
a  lowest.  The  highest  heaven  makes  the  Lord's  heav- 
enly [celestial]  kingdom,  the  middle  heaven  His  spiritual 
kingdom,  and  the  lowest  heaven  His  natural  kingdom. 
Just  as  there  are  three  heavens,  so  there  are  three  senses 
of  the  Word,  the  heavenly  [celestial],  the  spiritual,  and  the 
natural ;  with  which  also  those  things  agree  which  were 
said  above  (n.  210),  namely,  that  the  first  is  in  the  mediater 
and,  through  the  mediate,  in  the  ultimate ;  just  as  the  end 
is  in  the  cause,  and  through  the  cause  in  the  effect.  The 
nature  of  the  Word  is  thus  manifest,  namely,  that  in  the 
sense  of  its  letter,  which  is  natural,  there  is  an  interior  sense 
which  is  spiritual,  and  in  this  an  inmost  sense  which  is  heav- 
enly [celestial'] ;  and  thus  that  the  ultimate  sense, which  is 
natural,  and  is  called  the  sense  of  the  letter,  is  the  container, 
and  so  the  basis  and  support,  of  the  two  interior  senses. 

213.  Hence  it  follows  that  the  Word  without  the  sens^ 
of  its  letter  would  be  like  a  palace  without  a  foundation, 
thus  like  a  palace  in  the  air  and  not  upon  the  earth,  which 
would  be  only  the  shadow  of  a  palace  that  would  vanish 
away ;  also  that  the  Word  without  the  sense  of  its  lettei 
would  be  like  a  temple  in  which  are  many  holy  things,  and 
in  the  midst  of  it  the  shrine,  but  without  roof  or  wall,  which 
are  its  containers ;  and  if  these  were  wanting,  or  if  they 
were  taken  away,  its  holy  things  would  be  seized  upon  by 
thieves,  and  violated  by  the  beasts  of  the  earth  and  the 
birds  of  heaven,  and  thus  they  would  be  dissipated.  It 
would  also  be  like  the  tabernacle  of  the  children  of  Israel 
in  the  wilderness  (in  the  inmost  part  of  which  was  the  ark 
of  the  covenant,  and  in  the  middle  the  golden  candlestick, 

'5* 


346         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


the  golden  altar,  on  which  was  the  incense,  and  also  the 
table  upon  which  the  show-bread  was  placed),  without  its 
ultimates,  which  were  the  curtains,  veils,  and  pillars.  In- 
deed, the  Word  without  the  sense  of  its  letter  would  be 
like  the  human  body  without  its  coverings,  which  are  called 
skins,  and  without  its  supports,  which  are  called  bones ; 
without  both  of  which  all  the  inner  parts  of  it  would  fall 
asunder.  It  would  also  be  like  the  heart  and  the  lungs  in 
the  thorax  without  their  covering  which  is  called  the  pleura, 
and  their  supports  which  are  called  ribs ;  or  like  the  brain 
without  its  coverings  which  are  called  the  dura  mater  and 
pia  mater,  and  without  its  general  covering,  container  and 
support,  which  is  called  the  skull.  So  would  it  be  with  the 
Word  without  the  sense  of  its  letter ;  wherefore  it  is  said 
in  Isaiah  (iv.  5),  that  Jehovah  creates  upon  all  the  glory  a 
covering  [or  defence']. 

IV.  Divine  Truth,  in  the  Sense  of  the  Letter  of 
the  Word,  is  in  its  Fulness,  in  its  Holiness, 
and  in  its  Power. 

214.  The  Word  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  is  in  its  fulness, 
in  its  holiness,  and  in  its  power,  because  the  two  prior  or  in- 
terior senses,  which  are  called  the  spiritual  and  the  heavenly 
[celestial],  are  together  in  the  natural  sense,  which  is  the 
sense  of  the  letter,  as  was  said  above  (n.  210  and  212) ; 
but  how  they  are  together  shall  be  further  told.  There 
are  in  heaven  and  in  the  world  successive  order  and  simul- 
taneous order:  in  successive  order  one  thing  succeeds 
and  follows  another,  from  things  that  are  highest  even  to 
the  lowest ;  but  in  simultaneous  order  one  thing  is  next  to 
another  from  the  inmost  even  to  the  outermost.  Succes- 
sive order  is  like  a  column,  graduated  from  the  summit  to 
the  base  j  while  simultaneous  order  is  like  a  work  cohering 
within  its  circumferences,  from  the  centre  even  to  the  outer- 
most surface.  It  shall  now  be  told,  how  successive  order  be- 


No.  215.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE 


347 


comes  simultaneous  order  in  the  ultimate ;  it  becomes  so 
in  this  way :  The  highest  things  of  successive  order  be- 
come the  inmost  of  simultaneous  order,  and  the  lowest 
things  of  successive  order  become  the  outermost  of  simul- 
taneous order;  comparatively,  as  a  graduated  column 
subsiding  becomes  a  body  coherent  in  a  plane.  Thus 
from  the  successive  is  formed  the  simultaneous,  and  this 
in  all  and  in  each  thing  of  the  natural  world,  and  in  all 
and  in  each  thing  of  the  spiritual  world  ;  for  there  is  every- 
where a  first,  a  mediate,  and  an  ultimate ;  and  the  first 
tends  and  passes  through  the  mediate  to  its  ultimate.  But 
it  must  be  well  understood  that  there  are  degrees  of  purity 
according  to  which  either  order  is  determined.  Now  to 
the  Word  :  The  heavenly  [eelestial],  the  spiritual,  and  the 
natural,  proceed  from  the  Lord  in  successive  order ;  and 
in  the  ultimate  they  are  in  simultaneous  order ;  so  then 
the  heavenly  \celestial~\  and  the  spiritual  senses  of  the 
Word  are  together  in  its  natural  sense.  When  this  is 
comprehended,  it  may  be  seen  how  the  natural  sense  of 
the  Word  is  the  container,  the  basis,  and  the  support  of 
its  spiritual  and  heavenly  [celestial]  senses;  also  how  the 
Divine  good  and  the  Divine  truth  in  the  sense  of  the  letter 
of  the  Word  are  in  their  fulness,  in  their  holiness,  and  in 
their  power.  From  all  this  it  may  be  evident,  that  the 
Word  is  the  Word  itself  in  its  sense  of  the  letter ;  for  in- 
wardly in  this  there  are  spirit  and  life.  This  is  what  the 
Lord  says  in  John  (vi.  63) :  The  words  tJiat  I  speak  unto 
you  they  are  spirit  and  they  are  life ;  for  the  Lord  spake 
His  words  in  the  natural  sense.  The  heavenly  [celestial ] 
and  the  spiritual  senses  without  the  natural  sense  are  not 
the  Word,  for  they  are  like  spirit  and  life  without  a  body ; 
and  they  are  (as  said  above,  n.  213)  like  a  palace  with- 
out a  foundation. 

215.  The  truths  of  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word, 
are  in  part  not  naked  truths,  but  are  appearances  of  truth, 
and  like  similitudes  and  comparisons  are  taken  from  such 


343 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


things  as  are  in  nature,  and  thus  such  as  have  been  accom- 
modated and  adapted  to  the  capacity  of  the  simple  and  also 
of  children.  But  as  they  are  at  the  same  time  correspond- 
ences, they  are  the  receptacles  and  dwelling-places  of  gen- 
uine truth  ;  and  they  are  the  vessels  which  contain  them,  as 
a  crystal  cup  contains  noble  wine,  and  as  a  silver  dish  con- 
tains edible  food  ;  and  they  are  like  garments  used  for  cloth- 
ing, as  swaddling-clothes  wrap  an  infant,  and  as  becoming 
dresses  clothe  a  virgin ;  they  are  also  like  the  knowledges 
of  the  natural  man,  which  comprise  within  them  the  per- 
ceptions and  affections  of  spiritual  truth.  The  naked 
truths  themselves,  which  are  enclosed,  contained,  clothed, 
and  comprised,  are  in  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  and 
the  naked  goods  are  in  its  heavenly  [celestial]  sense.  But 
this  may  be  illustrated  from  the  Word :  Jesus  said,  Woe 
unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  because  ye  make  clean  the 
outside  of  the  cup  and  of  the  platter,  but  within  they  are  full 
of  extortion  and  excess.  Thou  blind  Pharisee,  cleanse  first 
the  inside  of  the  cup  and  of  the  platter,  that  the  outside  of 
them  may  be  clea?i  also  (Matt,  xxiii.  25,  26).  Here  the 
Lord  spake  by  similitudes  and  comparisons,  which  at  the 
same  time  are  correspondences  \  and  He  said  cup  and 
platter  ;  and  by  cup  is  not  only  meant  but  is  also  signified 
the  truth  of  the  Word ;  for  by  the  cup  is  meant  wine,  and 
truth  is  signified  by  wine;  but  by  the  platter  is  meant  food, 
and  good  is  signified  by  food.  Therefore  to  clea?ise  the 
inside  of  the  cup  and  of  the  platter,  signifies  to  purify  the 
interiors  of  the  mind,  which  are  of  the  will  and  the  thought, 
by  the  Word ;  that  the  outside  may  thus  be  clean,  signifies 
that  the  exteriors,  which  are  the  works  and  the  speech,  are 
thus  purified  \  for  these  derive  their  essence  from  the  will 
and  the  thought.  Again  :  Jesus  said,  There  was  a  certain 
rich  man,  who  was  clothed  in  purple  and fine  linen,  and  fared 
sumptuously  every  day  ;  and  there  was  a  certain  poor  man, 
named  Lazarus,  who  was  laid  at  his  gate,  full  of  sores 
fLuke  xvi.  19,  20).    Here  also  the  Lord  spake  b^  simili- 


No.  215.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE, 


349 


tudes  and  comparisons,  which  were  correspondences,  and 
contained  spiritual  things.  By  the  rich  man  is  meant  the 
Jewish  nation,  which  is  called  rich  because  they  had  the 
Word,  in  which  are  spiritual  riches.  By  the  purple  and 
fine  linen  with  which  he  was  clothed,  are  signified  the  good 
and  truth  of  the  Word ;  by  the  purple  its  good,  and  by  the 
fine  linen  its  truth.  By  faring  sumptuously  every  day,  is 
signified  their  delight  in  having  the  Word,  and  in  hearing 
from  it  n  any  things  in  the  temples  and  synagogues.  By 
the  poor  man  Lazarus  are  meant  the  Gentiles,  because 
they  had  not  the  Word.  That  they  were  despised  and 
rejected  by  the  Jews,  is  meant  by  his  being  laid  at  the 
rich  man's  gate.  By  his  being  full  of  sores,  is  meant  that 
the  Gentiles,  from  ignorance  of  the  truth,  were  in  many 
falsities.  The  Gentiles  are  meant  by  Lazarus,  because 
the  Gentiles  were  loved  by  the  Lord ;  as  the  Lazarus  who 
was  raised  from  the  dead  was  loved  by  the  Lord  (John 
xi.  3,  5,  36),  and  is  called  His  friend  (xi.  11),  and  sat  at 
table  with  the  Lord  (xii.  2).  From  these  two  passages  it 
is  manifest  that  the  truths  and  goods  of  the  sense  of  the 
letter  of  the  Word  are  as  vessels,  and  as  garments  for  the 
naked  good  and  truth,  which  lie  concealed  in  the  spiritual 
and  the  heavenly  [celestial]  senses  of  the  Word.  Since  the 
Word  is  such  in  the  sense  of  the  letter,  it  follows  that  they 
who  are  in  Divine  truths  and  in  the  belief  that  the  Word 
inwardly  in  its  bosom  is  the  holy  Divine,  and  still  more 
they  who  are  in  the  belief  that  the  Word  is  such  from  its 
spiritual  and  heavenly  [celestial]  senses,  see  Divine  truths 
in  natural  light,  while  reading  the  Word  in  enlightenment 
from  the  Lord ;  for  the  light  of  heaven,  in  which  the  spirit- 
ual sense  of  the  Word  is,  flows  into  the  natural  light  in 
which  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  is,  and  illu- 
minates the  intellectual  of  man,  which  is  called  the  rational, 
and  makes  him  see  and  acknowledge  the  Divine  truths, 
both  where  they  stand  forth  and  where  they  lie  concealed. 
These  flow  in  with  the  light  of  heaven,  with  some  at  times 
even  when  they  are  unconscious  of  it. 


350 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


216.  Since  the  Word,  in  its  inmost  depths,  from  its 
heavenly  [celestial]  sense,  is  like  a  gentle  flame  which  en- 
kindles, and  in  its  intermediate  depths,  from  its  spiritual 
sense,  is  like  a  light  which  enlightens,  therefore  in  its  ulti- 
mate, from  its  natural  sense,  the  Word  is  like  a  transparent 
object  receiving  both ;  which  from  the  flame  is  red  like 
purple,  and  from  the  light  is  white  like  snow.  Thus  it  is  re- 
spectively like  a  ruby  and  a  diamond ;  like  a  ruby  from 
the  heavenly  [celestial]  flame,  and  like  a  diamond  from  the 
spiritual  light.  Because  the  Word  is  such  in  the  sense  of 
the  letter,  therefore  the  Word  in  this  sense  is  meant, 
1.  By  the  precious  stones  of  which  the  foundations  of  the 
New  Jerusalem  consisted.  2.  Also  by  the  Urim  and  Thu?n- 
mim  o?i  the  ephod  of  Aaron.  3.  And  also  by  the  precious 
stones  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  where  the  king  of  Tyre  is  said 
to  have  been.  4.  As  also  by  the  curtains,  veils,  and  pillars 
of  the  tabernacle.  5.  In  like  manner  by  the  externals  of 
the  temple  at  Jerusalem.  6.  The  Word  in  its  glory  was 
represented  in  the  Lord  when  He  was  transfigured.  7.  The 
power  of  the  Word  in  ultimates  was  represented  by  the  Naza- 
rites.  8.  Of  the  inexpressible  power  of  the  Word.  But 
these  are  to  be  illustrated  one  by  one. 

217.  (1.)  The  Truths  of  the  Letter  of  the  Word  are 
meant  by  the  precious  Stones  of  which  the  foundations  of 
the  New  Jerusalem  consisted  (Apoc.  xxi.  17-21).  It  Was 
mentioned  above  (n.  209),  that  there  are  precious  stones 
in  the  spiritual  world,  as  well  as  in  the  natural  world, 
and  that  their  spiritual  origin  is  from  the  truths  :m  the 
sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word ;  this  seems  incredible, 
but  still  it  is  the  truth.  Thence  it  is,  that  wherever  pre- 
cious stones  are  named  in  the  Word,  in  the  spiritual  sense 
truths  are  meant.  That  the  precious  stones,  of  which  the 
foundations  of  the  wall  around  the  city  New  Jerusalem  are 
said  to  be  constructed,  signify  the  truths  of  the  doctrine  of 
the  New  Church,  follows  from  this,  because  by  the  New 
Jerusalem  is  meant  the  New  Church  as  to  doctrine  from 


No.  218.]         THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


351 


the  Word ;  wherefore  its  wall  and  the  foundations  of  the 
wall  can  mean  nothing  but  the  external  of  the  Word,  which 
is  the  sense  of  its  letter ;  for  this  is  the  sense  from  which 
doctrine  is,  and  by  doctrine  the  church  j  and  it  is  like  a 
wall  with  foundations,  which  encloses  and  protects  a  city. 
Concerning  the  New  Jerusalem  and  its  foundations,  we 
read :  The  angel  measured  the  ivall  of  the  city  Jerusalem,  a 
hundred  forty  and  four  cubits,  which  was  the  measure  of  a 
man,  that  is,  of  an  angel.  And  the  wall  had  twelve  founda- 
tions, garnished  with  all  manner  of  precious  stones.  The  first 
foundation  was  jasper;  the  second  sapphire;  the  third  a 
chalcedony ;  the  fourth  an  emerald;  the  fifth  sardo?iyx ;  the 
sixth  sardius ;  the  seventh  chrysolite;  the  eighth  beryl;  the 
ninth  a  topaz ;  the  tenth  a  chrysoprasus ;  the  eleventh  a  ja- 
cinth; the  twelfth  an  amethyst  (Apoc.  xxi.  17-20).  The 
foundations  of  the  wall  were  twelve,  and  of  as  many  pre- 
cious stones,  because  the  number  twelve  signifies  all  the 
things  of  truth  from  good ;  here,  therefore,  all  things  of 
doctrine.  But  these  things,  as  also  those  which  precede 
and  follow  in  that  chapter,  may  be  seen  explained  as  to 
particulars,  and  confirmed  by  parallel  passages  from  the 
Word,  in  our  "Apocalypse  Revealed." 

218.  (2.)  The  Goods  and  Truths  of  the  Word  in  the 
Sense  of  its  Letter  are  mea?it  by  the  Urim  and  Thummim  on 
the  Ephod  of  Aaron.  The  Urim  and  Thummim  were  upon 
the  Ephod  of  Aaron,  whose  priesthood  represented  the 
Lord,  as  to  the  Divine  good,  and  as  to  the  work  of  salva- 
tion. The  garments  of  his  pries-thood,  or  his  garments  of 
holiness,  represented  Divine  truths  from  the  Lord  j  the 
ephod  represented  the  Divine  truth  in  its  ultimate,  and 
thus  the  Word  in  the  sense  of  the  letter,  for  this  is  Divine 
truth  in  its  ultimate  ;  the  twelve  precious  stones,  with  the 
names  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel,  which  were  the  Urim 
and  Thummim,  therefore  represented  Divine  truths  from 
Divine  good  in  their  whole  complex.  Concerning  these 
things  we  read  as  follows  in  Moses :  They  shall  make  the 


352 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


ephod  of  blue  and  of  purple,  scarlet  double-dyed,  a?id  fine-twined 
linen  ;  afterwards  they  shall  make  the  breastplate  of  judg7nenl 
after  the  work  of  the  ephod ;  and  thou  shall  set  in  it  settings  of 
stone,  four  rows  of  sto?ie  ;  the  first  row  shall  be  a  carbuncle^ 
a  topaz,  and  an  emerald ;  the  second  row,  a  chrysoprasus,  a 
sapphire,  and  a  diamond ;  the  third  row,  a  ligure,  an  agate, 
and  an  amethyst;  the  fourth  row,  a  beryl,  a  sardius,  and  a 
jasper.  These  stones  shall  be  according  to  the  names  of  tin 
sons  of  Israel ;  there  shall  be  the  engravings  of  a  signet  fo? 
the  twelve  tribes  according  to  their  name ;  and  Aaron  shall 
carry  upon  the  breastplate  of  judgment ,  the  Urim  and  Thum- 
mim  ;  and  let  them  be  upon  Aaron's  heart  when  he  goeth  in 
before  Jehovah  (Ex.  xxviii.  6,  15,  17-21,  29,  30).  What 
was  represented  by  the  garments  of  Aaron,  his  ephod,  robe, 
undercoat,  mitre,  and  girdle,  is  explained  in  the  "Arcana 
Ccelestia,"  published  at  London,  where  that  chapter  is 
treated  of,  and  where  it  is  shown  that  by  the  ephod  was 
represented  Divine  truth  in  its  ultimate ;  that  by  the  pre- 
cious stones  there,  were  represented  Divine  truths  trans- 
lucent from  good ;  by  twelve,  arranged  by  fours,  all  those 
truths  from  the  first  to  the  ultimate ;  by  the  twelve  tribes, 
all  things  pertaining  to  the  church  j  by  the  breastplate, 
Divine  truth  from  Divine  good  in  the  universal  sense  j  by 
the  Urim  and  Thwnmim,  the  resplendence  of  Divine  truth 
from  Divine  good  in  ultimates,  for  Urim  is  shining  fire, 
and  Thummim  is  resplendence  in  angelic  language,  and 
integrity  in  the  Hebrew ;  also  that  answers  were  given  by 
variegations  of  light,  and  at  the  same  time  by  tacit  percep- 
"  tion,  or  by  a  living  voice ;  besides  other  things.  From 
which  it  may  be  evident  that  by  these  stones  also  were 
signified  truths  from  good  in  the  ultimate  sense  of  the 
Word  ;  nor  are  answers  from  heaven  given  by  other  means, 
for  in  that  sense  the  proceeding  Divine  is  in  its  fulness. 

219.  (3.)  Similar  things  are  meant  by  the  Precious 
Stones  in  the  Garden  of  Eden,  where  the  King  of  Tyre  is 
mid  to  have  been.    We  read  in  Ezekiel,  King  of  Tyre,  thou 


NO.  220.  j 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


353 


sealest  up  the  sum,  full  of  wisdom  and  perfect  in  beauty ;  thou 
hast  been  in  Eden,  the  garden  of  God  ;  every  precious  stone  was 
thy  covering  ;  the  ruby,  the  topaz,  a?id  the  diamond  ;  the  beryl, 
the  sardonyx,  a7id  the  jasper;  the  sapphi?'e,  the  chrysoprasus, 
and  the  emerald,  and  gold  (xxviii.  12,  13).  By  Tyre  in  the 
Word  is  signified  the  church,  as  to  cognitions  of  good  and 
truth  ;  by  king  is  signified  the  truth  of  the  church  ;  by  the 
garden  of  Ede?i  are  signified  wisdom  and  intelligence  from 
the  Word ;  by  precious  stones  are  signified  truths  translu  • 
cent  from  good,  such  as  are  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  of 
the  Word ;  and  because  these  things  are  signified  by  those 
stones,  therefore  they  are  called  his  covering.  That  the 
sense  of  the  letter  covers  the  interiors  of  the  Word  may 
be  seen  above  (n.  213). 

220.  (4.)  Goods  and  Truths,  in  the  ultimates,  such  as 
they  are  in  the  Sense  of  the  Letter  of  the  Word,  were  repre- 
sented by  the  Curtains,  Veils,  and  Pillars  of  the  Tabernacle. 
The  taber?iacle  built  by  Moses  in  the  wilderness  repre- 
sented heaven  and  the  church  ;  wherefore  the  form  of  it  was 
shown  by  Jehovah  on  mount  Sinai ;  consequently  all  the 
things  which  were  in  that  tabernacle,  which  were  the  candle- 
stick, the  golden  altar  for  i?icc?ise,  and  the  table  upon  which 
was  the  show-bread,  represented  and  signified  the  holy  things 
of  heaven  and  the  church ;  and  the  holy  of  holies,  where  was 
the  ark  of  the  covenant,  represented  and  thence  signified 
the  inmost  of  heaven, and  the  church;  and  the  law  itself, 
written  upon  the  two  tables,  signified  the  Word ;  and  the 
cherubs  above  it  signified  guards,  that  the  holy  things  of 
the  Word  might  not  be  violated.  Now  because  externals 
derive  their  essence  from  internals,  and  both  of  these  de- 
rive theirs  from  the  inmost,  which  in  that  case  was  the  law, 
therefore  the  holy  things  of  the  Word  were  represented 
and  signified  by  all  things  belonging  to  the  tabernacle. 
Hence  it  foliows,  that  the  ultimates  of  the  tabernacle, 
which  were  the  curtains,  veils,  and  pillars,  which  were  cor- 
erings,  containers,  and  supports,  signified  the  ultimates  of 


354         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


the  Word,  which  are  the  truths  and  goods  of  the  sense  of 
its  letter.  Because  those  things  were  signified,  therefore 
all  the  curtains  and  veils  were  made  of  fine-twined  linen, 
and  blue,  and  purple,  and  double-dyed  scarlet,  with  cherubs 
(Ex.  xxvi.  i,  31,  36).  What  was  represented  and  signified 
by  the  tabernacle  and  by  all  things  in  it,  both  generally 
and  particularly,  has  been  explained  in  the  "  Arcana  Cce- 
lestia,"  where  that  chapter  of  Exodus  is  treated  of ;  and 
it  is  there  shown,  that  the  curtains  and  veils  represented  the 
externals  of  heaven  and  the  church,  thus  also  the  exter- 
nals of  the  Word ;  and  also  that  by  the  cotton  or  fi?ie  linen, 
was  signified  truth  from  a  spiritual  origin ;  by  hyaci?ithine 
blue,  truth  from  a  heavenly  [celestial"]  origin ;  by  purple, 
heavenly  [celestial]  good ;  by  double-dyed  scarlet,  spiritual 
good ;  and  by  cherubs,  the  guards  of  the  interiors  of  the 
Word. 

221.  (5.)  The  same  were  7'epresented  by  the  Externals 
of  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem.  The  reason  is,  because  by 
the  temple,  as  well  as  by  the  taber?iacle,  was  represented 
heaven  and  the  church ;  but  by  the  temple,  the  heaven  in 
which  the  spiritual  angels  are,  and  by  the  tabernacle,  the 
heaven  where  the  heavenly  [celestial]  angels  are.  Spiritual 
angels  are  they  who  are  in  wisdom  from  the  Word,  but 
heavenly  [celestial]  angels  are  they  who  are  in  love  from 
the  Word.  That  the  Divine  Human  of  the  Lord  was  sig- 
nified by  the  te?nple  at  Jerusaleiii,  in  the  highest  sense,  He 
teaches  in  John :  Destroy  this  Tc?nple,  and  in  three  days  I 
will  raise  it  up  ;  He  spake  of  the  Temple  of  His  Body  (ii.  19, 
21)  ;  and  where  the  Lord  is  meant,  the  Word  also  is  meant, 
because  He  is  the  Word.  Now,  because  the  interiors  of 
the  temple  represented  the  interiors  of  heaven  and  the 
church,  thus  also  of  the  Word,  therefore  its  exteriors  rep- 
resented and  signified  the  exteriors  of  heaven  and  the 
church,  thus  also  of  the  Word,  which  belong  to  the  sense 
of  its  letter.  Concerning  the  exteriors  of  the  temple,  we 
read,  that  They  were  built  of  whole  stone  not  hewn,  and  of 


No.  223.J 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


355 


cedar  within ;  and  that  all  its  walls  were  carved  iiiside  with 
cherubs,  palm-trees,  and  ope?i  flowers  ;  and  that  the  floor  was 
overlaid  with  gold  (1  Kings  vi.  7,  29,  30) ;  by  all  of  which 
are  also  signified  the  externals  of  the  Word,  which  are  the 
holy  things  of  the  sense  of  its  letter. 

222.  (6.)  The  Word  in  its  Glory  was  represented  in  the 
Lord  when  He  was  tratisfigured.  Of  the  Lord  when  trans- 
figured before  Peter,  James,  and  John,  we  read,  that  His 
face  shone  like  the  sun  ;  and  His  raiment  beca?ne  as  the  light; 
and  that  Moses  and  Elias  were  seen  talking  with  Hi?n ;  and 
that  a  bright  cloud  overshadowed  the  disciples ;  and  that  a 
voice  was  heard  from  the  cloud,  saying,  This  is  My  beloved 
Son,  hear  ye  Him  (Matt.  xvii.  1-5).  I  have  been  instructed 
that  the  Lord  then  represented  the  Word ;  by  His  face 
which  shone  like  the  sun,  was  represented  the  Divine  good 
of  His  Divine  Love  \  by  the  rai?ncnt  which  became  like  the 
light,  the  Divine  truth  of  His  Divine  Wisdom  ;  by  Moses 
and  Elias,  the  historical  and  the  prophetical  Word  —  by 
Moses  the  Word  written  through  him,  and  the  historic 
Word  in  general,  and  by  Elias,  all  the  prophetic  Word; 
by  the  bright  cloud  which  overshadowed  the  disciples,  the 
Word  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  j  wherefore  from  it  a  voice 
was  heard,  saying,  This  is  My  beloved  Son,  hear  ye  Him ; 
for  no  announcements  and  answers  from  heaven  are  ever 
made  except  by  ultimates,  such  as  are  in  the  sense  of  the 
letter  of  the  Word ;  for  they  are  made  by  the  Lord  in  ful- 
ness. 

223.  (7.)  The  Power  of  the  Word  in  Ultimates  was  repre- 
sented by  the  Nazarites.  In  the  book  of  Judges  we  read  of 
Samson,  that  he  was  a  Nazarite  from  his  mother's  womb, 
and  that  his  power  lay  in  his  hair ;  moreover,  Nazarite  and 
Nazariteship  also  signify  hair.  That  his  power  lay  in  his 
hair,  he  himself  showed,  when  he  said,  There  hath  not  come 
a  razor  upon  my  head,  for  I  have  been  a  Arazarite  from  m  v 
mother's  womb ;  if  I  be  shaven,  then  my  strength  will  go  from 
me,  and  I  shall  become  weak,  and  be  like  any  other  man 


356 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


(Judges  xvi.  17).  It  is  not  possible  for  any  one  to  know 
why  Nazariteship,  which  signifies  hair,  was  instituted,  and 
why  Samson  had  strength  from  his  locks,  unless  he  knows 
what  is  signified  in  the  Word  by  the  head.  By  the  head  is 
signified  the  intelligence  which  angels  and  men  have  from 
the  Lord  by  Divine  truth ;  consequently  hair  signifies  in- 
telligence in  ultimates,  or  extremes,  from  Divine  truth. 
Because  this  was  signified  by  hair,  it  was  therefore  a  stat- 
ute for  the  Nazarites,  that  they  should  not  shave  the  hair  of 
their  head,  because  it  was  the  Nazariteship  of  God  upon  their 
head  (Num.  vi.  1-2 1)  ;  and  therefore  it  was  also  a  statute, 
that  the  high  priest  and  his  sons  should  not  shave  their  heads, 
lest  they  should  die,  and  lest  wrath  should  come  upon  the  whole 
house  of  Israel  (Lev.  x.  6).  Since  the  hair,  on  account  of 
this  signification  from  correspondence,  was  so  holy,  there- 
fore the  Son  of  Man,  Who  is  the  Lord  as  to  the  Word,  is 
described  even  as  to  the  hair,  that  it  was  white  like  wool,  as 
white  as  snow  (Rev.  i.  14);  in  like  manner,  the  Ancient  of 
Days  (Dan.  vii.  9).  Since  hair  signifies  truth  in  ultimates, 
and  thus  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  therefore  in 
the  spiritual  world  they  who  despise  the  Word  become  bald ; 
and,  on  the  other  hand,  they  who  have  highly  esteemed  the 
Word,  and  have  accounted  it  holy,  appear  with  comely  hair. 
Owing  to  this  correspondence  the  forty-two  boys  were  torn 
to  pieces  by  two  she-bears,  because  they  called  Elisha  bald 
head  (2  Kings  ii.  23,  24);  for  Elisha  represented  the  church 
as  to  doctrine  from  the  Word,  and  she-bears  signify  the 
power  of  truth  in  ultimates.  The  power  of  Divine  truth, 
or  of  the  Word,  is  in  the  sense  of  its  letter,  because  the 
Word  is  there  in  its  fulness,  and  the  angels  of  both  of  the 
Lord's  kingdoms  and  men  are  together  in  that  sense. 

224.  (8.)  Concerning  the  i?iexprcssible  Power  of  the  Word. 
Scarcely  any  one  at  this  day  knows  that  there  is  any  power 
in  truths ;  for  truth  is  supposed  to  be  only  a  word  spoken 
by  some  one  in  authority,  which  ought  therefore  to  be  done  ; 
consequently,  to  be  like  mere  breath  from  the  mouth,  or 


iVo.  224.J  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


357 


sound  in  the  ear;  when  yet  truth  and  good  are  the  first 
principles  of  all  things  in  both  worlds,  the  spiritual  and  the 
natural ;  and  [hardly  any  one  knows]  that  by  means  of  them 
the  universe  was  created,  and  that  by  means  of  them  the 
universe  is  preserved,  and  also  that  by  means  of  them  man 
was  made ;  wherefore  those  two  are  the  all  in  all  things. 
That  the  universe  was  created  by  the  Divine  Truth,  is 
openly  said  in  John  :  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and 
the  Word  was  God ;  all  things  that  were  made  were  made  by 
it:  and  the  world  was  niade  by  it  (i.  1,  3,  10).  And  in 
David,  By  the  Word  of  Jehovah  were  the  heavens  made 
(Ps.  xxxiii.  6).  By  the  Word  in  both  of  these  places  is 
meant  the  Divine  Truth.  Since  the  universe  was  created 
by  this  Truth,  therefore  it  is  also  preserved  by  it ;  for,  as 
subsistence  is  perpetual  existence,  so  preservation  is  perpet- 
ual creation.  Man  was  made  by  the  Divine  truth  because 
all  things  in  man  refer  themselves  to  the  understanding  and 
the  will ;  and  the  understanding  is  the  receptacle  of  Divine 
truth,  and  the  will,  of  Divine  good ;  consequently  the  human 
mind,  which  consists  of  those  two  principles,  is  no  other 
than  a  form  of  Divine  truth  and  Divine  good,  spiritually 
and  naturally  organized.  The  human  brain  is  that  form. 
And  because  the  whole  of  man  depends  on  his  mind,  all 
things  in  his  body  are  appendages,  which  are  actuated  by 
those  two  principles,  and  live  from  them.  From  what  has 
been  said  it  may  now  be  evident  why  God  came  into  the 
world  as  the  Word,  and  became  Man,  —  that  this  was  for 
the  sake  of  redemption;  for  then  God,  by  the  Human, 
which  was  Divine  truth,  put  on  all  power  and  cast  down 
the  hells  (which  had  grown  up  even  to  the  heavens  where 
the  angels  were),  subjugated  them,  and  reduced  them  to 
obedience  to  Himself ;  and  this  not  by  a  spoken  word, 
but  by  the  Divine  Word,  which  is  the  Divine  truth :  and 
afterward  He  opened  a  great  gulf  between  the  hells  and 
the  heavens,  which  no  one  from  hell  can  cross.  If  any  one 
attempts  it,  at  the  first  step  he  is  tortured  like  a  serpent 


358 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


laid  on  sheets  of  hot  iron,  or  on  an  ant-hill ;  for  devils 
and  satans,  as  soon  as  they  take  in  the  odor  of  Divine 
truth,  instantly  precipitate  themselves  into  the  deep,  and 
cast  themselves  into  caverns,  stopping  them  up  so  closely 
that  not  a  crack  may  be  open.  This  is  because  their  will 
is  in  evils,  and  their  understanding  in  falsities,  thus  in  what 
is  opposite  to  Divine  good  and  Divine  truth ;  and  because 
the  whole  man  consists  of  those  two  first  principles  of  life, 
as  before  said,  therefore  they  are  so  grievously  and  wholly 
overpowered  from  head  to  foot,  at  the  sense  of  what  is 
opposite.  Hence  it  may  be  evident  that  the  power  of 
Divine  truth  is  inexpressible ;  and  since  the  Word  which 
is  in  the  Christian  church  is  the  container  of  Divine  truth 
in  the  three  degrees,  it  is  manifest  that  it  is  that  which  is 
meant  in  John  (i.  3,  10).  That  its  power  is  inexpressible, 
I  could  confirm  by  many  evidences  of  experience  in  the 
spiritual  world ;  but  because  they  exceed  belief,  or  appear 
incredible,  I  omit  their  presentation;  some,  however,  you 
may  see  recorded  above  (n.  209).  From  these  things  will 
now  be  given  a  statement  that  may  serve  to  keep  them  in 
remembrance :  The  church  which  is  in  Divine  truths  from 
the  Lord  prevails  over  the  hells,  and  it  is  this  concerning 
which  the  Lord  said  to  Peter,  Upon  this  rock  I  will  build 
My  church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it 
(Matt.  xvi.  18).  The  Lord  said  this  after  Peter  had  con- 
fessed that  Christ  was  the  Son  of  the  living  God  (verse  16) ; 
this  truth  is  there  meant  by  the  rock ;  for  by  rock  every- 
where in  the  Word  is  meant  the  Lord  as  to  Divine  truth. 

V.  Tke  Doctrine  of  the  Church  is  to  be  drawn 
from  the  Sense  of  the  Letter  of  the  Word, 
and  confirmed  by  it. 

225.  It  was  shown  in  the  preceding  articles,  that  the 
Word  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  is  in  its  fulness,  in  its  holi- 
ness, and  in  its  power ;  and  since  the  Lord  is  the  Word,  and 


No.  226.I 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


359 


is  the  First  and  the  Last  (as  He  says  in  Apoc.  i.  17),  it  fol- 
lows that  He  is  most  fully  present  in  that  sense,  and  that 
He  teaches  and  enlightens  man  from  it.  But  these  things 
shall  be  demonstrated  in  this  order:  1.  Without  doctrine 
the  Word  is  not  understood.  2.  Doctrine  is  to  be  drawn 
from  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  [and  to  be  confirmed* 
h  *t\  3'  But  the  Divi?ie  truth  which  is  of  doctrine  appears 
?o  none  but  those  who  are  in  enlighten??ient from  the  Lord. 

226.  (1.)  Without  doctrine  the  Word  is  not  understood. 
This  is  because  the  Word  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  con- 
sists of  mere  correspondences,  in  order  that  spiritual  and 
heavenly  [celestial]  things  may  be  together  therein,  and 
every  word  may  be  a  container  and  support  for  them.  For 
this  reason  Divine  truths  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  are 
rarely  naked,  but  clothed,  and  these  are  called  appearances 
of  truth;  and  they  are  the  many  things  accommodated  to 
the  capacity  of  the  simple,  who  do  not  lift  their  thoughts 
above  such  things  as  they  see  before  their  eyes ;  also  some 
things  which  appear  like  contradictions,  when  yet  there  is 
no  contradiction  in  the  Word  viewed  in  its  own  spiritual 
light ;  and  furthermore,  in  some  passages  in  the  prophets, 
there  are  brought  together  names  of  places  and  persons 
from  which  no  sense  can  be  elicited.  Since,  then,  the  Word 
is  such  in  the  sense  of  the  letter,  it  may  be  evident  that  it 
cannot  be  understood  without  doctrine.  But  examples 
may  illustrate  this.  It  is  said  that  Jehovah  repenteth  (Ex. 
xxxii.  12,  14;  jon.  iii.  9;  iv.  2);  and  it  is  also  said  that 
Jehovah  doth  not  repent  (Num.  xxiii.  19  ;  1  Sam.  xv.  29). 
Without  doctrine  these  statements  do  not  agree.  It  is 
said  that  Jehovah  visitcth  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon 
the  children  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generation  (Num.  xiv. 
18)  ;  and  it  is  also  said  that  The  father  shall  not  die  for  the 
son,  nor  the  son  for  the  father ;  but  every  one  in  his  own  sin 
(Deut.  xxiv.  16).  By  means  of  doctrine,  these  statements 
do  not  conflict,  but  are  in  agreement.  Jesus  says,  Ask, 
and  it  shall  be  given  you  ;  seek,  and  ye  shall find ;  and  to  him 


360 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


that  knocketh,  it  shall  be  opened  (Matt.  vii.  7,  8  ;  xxi.  21,  22). 
Without  doctrine,  it  might  be  supposed  that  every  one  is 
to  receive  what  he  asks ;  but  from  doctrine  it  is  known, 
that  when  man  asks  from  the  Lord,  whatever  he  asks  is 
given.  This  also  the  Lord  teaches :  If  ye  abide  in  Me, 
and  My  words  abide  in  you,  ye  shall  ask  what  ye  will,  and  it 
shall  be  done  irnto  you  (John  xv.  7).  The  Lord  says : 
Blessed  are  the  poor,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  God 
(Luke  vi.  20).  Without  doctrine  it  may  be  thought  that 
heaven  is  for  the  poor,  and  not  for  the  rich ;  but  doctrine 
teaches  that  the  poor  in  spirit  are  meant;  for  the  Lord 
says  :  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom 
of  the  heave?is  (Matt.  v.  3).  Again,  the  Lord  says  :  Judge 
not,  that  ye  be  not  judged :  with  what  judgment  ye  judge,  ye 
shall  be  judged  (Matt.  vii.  1,  2  \  Luke  vi.  37).  Without 
doctrine  any  one  might  be  led  to  conclude  that  he  ought 
not  to  judge  concerning  a  wicked  man,  that  he  is  wicked ; 
but  according  to  doctrine  it  is  lawful  to  judge,  but  justly ; 
for  the  Lord  says,  Judge  righteous  judgment  (John  vii.  24). 
Jesus  says  :  Be  not  ye  called  teacher  ;  for  Ofie  is  your  Teacher, 
even  Christ.  Call  no  man  your  father  upon  the  earth  ;  for 
One  is  your  Father  in  the  heavens.  Neither  be  ye  called  mas- 
ters ;  for  One  is  your  Master,  even  Christ  (Matt,  xxiii.  8,  9, 
10).  Without  doctrine  this  would  be,  that  it  is  not  lawful 
to  call  any  one  teacher,  father,  or  master ;  but  from  doc- 
trine it  is  known  that  it  is  lawful  in  a  natural  sense,  but  not 
in  a  spiritual  sense.  Jesus  said  to  the  disciples,  When  the 
Son  of  Man  shall  sit  in  the  throne  of  His  glory,  ye  also  shall 
sit  upon  twelve  thrones,  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel 
(Matt.  xix.  28).  From  these  words  it  may  be  concluded 
that  the  Lord's  disciples  also  are  to  judge,  when  yet  they 
can  judge  no  one.  Doctrine,  therefore,  will  reveal  this 
arcanum,  by  teaching  that  the  Lord  alone  Who  is  omni- 
scient and  knows  all  hearts  is  to  judge,  and  is  able  to 
judge ;  and  that  by  His  twelve  disciples  is  meant  the 
church  as  to  all  truths  and  goods,  which  it  has  from  the 


NO.  228.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


361 


Lord  through  the  Word.  Wherefore  doctrine  concludes  that 
these  are  to  judge  every  one,  according  to  the  words  of  the 
Lord  in  John  (iii.  17,  18 ;  xii.  47,  48).  There  are  many  other 
similar  statements  in  the  Word,  from  which  it  is  clearly  mani- 
fest that  the  Word  is  not  understood  without  doctrine. 

227.  The  Word  by  doctrine  is  not  only  understood,  but 
it  also  shines  in  the  understanding ;  for  doctrine  is  like  a 
candelabrum  with  lamps  lighted  \  a  man  then  sees  more 
than  he  had  seen  before,  and  also  understands  what  he 
had  not  understood  before  :  what  is  obscure  and  discord- 
ant he  either  passes  by  unseen,  or  he  sees  and  explains  so 
that  it  may  accord  with  doctrine.  That  the  Word  is  seen 
from  doctrine,  and  is  explained  according  to  it,  the  ex- 
perience of  the  Christian  world  witnesses.  All  the  Re- 
formed see  the  Word  from  their  doctrine,  and  they  explain 
it  according  to  their  doctrine ;  so  also  the  Papists  from 
theirs,  and  according  to  it  \  yes,  the  Jews  from  theirs,  and 
according  to  it ;  consequently  they  see  falsities  from  false 
doctrine,  and  truths  from  true  doctrine.  From  this  it  is 
manifest  that  true  doctrine  is  like  a  lamp  in  the  dark,  and 
like  a  guide-post  on  the  highway. 

228.  From  these  things  it  may  be  evident,  that  they 
who  read  the  Word  without  doctrine  are  in  obscurity  re- 
specting every  truth,  and  that  their  mind  is  wandering  and 
uncertain,  prone  to  errors,  and  also  easily  falling  into  here- 
sies, which  they  embrace  if  favor  or  authority  supports  them 
and  their  reputation  is  not  endangered  ;  for  to  them  the 
Word  is  like  a  candelabrum  without  light,  and  they  see 
many  things  as  in  the  shade  ;  and  yet  they  see  scarcely  any 
thing,  for  doctrine  alone  is  the  lamp.  I  have  seen  such 
examined  by  the  angels,  and  it  was  found  that  they  could 
confirm  from  the  Word  whatever  they  would,  and  that  they 
confirm  especially  the  things  which  are  of  their  love,  and 
of  the  love  of  those  whom  they  favor.  But  I  saw  them 
stripped  of  their  garments,  a  sign  that  they  were  without 
truths ;  garments  there  are  truths. 

vol.  1.  16 


362 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


229.  (2.)  Doctrine  is  to  be  drawn  from  the  Sense  of  the 
Letter  of  the  Word,  a?id  to  be  confirmed  by  it.  The  reason 
is  that  the  Lord  is  there  present,  and  teaches  and  en- 
lightens ;  for  the  Lord  never  operates  except  in  fulness, 
and  the  Word  is  in  its  fulness  in  the  sense  of  the  letter,  as 
was  shown  above  •  thence  it  is,  that  doctrine  should  be 
drawn  from  the  sense  of  the  letter.  The  doctrine  of  gen- 
uine truth  may  also  be  fully  drawn  from  the  literal  sense 
of  the  Word  ;  for  the  Word  in  that  sense  is  like  a  man 
clothed,  whose  face  is  bare,  and  his  hands  also  bare.  All 
the  things  which  pertain  to  a  man's  faith  and  life,  and  thus 
to  his  salvation,  are  naked  there,  but  the  rest  are  clothed ; 
and  in  many  places  where  they  are  clothed,  they  show 
through,  as  objects  appear  to  a  woman  through  a  thin  veil 
of  silk  before  her  face.  As  truths  of  the  Word  are  multi- 
plied from  the  love  of  them,  and  as  by  this  they  are 
arranged  in  order,  they  also  shine  and  appear  more  and 
more  clearly. 

230.  It  may  be  believed  that  doctrine  of  genuine  truth 
can  be  gathered  by  means  of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the 
Word  which  is  given  through  a  knowledge  of  correspond- 
ences ;  but  doctrine  is  not  gathered  by  means  of  that  sense, 
but  only  illustrated  and  corroborated ;  for,  as  was  said  be- 
fore (n.  208),  by  some  correspondences  that  are  known  a 
man  may  falsify  the  Word,  for  he  may  join  them  together 
and  apply  them  to  confirm  that  which  inheres  in  his  mind 
from  some  principle  that  he  has  adopted.  Besides,  the 
spiritual  sense  is  not  given  to  any  one  except  by  the  Lord 
alone ;  and  it  is  guarded  by  Him  as  the  angelic  heaven  is 
guarded,  for  heaven  is  in  it. 

23J-  (3-)  Genuine  Truth,  which  will  be  of  Doctrine,  does 
not  appear  in  the  Sense  of  the  Letter  of  the  Word  to  any  but 
those  who  are  in  enlightenment  from  the  Lord.  Enlighten- 
ment is  from  the  Lord  alone,  and  is  with  those  who  love 
truths  because  they  are  truths,  and  who  make  them  uses  of 
the  life;  with  others,  enlightenment  in  the  Word  is  not 


No.  232.]  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE.     "  363 

given.  Enlightenment  is  from  the  Lord  alone,  because 
the  Word  is  from  Him,  and  consequently  He  is  in  it. 
They  have  enlightenment  who  love  truths  because  they  are 
truths,  and  who  make  them  uses  of  the  life,  because  they 
are  in  the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  in  them ;  for  the  Lord  is  the 
Truth  itself,  as  was  shown  in  the  chapter  concerning  the 
Lord ;  and  the  Lord  is  then  loved,  when  man  lives  accord- 
ing to  His  Divine  truths,  thus  when  uses  are  performed 
from  them,  according  to  these  words  in  John :  At  that  day 
ye  shall  know  that  ye  are  in  Me,  and  I  in  you.  He  that  hath 
My  commandments  and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  Me  ; 
and  I  will  love  him,  and  will  manifest  Myself  to  hi?n  ;  and 
will  come  to  him,  and  make  a?i  abode  with  him  (xiv.  20,  2 1,  23). 
These  are  they  who  are  in  enlightenment  when  they  read 
the  Word,  and  with  whom  the  Word  gives  light  and  is 
translucent.  The  Word  gives  light  and  is  translucent  with 
them,  because  there  are  the  spiritual  and  the  heavenly 
[celestial]  senses  in  every  thing  of  the  Word,  and  these 
senses  are  in  the  light  of  heaven  ;  wherefore  through  these 
senses  and  their  light  the  Lord  flows  into  the  natural  sense 
of  the  Word,  and  into  the  light  of  it  that  is  with  a  man. 
Hence  the  man  acknowledges  the  truth  from  an  interior 
perception,  and  afterwards  sees  it  in  his  thought ;  and  this 
as  often  as  he  is  in  the  affection  of  truth  for  the  sake  of 
truth ;  for  from  affection  comes  perception,  from  percep- 
tion thought,  and  thus  is  effected  the  acknowledgment 
which  is  called  faith. 

232.  The  contrary  is  the  case  with  those  who  reir]  the 
Word  from  the  doctrine  of  a  false  religion,  and  stid  more 
with  those  who  confirm  that  doctrine  from  the  Word,  and 
this  with  a  view  to  their  own  glory  and  to  the  riches  of  the 
world.  With  these  the  truths  of  the  Word  are  as  in  the 
shadow  of  night,  and  falsities  as  in  the  light  of  day  j  they 
read  truths  but  they  do  not  see  them  ;  and  if  they  see 
their  shadow  they  falsify  them.  These  are  they  of  whom 
the  Lord  says,  that  they  have  eyes  and  see  not,  and  ears  but 


3^4 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


do  not  understand  (Matt.  xiii.  14,  15).  Therefore  their  light 
in  spiritual  things  that  pertain  to  the  church  becomes 
merely  natural,  and  the  sight  of  their  mind  like  that  of  one 
who  sees  spectres  in  the  bed  while  he  is  waking,  or  like 
that  of  a  sleep-walker  who  believes  himself  to  be  awake 
when  he  is  sleeping. 

233.  It  has  been  granted  me  to  converse  with  many  after 
their  death  who  believed  that  they  should  shine  like  stars  in 
heaven,  because,  as  they  said,  they  esteemed  the  Word 
holy,  often  read  it  through,  collected  from  it  many  things 
by  which  they  confirmed  the#  dogmas  of  their  faith,  and 
therefore  were  celebrated  as  learned  men ;  wherefore  they 
believed  that  they  should  be  Michaels  and  Raphaels. 
But  many  of  them  were  examined  as  to  the  love  from  which 
they  studied  the  Word  ;  and  it  was  found  that  some  studied 
it  from  the  love  of  themselves,  that  they  might  be  wor- 
shipped as  leaders  of  the  church ;  and  some  from  the  love 
of  the  world,  that  they  might  gain  riches  \  when  these  were 
also  examined  as  to  what  they  knew  from  the  Word,  it  was 
found  that  they  knew  nothing  of  genuine  truth  from  it,  but 
only  such  as  is  called  truth  falsified,  which  in  itself  is  pu- 
trid falsity,  for  in  heaven  it  has  a  putrid  smell ;  and  it  was 
said  to  them,  that  they  had  this  because  they  themselves 
and  the  world  were  their  ends  when  they  read  the  Word, 
and  not  the  truth  of  faith  and  the  good  of  life.  And  when 
oneself  and  the  world  are  ends,  then  the  mind  in  reading 
the  Word  sticks  fast  in  self  and  the  world ;  and  therefore 
men  think  continually  from  their  proprium  \ownhood\  and 
man's  proprium  is  in  thick  darkness  as  to  all  things  which 
pertain  to  heaven  and  the  church  \  in  which  state  man  can- 
not be  lifted  up  by  the  Lord,  and  raised  into  the  light  of 
heaven ;  consequently  he  cannot  receive  any  influx  from 
the  Lord  through  heaven.  I  also  saw  these  persons  ad- 
mitted into  heaven,  and  when  they  were  there  found  to 
be  without  truths  they  were  cast  down.  But  still  there 
remained  with  them  pride  in  their  own  merit.     It  was 


No.  235  ] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


365 


otherwise  with  those  who  had  studied  the  Word  from  an 
affection  for  knowing  truth  because  it  is  truth,  and  is  o; 
service  for  the  uses  of  life,  not  only  their  own  but  also 
their  neighbor's.  I  have  seen  these  elevated  into  heaven, 
and  so  into  the  light  in  which  the  Divine  truth  is  there  j 
and  I  have  seen  them  exalted  at  the  same  time  into  angelic 
wisdom,  and  into  its  happiness  in  which  the  angels  of 
heaven  are. 

VI.  By  the  Sense  of  the  Letter  of  the  Word, 
there  is  Conjunction  with  the  Lord,  and 
Consociation  with  the  Angels. 

234.  There  is  conjunction  with  the  Lord  by  the  Word, 
because  He  is  the  Word,  that  is,  the  Divine  Truth  itself  and 
the  Divine  Good  therein.  The  conjunction  is  by  the  sense 
of  the  letter,  because  the  Word  in  that  sense  is  in  its  ful- 
ness, in  its  holiness,  and  in  its  power,  as  was  shown  above 
in  its  proper  article.  This  conjunction  does  not  appear  to 
the  man,  but  it  is  in  the  affection  for  truth,  and  in  the  per- 
ception of  it.  By  the  sense  of  the  letter  there  is  consocia- 
tion with  the  angels  of  heaven,  because  the  spiritual  sense 
and  the  heavenly  {celestial}  sense  are  within  that  of  the 
letter,  and  the  angels  are  in  those  senses ;  the  angels 
of  the  Lord's  spiritual  kingdom  in  the  spiritual  sense  of 
the  Word,  and  the  angels  of  His  heavenly  {celestial}  king- 
dom in  its  heavenly  {celestial}  sense.  These  two  senses 
are  evolved  from  the  natural  sense  of  the  Word  while  a 
man  who  regards  the  Word  as  holy  is  reading  it.  The 
evolution  is  instantaneous ;  consequently  the  consociation 
is  so  too. 

235.  That  the  spiritual  angels  are  in  the  spiritual  sense 
of  the  Word,  and  the  heavenly  {celestial}  angels  in  its  heav- 
enly {celestial}  sense  has  been  made  manifest  to  me  by 
much  experience.  It  has  been  granted  me  to  perceive  that, 
while  I  have  been  reading  the  Word  in  the  sense  of  its 


366         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 

letter,  communication  has  been  made  with  the  heavens,  now 
with  this  society  there,  now  with  that.  Things  which  I  have 
understood  according  to  the  natural  sense,  the  spiritual  an- 
gels have  understood  according  to  the  spiritual  sense,  and 
the  heavenly  [celestial]  angels  according  to  the  heavenly 
[celestial]  sense,  and  this  instantly.  And  as  this  commu- 
nication has  been  perceived  several  thousand  times,  I  have 
no  doubt  left  concerning  it.  There  are  also  spirits  whc 
are  below  the  heavens,  and  who  abuse  this  communication ; 
for  t-iey  recite  some  passages  from  the  sense  of  the  letter 
of  the  Word,  and  immediately  observe  and  note  the  society 
with  which  communication  is  effected.  This,  too,  I  have 
often  seen  and  heard.  From  these  things  it  has  been  given 
me  to  know  by  living  experience  that  the  Word  as  to  the 
sense  of  its  letter  is  the  Divine  medium  of  conjunction 
with  the  Lord,  and  consociation  with  the  angels  of  heaven. 

236.  But  it  shall  be  illustrated  by  examples,  how  from 
the  natural  sense  the  spiritual  angels  perceive  their  sense, 
and  the  heavenly  [celestial]  angels  theirs,  when  man  is  read- 
ing the  Word.  Let  four  commandments  of  the  decalogue 
be  for  examples.  The  Fifth  Commandment,  Thou  shalt 
not  kill :  By  this  a  man  not  only  understands  to  kill,  but 
also  to  cherish  hatred  and  breathe  revenge  even  to  the 
death :  a  spiritual  angel  for  killing  understands  to  act  the 
devil  and  destroy  a  man's  soul  j  but  a  heavenly  [celestial] 
angel  for  killing  understands  to  hate  the  Lord  and  the 
Word.  The  Sixth  Commandment,  Thou  shalt  not  coni7nit 
adultery:  A  man  understands  committing  adultery  to  mean 
to  commit  whoredom,  to  do  obscene  things,  to  speak  las- 
civious words,  and  to  entertain  filthy  thoughts;  a  spiritual 
angel  understands  for  committing  adultery,  to  adulterate 
the  goods  of  the  Word,  and  to  falsify  its  truths ;  but  a 
heavenly  [celestial]  angel  understands  for  committing  adul- 
tery, to  deny  the  Lord's  Divinity  and  to  profane  the 
Word.  The  Seventh  Commandment,  Thou  shalt  not 
steal:  By  stealing,  a  man  understands  to  steal,  to  defraud, 


No.  237.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


367 


and  to  take  away  from  the  neighbor  his  goods  under  any 
pretext ;  a  spiritual  angel  understands  for  stealing,  to  deprive 
others  of  the  truths  and  goods  of  their  faith  by  falsities  and 
evils  ;  but  a  heavenly  [celestial']  angel  understands  for  steal- 
ing, to  attribute  to  oneself  those  things  which  are  the  Lord's, 
and  to  claim  to  oneself  His  righteousness  and  merit.  The 
Eighth  Commandment,  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness  : 
By  bearing  false  witness  a  man  understands  also  to  lie  and 
to  defame  j  a  spiritual  angel  understands  for  bearing  false 
witness,  to  say  and  to  persuade  others  to  believe  that  falsity 
is  truth  and  that  evil  is  good,  and  the  converse  ;  but  a  heav- 
enly [celestial]  angel  understands  for  bearing  false  witness,  to 
blaspheme  the  Lord  and  the  Word.  From  these  examples 
it  may  be  seen  how  the  spiritual  and  the  heavenly  [celestial] 
are  unfolded  and  drawn  out  from  the  natural  sense  of  the 
Word,  within  which  they  are ;  and,  what  is  wonderful,  the 
angels  draw  forth  what  is  for  them  without  knowing  what 
the  man  is  thinking.  But  still  the  thoughts  of  angels  and 
of  men  make  one  by  correspondence,  like  end,  cause,  and 
effect.  Ends  are  also  actually  in  the  heavenly  [celestial] 
kingdom,  causes  in  the  spiritual  kingdom,  and  effects  in 
the  natural  kingdom ;  hence,  now,  consociation  of  men  with 
angels  by  means  of  the  Word. 

237.  From  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  the  spirit- 
ual angel  draws  out  and  calls  forth  what  is  spiritual,  and 
the  heavenly  [celestial]  angel  heavenly  things,  because  they 
are  agreeable  to  their  nature  and  are  homogeneous.  That 
this  is  so  may  be  illustrated  by  what  is  similar  in  the  three 
kingdoms  of  nature,  the  animal,  the  vegetable,  and  the  min- 
eral. In  the  Animal  Kingdom  :  From  the  food,  when  it 
has  become  chylft,  the  vessels  draw  out  and  call  forth  then 
blood,  the  nervous  fibres  their  juice,  and  the  substances 
which  are  the  origins  of  the  fibres  their  spirit.  In  Tin. 
Vegetable  Kingdom  :  A  tree,  with  its  trunk,  branches, 
leaves,  and  fruit,  stands  on  its  root ;  and  out  of  the  soil,  by 
means  of  the  root,  it  extracts  and  calls  forth  a  grosser  juice 


368         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 

for  the  trunk,  branches,  and  leaves,  a  purer  one  for  the  pulp 
of  the  fruit,  and  the  purest  for  the  seeds  within  the  fruit. 
In  the  Mineral  Kingdom  :  In  the  bosom  of  the  earth  in 
some  places  there  are  minerals  impregnated  with  gold,  sil- 
ver, copper,  and  iron ;  from  the  exhalations  and  effluvia 
from  rocks,  the  gold,  the  silver,  [the  copper],  and  the  iron, 
respectively,  derive  their  proper  elements,  the  watery  ele- 
ment conveying  these  round  about. 

238.  The  Word  in  the  letter  is  like  a  casket,  where  lie  in 
order  precious  stones,  pearls,  and  diadems ;  and  when  a 
man  esteems  the  Word  holy,  and  reads  it  for  the  sake  of 
the  uses  of  life,  the  thoughts  of  his  mind  are,  comparatively, 
like  one  who  holds  such  a  cabinet  in  his  hand,  and  sends  it 
to  heaven ;  and  it  is  opened  in  its  ascent,  and  the  precious 
things  therein  come  to  the  angels  who  are  deeply  delighted 
with  seeing  and  examining  them.  This  delight  of  the  angels 
is  communicated  to  the  man,  and  makes  consociation,  and 
also  a  communication  of  perceptions.  For  the  sake  of  this 
consociation  with  angels,  and  at  the  same  time,  conjunction 
with  the  Lord,  the  Holy  Supper  was  instituted,  the  Bread 
of  which  in  heaven  becomes  Divine  good,  and  the  Wine 
becomes  Divine  truth,  both  from  the  Lord.  Such  corre- 
spondence is  from  creation,  to  the  end  that  the  angelic 
heaven  and  the  church  on  earth,  and  in  general  the  spirit- 
ual world  and  the  natural  world,  may  make  one,  and  that 
the  Lord  may  conjoin  Himself  with  both  at  once. 

239.  The  consociation  of  man  with  angels  is  effected  by 
the  natural  or  literal  sense  of  the  Word,  for  the  further 
reason  that  there  are  in  every  man  from  creation  three  de- 
grees of  life,  the  heavenly  \celestial\  the  spiritual,  and  the 
natural ;  but  man  is  in  the  natural  as  long  as  he  is  in  the 
world,  and  is  then  so  far  in  the  angelic  spiritual  as  he  is  in 
genuine  truths,  and  so  far  in  the  heavenly  [celestial}  as  he 
is  in  a  life  according  to  them ;  but  still  he  does  not  come 
into  the  spiritual  itself  and  the  heavenly  [celestial']  itself,  till 
after  death,  because  these  two  are  enclosed  and  stored  up 


No.  240.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


3^9 


within  his  natural  ideas  ;  wherefore,  when  the  natural  passes 
away  by  death,  the  spiritual  and  the  heavenly  [celestial]  re- 
main, and  the  ideas  of  his  thought  then  come  from  them. 
From  these  things  it  may  be  evident  that  in  the  Word  alone 
there  is  spirit  and  life,  as  the  Lord  says  :  The  words  that  1 
speak  unto  you,  they  are  spirit  and  they  are  life  (John  vi.  63). 
The  water  that  I  shall  give  shall  be  a  fountain  of  water, 
springing  up  into  ez^er la  sting  life  (iv.  14).  Man  doth  not  livt 
by  bread  alo?ie,  but  by  every  word  that  proceedeth  out  of  the 
mouth  of  God  (Matt.  iv.  4).  Labor  for  the  meat  which  en- 
dureth  unto  everlasting  life,  which  the  Son  of  Man  shall  give 
unto  you  (John  vi.  27). 

VII.  The  Word  is  in  all  the  Heavens,  and  angeltc 
Wisdom  is  from  It. 

240.  That  the  Word  is  in  the  heavens  has  been  hitherto 
unknown ;  nor  could  it  be  made  known  so  long  as  the 
church  did  not  know  that  angels  and  spirits  are  men,  in 
face  and  body  altogether  like  men  in  our  world ;  and  that 
there  are  with  them  things  similar  in  all  respects  to  the 
things  which  are  with  men,  with  the  sole  difference  that 
they  are  themselves  spiritual,  and  all  the  things  that  are 
with  them  are  from  a  spiritual  origin ;  while  men  in  the 
world  are  natural,  and  all  the  things  with  them  are  from  a 
natural  origin.  As  long  as  this  was  concealed,  it  could  not 
be  known  that  the  Word  is  also  in  the  heavens,  and  that  it 
is  read  by  the  angels  there,  and  also  by  the  spirits  who  are 
beneath  the  heavens.  But  that  this  might  not  be  concealed 
for  ever,  it  has  been  granted  me  to  be  in  company  with  angels 
and  spirits,  and  to  speak  with  them,  and  to  see  the  things 
that  are  with  them,  and  afterwards  to  relate  many  things 
which  I  have  seen  and  heard  ;  this  has  been  done  in  the 
work  concerning  "  Heaven  and  Hell"  (published  at  London 
in  the  year  1758) ;  from  which  it  may  be  seen,  that  angels 
and  spirits  are  men,  and  that  with  them  in  abundance  are 

16* 


370         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    "Chap.  IV. 


ail  the  things  that  are  with  men  in  the  world.  That  angels 
and  spirits  are  men,  may  be  seen  in  that  work  (n.  73-77, 
and  n.  453-456) ;  that  there  are  with  them  things  similar 
to  the  things  with  the  men  in  the  world  (n.  170-190);  and 
also  that  with  them  there  is  Divine  worship,  and  that  there  is 
preaching  in  their  temples  (n.  221-227) ;  and  that  they  have 
writings  and  also  books  (n.  258-264);  and  that  they  have 
the  Sacred  Scripture  or  the  Word  (n.  259). 

241.  As  regards  the  Word  in  heaven,  it  is  written  in  a 
spiritual  style,  which  is  wholly  different  from  the  natural 
style.  The  spiritual  style  consists  of  mere  letters,  each  of 
which  involves  some  meaning ;  and  there  are  little  lines, 
curves,  and  dots  over  and  between  the  letters  and  in  them, 
which  exalt  the  sense.  With  the  angels  of  the  spiritual 
kingdom  the  letters  are  similar  to  the  letters  used  in  our 
world  in  printing;  and  with  the  angels  of  the  heavenly 
[celestial']  kingdom  they  are  with  some  similar  to  Arabic 
letters,  and  with  some  similar  to  the  old  Hebrew  letters, 
but  curved  above  and  below,  with  marks  over,  between, 
and  within ;  each  of  these  also  involves  a  complete  sense. 
As  their  writing  is  such,  therefore  the  names  of  per- 
sons and  places  in  the  Word  with  them  are  marked  with 
signs ;  therefore  the  wise  understand  what  spiritual  and 
heavenly  [celestial]  thing  is  signified  by  each  name;  as  by 
Moses,  the  Word  of  God  written  through  him,  and  in  a 
general  sense  the  historical  Word ;  by  Elias,  the  prophetic 
Word ;  by  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  the  Lord  as  to  the 
heavenly  [celestial]  Divine,  the  spiritual  Divine,  and  the 
natural  Divine ;  by  Aaron  the  priesthood  of  the  Lord,  and 
by  David  His  royalty ;  by  the  names  of  the  sons  of  Jacob, 
or  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel,  the  various  things  of  heaven 
and  the  church ;  similar  things  by  the  names  of  the  Lord's 
tweive  disciples ;  by  Zion  and  Jerusalem,  the  church  as  to 
doctrine  from  the  Word  ;  by  the  land  of  Canaan,  the  church 
itself ;  by  the  places  and  cities  there,  on  this  side  and  be- 
yond the  Jordan,  various  things  which  pertain  to  the  church 


No.  242.]  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


371 


and  its  doctrine.  It  is  similar  with  numbers ;  these  are 
not  in  the  copies  of  the  Word  which  are  in  heaven,  but, 
instead  of  them,  the  things  to  which  the  numbers  corre- 
spond. From  these  things  it  may  be  evident  that  the 
Word  in  heaven  is,  as  to  the  literal  sense,  similar  to  our 
Word,  while  at  the  same  time  it  corresponds  to  it,  and  that 
they  are  thus  one.  This  is  wonderful,  that  the  Word  in  the 
heavens  is  so  written  that  the  simple  understand  it  in  sim- 
plicity, and  the  wise  in  wisdom ;  for  there  are  many  curves 
and  marks  over  the  letters,  which,  as  before  said,  exalt  the 
sense ;  the  simple  do  not  give  attention  to  these,  nor  have 
they  a  knowledge  of  them,  but  the  wise  give  attention  to 
them,  each  one  according  to  his  wisdom,  even  to  the 
highest.  A  copy  of  the  Word,  written  by  angels  inspired 
by  the  Lord,  is  kept  with  every  larger  society  in  its  sacred 
repository,  that  the  Word  may  not  be  changed  elsewhere 
as  to  any  point.  The  Word  which  is  in  our  world  is  similar 
to  the  Word  in  heaven  in  this,  that  the  simple  understand 
it  simply,  and  the  wise  wisely ;  but  this  comes  in  another 
way. 

242.  That  the  angels  have  all  their  wisdom  through  the 
Word,  they  themselves  confess ;  for  as  far  as  they  are  in 
the  understanding  of  the  Word  so  far  they  are  in  light. 
The  light  of  heaven  is  the  Divine  wisdom,  which  to  their 
eyes  is  light.  In  the  sacred  repository  in  which  a  copy  of 
the  Word  is  kept,  the  light  is  flamelike  and  bright,  surpass- 
ing every  degree  of  the  light  which  is  outside  of  it  in  the 
heaven.  The  wisdom  of  the  heavenly  [celestial]  angels  sur- 
passes that  of  the  spiritual  angels  almost  as  the  wisdom  of 
the  spiritual  angels  surpasses  the  wisdom  of  men  ;  and  this, 
because  heavenly  [celestial']  angels  are  in  the  good  of  love 
from  the  Lord,  and  spiritual  angels  are  in  truths  of  wisdom 
from  the  Lord  ;  and  where  the  good  of  love  is,  there  wis- 
dom dwells  at  the  same  time;  but  where  there  are  truths, 
there  no  more  of  wisdom  dwells  than  there  is  of  the  good 
of  love  at  the  same  time.   This  is  the  reason  why  the  Word 


372 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


in  the  Lord's  heavenly  [celestial]  kingdom  is  written  differ- 
ently from  the  Word  in  His  spiritual  kingdom ;  for,  in  the 
Word  of  the  heavenly  [celestial]  kingdom  the  goods  of  love 
are  expressed,  and  the  marks  are  love's  affections ;  but  in 
the  Word  of  the  spiritual  kingdom  the  truths  of  wisdom  are 
expressed,  and  the  marks  are  interior  perceptions  of  truth. 
From  these  things  it  may  be  concluded  what  kind  of  wis- 
dom is  stored  up  and  concealed  in  the  Word  which  is  in 
the  world,  for  in  it  is  concealed  all  angelic  wisdom,  which 
is  ineffable;  and  the  man  who  is  made  an  angel  by  the 
Lord  through  the  Word,  comes  into  that  wisdom  after 
death. 

VIII.  The  Church  is  from  the  Word,  and  it  is  such 
with  Man  as  his  Understanding  of  the 
Word  is. 

243.  That  the  church  is  from  the  Word  is  not  a  matter 
of  doubt ;  for  it  has  been  shown  above,  that  the  Word  is 
the  Divine  truth  (n.  189-192) ;  that  the  doctrine  of  the 
church  is  from  the  Word  (n.  225-233);  and  that  by  the 
Word  there  is  conjunction  with  the  Lord  (n.  234-239) ; 
but  that  the  understanding  of  the  Word  makes  the  church, 
may  be  called  in  question,  inasmuch  as  there  are  those  who 
believe  that  they  are  of  the  church  because  they  have  the 
Word,  read  it  or  hear  it  from  a  preacher,  and  know  some- 
thing of  the  sense  of  its  letter ;  but  how  this  and  that  in 
the  Word  is  to  be  understood,  they  do  not  know,  and  some 
do  not  regard  it  as  of  importance ;  wherefore  it  will  here 
be  proved  that  not  the  Word,  but  the  understanding  of  it 
makes  the  church ;  and  that  the  church  is  such  in  quality 
as  is  the  understanding  of  the  Word  with  those  who  are  in 
the  church. 

244.  The  church  is  according  to  the  understanding  of 
the  Word,  because  the  church  is  according  to  the  truths  of 
faith  and  the  goods  of  charity,  and  these  two  are  the  uni- 
versals  which  are  not  only  spread  through  all  the  literal 


No.  245.]  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


373 


sense  of  the  Word,  but  are  also  concealed  within,  like  pre- 
cious things  in  a  treasury.  The  things  which  are  in  its 
literal  sense  are  apparent  to  every  man,  because  they  pre- 
sent themselves  directly  to  the  eye;  but  the  things  which 
are  hid  in  the  spiritual  sense  are  not  apparent,  except  to 
those  who  love  truths  because  they  are  truths  and  do  goods 
because  they  are  goods ;  to  them  the  treasure  is  laid  open, 
which  the  literal  sense  covers  and  guards  j  and  these  are 
the  things  which  essentially  make  the  church. 

245.  That  the  church  is  according  to  its  doctrine,  and 
that  doctrine  is  from  the  Word,  is  known ;  but  still  doc- 
trine does  not  establish  the  church,  but  the  soundness  and 
purity  of  the  doctrine,  consequently  the  understanding  of 
the  Word.  But  doctrine  does  not  establish  and  make  the 
special  church  which  is  with  the  individual  man,  but  faith 
and  a  life  according  to  it.  In  like  manner  the  Word  does 
not  establish  and  make  the  church,  in  particular,  with  a 
man,  but  a  faith  according  to  the  truths,  and  a  life  accord- 
ing to  the  goods,  which  he  derives  from  the  Word  and 
applies  to  himself.  The  Word  is  like  a  mine  which  con- 
tains in  its  depths  gold  and  silver  in  all  abundance ;  and 
like  a  mine  which,  more  and  more  interiorly,  conceals 
stones  more  and  more  precious :  these  mines  are  opened 
according  to  the  understanding  of  the  Word.  Without  an 
understanding  of  the  Word,  as  it  is  in  itself,  in  its  bosom 
and  in  its  depth,  it  would  no  more  make  the  church  with 
man,  than  the  mines  in  Asia  would  make  a  European  rich ; 
it  would  be  different  if  he  were  one  of  the  owners  and 
workers.  The  Word,  with  those  who  search  for  truths  of 
faith  and  the  goods  of  life  therefrom,  is  like  the  wealth  of 
the  king  of  Persia,  or  of  the  emperor  of  the  Moguls,  or 
of  China ;  and  the  men  of  the  church  are  like  officers 
placed  over  them,  to  whom  permission  is  given  to  take  for 
their  use  as  much  as  they  please  j  but  they  who  only  pos- 
sess the  Word,  and  read  it,  and  yet  do  not  seek  genuine 
truths  for  faith  and  genuine  goods  for  life,  are  like  those 


374 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV, 


who  know  from  hearsay  that  there  are  such  great  treasures 
there,  but  who  do  not  receive  from  them  a  single  farthing. 
They  who  possess  the  Word,  and  derive  from  it  no  under- 
standing of  genuine  truth  and  no  will  of  genuine  good,  are 
like  those  who  believe  themselves  to  be  rich,  from  having 
borrowed  money  of  others,  or  from  having  in  possession  the 
farms,  houses,  and  merchandize  of  others  :  that  this  is  mere 
fancy,  every  one  sees.  They  are  also  like  those  who  go 
dressed  in  fine  clothes,  and  ride  in  gilded  chariots,  with 
attendants  behind  them  and  at  the  side,  and  couriers  ahead, 
while  yet  none  of  this  is  their  own  property. 

246.  Such  was  the  Jewish  nation :  wherefore,  because  it 
possessed  the  Word,  that  nation  was  likened  by  the  Lord 
to  a  rich  man,  who  was  clothed  in  purple  and  fine  linen,  and 
fared  sumptuously  every  day ;  and  yet  he  had  not  derived 
from  the  Word  enough  of  good  and  truth  to  take  pity  on 
poor  Lazarus,  who  lay  at  his  door  full  of  sores.  That 
nation  not  only  did  not  appropriate  to  itself  any  truths 
from  the  Word,  but  it  appropriated  falsities  in  such  abun- 
dance that  finally  not  any  truth  appeared  to  them ;  for 
truths  are  not  only  covered  over  by  falsities,  but  they  are 
also  obliterated  and  rejected.  Consequently  the  Jews  did 
not  acknowledge  the  Messiah,  although  all  the  prophets 
had  announced  His  advent. 

247.  In  many  places  in  the  prophets,  the  church  with  the 
nation  of  Israel  and  Judah  is  described  as  utterly  destroyed 
and  reduced  to  nothing  by  their  having  falsified  the  mean- 
ing or  understanding  of  the  Word  ;  for  nothing  else  destroys 
the  church.  The  understanding  of  the  Word,  both  true  and 
false,  is  described  in  the  prophets  by  Ephraim,  especially 
in  Hosea;  for  Ephraim  in  the  Word  signifies  the  under- 
standing of  the  Word  in  the  church.  Since  the  understand- 
ing of  the  Word  makes  the  church,  therefore  Ephraim  is 
called  in  the  Word  a  dear  son,  and  a  pleasant  child ;  also 
the  first-born  (Jer.  xxxi.  9,  20) ;  the  strength  of  the  head  of 
Jehovah  (Ps.  lx.  7;  cviii.  8);  mighty  (Zech.  x.  7);  filled  with 


No.  247.J 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


375 


the  bow  (ix.  13) ;  and  the  sons  of  Ephraim  are  called  armed, 
and  shooters  with  the  bow  (Ps.  lxxviii.  9) ;  for  by  the  bow  is 
signified  doctrine  from  the  Word  fighting  against  falsities. 
Therefore,  also,  Ephraim-  was  rejnoved  to  the  right  hand  of 
Israel,  and  blessed ;  and  also  he  was  accepted  i?i  the  place  of 
Reuben  (Gen.  xlviii.  5,  11,  and  the  following  verses).  And 
therefore  Ephraim,  with  his  brother  Manasseh,  in  the  bless- 
ing of  the  sons  of  Israel  by  Moses,  under  the  name  of  their 
father  Joseph,  was  exalted  above  them  all  (Deut.  xxxiii. 
13-17).  But  what  the  church  is,  when  the  understanding 
of  the  Word  has  been  destroyed,  is  also  described  in  the 
prophets  by  Ephraim,  especially  in  Hosea,  as  in  these  pas- 
sages :  Israel  and  Ephraim  shall  fall.  Ephraim  shall  be 
desolate.  Ephraim  is  oppressed  and  broke?i  in  judgment  (Hos. 
v.  5,  9,  11 ;  also  12-14).  O  Ephraim,  what  shall  I  do  unto 
thee  1  for  thy  goodness  is  as  a  morning  cloud,  and  as  the  early 
dew  it  goeth  away  (vi.  4).  They  shall  not  dwell  in  the  land 
of  yehovah  ;  Ephraim  shall  return  to  Egypt,  a?id  they  shall 
eat  unclean  things  i?i  Assyria  (ix.  3).  The  land  of  Jehovah 
is  the  church ;  Egypt  is  the  knowledge  of  the  natural  man ; 
Assyria  is  reasoning  therefrom ;  from  which  two  together, 
the  Word  as  to  the  interior  understanding  of  it  is  falsified ; 
therefore  it  is  said,  that  Ephrairs  shall  return  to  Egypt  and 
shall  eat  unclean  things  in  Assyria.  Ephraim  feedeth  on 
wind,  and followeth  after  the  east  wind.  He  daily  multiplieth 
falsehood  and  desolation  ;  he  maketh  a  covenant  with  Assyria, 
a  fid  oil  is  carried  into  Egypt  (Hos.  xii.  1).  To  feed  upon  the 
wind,  to  follow  after  the  east  wind,  and  to  multiply  falsehood 
and  desolation,  is  to  falsify  truths  and  thus  destroy  the  church. 
Similar  also  is  the  signification  of  Ephraim 's  whoredom ;  foi 
whoredom  signifies  the  falsification  of  the  understanding  ot 
the  Word,  that  is,  of  its  genuine  truth  ;  as  in  these  passages : 
Iknoiu  Ephraim,  that  he  hath  committed  whoredom,  and  Israel 
is  defiled  (Hos.  v.  3).  I  have  seen  a  horrible  thing  in  the  house 
of  Israel ;  there  Ephraim  committed  whoredom,  and  Israel  is 
defiled  (vi.  10).    Israel  is  the  church  itself,  and  Ephraim  is 


376         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 

the  understanding  of  the  Word,  from  which  and  according 
to  which  the  church  is ;  wherefore  it  is  said,  Ephraim  com- 
mitted whoredom,  and  Israel  is  defiled.  Since  the  church 
with  the  nation  of  Israel  and  Judah  was  utterly  destroyed 
by  falsifications  of  the  Word,  therefore  it  is  said  of  Ephraim, 
Shall  I  give  thee  up,  Ephraim  ?  Shall  I  deliver  thee  up,  Israeli 
Shall  I  make  thee  as  Admah  ?  Shall  I  set  thee  as  Zeboim  ? 
(Hos.  xi.  8.)  Now  because  the  prophecy  of  Hosea,  from  the 
first  chapter  to  the  last,  treats  of  the  falsification  of  the  gen- 
uine understanding  of  the  Word,  and  the  destruction  of  the 
church  thereby,  and  because  the  falsification  of  truth  is 
there  signified  by  whoredom,  therefore  that  prophet  was 
commanded  to  represent  that  state  of  the  church  by  taking 
to  himself  a  harlot  to  wife,  and  begetting  childrefi  by  her 
(Hos.  i.) ;  and  again  he  was  commanded  to  take  a  woman 
who  was  an  adulteress  (hi.).  These  passages  have  been 
presented,  that  it  may  be  known  and  proved  from  the. 
Word  that  the  church  is  such  as  is  the  understanding  of 
the  Word  in  it ;  excellent  and  precious,  if  the  understand- 
ing is  from  genuine  truths  out  of  the  Word,  but  destroyed, 
yea,  filthy,  if  from  those  that  are  falsified. 

IX.  In  every  thing  in  the  Word  there  is  the  Mar- 
riage of  the  Lord  and  the  Church,  and  thence 
the  marriage  of  good  and  truth. 

248.  That  there  is  the  marriage  of  the  Lord  and  the 
church,  and  thence  the  marriage  of  good  and  truth  in  every 
thing  of  the  Word,  has  not  hitherto  been  seen  ;  nor  could  it 
be  seen,  because  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  has  not 
before  been  disclosed,  and  the  marriage  cannot  be  seen 
except  by  that.  For  there  are  two  senses  in  the  Word, 
concealed  in  the  sense  of  its  letter,  the  spiritual  and  the 
heavenly  [celestial].  In  the  spiritual  sense  the  things  which 
are  in  the  Word  have  relation  chiefly  to  the  church ;  and  in 
the  heavenly  [celestial]  chiefly  to  the  Lord.     And  in  the 


No.  249.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


377 


spiritual  sense  they  also  have  relation  to  the  Divine  truth, 
and  in  the  heavenly  [celestial]  sense  to  the  Divine  good. 
Hence  there  is  that  marriage  in  the  Word.  But  this  does 
not  appear  except  to  one  who,  from  the  spiritual  and  heav- 
enly [celestial']  senses  of  the  Word,  knows  the  significations 
of  the  words  and  names ;  for  some  words  and  names  are 
predicated  of  good,  and  some  of  truth,  and  some  include 
both;  wherefore  without  this  cognition,  that  marriage  in 
every  thing  of  the  Word  could  not  be  seen.  This  is  the 
reason  why  this  arcanum  was  not  disclosed  before.  Because 
there  is  such  a  marriage  in  every  thing  of  the  Word,  there 
are  often  two  expressions  in  the  Word  which  appear  like 
repetitions  of  one  thing.  They  are  not  repetitions,  how- 
ever, but  one  has  relation  to  good  and  the  other  to  truth, 
and  both  taken  together  make  their  conjunction,  and  thus 
one  thing.  Thence  also  is  the  Divine  holiness  of  the  Word ; 
for  in  eveiy  Divine  work  there  is  good  conjoined  with  truth, 
and  truth  conjoined  with  good. 

249.  It  is  said,  that  in  every  thing  of  the  Word  there  is 
the  marriage  of  the  Lord  and  the  church,  and  thence  the 
marriage  of  good  and  truth ;  because,  where  the  marriage 
of  the  Lord  and  the  church  is,  there  also  is  the  marriage  of 
good  and  truth ;  for  this  marriage  is  from  that.  For  when 
the  church,  or  the  man  of  the  church,  is  in  truths,  then  the 
Lord  flows  into  his  truths  with  good,  and  vivifies  them  ;  or, 
what  is  the  same,  when  the  man  of  the  church  is  in  the 
understanding  of  truth,  then  the  Lord,  by  the  good  of 
charity,  flows  into  his  understanding,  and  so  infuses  life 
into  it.  In  every  man  there  are  two  faculties  of  life  which 
are  called  the  understanding  and  the  will :  the  understand- 
ing is  the  receptacle  of  truth,  and  thence  of  wisdom  ;  and  the 
will  is  the  receptacle  of  good,  and  thence  of  charity.  These 
two  faculties  must  make  one,  that  the  man  may  be  a  man 
of  the  church  j  and  they  do  make  one  when  the  man  forms 
his  understanding  from  genuine  truths,  which  is  done  to 
appearance  as  by  himself,  and  when  his  will  is  filled  with 


378        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION     [Chap.  IV. 


the  good  of  love,  which  is  done  by  the  Lord.  Hence  man 
has  the  life  of  truth,  and  the  life  of  good  \  the  life  of  truth 
in  the  understanding,  and  the  life  of  good  in  the  will,  which 
when  united  do  not  make  two  lives,  but  one.  This  is  the 
marriage  of  the  Lord  and  the  church,  and  also  the  marriage 
of  good  and  truth  in  man. 

250.  That  there  are  in  the  Word  two  expressions  which 
appear  like  repetitions  of  the  same  thing,  may  be  seen  by 
readers  who  attend  to  this  :  as,  brother  and  companion,  poor 
and  needy,  waste  and  wilderness,  void  and  emptiness,  foe  and 
enemy,  sin  and  iniquity,  a7iger  and  wrath,  nation  and  people, 
joy  and  gladness,  mourning  and  weeping,  justice  and  judg- 
me?it,  &c,  which  appear  as  synonymous,  when  yet  they  are 
not  so  ;  for  brother,  poor,  waste,  [yoid,~\foe,  sin,  afiger,  nation, 
joy,  mourning,  and  justice,  are  predicated  of  good,  and  in  the 
opposite  sense,  of  evil ;  but  compa?zion,  needy,  wilderness, 
emptiness,  enemy,  iniquity,  wrath,  people,  gladness,  weeping, 
and  judgment,  are  predicated  of  truth,  and  in  the  opposite 
sense,  of  falsity.  And  yet  to  the  reader  who  does  not  know 
this  arcanum,  it  appears  as  if  poor  and  needy,  waste  and 
wilderness,  void  and  emptiness,  &c,  are  one  thing,  and  yet 
they  are  not  one  thing,  but  they  become  one  thing  by  con- 
junction. In  the  Word  other  things  also  are  joined  together, 
as  jire  and  flame,  gold  and  silver,  brass  and  iron,  wood  and 
stone,  [bread  and  water,]  bread  and  wine,  purple  and  fine 
linen,  &c.  ;  and  this  because  fire,  gold,  brass,  wood,  bread, 
and  purple,  are  predicated  of  good ;  but  flame,  silver,  iron, 
stone,  water,  wine,  and  fine  linen,  are  predicated  of  truth. 
So  when  it  is  said  that  they  are  to  love  God  with  the  whole 
heart  and  with  the  whole  soul ;  and  also,  that  God  is  to 
create  in  man  a  new  heart  and  a  new  spirit ;  for  heart  is 
predicated  of  the  good  of  love,  and  soul  and  spirit  of  the 
truths  of  faith.  There  are  also  words,  which,  because  they 
partake  of  both  good  and  truth,  are  used  by  themselves, 
others  not  being  joined  with  them.  But  these  and  many 
other  things  are  apparent  only  to  the  angels,  and  to  those 


No.  251.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


379 


who  while  in  the  natural  sense  are  in  the  spiritual  sense 
also. 

251.  It  would  be  tedious  to  show  from  the  Word  that 
there  are  such  dual  expressions  in  the  Word,  appearing 
like  repetitions  of  the  same  thing ;  for  it  would  take  sheets 
to  present  them.  But  to  remove  doubt,  I  will  adduce  pas- 
sages where  nation  and  people,  and  where  joy  and  gladness 
are  mentioned  together.  The  following  are  passages  where 
nation  and  people  are  named  :  Woe  to  the  sinful  nation,  to 
the  people  laden  with  i?iiquity  (Isa.  i.  4).  The  people  that 
walked  m  darkness  have  seen  a  great  light ;  Thou  hast  multi- 
plied the  nation  (ix.  2,  3).  Ashur,  the  rod  of  Aline  anger  ; 
I  will  send  him  against  a  hypocritical  nation,  against  the 
people  of  My  wrath  will  I  give  him  a  charge  (x.  5,  6).  // 
shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  the  nations  shall  seek  the 
Root  cf  Jesse,  Which  standeth  for  an  ensign  of  the  people 
(xi.  10).  Jehovah,  Who  si?iiteth  the  people  with  a  plague 
7iot  curable,  ruling  the  nations  with  anger  (xiv.  6).  ///  that 
day  shall  the  present  be  brought  unto  Jehovah  Zcbaoth,  of  a 
people  scattered  a?id  peeled,  and  a  nation  meted  out  and 
trodden  under  foot  (xviii.  7).  The  strong  people  shall  honor 
Thee,  the  city  of  powerful  nations  shall  fear  Thee  (xxv.  3). 
Jehovah  will  swallow  up  the  covering  over  all  people,  and 
the  veil  over  all  nations  (xxv.  7).  Come  ?iear,  ye  nations, 
and  hearken,  ye  people  (xxxiv.  1).  I  have  called  thee  for  a 
cove?iant  of  the  people,  and  for  a  light  of  the  nations  (xlii.  6). 
Let  all  the  nations  be  gathered  together,  and  let  the  people 
be  assembled  (xliii.  9).  Behold  I  will  lift  up  My  hand  to  the 
nations,  and  My  standard  to  the  people  (xlix.  22).  I  hare 
given  Him  for  a  Witness  to  the  people,  a  Leader  and  a  Law- 
giver to  the  [people  ;  behold  thou  shall  call  a  nation  that 
thou  knoiucst  not,  and]  nations  [that  knew  not  thee  shall  run 
unto  thee]  (lv.  4,  5).  Behold  a  people  cometh  from  the  north 
country,  and  a  great  nation  from  the  sides  of  the  earth  (Jer. 
vi.  22,  23).  I  will  not  cause  thee  to  hear  the  calumny  of  the 
Nations  any  more,  neither  shalt  thou  bear  the  reproach  of  the 


33o 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


people  any  more  (Ez.  xxxvi.  15).  All  people  and  nations 
shall  worship  Him  (Dan.  vii.  14).  Let  not  the  nations  make 
a  by-word  of  them,  and  say  among  the  people,  Where  is  their 
God?  (Joel  ii.  17.)  The  remnant  of  My  people  shall  spoil 
them,  and  the  residue  of  My  nation  shall  inherit  them  (Zeph. 
ii.  9).  Many  people  and  numerous  nations  shall  come  to 
seek  Jehovah  in  Jerusalem  (Zech.  viii.  22).  Mine  eyes  have 
seen  Thy  salvation,  which  Thou  hast  prepared  before  the  face 
of  all  people,  a  light  to  enlighten  the  nations  (Luke  ii.  30-32), 
Thou  hast  redeeined  us  by  Thy  blood,  out  of  every  people  and 
nation  (Apoc.  v.  9).  Thou  must  prophesy  again  over  peo- 
ple and  nations  (x.  11).  Thou  shall  set  me  for  the  head  of 
the  nations  ;  a  people  whom  I  had  not  known  shall  serve 
me  (Ps.  xviii.  43).  Jehovah  bringeth  the  counsel  of  the  na- 
tions to  nought;  He  overthroweth  the  thoughts  of  the  peo- 
ple (xxxiii.  10).  Thou  makest  us  a  proverb  among  the 
nations,  a  shaking  of  the  head  among  the  people  (xliv.  14). 
Jehovah  will  subdue  the  people  under  us,  and  the  nations 
under  our  feet ;  God*  hath  reigned  over  the  nations,  the 
willing  ones  of  the  people  are  gathered  together  (xlvii.  3, 
8,  9).  The  people  shall  confess  Thee,  and  the  nations 
shall  be  glad,  for  Thou  shall  judge  the  people  righteously, 
and  lead  the  nations  on  the  earth  (lxvii.  3,  4).  Re7nember 
me,  with  the  favor  that  Thou  bearest  unto  Thy  people,  that 
I  may  be  glad  in  the  joy  of  Thy  nation  (cvi.  4,  5) :  so  in 
other  places.  Nations  and  people  are  mentioned  together, 
because  by  nations  are  meant  those  who  are  in  good,  and 
in  the  opposite  sense  those  who  are  in  evil ;  and  by  people, 
those  who  are  in  truths,  and  in  the  opposite  sense  those 
who  are  in  falsities.  Wherefore  they  who  are  of  the  Lord's 
spiritual  kingdom  are  called  people,  and  they  who  are  of  the 
Lord's  heavenly  [celestial]  kingdom  are  called  nations ;  for 
in  the  spiritual  kingdom  all  are  in  truths  and  thence  in 
intelligence,  but  in  the  heavenly  [celestial]  kingdom  all 
are  in  goods  and  thence  in  wisdom. 

*  The  Latin  here  has  Jehovah. 


No.  252.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


381 


252.  It  is  the  same  with  many  other  words  ;  for  example, 
where  joy  is  mentioned  gladness  also  is  mentioned,  as  in 
the  following  passages :  Behold  joy  and  gladness,  to  slay 
a?i  ox  (Isa.  xxii.  13).  They  shall  obtain  joy  and  gladness, 
sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee  away  (xxxv.  10;  li.  1 1).  Glad- 
ness and  joy  are  cut  off fro?n  the  house  of  our  God  (Joel 
i.  16).  The  voice  of  'joy  shall  be  taketi  away,  and  the  voice  of 
gladness  (Jer.  vii.  34;  xxv.  10).  The  fast  of  the  tenth  shall 
be  to  the  house  of  Judah  joy  and  gladness  (Zech.  viii.  19). 
Be  glad  in  Jerusalem,  and  rejoice  in  her  (Isa.  lxvi.  10). 
Rejoice  and  be  glad,  O  daughter  of  Edom  (Lam.  iv.  21). 
The  heavens  shall  be  glad,  and  the  earth  shall  rejoice 
(Ps.  xcvi.  1 1).  Make  7ne  to  hear  joy  and  gladness  (li.  8). 
Joy  and  gladness  shall  be  found  in  Zion,  confession  and  the 
voice  of  singing  (Isa.  li.  3).  There  shall  be  gladness,  and 
many  shall  rejoice  at  his  birth  (Luke  i.  14).  I  will  cause 
to  cease  the  voice  of  joy  and  the  voice  of  gladness  ;  the  voice 
of  the  bridegroom  and  the  voice  of  the  bride  (Jer.  vii.  34  \  xvi.  9  ; 
xxv.  10).  Again  there  shall  be  heard  in  this  place  the  voice  of 
joy,  a?id  the  voice  of  gladness,  and  the  voice  of  the  bridegroom, 
and  the  voice  of  the  bride  (xxxiii.  10,  11);  and  elsewhere. 
Both  joy  and  gladness  are  mentioned,  because  joy  is  predi- 
cated of  good  and  gladness  of  truth,  or  joy  of  love  and 
gladness  of  wisdom ;  for  joy  is  of  the  heart,  and  gladness 
of  the  spirit;  or  joy  is  of  the  will,  and  gladness  is  of  the 
understanding.  That  there  is  the  marriage  of  the  Lord 
and  the  church  in  these  words  also,  is  manifest  from  its 
being  said,  The  voice  of joy  and  the  voice  of  gladness,  the  voice 
of  the  Bridegroom  and  the  voice  of  the  Bride  (Jer.  vii.  34; 
xvi.  9 ;  xxv.  10  j  xxxiii.  10,  11):  and  the  Lord  is  the  Bride- 
groom, and  the  church  is  the  Bride.  That  the  Lord  is  the 
Bridegroom  may  be  seen  in  Matt.  ix.  15  ;  Mark  ii.  19,  20  ; 
Luke  v.  34,  35  ;  and  that  the  church  is  the  Bride,  Apoc. 
xxi.  2,  9;  xxii.  17.  Wherefore  John  the  Baptist  said  of 
Jesus,  He  that  hath  the  Bride  is  the  Bridegroom  (John 
iii.  29). 


382         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 

253.  On  account  of  the  marriage  of  Divine  good  and 
Divine  truth  in  every  thing  of  the  Word,  it  is  said  in  very 
many  places  Jehovah  [and]  God,  also  Jehovah  and  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel,  as  if  they  were  two,  when  yet  they  are  one  ; 
for  by  Jehovah  is  meant  the  Lord  as  to  the  Divine  good  of 
Divine  love,  and  by  God  and  by  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  is 
meant  the  Lord  as  to  the  Divine  truth  of  the  Divine  wis- 
dom. That  Jehovah  and  God,  and  Jehovah  and  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel,  are  mentioned  in  very  many  places  in  the 
Word,  and  yet  One  is  meant,  may  be  seen  in  "  The  Doctrine 
concerning  the  Lord  the  Redeemer." 

X.  Heresies  may  be  taken  from  the  Sense  of  the 
Letter  of  the  Word,  but  it  is  hurtful  to  con- 
firm THEM. 

254.  It  was  shown  above  that  the  Word  cannot  be  under- 
stood without  doctrine,  and  that  doctrine  is  like  a  lamp,  that 
genuine  truths  may  be  seen ;  and  this,  because  the  Word 
was  written  by  mere  correspondences  ;  consequently,  many 
things  therein  are  appearances  of  truth,  and  not  naked 
truths ;  and  many  things  are  written  according  to  the 
capacity  of  the  merely  natural  man,  and  yet  so  that  the 
simple  may  understand  them  simply,  the  intelligent  intelli- 
gently, and  the  wise  wisely.  Now  because  the  Word  is 
such,  the  appearances  of  truth,  which  are  truths  clothed, 
may  be  taken  for  naked  truths,  which  when  confirmed  be- 
come fallacies,  which  in  themselves  are  falsities.  From 
this,  that  appearances  of  truth  have  been  taken  for  genu- 
ine truths  and  confirmed,  have  sprung  all  the  heresies 
which  have  been  and  still  are  in  the  Christian  world. 
Heresies  themselves  do  not  condemn  men  j  but  confirma- 
tions from  the  Word  and  by  reasonings  from  the  natural 
man,  of  the  falsities  in  heresy,  —  these  and  an  evil  life  con- 
demn. For  one  is  born  into  the  religion  of  his  country  or 
of  his  parents,  is  initiated  into  it  from  infancy,  and  after- 


No.  255.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


383 


wards  retains  it ;  nor  can  he  withdraw  himself  from  its  falsi- 
ties, both  on  account  of  business  in  the  world,  and  of  the 
weakness  of  the  understanding  in  investigating  truths  of 
that  kind;  but  to  live  wickedly,  and  to  confirm  falsities 
even  to  the  destruction  of  genuine  truth,  this  condemns. 
For  one  who  remains  in  his  religion,  and  believes  in  God, 
and  if  in  Christendom  believes  in  the  Lord  and  esteems 
the  Word  holy,  and  from  religion  lives  according  to  the 
commandments  of  the  decalogue,  he  does  not  swear  to 
what  is  false ;  and  therefore,  when  he  hears  truths,  and  in 
his  way  has  a  perception  of  them,  he  can  embrace  them, 
and  so  be  led  out  of  falsities ;  but  not  he  who  had  con- 
firmed the  falsities  of  his  religion,  for  confirmed  falsity 
remains  and  cannot  be  rooted  out ;  for  a  falsity  after  con- 
firmation is  as  if  one  had  sworn  to  it,  especially  if  it  coheres 
with  the  love  of  self  or  with  the  pride  of  one's  own  intel- 
ligence. 

255.  I  have  conversed  with  some  in  the  spiritual  world 
who  lived  many  ages  ago  and  confirmed  themselves  in  the 
falsities  of  their  religion,  and  I  have  found  that  they  still 
remained  persistent  in  the  same  ;  and  I  have  also  con- 
versed with  some  there,  who  were  in  the  same  religion, 
and  thought  as  they  did,  but  did  not  confirm  its  falsities  in 
themselves  j  and  I  have  found  that  when  instructed  by  the 
angels  these  have  rejected  falsities  and  received  truths ;  and 
that  these  were  saved,  but  not  the  others.  Every  man  after 
death  is  instructed  by  angels,  and  they  are  received  who 
see  truths,  and  from  truths  falsities j  but  only  those  see 
truths  who  have  not  confirmed  themselves  in  falsities,  while 
they  who  have  confirmed  themselves  are  not  willing  to  see 
truths  ;  and  if  they  see  them,  they  turn  themselves  away, 
and  then  either  ridicule  or  falsify  them.  The  real  cause 
of  this  is,  that  confirmation  enters  the  will,  and  the  will  is 
the  man  himself,  and  it  disposes  the  understanding  at  its 
pleasure ;  but  bare  cognition  only  enters  the  understand- 
ing, and  this  has  no  authority  over  the  will,  and  so  is  not 


384         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


in  the  man,  except  as  one  who  stands  in  the  hall,  or  in  the 
door-way,  and  not  yet  in  the  house. 

256.  But  this  may  be  illustrated  by  an  example.  In  many 
places  in  the  Word  anger,  wrath,  and  vengeance  are  attrib- 
uted to  God  ;  and  it  is  said  that  He  punishes,  casts  down 
into  hell,  tempts,  and  many  such  things.  He  who  believes 
this  in  childlike  simplicity,  and  therefore  fears  God,  and 
is  careful  not  to  sin  against  Him,  is  not  condemned  for 
that  simple  belief.  But  he  is  condemned  who  confirms  in 
himself  those  things  so  far  as  to  believe  that  anger,  wrath, 
revenge,  and  thus  such  things  as  are  of  evil,  are  in  God, 
and  that  from  anger,  wrath,  and  revenge,  He  punishes 
man,  and  casts  into  hell ;  because  he  has  destroyed  the 
genuine  truth,  which  is,  that  God  is  Love  itself,  Mercy 
itself,  and  Goodness  itself;  and,  being  these,  He  cannot 
be  angry,  become  wrathful,  and  take  vengeance.  These 
things  are  attributed  to  God,  in  the  Word,  because  such  is 
the  appearance ;  such  things  are  appearances  of  truth. 

257.  That  many  other  things  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  of 
the  Word  are  appearances  of  truth  in  which  genuine  truths 
lie  concealed,  and  that  it  is  not  hurtful  to  think  in  sim- 
plicity and  also  to  speak  according  to  the  appearances  of 
truth,  but  that  it  is  hurtful  to  confirm  them  since  by  con- 
firmation the  Divine  truth  concealed  within  is  destroyed, 
may  also  be  illustrated  by  an  example  in  nature ;  which  is 
presented  because  what  is  natural  illustrates  and  teaches 
more  clearly  than  what  is  spiritual.  To  the  eye,  the  sun 
appears  to  revolve  around  the  earth  daily  and  also  annu- 
ally. The  sun  is  therefore  said  to  rise  and  set,  making 
morning,  noon,  evening,  and  night;  and  also  making  the 
seasons  of  spring,  summer,  autumn,  and  winter ;  and  thus 
days  and  years :  when  yet  the  sun  stands  motionless,  for  it 
is  a  fiery  ocean,  and  the  earth  is  made  to  revolve  every  day, 
and  is  carried  round  the  sun  every  year.  The  man  who 
from  simplicity  and  from  ignorance,  thinks  that  the  sun  is 
borne  around  the  earth,  does  not  destroy  the  natural  truth, 


No.  258.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


385 


which  is,  that  the  earth  rotates  on  its  axis,  and  every  year 
is  borne  along  the  ecliptic.  But  he  who  confirms  the  ap- 
parent motion  of  the  sun  by  reasonings  from  the  natural 
man,  and  still  more  he  who  does  so  by  the  Word  because 
the  sun  is  there  said  to  rise  and  set,  weakens  the  truth  and 
destroys  it  j  and  afterwards  he  can  scarcely  see  it,  even  if 
it  were  shown  to  the  eye  that  the  whole  stany  heaven  is  in 
like  manner  carried  around  every  day  and  every  year  to  all 
appearance,  and  yet  not  even  one  star  is  removed  from  its 
fixed  place  in  relation  to  another.  That  the  sun  is  moved 
is  an  apparent  truth,  but  that  it  is  not  moved  is  the  genuine 
truth ;  yet  every  one  speaks  according  to  the  apparent  truth, 
and  says  that  the  sun  rises  and  sets ;  and  this  is  allowable, 
for  he  cannot  do  otherwise ;  but  to  think  according  to  that 
apparent  truth  from  confirmation,  blunts  and  darkens  the 
rational  understanding. 

258.  It  is  hurtful  to  confirm  the  appearances  of  truth 
that  are  in  the  Word,  since  thereby  fallacy  arises  and  thus 
the  Divine  truth  concealed  within  is  destroyed,  for  the  rea- 
son that  the  things  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word 
communicate  one  and  all  with  heaven ;  for,  as  was  shown 
above,  in  all  things  and  in  every  single  thing  belonging  to 
the  sense  of  its  letter  there  is  a  spiritual  sense,  and  this  is 
opened  while  passing  from  man  to  heaven ;  and  all  things 
of  the  spiritual  sense  are  genuine  truths  j  wherefore,  when 
man  is  in  falsities  and  applies  the  sense  of  the  letter  to 
them,  then  falsities  are  therein ;  and  when  falsities  enter, 
truths  are  dissipated,  which  is  done  in  the  way  from  man 
to  heaven.  And  this  is  done,  comparatively,  as  when  a  shin- 
ing bladder  filled  with  gall  is  thrown  toward  another,  which 
is  burst  in  the  air  before  it  comes  to  him,  and  the  gall  is 
scattered  about;  whereupon  the  other,  when  he  smells  the 
air  infected  with  the  gall,  turns  himself  away,  and  also  shuts 
his  mouth,  lest  it  should  touch  his  tongue.  It  is  also  like 
a  bottle  girt  with  wicker-work  of  cedar,  in  which  there  is 
vinegar  full  of  little  worms ;  and  the  bottle  is  burst  on  the 

VOL.  I.  17 


386         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV 

way,  and  its  stench  is  perceived  by  the  other,  who,  nause- 
ated, then  instantly  fans  it  away,  that  it  may  not  enter  his 
nostrils.  It  is  also  like  an  almond  in  the  shell,  within 
which  is  a  newly-born  snake  instead  of  the  kernel,  and  the 
shell  is  broken,  and  the  little  snake  appears  to  be  carried 
by  the  wind  toward  the  eyes  of  another ;  that  he  turns  him- 
self away  to  avoid  it,  is  plain  of  itself.  It  is  similar  with 
the  reading  of  the  Word  by  a  man  who  is  in  falsities,  and 
who  applies  to  his  falsities  something  of  the  sense  of  the 
letter  of  the  Word,  that  it  is  then  rejected  on  the  way  to 
heaven,  lest  any  such  thing  should  flow  in  and  infest  the 
angels ;  for  falsity  when  it  touches  the  truth,  is  like  the 
point  of  a  needle  touching  the  fibril  of  a  nerve  or  the  pupil 
of  the  eye ;  that  the  fibril  of  the  nerve  instantly  coils  itself 
into  a  spiral  and  withdraws  within  itself  is  known ;  as  also 
that  the  eye  at  the  first  touch  covers  itself  with  the  lids. 
From  this  it  is  manifest  that  truth  falsified  takes  away 
communication  with  heaven  and  closes  it.  This  is  why  it 
is  hurtful  to  confirm  any  false  heresy. 

259.  The  Word  is  like  a  garden  which  may  be  called  a 
heavenly  paradise,  containing  delicacies  and  delights  of 
every  kind ;  delicacies  in  its  fruits,  and  delights  in  its 
flowers ;  in  the  middle  of  the  garden  are  trees  of  life,  and 
near  them  fountains  of  living  water,  and  round  about  the 
garden  are  forest  trees.  The  man  who  from  doctrine  is  in 
Divine  truths  is  in  the  centre,  where  the  trees  of  life  are, 
and  he  is  in  the  actual  enjoyment  of  its  delicacies  and  de- 
lights ;  but  the  man  who  is  not  in  truths  from  doctrine,  but 
only  from  the  sense  of  the  letter,  is  on  the  outer  limits,  and 
sees  only  the  things  of  the  forest.  But  he  who  is  in  the 
doctrine  of  a  false  religion,  and  has  confirmed  its  falsity  in 
himself,  is  not  even  in  the  forest,  but  is  beyond  it,  on  a  sandy 
plain  where  there  is  not  even  grass.  That  such  also  is  their 
state  after  death  is  shown  in  the  work  concerning  "  Heaven 
and  Hell." 

260.  Moreover  it  is  to  be  known  that  the  sense  of  the 


No.  260.]  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE 


387 


letter  is  a  guard  for  the  genuine  truths  which  are  concealed 
within,  that  they  may  not  be  injured  •  and  it  is  a  guard  in 
this  respect,  that  this  sense  may  be  turned  hither  and 
thither,  and  explained  according  to  one's  apprehension, 
and  yet  without  hurt  or  violence  to  its  internal.  For 
that  the  sense  of  the  letter  is  understood  in  one  way  by 
one  person  and  in  a  different  way  by  another  person,  does 
no  harm ;  but  it  does  harm  if  a  man  introduces  falsities 
that  are  contrary  to  Divine  truths,  which  is  done  only  by 
those  who  have  confirmed  themselves  in  falsities ;  violence 
is  done  to  the  Word  by  this.  The  sense  of  the  letter 
guards  against  this,  and  it  does  so  with  those  who  are  in  fal- 
sities from  religion  and  do  not  confirm  its  falsities.  The 
sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  as  a  guard  is  signified  and  also 
described  in  the  Word  by  cherubs.  This  guard  is  signified 
by  the  cherubs  which  were  placed  at  the  entrance  of  the 
garden  of  Eden  after  Adam  and  his  wife  were  cast  out  jj  of 
which  we  read  as  follows  :  When  Jehovah  God  had  driven  out 
the  man,  He  made  cherues  to  dwell  at  the  east  of  the  gar- 
den of  Eden,  a  fid  the  flame  of  a  sword  turning  itself  hither 
and  thither,  to  keep  the  way  of  the  tree  of  life  (Gen.  iii.  23,  24) 
What  these  words  signify,  no  one  can  see  unless  he  knows 
what  is  signified  by  cherubs,  and  what  by  the  garden  oj 
Eden,  and  by  the  tree  of  life  there  :  and  then  what  by  the 
flame  of  a  sword  turning  itself  hither  and  t/iithcr.  These 
are  severally  explained  in  the  "  Arcana  Coelestia,"  pub- 
lished at  London,  where  that  chapter  is  treated  of.  It  is 
there  shown  that  by  cherubs  is  signified  a  guard ;  by  the 
way  of  the  tree  of  life  is  signified  entrance  to  the  Lord, 
which  men  have  through  the  truths  of  the  spiritual  sense  of 
the  Word  ;  by  the  fla?ne  of  a  sword  turning  itself 'is  signified 
Divine  truth  in  ultimates,  like  the  Word  in  the  sense  of 
the  letter,  which  can  be  so  turned.  Similar  is  the  meaning 
of  the  cherubs  of  gold  placed  upon  the  two  ends  of  the 
mercy -seat,  which  was  upon  the  ark  in  the  tabernacle  (Ex. 
xxv.  18-21).    The  ark  signified  the  Word,  because  the 


388         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


Decalogue  in  it  was  the  primitive  of  the  Word ;  the  cherubs 
there  signified  a  guard;  wherefore  the  Lord  spake  with 
Moses  between  them  (Ex.  xxv.  22  ;  xxxvii.  9  j  Num.  vii.  89)  ; 
and  He  spake  in  the  natural  sense  ;  for  He  does  not  speak 
with  man,  except  in  fulness ;  and  Divine  truth  is  in  its 
fulness  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  (see  above,  n.  214-224). 
Nor  was  any  thing  else  signified  by  the  cherubs  upon  the 
curtains  of  the  tabernacle,  and  upon  the  veil  (Ex.  xxvi.  1,  31) ; 
for  the  curtai?is  and  veils  of  the  tabernacle  signified  the  ulti- 
mates  of  heaven  and  the  church,  and  so  also  of  the  Word,  as 
may  be  seen  above  (n.  220) ;  in  like  manner  by  the  cher- 
ubs carved  on  the  walls  and  doors  of  the  tejnple  of  Jerusalem 
(1  Kings  vi.  29,  32,  35),  as  may  be  seen  above  (n.  221);  and 
also  by  the  cherubs  in  the  new  temple  (Ez.  xli.  18-20). 
Since  by  cherubs  was  signified  a  guard,  that  the  Lord, 
heaven,  and  the  Divine  truth  such  as  it  is  interiorly  in  the 
Word,  may  not  be  approached  immediately,  but  mediately 
through  ultimates,  therefore  it  is  thus  said  concerning  the 
king  of  Tyre  :  Thou  sealest  up  the  sum,  full  of  wisdom,  and 
perfect  i?i  beauty ;  thou  hast  been  in  the  garden  of  Eden; 
every  precious  stone  was  thy  covering.  Thou,  O  cherub, 
art  the  outspreading  of  hi?n  that  covereth  ;  I  have  destroyed 
thee,  O  covering  cherub,  in  the  midst  of  the  stones  of  fire 
(Ez.  xxviii.  12-14,  16).  By  Tyre  is  signified  the  church 
as  to  the  cognitions  of  truth  and  good ;  and  hence  by  the 
king  of  Tyre,  the  Word  where  and  whence  those  cognitions 
are.  That  the  Word  in  its  ultimate  is  here  signified  by  the 
king  of  Tyre,  and  a  guard  by  cherub,  is  manifest ;  for  it  is 
said,  Thou  sealest  up  the  sum,  every  precious  stone  was  thy 
covering,  thou  cherub  art  the  outspreading  of  him  that  covereth  ; 
as  also,  O  covering  cherub.  By  the  precious  stones,  which 
are  also  named  here,  are  meant  those  things  which  are  of 
the  sense  of  the  letter  (see  above,  n.  217,  218).  Since  by 
cherubs  is  signified  the  Word  in  the  ultimates,  and  also  a 
guard,  it  is  therefore  said  in  David,  Jehovah  bowed  the 
heavens,  and  came  down,  and  rode  upon  A  cherub  (Ps.  xviii. 


No.  261. J 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


339 


9,  10).  Shepherd  of  Israel,  Who  sittest  upon  the  cherubim, 
shine  forth  (lxxx.  1).  Jehovah  sitteth  upon  the  cherubim 
(xcix.  1).  To  ride  upon  cherubs,  and  to  sit  upon  them, 
means  upon  the  ultimate  sense  of  the  Word.  The  Divine 
truth  in  the  Word,  and  its  quality,  are  described  by  the 
four  animals  which  are  also  called  cherubs,  in  Ezekiel  i. 
ix.,  and  x. ;  and  also  by  the  four  animals  in  the  midst  ol 
the  throne,  and  near  the  throne  (Apoc.  iv.  6,  and  the  fol 
lowing  verses).  See  the  "Apocalypse  Revealed,"  pub 
lished  by  me  at  Amsterdam  (n.  239,  275,  314). 

XI.  The  Lord,  in  the  World,  fulfilled  all  Things  of 
the  Word,  and  thereby  became  the  Word,  that 
is,  the  Divine  Truth,  also  in  Ultimates. 

261.  That  the  Lord,  in  the  world,  fulfilled  all  things  of 
the  Word,  and  that  He  thereby  became  the  Divine  Truth, 
or  the  Word,  also  in  ultimates,  is  meant  by  these  words  in 
John  :  And  the  Word  became  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us,  and 
we  saw  His  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  Only  Begotten  of  the 
Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth  (i.  14).  To  become  flesh  is  to 
become  the  Word  in  ultimates.  What  the  Lord  was,  as 
the  Woid  in  ultimates,  He  showed  to  the  disciples  when 
He  was  transfigured  (Matt.  xvii.  2,  and  the  following  verses; 
Mark  ix.  2,  and  the  following;  Luke  ix.  28,  and  the  fol- 
lowing) :  and  it  is  there  said  that  Moses  and  Elias  were 
seen  in  glory.  By  Moses  is  meant  the  Word  which  was 
written  by  him,  and  the  historical  Word  in  general ;  and 
by  Elias,  the  prophetic  Word.  The  Lord  as  the  Word 
in  ultimates  was  also  represented  before  John  (Apoc. 
i.  13-16);  where  all  things  of  the  description  of  Him  sig- 
nify the  ultimates  of  Divine  truth  or  of  the  Word.  The 
Lord  had  indeed  been  the  Word  or  the  Divine  truth  be- 
fore, but  in  first  [principles]  ;  for  it  is  said,  />/  the  beginning 
was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  God  was 
the  Word  (John  i.  1,2);  but  when  the  Word  became  Flesh, 


390         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


then  the  Lord  became  the  Word  also  in  ultimates.  It  is 
from  this  that  He  is  called  the  First  and  the  Last  (Apoc. 
i.  8,  ii,  17  ;  ii.  8 ;  xxi.  6 ;  xxii.  13 ;  Isa.  xliv.  6). 

262.  That  the  Lord  fulfilled  all  things  of  the  Word,  is 
manifest  from  the  passages  where  it  is  said  that  the  Law 
and  the  Scripture  were  fulfilled  by  Him,  and  that  all  things 
were  finished  j  as  from  these  :  Jesus  said,  Think  not  that  I 
am  come  to  destroy  the  law  and  the  prophets  ;  I  am  ?iot  come 
to  destroy,  but  to  fulfil  (Matt.  v.  17,  18).  Jesus  entc?ed 
into  the  synagogue,  and  stood  up  to  read ;  and  there  was  de- 
livered unto  Him  the  book  of  the  prophet  Esaias  ;  and  when 
He  had  opened  the  book,  He  found  the  place  where  it  was 
written,  The  Spirit  of  Jehovah  is  upon  Me,  because  He  hath 
anointed  Me ;  He  hath  sent  Me  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
poor,  to  heal  the  b?'oke?i-hearted,  to  preach  deliverance  to  the 
bound,  and  sight  to  the  blind.;  to  preach  the  acceptable  year  of 
the  Lord.  Afterwards,  closing  the  book,  He  said,  This  day 
is  this  Scripture  fulfilled  in  your  ears  (Luke  iv.  16- 
21).  That  the  Scripture  might  be  fulfilled,  He  that 
eateth  bread  with  Ale,  hath  lifted  up  his  heel  upon  Me  (John 
xiii.  18).    And  none  of  them  is  lost  but  the  son  of  perdition, 

THAT   THE    SCRIPTURE    MIGHT    BE    FULFILLED    (xvii.    1 2). 

That  the  Word  might  be  fulfilled,  which  He  spake, 
Of  them  whom  Thou  gavest  Me,  have  I  lost  none  (xviii.  9). 
Jesus  said  to  Peter,  Put  up  thy  sword  into  its  place;  how 

THEN  WOULD  THE   SCRIPTURE  BE  FULFILLED,  that  thus  it 

must  be?  But  this  was  done,  that  the  Scripture  might 
be  fulfilled  (Matt.  xxvi.  52,  54,  56).  The  Son  of  Man 
goeth,  as  it  is  written  of  Him,  that  the  Scriptures 
might  be  fulfilled  (Mark  xiv.  21,  27,  49).  So  the 
Scripture  was  fulfilled  which  said,  He  was  numbered 
with  the  transgressors  (Mark  xv.  28  \  Luke  xxii.  37).  That 
the  Scripture  might  be  fulfilled,  which  saith,  They 
parted  among  them  My  *  garments,  and  for  My  vesture  they 
did  cast  lots  (John  xix.  24).  After  this,  Jesus  knowing  that 
*  The  Latin  here  has  sua.  their. 


No.  262. J  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE.  391 

all  things  were  now  accomplished,  that  the  Scripture  might 
BE  fulfilled  (xix.  28).  When  Jesus  therefore  had  received 
the  vinegar,  He  said,  It  is  finished  {that  is,  It  is  ful- 
filled) (xix.  30).  These  things  were  done,  that  the  Scrip- 
ture should  be  fulfilled,  A  bone  in  Him  shall  ye  not 
break;  and  again  another  Scripture  saith,  They  shall 
look  o?i  Him  Whom  they  have  pierced  (xix.  36,  37).  That  the 
whole  Word  was  written  concerning  Him,  and  that  He 
came  into  the  world  to  fulfil  it,  He  also  taught  the  disci- 
ples before  He  went  away,  in  these  words  which  He  spake 
unto  them  :  O  fools,  and  slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that  the 
prophets  have  spoken  ;  ought  not  Ch?'ist  to  have  suffered  these 
things,  and  to  enter  into  glory  ?  And  beginning  at  Moses  and 
all  the  p?-ophets,  He  expounded  unto  them  in  all  the  Scriptures 
the  things  concerning  Himself  (Luke  xxiv.  25-27).  More- 
over, Jesus  said  that  all  things  must  be  fulfilled  which  were, 
written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  i?i  the  prophets,  and  in  the 
Psalms  concerning  Him  (xxiv.  44,  45).  That  the  Lord,  in 
the  world,  fulfilled  all  things  of  the  Word,  even  to  its  most 
minute  several  particulars,  is  manifest  from  these  His 
words  :  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  till  heaven  and  earth  pass, 

ONE  JOT  OR  ONE  TITTLE  SHALL  IN  NO  WISE  PASS  FROM  THE 

law,  till  all  be  fulfilled  (Matt.  v.  iS).  From  these 
things  it  may  now  be  clearly  seen,  that  by  the  Lord's 
fulfilling  all  things  of  the  law,  is  not  meant  that  He  ful- 
filled all  the  precepts  of  the  Decalogue,  but  all  things  of 
the  Word.  That  the  law  also  means  all  things  of  the 
Word  may  be  evident  from  these  passages  :  Jesus  said,  Is 
it  not  written  in  your  law,  I  said,  Ye  are  gods?  (John  x. 
34.)  This  is  written  in  Psalm  lxxxii.  6.  The  people  answered, 
We  have  heard  out  of  the  law,  that  Christ  abidith  for  ever 
(John  xii.  34)  :  this  is  written  in  Psalms  lxxxix.  29  ;  ex.  4  ; 
Dan.  vii.  14.  That  the  Word  might  be  fulfilled  that  is  written 
in  their  law,  They  hated  Me  without  a  cause  (John  xv.  25) : 
this  is  written  in  Psalm  xxxv.  19.  //  is  easier  for  heaven 
and  earth  to  pass,  than  one  tittle  of  the  law  to  fail (Xuke  xvu 


392         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


17).  By  the  law  there,  as  frequently  elsewhere,  is  meant 
the  whole  Sacred  Scripture. 

263.  Few  understand  how  the  Lord  is  the  Word;  for 
they  think  that  the  Lord  can  enlighten  and  teach  men  by 
the  Word,  and  yet  cannot  therefore  be  called  the  Word. 
But  let  them  know  that  every  man  is  his  own  will,  and  his 
own  understanding,  and  so  one  is  distinct  from  another  : 
and  since  the  will  is  the  receptacle  of  love  and  thus  of  all 
the  goods  which  are  of  that  love,  and  the  understanding 
is  the  receptacle  of  wisdom  and  thus  of  all  things  of  truth 
which  are  of  that  wisdom,  it  follows  that  every  man  is  his 
own  love  and  his  own  wisdom  •  or,  what  is  the  same,  his 
own  good  and  his  own  truth.  A  man  is  not  man  from  any 
thing  else,  and  nothing  else  in  him  is  man.  With  respect 
to  the  Lord,  He  is  Love  itself  and  Wisdom  itself,  thus 
Good  itself  and  Truth  itself,  which  He  became  by  fulfil- 
ling all  the  good  and  all  the  truth  which  are  in  the  Word ; 
for  he  who  thinks  and  speaks  nothing  but  truth,  becomes 
that  truth  ;  and  he  who  wills  and  does  nothing  but  good, 
becomes  that  good ;  and  the  Lord,  because  he  fulfilled  all 
the  Divine  truth  and  the  Divine  good  which  are  in  the 
Word,  both  those  which  are  in  its  natural  sense  and  those 
which  are  in  its  spiritual  sense,  became  Good  itself  and 
Truth  itself,  and  thus  the  Word. 

XII.  Before  the  Word  which  is  in  the  World  at  this 
Day,  there  was  a  Word  which  is  lost. 

264.  That  worship  by  sacrifices  was  known,  and  that  they 
prophesied  from  the  mouth  of  Jehovah,  before  the  Word 
was  given  to  the  Israelitish  nation  through  Moses  and  the 
prophets,  may  be  evident  from  what  is  related  in  the  books 
of  Moses.  That  worship  by  sacrifices  was  known,  is  evi- 
dent from  these  things  :  It  was  commanded  that  the  sons 
of  Israel  should  overthrow  the  altars  of  the  nations,  and 
break  in  pieces  their  images,  and  cut  down  their  groves 


No.  265.]  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


393 


(Ex.  xxxiv.  13  ;  Deut.  vii.  5  ;  xii.  3).  Israel  in  Shittim  be- 
gan to  commit  whoredom  with  the  daughters  of  Moab,  and 
they  called  the  people  to  the  sacrifices  of  their  gods,  and 
the  people  did  eat  (Num.  xxv.  1-3).  Balaam,  who  was 
from  Syria,  made  them  build  altars,  and  sacrificed  oxen 
and  sheep  (xxii.  40;  xxiii.  1,  2,  14,  29,  30).  He  also 
prophesied  concerning  the  Lord,  saying,  That  a  Star  should 
rise  out  of  jfacob  and  a  Sceptre  out  of  Israel  (xxiv.  17).  And 
he  prophesied  from  the  mouth  of  Jehovah  (xxii.  13,  18 ; 
xxiii.  3,  5,  8,  16,  26;  xxiv.  1,  13).  From  which  it  is  mani- 
fest, that  there  was  among  the  nations  Divine  worship 
similar  to  the  worship  instituted  by  Moses  with  the  Israel- 
itish  nation.  That  it  was  also  before  the  time  of  Abra- 
ham, is  clear  from  the  words  in  Moses  (Deut.  xxxii.  7,  8) ; 
but  more  manifestly  from  this,  that  Melchizedek,  king  of 
Salem,  brought  out  bread  and  wine,  and  blessed  Abram  j 
and  that  Abram  gave  him  tithes  of  all  (Gen.  xiv.  18- 
20) ;  and  that  Melchizedek  represented  the  Lord,  for  he  is 
called  priest  of  the  Most  High  God  (Gen.  xiv.  18);  and  it 
is  said  in  David  concerning^the  Lord,  Thou  art  a  priest  for 
ever,  after  the  order  of  Melchizedek  (Ps.  ex.  4).  Hence  it 
was  that  Melchizedek  brought  out  bread  and  wine,  as  most 
holy  things  of  the  church,  as  they  are  the  holy  things  in 
the  Sacred  Supper.  These  and  many  other  things  are 
manifest  proofs  that,  before  the  lsraelitish  Word,  there 
was  a  Word  from  which  such  revelations  were  made. 

265.  That  there  was  a  Word  among  the  ancients,  i-  evi- 
dent from  Moses,  by  whom  it  is  mentioned,  and  who  took 
something  from  it  (Num.  xxi.  14,  15,  27-30)  ;  and  that  the 
historical  parts  of  that  Word  were  called  the  Wars  of 
Jehovah,  and  its  prophetic  parts,  the  Enunciations. 
From  the  historical  parts  of  that  Word  this  passage  was 
taken  by  Moses  :  Wherefore  it  is  said  in  the  book  of  the 
Wars  or  Jehovah,  At  Vaheb  in  Suphah,  and  by  the  Wilier- 
courses  of  Arnon,  and  by  the  ravines  of  the  7uatcr-courscs 
which  go  down  to  the  dwelling  places  of  Ar  and  touch  on  tin 

17* 


394         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


border  of  Moab  (Num.  xxi.  14,  15).  By  the  wars  of  Jeho- 
vah, in  that  Word  as  in  ours,  were  meant  and  described 
the  combats  of  the  Lord  with  the  hells,  and  His  vic- 
tories over  them,  when  He  should  come  into  the  world. 
The  same  combats  are  also  meant  and  described  in  many 
places  in  the  historical  portions  of  our  Word,  as  by  the 
wars  of  Joshua  with  the  nations  of  the  land  of  Canaan, 
and  by  the  wars  of  the  judges  and  of  the  kings  oi 
Israel.  From  the  prophetical  parts  of  that  Word,  these 
passages  were  taken :  Wherefore  the  Enunciators  say, 
Come  into  Heshbo?i ;  let  the  eity  of  Sihon  be  built  and 
strengthened ;  for  there  is  a  fire  gone  out  of  Heshbon,  a  fame 
from  the  city  of  Sihon  ;  it  hath  consumed  Ar  of  Moab,  a?id 
the  lords  of  the  high  places  of  Anion.  Woe  to  thee,  Moab  ; 
thou  hast  perished,  O  people  of  Chemosh  ;  he  hath  given  his 
sons  that  escaped,  and  his  daughters,  into  captivity  unto 
Sihon,  king  of  the  Amorite.  With  weapons  have  we  de- 
stroyed them.  Heshbon  hath  perished  even  unto  Dibon,  and 
we  have  laid  them  waste  eve?i  to  Nophah,  which  reacheth 
unto  Medeba  (Num.  xxi.  27-30^.  Translators  say,  "  Com- 
posers of  Proverbs  "  ["  they  that  speak  in  proverbs  "],  but 
the  rendering  ought  to  be  Enunciators,  or  Prophetical 
Eliminations,  as  may  be  evident  from  the  signification  of 
the  word  m'shalim  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  which  means  not 
only  proverbs,  but  also  prophetic  enunciations,  as  in  Num. 
xxiii.  7,  18;  xxiv.  3,  15,  where  it  is  said,  that  Balaam 
uttered  his  Enunciation,  which  was  prophetical,  and  even 
concerning  the  Lord.  His  enunciation  is  called  masked 
in  the  singular.  It  may  be  added,  that  the  things  taken 
therefrom  by  Moses  are  not  proverbs  but  prophecies. 
That  that  Word  was  likewise  divinely  inspired,  is  manifest 
from  Jeremiah,  where  almost  the  same  things  are  said  : 
A  fire  hath  come  forth  out  of  Heshbon,  a?id  a  flame  from  the 
midst  of  Sihon,  which  hath  devoured  the  corner  of  Moab, 
and  the  crown  of  the  head  of  the  sons  of  tumult.  Woe  be 
unto  thee,  O  Moab  ;  the  people  of  Chemosh  have  perished ;  fo? 


No.  268.J 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


395 


thy  sons  are  taken  captives,  and  thy  daughters  captives  (xlviii. 
45,  46).  Besides  these,  a  prophetic  book  of  the  ancient 
Word,  called  the  book  of  Jasher,  or  the  book  of  the 
Upright,  is  mentioned  by  David  and  by  Joshua.  By  David : 
David  lamented  over  Saul  and  over  Jonathan^  and  made  the 
inscription,  To  teach  the  sons  of  Judah  the  bow  ;  behold  it  is 
written  in  the  book  of  Jasher  (2  Sam.  i.  17,  18).  And  by 
Joshua :  Joshua  said,  Sun,  rest  in  Gibeou,  and  Moon  in 
the  valley  of  Ajalon ;  is  not  this  writte?i  in  the  book  of 
Jasher?    (Josh.  x.  12.) 

266.  From  these  things  it  may  be  evident  that  there  was 
an  ancient  Word  in  the  world,  particularly  in  Asia,  before 
the  Israelitish  Word.  That  this  Word  is  preserved  in 
heaven,  with  the  angels  who  lived  in  those  ages,  and  also 
that  at  this  day  it  is  still  among  the  nations  in  Great 
Tartary,  may  be  seen  in  the  third  Relation  following  this 
chapter  concerning  the  "  Sacred  Scripture." 

XIII.  By  means  of  the  Word  those  also  have  Light 
who  are  out  of  the  church,  and  have  not 
the  Word. 

267.  Conjunction  with  heaven  cannot  be  given  unless 
there  is  somewhere  on  earth  a  church  where  the  Word  is, 
and  the  Lord  is  known  by  it;  because  the  Lord  is  the  God 
of  heaven  and  earth,  and  without  the  Lord  there  is  no  sal- 
vation. That  by  the  Word,  there  is  conjunction  with  the 
Lord  and  consociation  with  the  angels,  may  be  seen  above 
(n.  234-239).  It  is  enough  that  there  be  a  church,  where 
the  Word  is ;  although  it  consist  of  comparatively  few,  still 
by  the  Word  the  Lord  is  present  in  the  whole  world,  for  by 
it  heaven  is  conjoined  with  the  human  race. 

268.  But  it  shall  be  told  how  the  presence  and  conjunc- 
tion of  the  Lord  and  of  heaven  are  given  in  all  lands  by 
means  of  the  Word.  The  whole  angelic  heaven,  before  the 
Lord  is  as  one  man  \  and  so  also  is  the  church  upon  earth. 


396 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


That  they  also  actually  appear  as  a  man,  may  be  seen  in 
the  work  concerning  "Heaven  and  Hell"  (n.  59-86).  In 
that  man,  the  church  where  the  Word  is  read  and  the  Lord 
is  known  by  it  is  as  the  heart  and  as  the  lungs ;  the  Lord's 
heavenly  [celestial']  kingdom  as  the  heart,  and  His  spiritual 
kii  gdom  as  the  lungs.  As  from  these  two  fountains  of  life 
in  the  human  body,  all  the  other  members,  viscera  and 
organs  subsist  and  live,  so  also  it  is  from  the  conjunction 
of  the  Lord  and  heaven  with  the  church  by  means  of  the 
Word,  that  all  those  subsist  and  live,  in  all  the  earth,  who 
have  a  religion,  worship  one  God,  and  live  a  good  life,  and 
who  are  thus  in  that  man  and  have  relation  to  the  members 
and  viscera  that  are  outside  of  the  thorax  which  contains 
the  heart  and  lungs.  For  the  Word  in  the  Christian  church 
is  life  from  the  Lord  through  heaven  to  all  the  rest,  just  as 
the  life  of  the  members  and  viscera  of  the  whole  body  is 
from  the  heart  and  lungs.  There  is  also  similar  communi- 
cation. This  also  is  the  reason  why  the  Christians  among 
whom  the  Word  is  read  constitute  the  breast  of  that  man. 
They  are  also  in  the  midst  of  all,  and  around  them  are  the 
Papists  ;  around  these  are  the  Mohammedans  who  acknowl- 
edge the  Lord  as  the  greatest  Prophet  and  as  the  Son  of 
God ;  after  these  are  the  Africans  \  and  the  peoples  and 
nations  of  Asia  and  the  Indies  make  the  outermost  circum- 
ference. 

269.  That  it  is  so  in  the  whole  heaven  may  be  concluded 
from  what  is  similar  in  each  society  of  heaven ;  for  each 
society  is  a  heaven  in  a  less  form,  which  also  is  like  a  man. 
That  it  is  so,  may  be  seen  in  the  work  concerning  "  Heaven 
and  Hell "  (n.  41-87).  In  every  society  of  heaven  they 
who  are  in  its  midst  have  relation  in  like  manner  to  the 
heart  and  lungs,  and  with  them  is  the  greatest  light  j  the 
light  itself,  and  the  perception  of  truth  therefrom,  extends 
itself  from  this  middle  toward  the  circumferences  in  every 
direction,  thus  to  all  who  are  in  the  society,  and  makes 
their  spiritual  life.    It  has  been  shown  that  when  those 


No.  270.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


397 


who  were  in  the  middle  and  constituted  the  province  of 
the  heart  and  lungs,  and  with  whom  was  the  greatest  light, 
were  taken  away,  they  who  were  around  were  in  the  shade 
us  to  the  understanding,  and  then  in  so  little  perception  of 
truth  that  they  grieved ;  but  as  soon  as  the  others  returned, 
the  light  was  seen,  and  they  had  perception  of  truth  as 
before.  Comparison  may  be  made  with  the  heat  and  light 
from  the  sun  of  the  world,  which  give  vegetation  to  trees 
and  shrubs,  even  to  those  which  are  out  of  its  direct  rays 
and  in  the  shade,  provided  the  sun  be  risen.  So  with  the 
light  and  heat  of  heaven,  from  the  Lord  as  the  Sun  there  j 
which  light  in  its  essence  is  Divine  truth,  from  which  is  all 
the  intelligence  and  wisdom  of  angels  and  men.  Where- 
fore it  is  said  of  the  Word,  that  it  was  with  God  ana7  was 
God;  that  it  enlighteneth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the 
world ;  and  that  the  light  shineth  also  in  darkness  (John  i.  1, 
5,  9.  By  the  Word  is  there  meant  the  Lord  as  to  Divine 
Truth. 

270.  From  this  it  may  be  evident  that  the  Word  which 
is  with  the  Protestants  and  the  Reformed  enlightens  all 
nations  and  peoples,  by  spiritual  communication ;  also  that 
it  is  provided  by  the  Lord  that  there  should  always  be  on 
the  earth  a  church  where  the  Word  is  read,  and  that  by  it 
the  Lord  should  be  made  known.  Wherefore,  when  the 
Word  was  almost  rejected  by  the  Papists,  by  the  Lord's 
Divine  Providence  the  Reformation  took  place,  whereby 
the  Word  was  drawn  from  its  concealment,  as  it  were,  and 
brought  into  use.  When  also  the  Word  with  the  Jewish 
nation  was  wholly  falsified  and  adulterated,  and,  as  it  were, 
made  of  no  effect,  then  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  descend 
from  heaven,  and  to  come  as  the  Word,  and  to  fulfil  it,  and 
thereby  to  restore  and  re-establish  it,  and  again  to  give 
light  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  according  to  the 
words  of  the  Lord  :  The  people  which  sat  in  dar/wss  saw 
great  light ;  and  to  them  which  s,it  in  the  region  and  .hadow 
of  death,  light  is  sprung  up  (Isa.  i\\  2  ;  and  Matt,  iv  t6). 


398         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV, 

271.  Since  it  was  foretold  that,  at  the  end  of  this  church 
also,  darkness  would  arise  from  not  recognizing  the  Lord 
as  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  from  the  separa- 
tion of  faith  from  charity,  lest  the  genuine  understand- 
ing of  the  Word  should  thereby  perish,  and  thus  the 
church,  therefore  it  has  pleased  the  Lord  now  to  reveal 
the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  and  to  make  mani- 
fest that  the  Word  in  that  sense,  and  from  it  in  the 
natural  sense,  contains  things  innumerable,  by  means  of 
which  the  light  of  truth  from  the  Word,  almost  extin- 
guished, may  be  restored.  That  at  the  end  of  this  church 
the  light  of  truth  would  be  almost  extinguished,  is  foretold 
in  many  places  in  the  Apocalypse,  and  it  is  also  meant  by 
these  words  of  -the  Lord  :  Immediately  after  the  afflictio?i  of 
those  days,  shall  the  su?i  be  darkened,  and  the  moon  shall  not 
give  her  light  [lumen],  and  the  stars  shall  fall  from  heaven, 
and  the  powers  of  the  heavens  shall  be  shaken  ;  and  then  they 
shall  see  the  Son  of  Mail  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  with 
glory  and  power  (Matt.  xxiv.  29,  30).  By  sun  here  is  meant 
the  Lord  as  to  love ;  by  moon,  the  Lord  as  to  faith  ;  by  stars, 
as  to  cognitions  of  truth  and  good  ;  by  the  Son  of  Man,  the 
Lord  as  to  the  Word ;  by  cloud,  the  sense  of  the  letter  of 
the  Word ;  by  glory,  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  and 
its  transparence  through  the  sense  of  its  letter;  and  by 
virtues  its  power. 

272.  It  has  been  given  me  to  know  by  much  experience 
that  man  has  communication  with  heaven  through  the  Word. 
While  I  read  the  Word  through,  from  the  first  chapter  of 
Isaiah  to  the  last  of  Malachi,  and  the  Psalms  of  David,  and 
kept  my  thought  on  their  spiritual  sense,  it  was  given  me  to 
perceive  clearly  that  every  verse  communicated  with  some 
society  of  heaven,  and  thus  the  whole  Word  with  the  uni- 
versal heaven ;  from  which  it  was  manifest,  that,  as  the 
Lord  is  the  Word,  heaven  also  is  the  Word,  since  heaven 
is  heaven  from  the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  by  the  Word  is  the 
All  in  all  of  heaven. 


No.  273.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


399 


XIV.  If  there  were  not  a  Word,  no  one  would  have 
a  knowledge  of  god,  of  heaven  and  hell,  of 
the  Life  after  Death,  and  still  less  of  the 
Lord. 

273.  Since  they  have  also  confirmed  themselves  in  their 
opinion  who  insist  that  without  the  Word  man  would  be 
able  to  know  the  existence  of  God,  and  also  of  heaven  and 
hell,  and  the  other  things  taught  by  the  Word,  it  is  there- 
fore not  allowable  to  argue  with  them  from  the  Word,  but 
from  the  natural  light  [lumen']  of  reason ;  for  they  do  not 
believe  in  the  Word,  but  in  themselves.  From  the  light 
\lii7?ien~\  of  reason  then  inquire,  and  you  will  find  that  there 
are  two  faculties  of  life  in  man,  which  are  called  the  under- 
standing and  the  will;  and  that  the  understanding  is  sub- 
ject to  the  will,  and  not  the  will  to  the  understanding;  for 
the  understanding  merely  teaches  and  shows  what  is  to  be 
done  from  the  will.  Therefore  many  who  have  acute  gen- 
ius, and  understand  better  than  others  the  morals  of  life, 
still  do  not  live  according  to  them.  It  would  not  be  so  if 
they  willed  them.  Inquire  further,  and  you  will  find  that 
the  will  of  man  is  his  proprium  [or  his  very  nature],  and 
that  this  from  nativity  is  evil,  and  that  thence  there  is 
falsity  in  the  understanding.  When  you  have  found  out 
these  things,  you  will  see  that  man  of  himself  does  not 
vish  to  understand  any  thing  but  what  is  from  the  pro- 
prium of  his  will ;  and  that  unless  there  be  some  other 
source  whence  he  may  know  it,  man  from  the  proprium  of 
his  will  would  not  wish  to  understand  any  thing  but  what 
*s  of  himself  and  the  world.  Whatever  is  above,  is  in  thick 
darkness  to  him.  Thus  when  he  sees  the  sun,  moon,  and 
stars,  if  by  chance  he  should  then  think  of  their  origin,  he 
could  not  think  otherwise  than  that  they  exist  of  them- 
selves. Could  he  raise  his  thoughts  higher  than  many 
'earned  men  in  the  world,  who,  although  they  know  from 
the  Word  that  God  created  all  things,  still  acknowledge 


400 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


nature  ?  What  then  would  the  same  persons  have  thought 
if  they  had  known  nothing  from  the  Word  ?  Do  you  believe 
that  the  wise  men  of  old,  as  Aristotle,  Cicero,  Seneca,  and 
others,  who  wrote  about  God  and  about  the  immortality  of 
the  soul,  took  it  first  from  their  own  understanding  ?  No  , 
but  from  others,  by  tradition  from  those  who  first  gained 
their  knowledge  from  the  ancient  Word,  of  which  we  have 
spoken  above.  Neither  do  writers  on  natural  theology 
derive  any  such  thing  from  themselves ;  but  they  merely 
confirm  by  rational  deductions  those  things  which  they 
know  from  the  church  in  which  the  Word  is;  and  there 
may  be  some  among  them  who  confirm,  and  yet  do  not 
believe  them. 

274.  It  has  been  granted  me  to  see  people  who  were 
born  in  islands,  and  who  were  rational  as  to  civil  affairs, 
but  who  knew  nothing  at  all  concerning  God.  In  the 
spiritual  world  they  appear  like  apes.  But  as  they  were 
born  men,  and  thence  in  the  capacity  of  receiving  spiritual 
life,  they  are  instructed  by  the  angels ;  and  are  made  alive 
by  means  of  cognitions  concerning  the  Lord  as  Man.  What 
man  is  of  himself,  appears  evidently  from  those  who  are  in 
hell,  among  whom  are  also  some  prelates  and  learned  men 
who  are  not  willing  even  to  hear  of  God,  and  therefore  can- 
not speak  His  Name.  I  have  seen  them  and  conversed 
with  them.  And  I  have  also  conversed  with  those  who 
went  into  a  fire  of  anger  and  wrath  when  they  heard  any 
one  speak  of  the  Lord.  Consider,  therefore,  what  a  man 
would  be  who  had  heard  nothing  about  God,  when  such  is 
the  character  of  some  who  have  talked  about  God,  written 
about  God,  and  preached  about  God.  They  are  such  from 
the  will,  which  is  evil ;  and  this,  as  said  before,  leads  the 
understanding,  and  takes  away  the  truth  which  is  in  it  from 
the  Word.  If  man  had  been  able  of  himself  to  know  that 
there  is  a  God  and  that  there  is  a  life  after  death,  why  has 
he  not  known  that  a  man  is  a  man  after  death  ?  Why  does 
he  believe  that  his  soul  or  spirit  is  as  the  wind  or  the  ether, 


No.  276.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


401 


and  that  it  does  not  see  with  eyes,  nor  hear  with  ears,  noi 
speak  with  a  mouth,  until  it  is  conjoined  and  reunited  with 
its  dead  body  and  its  skeleton  ?  Suppose  then  a  doctrine 
put  forth  solely  from  rational  light  \lumeii\  ;  would  it  not  be, 
that  oneself  should  be  worshipped  ?  as  was  done  for  ages, 
and  also  is  done  at  this  day  by  those  who  know  from  the 
Word  that  God  alone  is  to  be  worshipped.  There  can  be 
no  other  worship  from  what  is  proper  to  man  ;  not  even  the 
worship  of  the  sun  and  moon. 

275.  That  there  has  been  some  religion  from  the  most 
ancient  times,  and  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  world  every- 
where have  known  about  God,  and  something  about  the 
life  after  death,  has  not  been  from  themselves,  or  from 
their  own  intelligence,  but  from  the  ancient  Word,  of  which 
we  have  treated  above  (n.  264-266)  j  and  at  a  later  period 
from  the  Israelitish  Word.  From  these  two  Words,  relig- 
ious systems  emanated  into  the  Indies  and  their  islands ; 
through  Egypt  and  Ethiopia  into  the  kingdoms  of  Africa  \ 
from  the  maritime  parts  of  Asia  into  Greece ;  and  thence 
into  Italy.  But  because  the  Word  could  not  be  written 
otherwise  than  by  representatives,  which  are  such  things  in 
the  world  as  correspond  to  heavenly  things  and  thence  sig- 
nify them,  therefore  the  religions  of  the  gentile  nations  were 
turned  into  idolatries,  and  in  Greece  into  fable ;  and  the 
Divine  attributes  and  properties  into  as  many  gods,  over 
whom  they  made  one  supreme,  whom  they  called  Jove,  per- 
haps from  Jehovah.  It  is  known  that  they  had  a  knowledge 
of  paradise,  of  the  deluge,  of  the  sacred  fire,  and  of  the  four 
ages,  from  the  first  or  golden  age  to  the  last  or  iron  age,  as 
in  Daniel  ii.  31-35. 

276.  They  who  believe  themselves  able,  from  their  own 
intelligence,  to  acquire  cognitions  of  God,  of  heaven  and 
hell,  and  of  the  spiritual  things  which  are  of  the  church,  do 
not  know  that  the  natural  man  viewed  in  himself  is  opposed 
to  the  spiritual,  and  therefore  desires  to  extirpate  the  spirit* 
ual  things  which  enter,  or  to  involve  them  in  fallacies,  which 


402         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


are  like  worms  that  consume  the  roots  of  herbs  and  the 
growing  corn.  They  may  be  likened  to  men  who  dream 
that  they  are  seated  on  eagles,  and  borne  up  on  high ;  or 
on  horses  like  Pegasus,  and  flying  over  Mount  Parnassus 
to  Helicon ;  and  they  are  actually  like  the  Lucifers  in  hell, 
who  still  call  themselves  there  the  sons  of  the  morning  (Isa. 
xiv.  12).  And  they  are  like  the  men  who  in  the  valley  of 
the  land  of  Shinah  undertook  to  build  a  tower,  the  head 
of  which  should  be  in  heaven  (Gen.  xi.  2-4) ;  and  they  trust 
in  themselves  like  Goliath,  not  foreseeing  that  like  him  they 
may  be  prostrated  by  a  sling-stone  buried  in  the  forehead. 
I  will  tell  what  lot  awaits  them  after  death :  at  first  they 
become  as  if  drunk,  then  like  fools,  and  at  last  they  become 
stupid,  and  sit  in  darkness.  Let  them  therefore  beware  of 
such  madness. 

277.  To  this  I  will  add  the  following  Relations. 
First  :  One  day,  in  the  spirit,  I  rambled  through  various 
places  in  the  spiritual  world,  for  the  purpose  of  observing 
the  representations  of  heavenly  things,  which  are  there 
exhibited  in  many  places.  And  in  a  certain  house,  where 
there  were  angels,  I  saw  great  purses,  in  which  silver  was 
stored  up  in  great  abundance ;  and  as  they  were  open,  it 
seemed  as  if  every  one  might  take  from  the  silver  there  laid 
up,  yes,  steal  it.  But  near  the  purses  sat  two  youths,  who 
were  guards.  The  place  where  the  purses  were  stored 
appeared  like  a  manger  in  a  stable.  In  the  next  room 
were  seen  modest  virgins  with  a  chaste  wife ;  and  near  that 
room  stood  two  little  children  :  and  it  was  said  that  they 
were  not  to  be  played  with  childishly,  but  were  to  be  treated 
wisely.  Afterwards  appeared  a  harlot,  then  a  horse  lying 
dead.  Having  seen  these  things,  I  was  instructed  that  they 
represented  the  natural  sense  of  the  Word,  in  which  is  the 
spiritual  sense.  The  great  purses  full  of  silver  signified 
cognitions  of  truth  in  great  abundance.  That  they  were 
open  and  yet  guarded  by  youths,  signified,  that  every  one 
could  take  therefrom  cognitions  of  truth,  but  that  care  is 


No.  278.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


403 


taken,  lest  any  one  violate  the  spiritual  sense,  in  which  are 
unmixed  truths.  The  manger,  as  in  a  stable,  signified  spirit- 
ual nourishment  for  the  understanding ;  a  manger  has  this 
signification,  because  a  horse,  which  eats  from  it,  signifies 
the  understanding.  The  modest  virgins,  who  were  seen  in 
the  next  room,  signified  affections  for  truth ;  and  the  chaste 
wife,  the  conjunction  of  good  and  truth.  The  little  chil- 
dren signified  the  innocence  of  wisdom ;  for  the  angels  of 
the  highest  heaven,  who  are  the  wisest,  appear  at  a  distance 
like  little  children,  from  innocence.  The  harlot,  with  the 
dead  horse,  signified  the  falsification  of  truth  by  many  at 
this  day,  by  which  all  understanding  of  truth  perishes :  a 
harlot  signifies  falsification ;  and  a  dead  horse,  no  under- 
standing of  truth. 

278.  Second  Relation.  There  was  once  sent  down  to 
me  from  heaven  a  little  paper  inscribed  with  Hebrew  let- 
ters, but  written  as  with  the  ancients,  by  whom  those 
letters  which  at  this  day  are  in  some  part  linear,  were 
inflected  with  little  curves  turning  upward.  And  the  angels 
who  were  then  with  me  said  that  they  knew  entire  mean- 
ings from  the  letters  themselves,  and  that  they  knew  these, 
especially,  from  the  bendings  of  the  lines  and  of  the  apexes 
of  the  letter ;  and  they  explained  what  they  signified  sep- 
arately, and  what  conjointly ;  saying  that  the  H,  which 
was  added  to  the  names  of  Abram  and  Sarai,  signified 
infinite  and  eternal.  They  also  explained  to  me  the  mean- 
ing of  the  Word  in  Psalm  xxxii.  2,  from  the  letters  or 
syllables  alone  ;  that  the  meaning  of  them,  summed  up, 

Was,  THAT  THE  LORD  IS  ALSO  MERCIFUL  TO  THOSE  WHO  DO 

evil.  They  informed  me  that  writing  in  the  third  heaven 
consisted  of  letters  inflected  and  variously  curved,  each 
one  of  which  contained  a  certain  meaning ;  and  that  the  vow- 
els there  were  for  the  tone,  which  corresponds  to  affection  j 
also  that  in  that  heaven  they  could  not  utter  the  vowels  f 
and  e,  but  instead  of  them  y  and  eu ;  and  that  the  vowels 
e,  o,  and  //  were  in  use  with  them,  because  they  have  a  full 


404         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


sound.*  They  also  said  that  they  did  not  pronounce  any 
consonants  hard,  but  soft;  and  that  it  is  from  this  that 
certain  Hebrew  letters  have  a  little  dot  in  the  centre  when 
they  are  [hard,  and  are  without  this  dot  when]  soft ;  saying 
that  hardness  in  letters  is  in  use  in  the  spiritual  heaven, 
because  there  they  are  in  truths,  and  truth  admits  what  is 
hard,  but  not  good,  in  which  the  angels  of  the  Lord's 
heavenly  [celestial]  kingdom,  or  of  the  third  heaven,  are.f 
They  also  said  that  they  had  among  them  the  Word  written 
with  letters  inflected  with  little  curves  and  apexes  that 
were  significative.  From  this  it  was  manifest  what  these 
words  of  the  Lord  signify :  One  jot  or  one  tittle  shall  in  no 
wise  pass  from  the  law  till  all  be  fulfilled  (Matt.  v.  18)  ; 
also  these,  //  is  easier  for  heaven  and  earth  to  pass,  than  for 
o?ie  apex  of  the  law  to  fail  (Luke  xvi.  17). 

279.  Third  Relation.  Seven  years  ago,  when  I  was 
collecting  the  things  which  Moses  wrote  from  the  two 
books  called  the  Wars  of  Jehovah  and  the  Enunciations 
(Num.  xxi.),  certain  angels  were  present,  and  said  to  me 
that  those  books  were  an  Ancient  Word,  the  historical 
parts  of  which  were  called  the  Wars  of  Jehovah,  and  the 
prophetical  parts  of  which  were  called  the  Enunciations ; 
and  they  said  that  that  Word  was  still  preserved  in  heaven, 
and  in  use  among  the  ancients  there  who  had  that  Word 
when  they  were  in  the  world.    The  ancients  with  whom 

*  The  sounds  denoted  by  these  letters  are  believed  to  be  as  fol- 
lows :  i  like  i  in  machine  (or  the  English  long  e);  e  like  ey  in  they  (or 
the  English  long  a);  y  like  the  Swedish  y,  or  the  French  u ;  a  like  a 
in  hart ;  0  as  in  no ;  u  like  00  in  moon  ;  eu  as  in  certain  foreign  words 
introduced  into  the  Swedish  language,  both  vowels  being  sounded, 
but  running  together  (like  the  French  eu  in  feut  and  nearly  like  the 
English  u  in  fur). 

t  The  words  within  brackets  have  been  introduced  to  avoid  con- 
flict with  the  ordinary  use  of  the  words  "hard"  and  "soft"  (tenuis 
and  aspirata)  by  grammarians  ;  Swedcnborg  himself  uses  the  terms 
in  the  common  way  in  the  "  Spiritual  Diary,"  n.  5620;  but  in  the  Latin 
of  this  number,  and  elsewhere,  the  terms  are  transposed  in  their 
application  to  the  letters. 


No.  279.]  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE.  405 

that  Word  is  still  in  use  in  heaven  were  in  part  from  the 
land  of  Canaan  and  the  neighboring  lands,  as  Syria,  Meso- 
potamia, Arabia,  Chaldea,  Assyria,  Egypt,  Sidon,  Tyre, 
and  Nineveh ;  the  inhabitants  of  all  which  kingdoms  were 
in  representative  worship,  and  consequently  had  a  knowl- 
edge of  correspondcmces.  The  wisdom  of  that  time  was 
from  that  knowledge,  and  by  it  men  had  interior  percep 
tion  and  communication  with  the  heavens.  They  who  knew 
the  correspondences  of  that  Word,  were  called  wise  and 
intelligent,  and  afterwards  diviners  and  Magi.  But  be- 
cause that  Word  was  full  of  such  correspondences  as  sig- 
nified heavenly  \cclestial~\  and  spiritual  things  remotely, 
and  consequently  began  to  be  falsified  by  many,  by  the 
Lord's  Divine  Providence  in  course  of  time  it  disappeared, 
and  another  Word  was  given,  written  by  correspondences 
not  so  remote,  and  this  through  the  prophets  among  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel.  In  this  Word  were  retained  many  names  of 
the  places  not  only  in  the  land  of  Canaan  but  also  round 
about  in  Asia,  all  of  which  signified  things  and  states  of 
the  church ;  but  the  significations  were  from  the  ancient 
Word.  For  this  reason  Abram  was  commanded  to  go  into 
that  land,  and  his  posterity,  descended  from  Jacob,  were 
introduced  into  it. 

Respecting  that  ancient  Word  which  was  in  Asia  before 
the  Israelitish  Word,  I  am  at  liberty  to  relate  this  news, 
that  it  is  still  preserved  there  among  the  people  who  live 
in  Great  Tartary.  I  have  conversed  with  spirits  and  an- 
gels in  the  spiritual  world  who  were  from  that  country, 
who  said  that  they  possess  a  Word,  and  have  possessed  it 
from  ancient  times,  and  that  they  conduct  their  divine 
worship  according  to  this  Word,  and  that  it  consists  sim- 
ply of  correspondences.  They  said  that  in  it  also  is  the 
book  of  Jaslicr,  which  is  mentioned  in  Joshua  (x.  12,  13), 
and  in  the  second  book  of  Samuel  (i.  17,  18) ;  as  also,  that 
among  them  are  the  books  called  the  Wars  of  Jehovah, 
and  the  Enunciations,  which  are  mentioned  by  Moses  (Num. 


406         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV 

xxi.  14,  15,  and  27-30)  ;  and  when  I  read  in  their  presence 
the  words  which  Moses  had  taken  therefrom,  they  searched 
to  see  if  they,  were  there,  and  they  found  them.  From  this 
it  was  manifest  to  me  that  the  ancient  Word  is  still  among 
them.  While  conversing  with  them  they  said  that  they 
worship  Jehovah,  some  as  an  invisible  God,  and  some  as 
visible.  They  further  told  me  that  they  do  not  suffer 
foreigners  to  come  among  them,  except  the  Chinese,  with 
whom  they  cultivate  peace,  because  the  emperor  of  China 
is  from  their  country ;  and  also  that  their  population  is  so 
great,  that  they  do  not  believe  any  region  in  the  whole 
world  to  be  more  populous  ;  which  is  also  credible  from 
the  wall  many  miles  in  length,  which  the  Chinese  built 
long  ago  as  a  safeguard  against  invasion  from  them.  I 
have  further  heard  from  the  angels,  that  the  first  chapters 
of  Genesis,  which  treat  of  creation,  of  Adam  and  Eve,  of 
the  garden  of  Eden,  and  of  their  sons  and  posterity  down 
to  the  flood,  and  also  of  Noah  and  his  sons,  are  also  in 
that  Word ;  and  so  were  transcribed  from  it  by  Moses. 
The  angels  and  spirits  from  Great  Tartary  appear  in  the 
southern  quarter,  on  its  eastern  side,  and  are  separated 
from  others  by  dwelling  in  a  higher  expanse,  and  by  their 
not  admitting  any  one  to  come  to  them  from  the  Christian 
world  ;  and,  if  any  ascend,  by  guarding  them  to  prevent 
their  going  away.  The  cause  of  this  separation  is,  that 
they  possess  another  Word. 

280.  Fourth  Relation.  I  once  saw  at  a  distance 
walks  between  rows  of  trees,  and  youths  who  had  gathered 
there  in  groups ;  so  many  little  companies,  conversing  on 
the  things  of  wisdom  ;  this  was  in  the  spiritual  world.  I 
went  toward  them ;  and  when  I  drew  near  I  saw  one  whom 
the  rest  venerated  as  their  primate,  because  he  excelled 
them  in  wisdom.  When  he  saw  me  he  said,  "  I  wondered 
when  I  saw  you  on  your  way  hither,  that  at  one  time  you 
came  in  sight,  and  at  another  you  dropped  out  of  it,  or  that 
you  were  seen  by  me  and  suddenly  were  not  seen.  Surely 


No.  2S0.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


407 


you  are  not  in  the  same  state  of  life  as  our  people."  Smil- 
ing at  this,  I  replied,  "  I  am  not  a  stage-player,  nor  a  Ver- 
tumnus ;  but  alternately,  I  am  now  in  your  light  and  now 
in  your  shade ;  thus  a  foreigner  and  also  a  native  here." 
On  this  that  wise  one  looked  at  me  and  said,  "  You  speak 
strange  and  wonderful  things ;  tell  me  who  you  are."  And 
I  said,  "  I  am  in  the  world  in  which  you  were,  and  out  of 
which  you  have  come,  which  is  called  the  natural  world ; 
and  I  am  also  in  the  world  in  which  you  are,  which  is 
called  the  spiritual  world.  Consequently  I  am  in  a  natural 
sfate,  and  at  the  same  time  in  a  spiritual  state  ;  in  a  nat- 
ural state  with  men  of  the  earth,  and  in  a  spiritual  state 
with  you ;  and  when  I  am  in  a  natural  state,  I  am  not  seen 
by  you ;  but  when  in  a  spiritual  state,  I  am  seen  :  that  I 
am  such,  is  the  Lord's  gift.  Enlightened  man,  you  know 
that  a  man  of  the  natural  world  does  not  see  a  man  of  the 
spiritual  world,  nor  the  reverse  j  wherefore,  when  I  let  my 
spirit  into  the  body,  I  was  not  seen  by  you,  but  when  I  let 
it  out  of  the  body,  I  was  seen ;  and  this  comes  from  the 
distinction  between  the  spiritual  and  the  natural."  When  he 
heard  the  words,  The  distinction  between  the  spiritual  and 
the  natural,  he  said,  "  What  distinction  ?  Is  it  not  as  be- 
tween the  purer  and  the  less  pure  ?  Thus,  what  is  the  spirit- 
ual but  a  purer  natural  ?  "  And  I  replied,  "  The  distinction 
is  not  such ;  the  natural  can  by  no  subtilization  approxi- 
mate the  spiritual,  so  as  to  become  spiritual ;  for  the  dis- 
tinction is  like  that  between  the  prior  and  the  posterior, 
between  which  there  is  no  finite  ratio  ;  for  the  prior  is  in  the 
posterior,  as  a  cause  in  its  effect ;  and  the  posterior  is  from 
the  prior,  as  an  effect  from  its  cause.  It  is  for  this  reason 
that  the  one  does  not  appear  to  the  other."  To  this  the 
wise  one  said,  "  I  have  meditated  on  this  distinction,  but 
hitherto  in  vain.  I  wish  that  I  might  perceive  it."  And  I 
said,  M  You  shall  not  only  perceive  the  distinction  between 
the  spiritual  and  the  natural,  but  you  shall  also  see  it." 
And  I  then  said :  "  You  are  in  a  spiritual  state  while  with 


408 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


your  associates,  but  in  a  natural  state  with  me ;  for  with 
your  associates  you  speak  in  a  spiritual  language  which  is 
common  to  every  spirit  and  angel,  but  with  me  you  speak 
in  my  native  tongue:  for  every  spirit  and  angel,  speak- 
ing with  a  man,  speaks  the  man's  own  language ;  thus 
French  with  a  Frenchman,  Greek  with  a  Greek,  Arabic 
with  an  Arab,  and  so  on.  That  you  may  know,  therefore, 
the  distinction  between  the  spiritual  and  the  natural  as  to 
languages,  do  this :  Go  to  your  companions,  and  there  say 
something;  and  retain  the  words  in  memory,  and  come 
back,  and  utter  them  in  my  presence."  He  did  so,  arJ! 
returned  to  me  with  the  words  in  his  mouth,  and  uttered 
them  ;  and  they  were  words  altogether  strange  and  foreign, 
which  are  not  found  in  any  language  of  the  natural  world. 
From  this  experiment  several  times  repeated,  it  was  clearly 
manifest  that  air  in  the  spiritual  world  have  a  spiritual  lan- 
guage which  has  nothing  in  common  with  any  natural  lan- 
guage ;  and  that  every  man  comes  of  himself  into  that 
language  after  death.  I  once  also  proved  by* experiment 
that  the  very  sound  of  spiritual  language  differed  so  much 
from  the  sound  of  natural  language,  that  even  a  loud 
spiritual  sound  could  not  be  heard  at  all  by  a  natural  man, 
nor  a  natural  sound  by  a  spiritual  man.  Afterward  I  asked 
him  and  those  standing  around  him  to  go  in  among  their 
companions,  and  write  some  sentence  upon  paper,  and 
then  to  come  out  to  me  with  the  paper  and  read  it.  They 
did  so,  and  returned  with  the  paper  in  the  hand ;  but  when 
they  would  read,  they  could  not,  because  the  writing  con- 
sisted only  of  some  alphabetical  letters  with  curves  over 
them,  each  one  of  which  was  significative  of  some  meaning 
pertaining  to  the  subject.  Because  every  letter  in  the 
alphabet  is  there  significative  of  some  meaning,  it  is  mani- 
fest whence  it  is  that  the  Lord  is  called  the  Alpha  and  the 
Omega.  Going  in  again  and  again,  writing,  and  returning, 
they  found  that  that  writing  involved  and  comprehended 
innumerable  things  which  no  natural  writing  could  ever 


No.  280.I 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


409 


express ;  and  it  was  said  that  this  is  so  because  the 
thoughts  of  the  spiritual  man  are  incomprehensible  and 
ineffable  to  the  natural  man,  and  cannot  be  brought  into 
other  writing  and  into  other  language.  Then  as  the  by- 
standers were  not  willing  to  comprehend  that  spiritual 
thought  so  far  exceeded  natural  thought  as  to  be  relatively 
ineffable,  I  said  to  them,  "  Make  the  experiment ;  enter 
into  your  spiritual  society,  and  think  of  some  thing,  and 
retain  it,  and  return  and  express  it  in  my  presence."  And 
they  entered,  thought,  retained,  and  came  out ;  and  when 
they  would  express  the  thing  thought  of,  they  could  not ; 
for  they  found  no  idea  of  natural  thought  adequate  to  any 
idea  of  purely  spiritual  thought,  and  so  no  words  expressing 
it ;  for  the  ideas  of  thought  become  the  words  of  speech. 
And  afterward  they  went  in  again,  and  returned,  and 
confirmed  themselves  [in  the  belief]  that  spiritual  ideas 
were  supernatural,  inexpressible,  ineffable,  and  incompre- 
hensible to  the  natural  man  ;  and  because  they  are  so 
supereminent,  they  said  that  spiritual  ideas  or  thoughts, 
in  comparison  with  natural,  were  ideas  of  ideas,  and 
thoughts  of  thoughts ;  and  that  by  them  therefore  were 
expressed  the  qualities  of  qualities,  and  the  affections  of 
affections  j  consequently  that  spiritual  thoughts  were  the 
beginnings  and  the  origins  of  natural  thoughts.  Thence 
also  it  was  manifest  that  spiritual  wisdom  was  the  wisdom 
of  wisdom,  thus  inexpressible  by  any  wise  man  in  the  nat- 
ural woild.  Then  it  was  said  from  the  higher  heaven,  that 
there  is  a  wisdom  still  more  interior  or  higher,  which  is 
called  heavenly  \celcstial\  the  relation  of  which  to  spiritual 
wisdom  is  like  the  relation  of  this  to  natural  wisdom  ; 
and  that  these  flow  in,  in  order  according  to  the  heavens, 
from  the  Lord's  Divine  Wisdom  which  is  infinite.  Theiv- 
upon  the  man  speaking  with  me  said,  "  This  I  see,  because 
1  have  perceived  it,  that  one  natural  idea  is  the  container 
of  many  spiritual  ideas,  and  also  that  one  spiritual  idea  is 
the  container  of  many  heavenly  [<rA'.<r//a/]  ideas.  Fn-m 

VOL.  [.  IS 


4io 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


this,  also,  follows  the  consequence,  that  what  is  divided 
does  not  become  more  and  more  simple,  but  more  and 
more  manifold,  because  it  comes  nearer  $nd  nearer  to  the 
Infinite,  in  which  are  all  things  infinitely."  After  these 
things  had  taken  place,  I  said  to  the  by-standcrs,  "  You 
see  from  these  three  experimental  proofs  what  kind  of 
distinction  there  is  .between  spiritual  and  natural,  and  also 
the  cause  why  the  natural  man  does  not  appear  to  the 
spiritual,  nor  the  spiritual  man  to  the  natural,  although 
both  are  in  perfect  human  form,  and  from  this  form  it 
seems  to  each  as  if  they  might  see  each  other ;  but  the  in- 
terior things  which  are  of  the  mind  are  what  make  that 
form,  and  the  mind  of  spirits  and  angels  is  formed  from 
spiritual  things,  and  the  mind  of  men,  as  long  as  they  live 
in  the  world,  from  natural  things."  After  this,  a  voice  was 
heard  from  the  higher  heaven,  saying  to  one  who  stood  by, 
"  Come  up  hither."  And  he  went  up  and  returned  and 
said,  that  "  The  angels  did  not  before  know  the  differences 
between  the  spiritual  and  the  natural,  because  there  had 
not  before  been  given  the  means  of  comparison,  with 
any  man  who  was  in  both  worlds  at  the  same  time ;  and 
the  differences  cannot  be  known  without  comparison  and 
relation." 

Before  we  separated,  we  conversed  again  on  this  subject, 
and  I  said,  "  These  distinctions  exist  only  from  this,  that 
you  in  the  spiritual  world  are  substantial  and  not  material, 
and  substantial  things  are  the  beginnings  of  material  things. 
What  is  matter  but  an  aggregation  of  substances  ?  You, 
therefore,  are  in  principles,  and  thus  in  the  single  particu- 
lars severally  ;  but  we  are  in  derivatives  and  in  composites ; 
you  are  in  particulars,  but  we  in  generals  ;  and  as  generals 
cannot  enter  into  particulars,  so  neither  can  natural  things, 
which  are  material,  enter  into  spiritual  things,  which  are 
substantial ;  just  as  a  ship's  cable  cannot  enter  or  be  drawn 
through  the  eye  of  a  sewing  needle,  or  as  a  nerve  cannot  be 
drawn  into  one  of  the  fibres  of  which  it  consists.   This  now 


No.  28i.]  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE.  41 J 

is  the  cause  that  the  natural  man  cannot  think  the  things 
which  the  spiritual  man  thinks,  and  therefore  cannot  speak 
them.  Paul  therefore  calls  the  things  which  he  heard  from 
the  third  heaven  ineffable.  Add  to  this,  that  to  think  spirit- 
ually is  to  think  without  time  and  space,  and  that  to  think 
naturally  is  to  think  with  time  and  space  ;  for  to  every  idea 
of  natural  thought  there  adheres  something  from  time  and 
space,  but  not  to  any  spiritual  idea.  This  is  because  the 
spiritual  world  is  not  in  space  and  time,  as  the  natural  world 
is,  but  it  is  in  the  appearance  of  these  two ;  also  the  thoughts 
and  the  perceptions  differ  in  this  respect.  Therefore  you 
can  think  of  the  essence  and  omnipresence  of  God  from 
eternity,  that  is,  concerning  God  before  the  creation  of  the 
world,  because  you  think  of  the  essence  of  God  without 
time,  and  of  His  omnipresence  without  space,  and  thus  you 
comprehend  such  things  as  transcend  man's  natural  ideas." 
I  then  related,  that  I  once  thought  about  the  essence  and 
omnipresence  of  God  from  eternity,  that  is,  of  God  before 
the  creation  of  the  world  ;  and  because  I  was  not  yet  able 
to  remove  spaces  and  times  from  the  ideas  of  my  thought,  I 
became  anxious,  for  the  idea  of  nature  entered  instead  of 
God ;  but  it  was  said  to  me,  "  Remove  the  ideas  of  space 
and  time,  and  you  will  see."  And  it  was  granted  me  to 
remove  them,  and  I  saw ;  and  from  that  time  I  have  been 
able  to  think  of  God  from  eternity,  but  not  at  all  of  nature 
from  eternity,  because  God  in  all  time  is  without  time,  and 
in  all  space  is  without  space ;  but  nature  in  all  time  is  in 
time,  and  in  all  space  is  in  space ;  and  nature  with  its  time 
and  space  could  not  but  have  a  beginning ;  not  so  God, 
Who  is  without  time  and  space ;  wherefore  nature  is  from 
God,  not  from  eternity  but  in  time,  together  with  its  time 
and  space. 

281.  Fifth  Relation.  Since  it  has  been  granted  me 
by  the  Lord  to  be  in  the  spiritual  world  and  in  the  natural 
world  at  the  same  time,  and  therefore  to  speak  with  angels 
as  with  men,  and  thereby  to  have  cognition  of  the  states  of 


412         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


those,  who  after  death  pass  into  that  hitherto  unknown 
world  (for  I  have  spoken  with  all  my  relations  and 
friends,  and  likewise  with  kings  and  dukes,  as  also  with 
learned  men,  who  have  met  their  fate,  and  this  now  con- 
tinually for  twenty-seven  years),  i  am  therefore  able  to 
describe  from  living  experience  the  states  of  men  after 
death,  what  they  are  with  those  who  have  lived  well,  and 
with  those  who  have  lived  wickedly.  But  here  I  shall  only 
mention  some  things  respecting  the  state  of  those  who  have 
confirmed  themselves  from  the  Word  in  falsities  of  doctrine, 
who  are  especially  those  who  have  done  so  in  favor  of  justi- 
fication by  faith  alone.  The  successive  states  of  these  are 
as  follows  :  I.  When  they  are  dead,  and  are  reviving  as  to 
the  spirit,  which  takes  place  generally  on  the  third  day  after 
the  heart  has  ceased  to  beat,  they  appear  to  themselves  to 
be  in  a  body  like  that  in  which  they  before  were  in  the 
world,  so  much  so  that  they  do  not  know  that  they  are  not 
still  living  in  the  former  world.  Yet  they  are  not  in  a 
material  but  in  a  substantial  body,  which  to  their  senses 
appears  as  if  material,  although  it  is  not.  II.  After  some 
days  they  see  that  they  are  in  a  world  where  there  are 
various  societies  instituted,  which  world  is  called  the 
world  of  spirits,  and  is  midway  between  heaven  and 
hell.  All  the  societies  there,  which  are  innumerable,  are 
wonderfully  arranged,  according  to  the  natural  affections, 
good  and  evil.  The  societies  arranged  according  to  good 
natural  affections  communicate  with  heaven,  and  the  socie- 
ties arranged  according  to  evil  affections  communicate 
with  hell.  III.  The  novitiate  spirit,  or  the  spiritual  man, 
is  conducted  and  transferred  into  various  societies,  as 
well  good  as  evil,  and  is  examined  as  to  whether  he  is 
affected  by  goods  and  truths,  and  how ;  or  whether  he  is 
affected  by  evils  and  falsities,  and  how.  IV.  If  he  is  affected 
by  goods  and  truths,  he  is  led  away  from  the  evil  societies, 
and  is  led  into  good  societies,  and  also  into  various  ones, 
until  he  comes  into  a  society  corresponding  with  his  natural 


No.  28 1.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


413 


affection,  and  there  he  enjoys  the  good  correspondent  to 
that  affection ;  and  this  until  he  puts  off  the  natural  affec- 
tion and  puts  on  the  spiritual,  and  then  he  is  taken  up  into 
heaven.  But  this  takes  place  with  those  who  in  the  world 
lived  a  life  of  charity,  and  thus  a  life  of  faith  also  ;  which  is, 
that  they  believed  in  the  Lord  and  shunned  evils  as  sins. 
V.  But  they  who  have  confirmed  themselves  in  falsities  by 
means  of  what  is  rational,  especially  by  the  Word,  and  so 
have  lived  no  other  than  a  merely  natural,  and  thus  an  evil 
life  (for  evils  accompany  falsities  and  cling  to  them),  these, 
because  they  are  not  affected  by  goods  and  truths,  but  by 
evils  and  falsities,  are  led  away  from  the  good  societies, 
and  are  led  into  evil  societies,  and  into  various  ones  also, 
until  they  come  into  a  society  corresponding  to  the  lusts  of 
their  love.  VI.  But  because  in  the  world  they  feigned 
good  affections  in  externals,  although  in  their  internals 
there  were  nothing  but  evil  affections  or  lusts,  they  are 
kept  by  turns  in  externals ;  and  they  who  in  the  world  pre- 
sided over  large  bodies,  are  appointed  over  societies  here 
and  there  in  the  world  of  spirits,  in  offices  general  or 
limited,  according  to  the  extent  of  the  offices  which  they 
filled  in  their  former  life.  But  because  they  do  not  love 
what  is  true  or  what  is  just,  and  cannot  be  so  far  enlight- 
ened as  to  know  what  truth  and  justice  are,  they  are  there- 
fore after  some  days  deposed.  I  have  seen  such  transferred 
from  one  society  to  another,  and  an  administration  every- 
where given  them,  but  after  a  short  time  as  often  deposed. 
VII.  After  frequent  dismissions,  some  from  weariness  do  not 
wish,  and  some  from  fear  of  the  loss  of  reputation  do  not 
dare,  to  seek  for  offices  any  more  ;  they  therefore  withdraw, 
and  sit  in  sadness  ;  and  then  they  are  led  away  into  a  desert, 
where  are  huts,  which  they  enter;  and  there  some  work  is 
given  them  to  do ;  and  as  they  do  it,  they  receive  food  j 
and  if  they  do  not  do  it,  they  are  hungry  and  receive  no 
food  j  and  so  necessity  compels  them.  The  food  there  is 
similar  to  the  food  in  our  world,  but  it  is  from  a  spiritual 


414         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


origin,  and  is  given  from  heaven  by  the  Lord  to  all  accord- 
ing to  the  uses  which  they  do  j  to  the  idle,  because  they 
are  useless,  none  is  given.  VIII.  After  a  while  they  are 
disgusted  with  work,  and  then  they  leave  the  huts ;  and  if 
they  were  priests,  they  wish  to  build.  And  then  forthwith 
there  appear  piles  of  cut  stone,  bricks,  beams,  boards,  and 
also  heaps  of  reeds  and  rushes,  of  clay,  lime,  and  bitumen. 
When  they  see  these,  the  lust  of  building  is  kindled,  and 
they  begin  to  construct  a  house,  taking  now  a  stone,  now  a 
timber,  now  a  reed,  now  mud ;  and  they  put  one  upon  an- 
other, without  order,  but  in  their  view  with  order.  But  what 
they  build  up  during  the  day  falls  down  in  the  night ;  yet  on 
the  following  day  they  gather  from  the  rubbish  the  things 
that  have  fallen,  and  build  again,  and  this  goes  on  till 
they  are  tired  of  building.  This  takes  place  from  corre- 
spondence, because  they  have  heaped  up  texts  from  the 
Word  for  confirming  the  falsities  of  faith,  and  their  falsities 
build  up  the  church  in  no  other  manner.  IX.  Afterwards 
from  weariness  they  go  away,  and  sit  solitary  and  idle ; 
and  because  food  is  not  given  from  heaven  to  the  idle,  as 
was  said,  they  begin  to  be  hungry,  and  to  think  of  nothing 
but  how  to  get  food  and  appease  their  hunger.  When  they 
are  in  this  state,  there  come  to'  them  some  of  whom  they 
ask  alms  ;  and  they  say,  "  Why  do  you  thus  sit  idle  ?  Come 
with  us  to  our  houses,  and  we  will  give  you  work  to  do, 
and  will  feed  you."  And  then  they  rise  up  gladly,  and  go 
away  with  them  to  their  houses ;  and  there  to  each  one  is 
given  his  work,  and  for  the  work  food  is  given.  But  be- 
cause all  those  who  have  confirmed  themselves  in  falsi- 
ties of  faith  are  not  able  to  do  works  of  good  use,  but  only 
works  of  evil  use,  nor  these  faithfully  but  fraudulently  and 
also  unwillingly,  therefore  they  leave  their  works,  and  only 
love  to  be  in  company,  to  talk,  to  walk  about,  and  to  sleep  j 
and  then  because  they  cannot  any  longer  be  induced  by 
their  masters  to  work,  they  are  therefore  dismissed  as  use- 
less.   X.  When  they  are  dismissed,  the  eye  is  opened  with 


No.  281.] 


THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURE. 


415 


them,  and  they  see  a  way  leading  to  some  cavern.  When 
they  come  to  it,  a  door  is  opened,  and  they  enter,  and  ask 
whether  there  is  food  there  ;  and  when  it  is  answered  that 
there  is,  they  ask  leave  to  remain  there,  and  it  is  said  that 
they  may ;  and  they  are  introduced,  and  the  door  is  shut 
after  them.  And  then  the  overseer  of  the  cavern  comes 
and  says  to  them,  "  You  can  go  out  no  more ;  see  your 
companions ;  they  all  labor ;  and  as  they  labor,  food  is 
given  them  from  heaven ;  I  tell  you  this  that  you  may 
know  [what  to  expect]."  And  their  companions  also  say, 
"  Our  overseer  knows  what  work  each  one  is  fitted  for,  and 
such  he  assigns  to  each  one  daily.  Every  day  on  which 
you  do  the  work,  food  is  given  you  ;  and  if  it  is  not  done, 
neither  food  nor  clothing  is  given.  If  any  one  does  evil  to 
another,  he  is  cast  to  a  corner  of  the  cavern  into  some  bed 
of  accursed  dust,  where  he  is  miserably  tortured,  and  this 
until  the  overseer  sees  in  him  some  sign  of  penitence  j  and 
then  he  is  released  and  is  ordered  to  do  his  work."  And 
it  is  also  told  him,  that  every  one  is  permitted,  after  his 
work,  to  walk,  to  converse,  and  afterward  to  sleep.  And 
he  is  conducted  further  into  the  cavern,  where  there  are 
harlots,  of  whom  each  one  is  permitted  to  take  some  one 
to  himself,  and  to  call  her  his  woman  j  but  he  is  forbidden 
under  a  penalty  to  commit  whoredom  promiscuously.  Of 
such  caverns,  which  are  nothing  but  eternal  work-houses, 
hell  consists.  It  has  been  granted  me  to  enter  into  some, 
and  to  see,  in  order  that  I  might  make  it  known  ;  and  they 
were  all  seen  as  degraded ;  nor  did  any  one  of  them  know 
who  he  was  when  in  the  world,  or  in  what  employment  he 
was.  But  the  angel  who  was  with  me,  told  me  that  this 
one  in  the  world  was  a  servant,  this  a  soldier,  this  an  offi- 
cer, this  a  priest,  this  one  in  a  station  of  dignity,  this  one  in 
opulence  ;  and  yet  none  of  them  know  that  they  were  not 
as  now  slaves  and  boon  companions :  and  this  for  the  rea- 
son that  they  had  been  interiorly  alike,  although  outwardly 
unlike  j  and  the  interiors  consociate  all  in  the  spiritual 


416 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IV. 


As  regards  the  hells  in  general :  they  consist  solely  of 
such  caverns  or  work -houses,  but  those  where  satans  are 
differ  from  those  where  devils  are.  They  are  called  satans 
who  have  have  been  in  falsities  and  thence  in  evils,  and 
they  are  called  devils  who  have  been  in  evils  and  thence 
in  falsities.  Satans  in  the  light  of  heaven  seem  livid 
like  corpses,  and  some  black  like  mummies;  but  devils  in 
the  light  of  heaven  seem  dusky  and  fiery,  and  some  black 
like  soot ;  while  in  face  and  bodily  form  they  all  are 
monstrous.  But  in  their  own  light,  which  is  like  the  light 
from  burning  charcoal,  they  appear  not  as  monsters  but 
as  men.  This  is  grunted  so  that  they  may  be  con  so 
ciated. 


No.  282.I 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


419 


CHAPTER  FIFTH. 

THE  CATECHISM  OR  DECALOGUE  EXPLAINED  AS  TO 
ITS  EXTERNAL  AND  ITS  INTERNAL  SENSE. 

282.  There  is  not  a  nation  in  the  whole  world  which 
does  not  know  that  it  is  evil  to  kill,  to  commit  adultery,  to 
steal,  and  to  bear  false  witness  ;  and  that  if  these  evils  were 
not  guarded  against  by  laws,  kingdom,  republic,  and  all 
organized  society  would  be  at  an  end.  Who,  therefore, 
can  suppose  that  the  Israelitish  nation  was  so  much  more 
stupid  than  others  that  it  did  not  know  that  these  were 
evils  ?  One  may  therefore  wonder  that  those  laws,  univer- 
sally known  in  the  world,  were  promulgated  from  mount 
Sinai  by  Jehovah  Himself,  with  so  great  a  miracle.  But 
listen  :  They  were  promulgated  with  so  great  a  miracle,  that 
men  might  know  that  these  were  not  only  civil  and  moral, 
but  also  Divine  laws ;  and  that  to  do  contrary  to  them  was 
not  only  to  do  evil  against  the  neighbor,  that  is,  to  a  fellow- 
citizen  and  society,  but  was  also  to  sin  against  God. 
Wherefore  those  laws,  by  promulgation  by  Jehovah  from 
mount  Sinai  were  made  laws  of  religion  also.  It  is  evi- 
dent that  whatever  Jehovah  commands,  He  commands  in 
order  that  it  may  be  of  religion,  and  so  that  it  is.  to  be 
done  for  the  sake  of  salvation.  But  before  the  command- 
ments are  explained,  something  must  be  premised  con- 
cerning their  holiness,  that  it  may  be  manifest  that  religion 
is  in  them. 


420  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V 


In  the  Israelitish  Church  the  Decalogue  was 
Holiness  Itself. 

283.  Because  the  commandments  of  the  decalogue  were 
the  first-fruits  of  the  Word,  and  therefore  the  first-fruits  of 
the  church  that  was  about  to  be  established  with  the  Is- 
raelitish nation,  and  because  they  were  in  a  brief  summary 
a  complex  of  all  things  of  religion,  by  which  conjunction 
of  God  with  man  and  of  man  with  God  is  given,  therefore 
they  wrere  so  holy  that  there  is  nothing  holier.  That  they 
were  most  holy  is  clearly  manifest  from  what  now  follows : 
The  Lord  Jehovah  Himself  descended  upon  mount  Sinai 
in  fire  and  with  angels,  and  promulgated  them  therefrom  by 
the  living  voice,  and  the  mountain  was  hedged  around  lest 
any  should  come  near  and  die.  Neither  the  priests  nor  the 
elders  approached,  but  Moses  alone.  These  command- 
ments were  written  upon  two  tables  of  stone  by  the  finger 
of  God.  When  Moses  brought  the  tables  down  the  second 
time,  his  face  shone.  The  tables  were  afterwards  depos- 
ited in  the  ark,  and  the  ark  was  placed  in  the  inmost  of 
the  tabernacle,  and  over  it  was  placed  the  mercy-seat,  and 
over  this  were  placed  cherubs  of  gold :  this  inmost  of  the 
tabernacle,  where  the  ark  was,  was  called  the  holy  of 
holies.  Without  the  veil,  within  which  was  the  ark,  other 
things  were  arranged  which  represented  the  holy  things  of 
heaven  and  the  church  ;  which  were  the  table  overlaid  with 
gold,  on  which  was  the  bread  of  faces  [or  shew-bread]  ; 
the  golden  altar  on  which  incense  was  burned ;  and  the 
golden  candlestick  with  seven  lamps ;  also  the  curtains 
round  about,  of  fine  linen,  purple,  and  scarlet.  The  holi- 
ness of  this  whole  tabernacle  was  from  nothing  else  than 
the  law  which  was  in  the  ark.  On  account  of  tr£  holiness 
of  the  tabernacle,  from  the  law  in  the  ark,  all  the  people 
of  Israel  by  command  encamped  around  it,  in  order  ac- 
cording to  the  tribes,  and  marched  in  order  after  it ;  and 
then  a  cloud  was  over  it  by  day,  and  a  fire  by  night.  On 


No.  284.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


421 


account  of  the  holiness  of  that  law,  and  the  presence  of 
Jehovah  in  it,  Jehovah  talked  with  Moses  over  the  mercy- 
seat  between  the  cherubs,  and  the  ark  was  called  Jehovah 
there.  It  was  not  lawful  for  Aaron  to  enter  within  the 
veil,  except  with  sacrifices  and  incense,  lest  he  should  die. 
On  account  of  the  presence  of  Jehovah  in  and  about  that 
law,  miracles  also  were  wrought  through  the  ark  which 
contained  the  law.  Thus  the  waters  of  the  Jordan  were 
divided ;  and  so  long  as  the  ark  rested  in  the  middle  of  it, 
the  people  passed  over  on  dry  ground :  the  walls  of  Jeri- 
cho fell  by  the  ark's  being  carried  around  them :  Dagon, 
the  god  of  the  Philistines,  fell  on  his  face  before  it,  and 
afterwards,  severed  from  the  head  and  the  two  palms  of 
the  hands,  lay  upon  the  threshold  of  the  temple :  the  Beth- 
shemites  were  smitten  on  account  of  it  to  the  number  of 
several  thousands  :  and  Uzzah  died  because  he  touched  it. 
The  ark  was  introduced  by  David  into  Zion,  with  sacrifice 
and  jubilation  j  and  afterwards  by  Solomon  into  the  tem- 
ple at  Jerusalem,  where  it  made  its  shrine.  Other  things 
are  also  recorded ;  from  all  of  which  it  is  manifest  that  the 
decalogue  was  holiness  itself  in  the  Israelitish  church. 

284.  The  things  which  have  been  presented  above  re- 
specting the  promulgation,  holiness,  and  power  of  that  law, 
are  found  in  the  following  passages  in  the  Word :  Jehovah 
descended  upon  mount  Sinai  in  fire,  and  the  mountain  then 
smoked  and  trembled,  and  there  were  thunderings,  light- 
nings, a  thick  cloud,  and  the  voice  of  a  trumpet  (Ex.  xix. 
16-18;  Deut.  iv.  11  ;  v.  22,  23).  Before  the  descent  of 
Jehovah,  the  people  prepared  and  sanctified  themselves 
for  three  days  (Ex.  xix.  10,  n,  15).  Bounds  were  set  round 
about  the  mountain,  lest  any  one  should  approach  and  come 
near  its  base,  and  should  die ;  nor  might  the  priests  draw 
near,  but  Moses  alone  (Ex.  xix.  12,  13,  20-23  '>  xxiv.  1,  2). 
The  law  was  promulgated  from  mount  Sinai  (Ex.  xx.  2-17  ; 
Deut.  v.  6-21).  The  law  was  written  on  two  tables  of 
stone,  and  was  written  by  the  finger  of  God  (Ex.  xxxi.  18  ; 


422 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


xxxii.  15,  16;  Deut.  ix.  10).  When  Moses  brought  the 
tables  down  from  the  mountain  a  second  time,  his  face 
shone  so  that  he  covered  it  with  a  veil  while  he  talked  with 
the  people  (Ex.  xxxiv.  29-35).  The  tables  were  deposited 
in  the  ark  (Ex.  xxv.  16  ;  xl.  20 ;  Deut.  x.  5  ;  1  Kings  viii.  9). 
The  mercy-seat  was  laid  over  the  ark,  and  above  this  were 
placed  cherubs  of  gold  (Ex.  xxv.  17-21).  The  ark  with  the 
mercy-seat  and  the  cherubs  was  put  into  the  tabernacle  : 
and  was  the  chief  and  thus  the  inmost  thing  thereof ;  and 
the  table  overlaid  with  gold,  upon  which  was  the  bread  of 
faces  [or  shew-bread],  and  the  golden  altar  for  incense,  and 
the  candlestick  with  the  golden  lamps,  made  the  external 
of  the  tabernacle ;  and  the  ten  curtains  of  fine  linen,  pur- 
ple, and  scarlet,  its  outermost  (Ex.  xxv.,  xxvi.,  xl.  17-28). 
The  place  where  the  ark  was,  was  called  the  holy  of  holies 
(Ex.  xxvi.  33).  The  whole  people  of  Israel  encamped  around 
the  tabernacle,  in  order  according  to  the  tribes,  and  marched 
in  order  after  it  (Num.  ii.).  There  was  then  a  cloud  over 
the  tabernacle  by  day,  and  a  fire  by  night  (Ex.  xl.  38 ;  Num. 
ix.  15-23 ;  xiv.  14 ;  Deut.  i.  33).  Jehovah  spake  with  Moses 
above  the  ark  between  the  cherubs  (Ex.  xxv.  22  ;  Num.  vii. 
89).  The  ark,  owing  to  the  law  in  it,  was  called  Jehovah 
there ;  for  when  the  ark  went  forward,  Moses  said,  Arise, 
Jehovah;  and  when  it  rested,  Return,  Jehovah  (Num.  x.  35, 
36  ;  2  Sam.  vi.  2  ;  Ps.  cxxxii.  7,  8).  On  account  of  the  holi- 
ness of  that  law,  Aaron  was  not  allowed  to  enter  within  the 
veil  except  with  sacrifices  and  incense  (Lev.  xvi.  2-f*4,  and 
the  verses  following  this).  From  the  presence  of  the  Lord's 
power  in  the  law,  which  was  within  the  ark,  the  waters  of 
the  Jordan  were  divided ;  and  while  the  ark  was  resting  in 
the  midst  of  it,  the  people  passed  over  on  dry  ground  (Josh, 
iii.  1— 1 7  ;  iv.  5-20).  When  the  ark  was  carried  around  them, 
the  walls  of  Jericho  fell  (Josh.  vi.  1-20).  Dagon,  the  god 
of  the  Philistines,  fell  to  the  ground  before  the  ark,  and 
afterwards  lay  upon  the  threshold  of  the  temple,  [the  trunk 
being]  separated  from  the  head,  and  the  palms  of  the  hands 


No.  285.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


423 


being  cut  off  (1  Sam.  v.).  That  the  Bethshemites  on  ac- 
count of  the  ark  were  smitten  to  the  number  of  several 
thousands  (1  Sam.  v.  and  vi.).  Uzzah  died  because  he 
touched  the  ark  (2  Sam.  vi.  7).  The  ark  was  introduced 
into  Zion  by  David,  with  sacrifices  and  jubilation  (2  Sam. 
vi.  1-19).  The  ark  was  introduced  by  Solomon  into  the 
temple  of  Jerusalem,  where  it  made  its  shrine  (1  Kings 
vi.  19,  and  verses  following;  viii.  3-9). 

285.  Since  by  that  law  there  is  conjunction  of  the  Lord 
with  man  and  of  man  with  the  Lord,  it  is  called  the  covenant, 
and  the  testi?nony ;  the  covenant  because  it  conjoins,  and 
the  testimony  because  it  confirms  the  articles  of  the  cove- 
nant ;  for  covenant  in  the  Word  signifies  conjunction,  and 
testimony  signifies  the  confirmation  and  witnessing  of  its 
articles.  For  this  reason  there  were  two  tables,  one  for 
God  and  the  other  for  man.  Conjunction  is  effected  by 
the  Lord,  but  only  when  man  does  the  things  written  in 
his  table ;  for  the  Lord  is  continually  present,  and  wishes 
to  enter  in,  but  man,  from  the  freedom  which  he  has  from 
the  Lord,  must  open  to  Him  \  for  the  Lord  says,  Behold  I 
sta?ul  at  the  door  and  k?iock  ;  if  any  man  hear  My  voice  and 
open  the  door,  I  will  co?ne  in  to  him,  and  will  sup  with  him, 
and  he  with  Me  (Apoc.  iii.  20).  That  the  tables  of  stone 
on  which  the  law  was  written  were  called  the  tables  of  the 
covenant,  and  that  the  ark  was  called  from  them  the  ark  of 
the  covena?it,  and  the  law  itself  the  covenant,  may  be  seen 
(Num.  x.  33  ;  Deut.  iv.  13,  23  ;  v.  2,  3  j  ix.  9  ;  Josh.  iii.  11; 
1  Kings  viii.  21;  Apoc.  xi.  19  ;  and  elsewhere).  Since  cove- 
nant signifies  conjunction,  it  is  therefore  said  concerning 
the  Lord  that  He  shall  be  for  a  covenant  to  the  people 
(Isa.  xlii.  6  ;  xlix.  8)  ;  and  He  is  called  the  Messenger  of  the 
covenant  (Mai.  iii.  1) ;  and  His  blood,  the  blood  of  the  aw* 
fiant  (Matt.  xxvi.  28;  Zech.  ix.  11  ;  Ex.  xxiv.  4-10);  and 
therefore  the  Word  is  called  the  Old  and  the  New  Covenant, 
for  covenants  are  made  for  the  sake  of  love,  friendship 
consociation,  and  conjunction. 


424 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


286.  So  great  holiness  and  so  great  power  were  in  that 
law,  because  it  was  the  complex  of  all  things  of  religion ; 
for  it  was  written  on  two  tables,  one  of  which  contains  in 
the  complex  all  things  which  regard  God ;  and  the  other 
contains  in  the  complex  all  things  which  regard  man. 
Therefore  the  commandments  of  that  law  are  called  The 
Ten  Words  (Ex.  xxxiv.  28 ;  Deut.  iv.  13  *  x.  4).  They 
were  so  called  because  ten  signifies  all,  and  words  signify 
truths ;  for  there  were  more  than  ten  words.  That  ten 
signifies  all,  and  that  tithes  were  instituted  on  account  of 
that  signification,  may  be  seen  in  the  "Apocalypse  Re- 
vealed" (n.  101);  and  that  that  law  is  a  complex  of  all 
things  of  religion,  will  be  seen  in  what  follows. 

In  the  Sense  of  the  Letter  the  Decalogue  contains 
the  general  precepts  of  doctrine  and  llfe ;  but 
in  the  Spiritual  and  Heavenly  [Celestial']  Senses, 

ALL  UNIVERSALLY. 

287.  It  is  known  that  in  the  Word  the  Decalogue  is  called 
the  Law  by  way  of  eminence,  as  it  contains  all  things  which 
pertain  to  doctrine  and  life ;  for  it  contains  not  only  all 
things  which  regard  God,  but  also  all  which  regard  man. 
Therefore  that  law  was  written  on  two  tables,  one  of  which 
treats  of  God,  the  other  of  man.  It  is  also  known  that  all 
things  pertaining  to  doctrine  and  life  have  relation  to  love 
to  God  and  love  toward  the  neighbor  ;  all  things  belonging 
to  these  loves  are  contained  in  the  decalogue.  That  the 
whole  Word  teaches  nothing  else,  is  evident  from  these 
words  of  the  Lord  :  Jesus  said,  Thou  shall  love  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  all  thy  heart,  a?id  with  all  thy  soul,  a?id  with  all 
thy  mind,  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.  On  these  two  com- 
mandments  hang  the  law  and  the  prophets  (Matt.  xxii.  37,  39, 
40).  The  law  and  the  prophets  signify  the  whole  Word. 
And  again  :  A  certain  lawyer,  tempting  Jesus,  said,  Master, 
what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life!    And  Jesus  said  unto 


No.  288.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


425 


him,  What  is  written  in  the  law  ?  How  readest  thoic  ?  And 
he  answering-  said,  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 
thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength, 
and  with  all  thy  mind,  a?id  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.  And 
Jesus  said,  This  do,  and  thou  shalt  live  (Luke  x.  25-28). 
Now  because  love  to  God  and  love  toward  the  neighbor  are 
the  all  of  the  Word,  and  the  decalogue  in  the  first  table 
contains  in  a  summary  all  things  of  love  to  God,  and  in  the 
second  table  all  things  of  love  toward  the  neighbor,  it  fol- 
lows that  the  decalogue  contains  all  things  which  are  of 
doctrine  and  of  life.  From  a  view  of  the  two  tables,  it  is 
manifest  that  they  are  so  conjoined  that  God  from  His  table 
looks  to  man,  and  that  man  in  his  turn  from  his  table  looks 
to  God ;  and  thus  that  the  looking  is  reciprocal,  which  is 
such  that  God  on  His  part  never  ceases  to  look  at  man,  and 
to  put  in  operation  such  things  as  pertain  to  his  salvation ; 
and  if  man  receives  and  does  the  things  which  are  in  his 
table,  reciprocal  conjunction  is  effected,  and  then  it  comes 
to  pass  according  to  the  words  of  the  Lord  to  the  lawyer, 
This  do,  and  thou  shalt  live. 

288.  The  law  is  often  mentioned  in  the  Word  ;  and  it 
shall  be  told  what  is  meant  by  the  law  in  a  strict  sense,  in 
a  broader  sense,  and  in  the  broadest  sense.  In  a  strict 
sense,  by  the  law  is  meant  the  decalogue  ;  in  a  broader 
sense,  are  meant  the  statutes  given  by  Moses  to  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel ;  and  in  the  broadest,  is  meant  the  whole 
Word.  That  the  law  in  a  strict  sense  means  the 
decalogue,  is  known ;  but  that  the  law  in  a  broader 
sense  means  the  statutes  given  by  Moses  to  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  is  evident  from  the  several  statutes  in 
Exodus,  which  are  called  laws ;  as,  This  is  the  law  of  the  sacri- 
fice [of  the  trespass  offering]  (Lev.  vii.  1).  This  is  the  law  of 
the  sacrifice  of  peace  offerings  (vii.  1 1).  This  is  the  law  of  the 
meat  offering  (vi.  14,  and  verses  following).  This  is  the  law 
<>/  fke  burnt  offering,  of  the  meat  offerings  of  the  sin  offering, 
and  of  the  trespass  offering,  and  of  the  consecrations  (viL  37) 


426  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 

This  is  the  law  of  the  beast  and  of  the  fowl  (xi.  46,  and  the 
following  verses).  This  is  the  law  for  her  that  beareth,for  a 
son  and  a  daughter  (xii.  7).  This  is  the  law  of  leprosy  (xiii.  59 ; 
xiv.  2,  32,  54,  57).  This  is  the  law  of  him  that  hath  an  issue 
(xv.  32).  This  is  the  law  of  jealousy  (Num.  v.  29,  30).  This 
is  the  law  of  the  Nazarite  (vi.  13,  21).  The  law  of  cleansing 
(xix.  14).  The  law  concerning  the  red  heifer  (xix.  2).  The 
law  for  the  king  (Deut.  xvii.  15-19).  Indeed  the  whole 
book  of  Moses  is  called  the  law  (Deut.  xxxi.  9,  11,  12,  26; 
and  also  in  the  New  Testament,  as  Luke  ii.  22  ;  xxiv.  44; 
John  i.  45  ;  vii.  23  ;  viii.  5  ;  and  in  other  places).  That  by 
the  works  of  the  law  Paul  means  these  statutes,  where  he 
says  that  man  is  justified  by  faith  without  the  deeds  of  the 
law  (Rom.  iii.  28),  is  plainly  manifest  from  what  there  fol- 
lows ;  and  also  from  his  words  to  Peter,  whom  he  censured 
for  Judaizing,  where  he  says,  three  times  in  one  verse,  that 
no  one  is  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law  (Gal.  ii.  14-16). 
That  by  the  law  in  the  broadest  sense  is  meant  the 
whole  Word,  is  manifest  from  these  passages :  Jesus  said, 
Is  it  not  written  in  your  law,  Ye  are  gods  (John  x.  34) : 
£his  is  written,  Ps.  lxxxii.  6.  The  people  answered,  We  have 
heard  out  ^/  the  law,  that  Christ  abideth  for  ever  (John 
xii.  34) :  this  is  written,  Ps.  lxxxix.  36 ;  ex.  4;  Dan.  vii.  14. 
That  the  Word  might  be  fulfilled  that  is  written  in  their 
law,  They  hated  Me  without  a  cause  (John  xv.  25)  :  this  is 
written  Ps.  xxxv.  19.  The  Pharisees  said,  Have  any  of  the 
rulers  believed  on  Him  ?  But  the  multitude  which  knoweth 
not  the  law  [are  cursed]  (John  vii.  48,  49).  //  is  easier  for 
heave?i  and  earth  to  pass,  than  for  one  tittle  of  the  law 
to  fail  (Luke  xvii.  17).  By  the  law  there  is  meant  the 
whole  Sacred  Scripture ;  also  in  a  thousand  places  in 
David. 

289.  The  decalogue,  in  the  spiritual  and  heavenly  [celes- 
tial] senses,  contains  universally  all  the  precepts  of  doc- 
trine and  of  life,  thus  all  of  faith  and  charity,  because  the 
Word,  in  the  sense  of  the  letter,  in  all  things  and  in  each 


No.  290.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


427 


single  thing,  or  in  general  and  in  every  part  of  it,  contains 
two  interior  senses,  one  which  is  called  spiritual,  and  an- 
other which  is  called  heavenly  [celestial'] ;  and  because  in 
these  senses  Divine  truth  is  in  its  light,  and  Divine  good- 
ness in  its  heat.  Now  because  the  Word  is  such  in  general 
and  in  every  part,  it  is  necessary  to  explain  the  ten  com- 
mandments of  the  decalogue  according  to  the  three  senses 
called  natural,  spiritual,  and  heavenly  [celestial'].  That  the 
Word  is  such,  may  be  evident  from  what  has  been  de- 
monstrated above,  in  the  chapter  concerning  the  Sacred 
Scripture  or  the  Word  (n.  193-208). 

290.  No  one,  unless  he  knows  the  nature  of  the  Word, 
can  have  any  idea  that  there  is  infinity  in  every  part  of  it, 
that  is,  that  it  contains  innumerable  things,  which  not  even 
angels  can  exhaust.  Each  thing  therein  may  be  likened  to 
a  seed,  which  may  grow  up  from  the  ground  to  be  a  great 
tree,  and  produce  an  abundance  of  seeds ;  from  which  again 
may  be  similar  trees,  which  together  make  a  garden ;  and 
from  the  seeds  of  this  come  other  gardens ;  and  so  on  to 
infinity.  Such  is  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  in  its  several  par- 
ticulars, and  such  especially  is.  the  decalogue;  for  this, 
because  it  teaches  love  to  God  and  love  toward  the  neigh- 
bor, is  a  short  summary  of  the  whole  Word.  That  the  Word 
is  such,  the  Lord  also  explains  by  a  similitude,  thus :  The 
kingdom  of  God  is  like  a  grain  of  mustard-seed,  which  a  man 
took  and  sowed  in  his  field ;  which  is  Ids  than  all  seeds,  but 
when  it  is  grown  it  is  greater  than  the  herbs,  and  becometh  a 
tree,  so  that  the  birds  of  the  air  come  and  lodge  in  the  branches 
thereof  (Matt.  xiii.  31,  32  ;  Mark  iv.  31,  32  ;  Luke  xiii.  18, 
19  ;  compare  also  Ez.  xvii.  2-8).  That  such  is  the  infinity 
of  spiritual  seeds  or  truths  in  the  Word,  may  be  eviden* 
from  the  wisdom  of  the  angels,  which  is  all  from  the  Word , 
it  increases  with  them  to  eternity ;  and  the  wiser  they  be- 
come, the  more  clearly  they  see  that  wisdom  is  without  end, 
and  they  perceive  that  they  are  but  in  its  entrance-hall,  and 
cannot  in  the  smallest  particular  attain  to  the  Lord's  Divine 


428 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


wisdom,  which  they  call  a  great  deep.  Now,  since  the  Word 
is  from  this  great  deep,  because  from  the  Lord,  it  is  mani- 
fest, that  there  is  a  kind  of  infinity  in  all  parts  of  it. 

The  First  Commandment. 
Thou  shalt  have  no  other  God  before  My  faces. 

291.  These  are  the  words  of  the  first  commandment 
(Ex.  xx.  3  ;  Deut.  v.  7).  In  the  7iatural  sense,  which  is  the 
sense  of  the  letter,  the  meaning  nearest  the  letter  is  that 
idols  must  not  be  worshipped ;  for  it  follows,  Thou  shalt 
not  make  unto  thee  any  graven  image,  or  any  likeness  [of  any 
thing]  that  is  i?i  the  heavens  above,  or  that  is  in  the  earth 
beneath,  or  that  is  i?i  the  waters  under  the  earth.  Thou  shalt 
not  bow  down  thyself  to  them  nor  serve  the?n ;  for  I  Jehovah 
thy  God  am  a  jealous  God  (Ex.  xx.  3-5).  The  meaning 
of  this  commandment  which  is  nearest  the  letter  is  that 
idols  must  not  be  worshipped,  because  before  this  time, 
and  after  it  down  to  the  Lord's  Advent,  there  was  idola- 
trous worship  in  a  great  part  of  Asia.  The  cause  of  this 
worship  was,  that  all  the  churches  before  the  Lord  came 
into  the  world  were  representative  and  typical ;  and  the 
types  and  representations  were  such  that  Divine  things 
were  set  forth  under  various  figures  and  sculptured  forms, 
which  the  common  people  began  to  worship  as  gods  when 
their  significations  were  lost.  The  Israelitish  nation  also 
was  in  such  worship  when  in  Egypt,  as  is  evident  from  the 
golden  calf  which  they  worshipped  in  the  wilderness  instead 
of  Jehovah  j  and  from  many  passages  in  the  Word,  both 
historical  and  prophetical,  it  is  evident  that  they  were  not 
afterwards  alienated  from  that  worship.  • 

292.  This  commandment,  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  God 
before  My  faces,  also  means  in  the  natural  sense  that  no 
man,  dead  or  living,  may  be  worshipped  as  a  god  ;  which 
also  was  done  in  Asia  and  in  various  neighboring  regions 


No.  294.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


Many  gods  of  the  Gentiles  were  no  other  than  men ;  as 
Baal,  Ashtaroth,  Chemosh,  Milcom,  Beelzebub ;  and  at 
Athens  and  Rome,  Saturn,  Jupiter,  Neptune,  Pluto,  Apollo, 
Pallas,  and  so  forth ;  some  of  whom  they  worshipped  first 
as  saints,  afterwards  as  divinities,  and  lastly  as  gods.  That 
they  also  worshipped  living  men  as  gods,  is  evident  from 
the  edict  of  Darius  the  Mede,  that  for  thirty  days  no  man 
should  ask  any  thing  of  God,  but  of  the  king  only ;  if 
otherwise,  he  should  be  cast  into  a  den  of  lions  (Dan.  vi 
8  to  the  end). 

293.  In  the  natural  sense,  which  is  that  of  the  letter, 
this  commandment  also  means  that  no  one  but  God,  and 
nothing  but  that  which  proceeds  from  God,  is  to  be  loved 
above  all  things ;  which  is  also  according  to  the  Lord's 
words  (Matt.  xxii.  35-40;  Luke  x.  25-28).  For  to  him 
who  loves  any  person  or  thing  above  all  things,  that  person 
is  God  and  that  thing  is  Divine.  For  example,  to  him  who 
loves  himself  above  all  things,  or  the  world,  himself  or  the 
world  is  his  god.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  such  do  not  in 
heart  acknowledge  any  God.  They  therefore  are  conjoined 
with  their  like  in  hell,  where  all  are  gathered  who  love 
themselves  and  the  world  above  all  things. 

294.  The  spiritual  sense  of  this  commandment  is,  that 
no  other  God  than  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  to  be  wor- 
shipped j  because  He  is  Jehovah,  Who  came  into  the  world, 
and  wrought  the  redemption  without  which  no  man  and  nc 
angel  could  have  been  saved.  That  there  is  no  God  be- 
sides Him,  is  evident  from  these  passages  in  the  Word  : 
It  shall  be  said  in  that  day,  Zo,  this  is  our  God ;  we  have 
waited  for  Him  to  deliver  us ;  this  is  Jehovah,  we  ha: -a 
waited  for  Him,  let  us  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  His  salvation 
(Isa.  xxv.  9).  The  voice  of  him  that  crieth  in  the  willcrness, 
Prepare  ye  the  way  of  Jehovah,  make  smooth  in  the  desert  a 
highway  for  our  God.  For  the  glory  of  Jehovah  shall  be 
revealed,  and  all  flesh  shall  see  it  together.  Behold  I  the 
Lord  jfehovih  comet h  in  strength;  He  shall  feed  His  flock 


43Q 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V 


like  a  shepherd  (xl.  3,  5,  11).  Surely  God  is  in  thee,  a?id 
there  is  no  God  besides:  verily  thou  art  a  God  that  hidest 
Thyself,  O  God  of  Israel,  the  Saviour  (xlv.  14,  15).  Am 
not  I  Jehovah  ?  and  there  is  no  God  else  beside  Me  ;  a  just 
God  and  a  Saviour,  there  is  none  beside  Me  (xlv.  21,  22). 

I  a?n  Jehovah,  and  besides  Me  there  is  no  Saviour  (xliii. 

I I  ;  also  Hos.  xiii.  4).  That  all  flesh  may  know  that  I  Je- 
hovah am  thy  Saviour  and  thy  Redeemer  (Isa.  xlix.  26 ; 
also  lx.  16).  As  for  our  Redeemer,  Jehovah  Zebaoth  is 
His  tiame  (xlvii.  4 ;  also  Jer.  1.  34).  Jehovah,  my  Rock  and 
my  Redeemer  (Ps.  xix.  14).  Thus  said  Jehovah,  thy 
Redeemer,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  I  am  Jehovah  thy  God 
(Isa.  xlviii.  17  ;  also  xliii.  14  ;  xlix.  7  ;  liv.  8).  Thus  said 
Jehovah,  thy  Redeemer,  /  am  Jehovah,  That  maketh  all 
things,  and  alone  of  Myself  (xliv.  24).  Thus  said  Jeho- 
vah, the  King  of  Israel,  and  his  Redeemer,  Jehovah 
Zebaoth,  I  am  the  First  a?id  the  Last,  and  beside  Me 
there  is  no  God  (xliv.  6).  Jehovah  Zebaoth  is  His  naine, 
and  thy  Redeemer,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  the  God  of 
the  whole  earth  shall  He  be  called  (liv.  5).  Abraham 
hath  not  known  us,  Israel  doth  not  acknowledge  us;  Thou, 
Jehovah,  art  our  Father,  our  Redeemer  from  everlast- 
ing is  Thy  Name  (lxiii.  16).  Unto  us  a  Child  is  born, 
unto  us  a  Son  is  given,  and  His  Name  shall  be  called  Won- 
derful, Counsellor,  God,  Mighty,  Father  of  Eternity, 
Prince  of  peace  (ix.  6).  Behold  the  days  come,  that  I  will 
raise  up  unto  David  a  righteous  Branch  Who  shall  reign 
King,  a?id  this  is  His  name,  Jehovah  our  Righteousness 
(Jer.  xxiii.  5,  6  ;  also  xxxiii.  15,  16).  Philip  said  to  Jesus, 
Show  us  the  Father.  Jesus  said  to  him,  He  that  seeth  Me, 
seeth  the  Father.  Believes t  thou  ?iot  that  I  am  in  the  Father, 
and  the  Father  in  Me?  (John  xiv.  8-10.')  In  Jesus  Christ 
dwellcth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily  (Col.  ii.  9). 
We  are  in  the  Truth,  in  Jesus  Christ ;  This  is  the  true  God 
and  Eternal  Life.  Little  children,  keep  yourselves  from  idoh 
(1  John  v.  20,  21).    From  these  passages  it  is  clearly  mani- 


No.  296.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


431 


fest  that  the  Lord  our  Saviour  is  Jehovah  Himself,  Who  is 
at  once  Creator,  Redeemer,  and  Regenerator.  This  is  the 
spiritual  sense  of  this  commandment. 

295.  The  heavenly  [or  celestial}  sense  of  this  command- 
ment is,  that  Jehovah  the  Lord  is  Infinite,  Immeasur- 
able, and  Eternal  \  that  He  is  Omnipotent,  Omniscient, 
and  Omnipresent ;  that  He  is  the  First  and  the  Last,  the 
Beginning  and  the  End;  who  Was,  Is,  and  Will  Be  ;  that 
He  is  Love  itself,  and  Wisdom  itself,  or  Good  itself  and 
Truth  itself ;  consequently,  Life  itself ;  thus  the  Only  One, 
from  Whom  all  things  are. 

296.  All  who  acknowledge  and  worship  any  other  God 
than  the  Lord  the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  Who  is  Himself 
Jehovah  God  in  the  human  form,  sin  against  this  first  com- 
mandment j  so  also  do  they  who  persuade  themselves  that 
three  Divine  persons  have  actually  existed  from  eternity. 
These,  as  they  confirm  themselves  in  that  error,  become 
more  and  more  natural  and  corporeal,  and  then  cannot 
interiorly  comprehend  any  Divine  truth ;  and  if  they  hear 
and  receive  it,  still  they  defile  and  cover  it  up  with  falla- 
cies. They  may  therefore  be  compared  to  those  who  live 
in  the  lowest  story  of  a  house,  or  the  basement  below  the 
level  of  the  ground,  and  therefore  do  not  hear  any  thing 
that  those  who  are  in  the  second  and  third  stories  say  to 
each  other,  because  the  ceiling  and  floor  over  their  heads 
prevent  the  sound  from  penetrating  to  them.  The  human 
mind  is  like  a  house  of  three  stories,  in  the  lowest  of  which 
are  they  who  have  confirmed  themselves  in  favor  of  three 
Gods  from  eternity;  in  the  second  and  third  stories  are 
they  who  acknowledge  and  believe  in  one  God  under  a 
visible  human  form,  and  that  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour  is 
He.  The  sensual  and  corporeal  man,  because  he  is  merely 
natural,  viewed  in  himself  is  wholly  animal,  and  only  differs 
from  a  brute  animal  in  being  able  to  speak  and  reason  j 
he  is  therefore  like  one  living  in  a  menagerie  where  are 
wild  beasts  of  every  kind,  and  there  he  now  acts  the  lion, 


432 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


now  the  bear,  and  now  the  tiger,  the  leopard,  or  the  wolf  j 
yes,  he  can  also  act  the  sheep,  but  then  he  laughs  in  his 
heart.  The  merely  natural  man  does  not  think  of  Divine 
truths  except  from  the  things  of  the  world,  thus  from  the 
fallacies  of  the  senses ;  for  he  cannot  elevate  his  mind 
above  them.  The  doctrine  of  his  faith  may  therefore  be 
compared  to  pottage  made  of  chaff,  which  he  eats  as  a 
dainty.  Or  as  Ezekiel  the  prophet  was  commanded  to 
mix  wheat,  barley,  beans,  lentiles,  and  fitches,  with  the 
dung  of  man  or  of  a  cow,  and  make  for  himself  bread  and 
cakes,  and  so  to  represent  the  church  such  as  it  was  with 
the  Israelitish  nation  (Ez.  iv.  9,  and  the  verses  following). 
So  is  it  with  the  doctrine  of  the  church  which  is  founded 
and  built  upon  [the  faith  that  there  have  been]  three  Di- 
vine persons  from  eternity,  each  of  whom  singly  is  God. 
Who  would  not  see  the  enormity  of  that  faith,  if  it  were 
exhibited  as  it  is  in  itself  in  a  picture  before  the  eyes ;  for 
instance,  if  the  three  were  to  stand  in  order  near  each 
other,  the  first  distinguished  by  a  sceptre  and  crown  ;  the 
second  holding  a  book,  which  is  the  Word,  in  his  right 
hand,  and  in  his  left  a  golden  cross  sprinkled  with  blood  ; 
and  the  third  with  wings  about  him,  standing  upon  one 
foot,  in  readiness  to  fly  forth  and  operate  ;  and  above  them 
the  inscription,  These  three  Persons,  being  so  many 
Gods,  are  one  God  ?  What  wise  man,  seeing  the  picture, 
would  not  say  to  himself,  Alas,  what  hallucination !  But 
he  would  say  otherwise,  if  he  should  see  the  picture  of  one 
Divine  Person,  with  rays  of  heavenly  light  around  the 
head,  with  the  inscription  over  it,  This  is  our  God,  at 
once  Creator,  Redeemer,  and  Regenerator,  thus  the 
Saviour.  Would  not  that  wise  man  kiss  this  picture,  and 
carry  it  home  in  his  bosom,  and  by  the  sight  of  it  gladden 
his  own  mind,  and  that  of  his  wife,  and  the  minds  of  his 
children  and  servants  ? 


No.  297.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


433 


The  Second  Commandment. 

Thou  shalt  not  take  the  Name  of  Jehovah  thy  God 
in  vain  j  for  Jehovah  will  not  hold  him  guiltless, 
that  taketh  His  Name  in  vain. 

297.  Taking  the  name  of  Jehovah  God  in  vain  in  the 
natural  sense,  which  is  the  sense  of  the  letter,  refers  to 
the  name  itself,  and  the  abuse  of  it  in  various  kinds  of  con- 
versation, especially  in  uttering  falsehoods  or  lies,  and  in 
oaths  without  cause,  and  for  the  purpose  of  exculpation  in 
one's  evil  intentions  (which  are  cursings),  and  in  sorceries 
and  enchantments.  But  to  swear  by  God  and  His  Holi- 
ness, the  Word,  and  the  Gospel,  in  coronations,  in  inaugu- 
rations into  the  priesthood  and  inductions  into  offices  of 
trust,  is  not  taking  the  name  of  God  in  vain,  unless  he  who 
takes  the  oath  afterwards  casts  aside  his  promises  as  vain. 
But  the  name  of  God,  because  it  is  Holiness  itself,  must 
continually  be  used  in  the  holy  things  which  pertain  to  the 
church,  as  in  prayers,  psalms,  and  in  all  worship ;  and  also 
in  preaching,  and  in  writing  on  ecclesiastical  matters. 
For  God  is  in  all  things  of  religion ;  and  when  He  is  relig- 
iously invoked,  He  is  present  by  His  name  and  hears ;  in 
these  things  the  name  of  God  is  hallowed.  That  the  name 
of  Jehovah  God  is  in  itself  holy,  is  evident  from  that  name, 
in  that  the  Jews  from  their  earliest  day  have  not  dared 
and  do  not  dare  to  say  Jehovah ;  and  for  their  sake  the 
evangelists  and  apostles  were  not  willing  to  say  it,  and  there- 
fore said  Lord  instead  of  Jehovah  j  as  is  evident  from  various 
passages  transferred  from  the  Old  Testament  to  the  New  ; 
where  the  name  Lord  is  used  instead  of  Jehovah,  as  Matt, 
xxii.  37  j  Luke  x.  27  ;  compared  with  Deut.  vi.  5,  and  other 
passages.  That  the  name  Jesus  is  in  like  manner  holy,  is 
known  from  the  saying  of  the  apostle,  that  at  that  name 
the  knee  is  bent  and  is  to  be  bent,  in  heaven  and  in  earth ; 
and  furthermore  from  this,  that  it  can  be  named  by  no 


434 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


devil  in  hell.  There  are  many  names  of  God  which  are  not 
to  be  taken  in  vain,  as  Jehovah,  Jehovah  God,  Jehovah  Ze~ 
baoth,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  Jesus  and  Christ,  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

298.  In  the  spiritual  sense  the  name  of  God  means 
all  that  the  church  teaches  from  the  Word,  and  by  which 
the  Lord  is  invoked  and  worshipped.  All  these  things  in 
the  complex  are  the  name  of  God.  Wherefore  to  take  the 
name  of  God  in  vain,  means  to  introduce  any  thing  there- 
from in  frivolous  conversation,  in  speaking  falsely,  in  lying, 
imprecations,  sorceries,  and  enchantments ;  for  to  do  this 
also  is  to  revile  and  blaspheme  God,  thus  His  name. 
That  the  Word,  and  whatever  the  church  has  therefrom, 
and  thus  all  worship,  is  the  name  of  God,  may  be  evident 
from  these  passages :  From  the  rising  of  the  sun  shall  he 
call  upon  My  name  (Isa.  xli.  25).  From  the  rising  of  the 
sun  even  unto  the  going  down  of  the  same,  My  name  shall  be 
great  among  the  Gentiles ;  and  in  every  place  incense  shall  be 
offered  unto  My  name.  Ye  profane  My  name,  in  that  ye  say, 
The  table  of  Jehovah  is  polluted ;  and  ye  snuff  at  My  name, 
in  that  ye  bring  that  which  was  torn,  the  lame,  and  the  sick 
(Mai.  i.  11-13).  All  peoples  walk  in  the  name  of  their  God, 
and  we  will  walk  in  the  name  of  Jehovah  our  God  (Mich, 
iv.  5).  They  shall  worship  Jehovah  in  one  place,  where  He 
shall  place  His  name  (Deut.  xii.  5,  11,  13,  14,  18 ;  xvi.  2,  6, 
11,  15,  16);  that  is,  where  He  should  set  His  worship. 
Jesus  said,  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  My 
name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them  (Matt,  xviii.  20).  As 
many  as  received  Him,  to  them  gave  He  power  to  become  the  sons 
of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe  in  His  name  (John  i.  1 2).  Ht 
that  bclieveth  not,  is  judged  already,  because  he  hath  not  be- 
lieved in  the  7iame  of  the  Only-begotten  Son  of  God  (iii.  18). 
Believ'mg,  they  shall  have  life  in  His  name  (xx.  31).  Jesus 
said,  /  have  nianifestcd  Thy  name  to  men  ;  and  I  have  de- 
clared unto  them  Thy  name  (xvii.  6,  26).  The  Lord  said, 
I  have  a  few  names  in  Sardis  (Apoc.  iii.  4).    There  are  also 


No.  300.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


435 


many  other  passages  in  which,  as  in  the  foregoing,  the 
name  of  God  means  the  Divine  which  proceeds  from  God, 
and  by  which  He  is  worshipped.  But  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ  means  all  of  redemption,  and  all  of  His  doctrine, 
and  thus  all  of  salvation ;  by  Jesus,  is  meant  all  of  salva- 
tion through  redemption,  and  by  Christ,  all  of  salvation 
through  His  doctrine. 

299.  In  the  heavefily  [celestial']  sense,  taking  the  name  of 
God  in  vain  means  what  the  Lord  said  to  the  Pharisees, 
that  All  sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  remitted  unto  man,  but 
the  blasphemy  of  the  Spirit  shall  not  be  remitted  (Matt.  xii. 
31,  32).  By  blasphemy  of  the  Spirit  is  meant  blasphemy 
against  the  Divinity  of  the  Lord's  Human,  and  against  the 
holiness  of  the  Word.  That  the  Divine  Human  of  the 
Lord  is  meant  by  the  name  of  Jehovah  God  in  the  heav- 
enly [celestial]  or  highest  sense,  is  evident  from  these  pas- 
sages :  Jesus  said,  Father,  glorify  thy  name.  Then  came 
there  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  I  have  both  glorified  it,  and 
will  glorify  it  again  (John  xii.  28).  Whatsoever  ye  shall 
ask  in  My  ?iame,  that  will  I  do,  that  the  Father  may  be  glori- 
fied i?i  the  Son  ;  if  ye  shall  ask  any  thing  in  My  name,  I 
will  do  it  (xiv.  13,  14).  In  the  Lord's  Prayer,  by  Hallowed 
be  Thy  name,  in  the  heavenly  [celestial]  sense,  nothing  else 
is  signified  ;  so  also  by  name  in  Ex.  xxiii.  21  ;  Isa.  Ixiii.  16. 
Since  blasphemy  of  the  Spirit  is  not  remitted  unto  man, 
according  to  the  words  in  Matt.  xii.  31,  32,  and  this  is 
meant  in  the  heavenly  sense,  there  is  therefore  added  to 
this  commandment,  For  Jehovah  will  not  hold  him  guiltless 
who  takcth  His  name  in  vain. 

300.  That  the  name  of  any  one  means  not  only  his 
name,  but  also  his  whole  quality,  is  manifest  from  the 
names  in  the  spiritual  world  ;  no  one  there  retains  the 
name  which  he  received  in  baptism  and  that  which  he  had 
from  his  father  or  ancestors,  in  the  world  ;  but  every  one 
there  is  named  according  to  his  quality,  and  the  angels  are 
called  according  to  their  moral  and  spiritual  life ;  these 


436  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 

latter  also  are  meant  by  these  words  of  the  Lord  :  Jesus 
said,  I  am  the  good  Shepherd ;  the  sheep  hear  His  voice,  and 
He  calleth  His  own  sheep  by  na?ne,  and  leadeth  them  out 
(John  x.  ii,  3).  And  also  by  these  :  /  have  a  few  names 
in  Sardis,  which  have  not  defiled  their  garments.  Whoso- 
ever overcometh,  I  will  write  upon  him  the  name  of  the  city, 
New  Jerusale??i,  a?id  My  new  name  (Apoc.  iii.  4,  12). 
Gabriel  and  Michael  are  not  the  names  of  two  persons  in 
heaven,  but  by  those  names  are  meant  all  in  heaven  who 
are  in  wisdom  concerning  the  Lord  and  worship  Him. 
Also  the  names  of  persons  and  places  in  the  Word  do 
not  mean  persons  and  places,  but  the  things  of  the  church. 
And  in  the  natural  world,  by  name  is  not  meant  the  name 
only,  but  at  the.  same  time  the  quality  of  the  person,  be- 
cause this  adheres  to  his  name ;  for  in  common  conversa- 
tion it  is  customary  to  say,  He  does  this  for  the  sake  of 
his  name,  or  for  the  fame  of  his  name;  the  man  has  a 
great  name :  which  means  that  he  is  celebrated  for  such 
things  as  are  in  him,  as  for  ingenuity,  erudition,  merits,  and 
so  forth.  Who  does  not  know  that  he  who  disparages 
and  calumniates  any  one  as  to  his  name,  also  disparages 
and  calumniates  the  actions  of  his  life  ?  They  are  con- 
joined in  idea ;  therefore  the  fame  of  his  name  perishes. 
In  like  manner  whoever  utters  the  name  of  a  king,  a  duke, 
or  any  great  man,  with  great  disrespect,  casts  reproach 
also  upon  the  majesty  or  the  dignity  of  the  person.  So 
also  he  who  utters  the  name  of  another  in  a  tone  of  con- 
tempt, at  the  same  time  shows  a  light  estimation  of  the 
acts  of  his  life.  The  case  is  similar  with  every  person  ;  his 
name,  that  is,  his  quality  and  consequent  reputation,  ac- 
cording to  the  laws  of  all  kingdoms,  it  is  not  allowable  to 
blast  and  defame. 


No.  301.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


437 


The  Third  Commandment. 

Remember  the  Sabbath  Day,  to  keep  it  holy;  six 
days  thou  shalt  labor  and  do  all  thy  work  \  but 
the  seventh  day  is  a  Sabbath  to  Jehovah  thy  God. 

301.  That  this  is  the  third  commandment  may  be  seen 
from  Ex.  xx.  8-10,  and  Deut.  v.  12-14.  In  the  natural 
sense,  which  is  that  of  the  letter,  this  means  that  the  six 
days  are  for  man  and  his  labors,  and  the  seventh  for  the 
Lord,  and  for  man's  rest  from  Him.  Sabbath  in  the  orig- 
inal tongue  signifies  rest.  The  Sabbath  among  the  children 
of  Israel  was  the  sanctity  of  sanctities,  because  it  repre- 
sented the  Lord ;  the  six  days  represented  His  labors  and 
combats  with  the  hells ;  and  the  seventh  His  victory  over 
them,  and  therefore  rest ;  and  because  that  day  was  repre- 
sentative of  the  close  of  the  Lord's  whole  work  of  redemp- 
tion, therefore  it  was  holiness  itself.  But  when  the  Lord 
came  into  the  world,  and  the  representations  of  Him  there- 
fore ceased,  that  day  became  a  day  of  instruction  in  Divine 
things,  and  thus  also  a  day  of  rest  from  labors,  and  of 
meditation  on  such  things  as  relate  to  salvation  and  eternal 
life ;  as  also  a  day  of  love  towards  the  neighbor.  That  it 
became  a  day  of  instruction  in  Divine  things  is  manifest 
from  this,  that  the  Lord  on  that  day  taught  in  the  temple 
and  in  synagogues  (Mark  vi.  2  j  Luke  iv.  16,  31,  32  ;  xiii. 
10);  and  that  He  said  to  the  man  who  was  healed,  Take 
up  thy  bed  and  walk ;  and  to  the  Pharisees,  That  it  was 
lawful  for  the  disciples  on  the  Sabbath  day  to  gather  the  ears 
of  corn  and  eat  (Matt.  xii.  1-9 ;  Mark  ii.  23-28 ;  Luke  vi. 
1-6 ;  John  v.  9-19) ;  and  by  each  of  these  particulars,  in 
the  spiritual  sense,  is  signified  to  be  instructed  in  doc- 
trinals.  That  that  day  became  also  a  day  of  love  toward 
the  neighbor,  is  evident  from  what  the  Lord  did  and  taught 
on  the  Sabbath  day  (Matt.  xii.  10-14;  Mark  iii.  1-9; 
Luke  vi.  6-12;  xiii.  10-18;  xiv.  1-7;  John  v.  9-19;  vii. 


43* 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


22,  23;  ix.  14,  16).  From  these  and  the  former  passages, 
it  is  manifest  why  the  Lord  said  that  He  is  Lord  also  of  the 
Sabbath  (Matt.  xii.  8  ;  Mark  ii.  28  ;  Luke  vi.  5)  ;  and  be- 
cause He  said  this,  it  follows  that  that  day  was  representa- 
tive of  Him. 

302.  This  commandment  in  the  spiritual  sense  signifies 
the  reformation  and  regeneration  of  man  by  the  Lord  \ 
the  six  days  of  labor  signify  the  combat  against  the  flesh 
and  its  lusts,  and  at  the  same  time  against  the  evils  and 
falsities  which  are  in  him  from  hell ;  and  the  seventh  day 
signifies  his  conjunction  with  the  Lord,  and  regeneration 
thereby.  That  as  long  as  that  combat  continues  man  has 
spiritual  labor,  but  that  when  he  is  regenerated  he  has 
rest,  will  be  evident  from  what  will  be  said  hereafter,  in 
the  chapter  concerning  Reformation  and  Regeneration1-, 
especially  from  these  things  there :  I.  Regeneration  is  ef- 
fected in  a  mamier  analogous  to  that  in  which  man  is  con- 
ceived,  carried  in  the  womb,  born,  and  educated.  II.  The  first 
act  in  the  new  birth  is  called  reformation,  which  is  of  the 
widerstanding ;  and  the  second  is  called  regeneration,  which  is 
of  the  will,  a?id  thence  of  the  understanding.  III.  The  inter- 
7ial  man  is  to  be  reformed  first,  and  through  this  the  external. 

IV.  Then  arises  a  combat  between  the  i?iter?ial  and  the  exter- 
nal man,  and  the  one  that  conquers  rules  over  the  other. 

V.  The  regenerate  man  has  a  new  will  and  a  new  wider- 
standing:  and  so  forth.  The  reformation  and  regeneration 
of  man  are  signified  by  this  commandment  in  the  spiritual 
sense,  because  they  coincide  with  the  Labors  and  Combats 
of  the  Lord  with  the  hells,  and  with  the  Victory  over  them, 
and  then  the  Rest ;  for  the  Lord  reforms  and  regenerates 
man  and  renders  him  spiritual,  in  the  same  manner  in 
which  He  glorified  His  Human,  and  made  it  Divine :  this 
is  what  is  meant  by  followi7ig  Him.  That  the  Lord  had 
combats,  and  that  they  are  called  labors,  is  manifest  in 
Isa.  liii.  and  lxiii. ;  and  that  similar  tilings  are  called  labors 
in  relation  to  men  is  manifest  in  Isa.  lxv.  23  ;  Apoc.  ii.  2,  3. 


No.  303.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


439 


303.  In  the  heavenly  [celestial]  sense,  by  this  command- 
ment is  meant  conjunction  with  the  Lord,  and  then  peace, 
because  there  is  protection  from  hell;  for  by  Sabbath  is 
signified  rest,  and  in  this  highest  sense,  peace.  The  Lord 
is  therefore  called  the  Prince  of  Peace ;  and  also  He  calls 
Himself  Peace,  as  is  evident  from  these  passages  :  Unto  us 
a  Child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is  given,  and  the  government 
shall  be  upon  His  shoulder,  and  His  name  shall  be  called 
Wonderful y  Counsellor,  God,  Mighty,  Father  of  eternity,  the 
Prince  of  Peace  ;  of  the  increase  of  His  governme?it  and 
peace  there  shall  be  no  end  (Isa.  ix.  6,  7).  Jesus  said,  Peace 
I  leave  with  you,  My  peace  I  give  unto  you  (John  xiv.  27). 
Jesus  said,  These  things  I  have  spoke?i,  that  in  Me  ye  might 
have  peace  (xvi.  33).  How  beautifid  upon  the  mountains 
are  the  feet  of  Him  That  bringeth  good  tidings,  That  pub- 
lisheth  peace,  saying,  Thy  God*  reigneth  (Isa.  lii.  7).  jfeho- 
vah  will  redeem  my  soul  in  peace  (Ps.  lv.  18).  Jehovah's 
work  f  is  peace,  the  labor  of  righteousness  is  rest  a?id  secu- 
rity for  ever ;  that  they  may  dwell  in  the  tabernacle  of 
peace,  and  in  the  tents  of  security,  and  in  quiet  resting- 
places  (Isa.  xxxii.  17,  18).  Jesus  said  to  the  seventy 
whom  He  sent  forth,  Into  whatsoever  house  ye  enter,  first 
say  Peace  be  to  this  house ;  a?id  if  the  son  of  peace  be 
there,  your  peace  shall  rest  upon  it  (Luke  x.  5,  6 \  Matt  x. 

*  The  Latin  here  reads  Rex,  King.  The  same  is  also  found  in 
many  other  places  where  this  verse  is  quoted.  In  the  "  Arcana  Cce- 
lestia"  (n.  8331),  we  find  Deus,  God.  And  it  is  interesting  to  note 
that  in  Swedenborg's  own  copy  of  the  "True  Christian  Religion" 
(with  which  this  translation  has  been  compared),  Deus  stands  as  a 
marginal  correction  in  what  is  believed  to  be  his  own  handwriting. 
The  spiritual  meaning  is  the  same  with  either  reading. 

t  The  Latin  here  reads  Opus  Jehovcr,  Jehovah's  work.  We  find 
the  same  in  Apoc.  Rev.  n.  306 ;  also  in  Apoc.  Expl.  n.  365.  But  in 
the  "Arcana  Coelestia,"  n.  37S0,  and  H.  &  IL,  n.  287,  we  have  Opus 
justitice,  the  work  of  justice,  or  the  work  of  righteousness.  This  agrees 
with  the  Hebrew  and  with  our  common  translation.  The  internal 
meaning  seems  to  be  the  same  with  either  reading  ;  for  it  is  written, 
'  Jehovah  our  Righteousness.7' 


440  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


12-14).  Jehovah  will  speak  peace  to  His  people;  righteous- 
ness a?id  peace  shall  kiss  each  other  (Ps.  lxxxv.  8,  10). 
When  the  Lord  Himself  appeared  to  the  disciples,  He 
said,  Peace  be  with  you  (John  xx.  19,  21,  26).  Moreover 
the  state  of  peace  into  which  men  are  to  come,  from  the 
Lord,  is  treated  of  in  Isa.  lxv.  and  lxvi.,  and  elsewhere  ; 
and  they  will  come  into  it  who  are  received  into  the  New 
Church  which  the  Lord  is  establishing  at  this  day.  What 
in  its  essence  the  peace  is  in  which  the  angels  are,  and 
those  who  are  in  the  Lord,  may  be  seen  in  the  work  con- 
cerning "  Heaven  and  Hell "  (n.  284-290).  From  these 
things  also  it  is  manifest,  why  the  Lord  calls  Himself  the 
Lord  of  the  Sabbath,  that  is,  of  rest  and  peace. 

304.  Heavenly  peace,  in  relation  to  the  hells,  so  that 
evils  and  falsities  may  not  rise  from  them  and  make  their 
invasion,  may  be  compared  in  many  respects  with  natural 
peace ;  as  with  peace  after  war,  when  every  one  lives  in 
security  from  enemies,  safe  in  his  own  city,  in  his  own 
home,  or  in  his  own  fields  and  gardens.  It  is  as  the  pro- 
phet said,  speaking  naturally  concerning  heavenly  peace  : 
They  shall  sit  every  ma?i  under  his  vine,  and  under  his  fig- 
tree,  and  none  shall  make  them  afraid  (Micah  iv.  4 ;  Isa.  lxv. 
21-23).  It  may  be  compared  also  to  recreation  of  mind 
and  to  rest  after  severe  labor,  and  with  the  comfort  that 
mothers  experience  after  the  birth  of  a  child,  when  the 
parental  love  (storge)  manifests  its  enjoyments.  It  may  also 
be  compared  with  serenity  after  tempests,  black  clouds 
and  thunders;  and  likewise  with  spring  aiter  a  terrible 
winter  has  passed,  and  then  with  the  gladness  that  comes 
from  the  new  growths  in  the  fields,  and  from  the  blossom- 
ing in  the  gardens,  meadows,  and  forests.  It  may  be  com- 
pared also  with  the  state  of  mind  with  those  who  after 
storms  and  dangers  on  the  sea,  reach  the  port,  and  set 
their  feet  on  the  wished-for  land. 


No.  306.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


44I 


The  Fourth  Commandment, 

Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother,  that  thy  days 
may  be  prolonged,  and  that  it  may  be  well  with 
thee  upon  the  earth. 

305.  This  commandment  is  so  read,  Ex.  xx.  12,  and 
Deut.  v.  16.  By  honoring  thy  father  a?id  thy  mother  in  the 
natural  sense  which  is  the  sense  of  the  letter,  is  meant 
to  'honor  parents,  to  ©bey  them,  to  be  attentive  to  them, 
and  to  show  gratitude  to  them  for  the  benefits  they  confer; 
which  are,  that  they  feed  and  clothe  their  children,  and 
introduce  them  into  the  world  that  they  may  act  in  it  as 
civil  and  moral  beings  and  also  into  heaven  by  the  precepts 
of  religion ;  thus  they  have  a  care  for  their  temporal  pros- 
perity, and  also  for  their  eternal  happiness  j  and  they  do  all 
these  things  from  the  love  in  which  they  are  from  the 
Lord,  in  Whose  stead  they  fulfil  these  offices.  In  a  relative 
sense,  is  meant  the  honor  that  wards  should  pay  their 
guardians,  if  the  parents  are  dead.  In  a  broader  sense 
this  commandment  means  to  honor  the  king  and  magis- 
trates, since  they  provide  for  all  in  general  the  necessities 
which  parents  provide  in  particular.  In  the  broadest  sense 
this  commandment  means  that  men  should  love  their  coun- 
try, because  it  supports  and  protects  them :  it  is  there- 
fore called  fatherland  (patria)  from  father  {pater).  But 
to  their  country,  king,  and  magistrates  honor  must  be 
rendered  by  parents,  and  by  them  implanted  in  their 
children. 

306.  In  the  spiritual  sense  to  honor  father  and  mother 
means  to  reverence  and  love  God  and  the  church.  In  this 
sense  by  father  is  meant  God,  Who  is  the  Father  of  all ; 
and  by  mother,  the  church.  In  the  heavens  infants  and 
angels  know  no  other  father  and  no  other  mother,  since 
there  they  have  been  born  anew  of  the  Lord  by  the  church. 
The  Lord  therefore  says,  Call  no  man  your  father  upon  the 

VCL.  It  1 


442 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V 


earth  ;  for  One  is  your  Father,  Who  is  in  the  heavens  (Matt, 
xxiii.  9).  These  words  were  spoken  for  children  and  angels 
in  heaven,  but  not  for  children  and  men  on  earth.  The 
Lord  teaches  the  same  in  the  common  prayer  of  Christian 
churches  :  Our  Father,  Who  art  in  the  heavens,  hallowed  be 
Thy  name.  The  church  is  meant  by  mother,  in  the  spiritual 
sense,  because  as  a  mother  on  earth  feeds  her  children 
with  natural  food,  so  the  church  feeds  them  with  spiritual 
food  ;  and  for  this  reason  the  church  is  called  mother  in  the 
Word,  throughout ;  as  in  Hosea :  Plfad  with  your  mother  ; 
she  is  not  My  wife,  neither  am  I  her  husband  (ii.  2,  5) ;  in 
Isaiah :  Where  is  the  bill  of  your  mother's  divorcement, 
whom  I  have  put  away?  (1.  1 ;  also  Ez.  xvi.  45  ;  xix.  10.) 
And  in  the  Evangelists :  Jesus,  stretching  out  His  hand  to 
the  disciples,  said,  My  mother  and  My  brethren  are  those 
7vho  hear  the  Word  of  God  and  do  it  (Matt.  xii.  48,  49  ;  Mark 
iii.  33-35  ;  Luke  viii.  21  ;  John  xix.  25-27). 

307.  In  the  heavenly  [celestial]  sense,  by  Father  is  meant 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  and  by  Mother,  the  communion 
of  saints,  by  which  is  meant  His  Church,  spread  over  all 
the  world.  That  the  Lord  is  the  Father,  is  evident  from 
these  passages :  Unto  us  a  Child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is 
given,  and  His  name  is  God,  Mighty,  Father  of  eternity, 
the  Prince  of  Peace  (Isa.  ix.  6).  Thou  art  our  Father  ;  Abra- 
ham is  ignorant  of  us,  and  Israel  doth  not  acknowledge  us : 
Thou  art  our  Father,  our  Redeemer  from  everlasting  is 
Thy  name  (lxiii.  16).  Philip  saith,  Show  us  the  Father, 
Jesus  saith  to  him,  He  that  seeth  Me,  seeth  the 
Father;  how  sayest  thou  then,  Show  us  the  Father? 
Believe  Me,  that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in 
Me  (John  xiv.  8-1 1 ;  also  xii.  45).  That  by  mother,  in  this 
sense,  is  meant  the  Lord's  church,  is  evident  from  these 
passages  :  I  saw  the  holy  city,  New  Jerusalem,  prepared  as 
a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband  (Apoc.  xxi.  2).  The 
angel  said  to  John,  Come  hither,  I  will  show  thee  the  bride, 
the  Lamb's  wife.    And  he  showed  the  city,  the  holy  Jerusa- 


No.  30S.J 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


443 


lem  (xxi.  9,  10).  The  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and 
His  wife  hath  made  herself  ready.  Blessed  are  they  who  are 
called  imto  the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb  (xix.  7,  9  ;  see 
also  Matt.  ix.  15  ;  Mark  ii.  19,  20 ;  Luke  v.  34,  35  ;  John 
iii.  29 ;  xix.  26,  27).  That  the  New  Jerusalem  means  the 
New  Church  which  the  Lord  is  now  establishing,  may  be 
seen  in  the  "Apocalypse  Revealed"  (n.  880,  881):  this 
church,  and  not  the  former,  is  the  wife  and  the  mother  in 
this  sense.  The  spiritual  offspring,  which  are  born  from 
this  marriage,  are  the  goods  of  charity  and  the  truths  of 
faith ;  and  they  who  are  in  these  from  the  Lord,  are  called 
sons  of  the  marriage,  sons  of  God,  and  born  of  Him. 

308.  It  is  to  be  kept  in  mind,  that  there  continually  pro- 
ceeds from  the  Lord  a  Divine  heavenly  [celestial']  sphere  of 
love  toward  all  who  embrace  the  doctrine  of  His  church, 
and  who  obey  Him,  as  little  children  in  the  world  obey 
father  and  mother,  apply  themselves  to  Him,  and  wish  to 
be  nourished,  that  is,  instructed  by  Him.  From  this  heav- 
enly sphere  arises  a  natural  sphere,  which  is  one  of  love 
toward  infants  and  children  ;  this  is  most  universal,  and 
affects  not  only  men,  but  also  birds  and  beasts,  even  to 
serpents ;  nor  animate  things  only,  but  also  things  inani- 
mate. But  that  the  Lord  might  operate  upon  these,  even 
as  upon  spiritual  things,  He  created  the  sun,  to  be  in  the 
natural  world  as  a  father,  the  earth  being  as  a  mother.  For 
the  sun  is  as  a  common  father,  and  the  earth  as  a  common 
mother,  from  whose  marriage  exists  all  the  vegetation  that 
adorns  the  surface  of  our  planet.  From  the  influx  of  that 
heavenly  [celestial]  sphere  into  the  natural  world,  exist  the 
wonderful  progressions  of  vegetation,  from  seed  to  fruit, 
and  to  new  seed.  It  is  from  this,  also,  that  many  kinds  of 
plants  turn  as  it  were  their  faces  to  the  sun  during  the  day, 
and  turn  them  away  when  the  sun  sets ;  from  this  also  it  is 
that  there  are  flowers  which  open  at  the  rising  of  the  sun, 
and  close  themselves  at  his  setting ;  and  from  this  it  is  that 
the  birds  of  song  carol  sweetly  at  early  dawn,  and  in  like 


444  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


manner  after  they  have  been  fed  by  their  mother  earth. 
Thus  do  all  these  honor  their  father  and  mother.  They 
all  bear  witness  that,  through  the  sun  and  the  earth  in  the 
natural  world,  the  Lord  provides  all  things  necessary  for 
animate  and  inanimate  things.  Wherefore  it  is  said  in 
David,  Praise  ye  Jehovah  from  the  heavens  ;  praise  ye  Him, 
sun  and  moon.  Praise  Him  from  the  earth,  ye  whales  and 
deeps  ;  praise  Him,  fruitful  trees  and  all  cedars  ;  wild  beast, 
and  all  cattle,  creeping  things  and  flying  fowl,  kings  of  the 
earth,  and  all people,  young  men  and  maidens  (Ps.  cxlvii.  7-12); 
and  in  Job  :  Ask,  I p?-ay,  the  beasts  and  they  shall  teach  thee; 
or  the  birds  of  heaven,  and  they  shall  tell  thee ;  or  the  shrub 
of  the  earth,  and  it  shall  teach  thee;  and  the  fishes  of  the  sea 
shall  declare  unto  thee.  Who  knoweth  not  in  all  these,  that 
the  hand  of  jfehovah  hath  wrought  this  ?  (xii.  7-9.)  Ask 
and  they  will  teach  signifies,  observe,  study,  and  judge  from 
these  things,  that  the  Lord  Jehovih  created  them. 


The  Fifth  Commandment. 

THOU  SHALT  NOT  KILL. 

309.  This  commandment,  Thou  shall  not  kill,  in  the  natu- 
ral sense  means  not  to  kill  a  man,  not  to  inflict  on  him 
any  wound  of  which  he  may  die,  and  also  not  to  muti- 
late his  body;  and  it  means,  moreover,  not  to  bring  any 
deadly  evil  upon  his  name  and  fame,  since  with  many  fame 
and  life  go  hand  in  hand.  In  a  broader  natural  sense 
murder  means  enmity,  hatred,  and  revenge,  which  breathe 
out  destruction ;  for  murder  lies  concealed  within  them  like 
fire  in  wood  under  ashes.  Infernal  fire  is  nothing  else ; 
hence  one  is  said  to  be  inflamed  with  haU-ed,  and  to  burn 
with  revenge.  These  are  murders  in  intention,  but  not  in 
act ;  and  if  the  fear  of  the  law,  and  of  retaliation  and  re 
venge,  were  taken  away  from  them,  they  would  burst  forth 
into  act ;  especially  if  there  be  treachery  or  ferocity  in  the 


No.  311.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


445 


intention.  That  hatred  is  murder,  is  evident  from  these 
words  of  the  Lord  :  Ye  have  heard,  that  it  was  said  by  the?n 
of  old  time,  Thou  shalt  not  kill ;  and  whosoever  shall  kill,  shall 
be  in  danger  of  the  judgment  But  I  say  unto  you,  that  who- 
soever is  angry  with  his  brother  rashly,  shall  be  in  danger  of 
[the  judgment,  and  whosoever  shall  say,  thou  fool,  shall  be  in 
danger  of]  hell-fire  (Matt.  v.  21,  22).  This  is  because  all 
that  is  of  the  intention  is  also  of  the  will,  and  thus  in  itself 
is  of  the  deed. 

310.  In  the  spiritual  sense  murder  means  all  modes  ol 
killing  and  destroying  the  souls  of  men,  which  are  various 
and  manifold ;  as  turning  them  away  from  God,  religion, 
and  Divine  worship,  by  throwing  out  scandals  against 
them,  and  by  persuading  to  such  things  as  cause  aversion 
and  also  abhorrence.  Such  things  are  done  by  all  the 
devils  and  satans  in  hell,  with  whom  they  who  violate  and 
prostitute  the  holy  things  of  the  church,  in  this  world,  are 
conjoined.  Those  who  destroy  souls  by  falsities  are  meant 
by  the  king  of  the  abyss,  who  is  called  Abaddon  or  Apol- 
lyon,  that  is,  the  destroyer,  in  Apoc.  ix.  1 1  ;  and  in  the 
prophetic  Word  they  [whom  they  destroy]  are  meant  by 
the  slain,  as  in  these  passages :  Jehovah  God  said,  Feed  the 
sheep  of  the  slaughter,  which  their  possessors  have  slain  (Zech. 

xi.  4,  5,  also  verse  7).  We  are  killed  all  the  day  long;  we 
are  counted  as  a  flock  for  the  slaughter  (Ps.  xliv.  22).  Jacob 
shall  cause  them  that  come  to  take  root ;  is  he  slain  according 
to  the  slaughter  of  them  that  are  slain  of  him  1  (Isa.  xxvii.  6,  7.) 
The  thief  cometh  not  but  to  steal  and  to  kill  the  sheep  ;  I  am 
come  that  they  ?nay  have  life,  a?id  abundance  (John  x.  1  o  ; 
besides  other  places,  as  Isa.  xiv.  21  j  xxvi.  21  ;  Jer.  iv.  31  ; 

xii.  3  ;  Apoc.  ix.  4 ;  xi.  7).  And  therefore  the  devil  is  called 
a  murderer  from  the  beginning  (John  viii.  44). 

311.  In  the  heavenly  [celestial]  sense,  to  kill  means  to  be 
rashly  angry  with  the  Lord,  to  hate  Him,  and  to  wish  to 
blot  out  His  name.  Of  these  it  is  said  that  they  crucify 
Him;  which  also  they  would  do,  as  did  the  Jews,  if  He 


446  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 

were  to  come  into  the  world  as  He  did  before.  This,  is 
meant  by  the  Lamb  standing  as  it  had  been  slain  (Apoc.  v.  6  ; 
xiii.  8)  j  and  by  the  crucified  (Apoc.  xi.  8  ;  Heb.  vi.  6 ;  Gal. 
iii.  i). 

312.  The  quality  of  man's  internal,  when  not  reformed  by 
the  Lord,  was  made  manifest  to  me  from  the  devils  and  satans 
in  hell ;  for  they  have  it  constantly  in  mind  to  kill  the  Lord ; 
and  as  they  cannot  do  this,  they  are  in  the  endeavor  to  kill 
those  who  are  devoted  to  the  Lord ;  but  as  they  cannot 
do  this  as  men  can  in  the  world,  they  make  every  effort  to 
destroy  their  souls,  that  is  to  destroy  faith  and  charity  in 
them.  Hatred  and  revenge  with  them  show  themselves 
like  lurid  and  glowing  fires ;  hatred  like  lurid  fires,  and 
revenge  like  glowing  fires ;  yet  these  are  not  fires,  but  ap- 
pearances. Their  cruelties  of  heart  are  sometimes  seen 
in  the  air  above  them  like  contests  with  the  angels,  and  their 
slaughter  and  overthrow  and  destruction ;  it  is  their  anger 
and  hatred  against  heaven  from  which  such  direful  mock 
fights  arise.  Moreover,  in  the  distance  these  same  also 
appear  like  wild  beasts  of  every  kind,  as  tigers,  leopards, 
wolves,  foxes,  dogs,  crocodiles,  and  all  kinds  of  serpents ; 
and  when  in  representative  forms  they  see  gentle  animals, 
they  rush  upon  them  in  fantasy  and  endeavor  to  tear  them 
in  pieces.  They  came  to  my  sight  like  dragons  standing 
near  women  who  had  infants  with  them,  which  these  were 
trying,  as  it  were,  to  devour,  according  to  the  things  related 
in  Apocalypse  xii. ;  which  are  nothing  but  representations 
of  hatred  against  the  Lord  and  His  New  Church.  That 
men  in  the  world  who  wish  to  destroy  the  Lord's  church 
are  like  them,  is  not  apparent  to  their  companions ;  be- 
cause their  bodies,  by  which  they  perform  moral  duties, 
absorb  and  conceal  these  things.  But  still  to  the  angels, 
who  look  not  at  their  bodies  but  at  their  spirits,  they  ap- 
pear in  forms  like  those  of  the  devils  above  described. 
Who  could  have  known  such  things,  had  not  the  Lord 
opened  the  sight  of  some  one,  and  enabled  him  to  look 


No.  314.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


447 


inwardly  into  the  spiritual  world  ?  Otherwise,  would  not 
these,  together  with  other  most  important  matters,  have 
lain  concealed  from  men  for  ever  ? 

The  Sixth  Commandment. 
Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery. 

313.  In  the  natural  sense,  this  commandment  refers  not 
only  to  committing  adultery,  but  also  to  willing  and  doing 
obscene  things,  and  therefore  to  thinking  and  speaking  las- 
civious things.  That  merely  to  lust  is  to  commit  adultery, 
is  evident  from  these  words  of  the  Lord :  Ye  have  heard  that 
it  was  said  by  them  of  old  time,  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adul- 
tery. But  I  say  unto  you,  that  whosoever  looketh  011  another^s 
woman  to  lust  after  her,  hath  committed  adultery  with  her 
already  in  his  heart  (Matt.  v.  27,  28).  This  is  because 
the  lust  becomes  as  a  deed  when  it  is  in  the  will ;  for 
allurement  enters  merely  into  the  understanding,  but  inten- 
tion enters  into  the  will,  and  the  intention  of  lust  is  a  deed. 
But  more  may  be  seen  concerning  these  things  in  the  work 
"  Concerning  Conjugial  Love,  and  concerning  Scortatory 
Love,"  published  at  Amsterdam  in  the  year  1768;  which 
treats  On  the  Opposition  of  Conjugial  Love  and  Scor- 
tatory, n.  423-443  ;  On  Fornication,  n.  444-460  •  On  Adul- 
teries a?td  their  Kinds  and  Degrees,  n.  478-499  ;  On  the 
Lust  of  Defloration,  n.  501-505  ;  On  the  Lust  for  Variety, 
n.  506-510  ;  On  the  Lust  of  Violation,  n.  511,  512  ;  On  the 
Lust  of  seducing  Lnnocences,  n.  513,  514  ;  On  the  Imputation 
of  each  Love,  Scortatory  and  Conjugial,  n.  523-531.  These 
all  are  meant  by  this  commandment  in  the  natural  sense. 

314.  In  the  spiritual  sense,  to  commit  adultery  means 
to  adulterate  the  goods  of  the  Word  and  to  falsify  its 
truths.  That  to  commit  adultery  means  this  also,  has  been 
hitherto  unknown,  because  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word 
has  been  hitherto  concealed.    That  no  other  is  signified  in 


448 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V- 


the  Word,  by  committing  adultery  and  whoredom,  is  very 
manifest  from  these  passages :  Run  ye  to  and  fro  through 
the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  and  seek  if  ye  may  find  a  man  (vir) 

that    EXECUTETH   JUDGMENT,    that   SEEKETH    THE  TRUTH. 

When  I  had  fed  them  to  the  full,  they  then  committed 
vvhoredOxM  (Jer.  v.  i,  7).  I  have  seen  also  in  the  prophets 
of  Jerusalem  a  horrible  stubbornness,  in  committing  ,  dui-' 
tery  and  walking  in  lies  (xxiii.  1 4).  They  have  done 
folly  in  Israel,  they  have  committed  whoredom,  and 
have  spoken  My  Word  falsely  (xxix.  23).  They  COM- 
MITTED whoredom  because  they  have  left  Jehovah  (Hos.  iv. 
10).  The  soul  that  turneth  after  such  as  have  familiar 
spirits,  and  .after  wizards,  to  go  a  whoring  after  them,  I 
will  cut  him  off  (Lev.  xx.  6).  A  covenant  shall  not  be  made 
with  the  inhabitants  of  the  land,  lest  they  go  a  whoring 
after  their  gods  (Ex.  xxxiv.  15).  Since  Babylon  adulter- 
ates and  falsifies  the  Word  more  than  others,  she  is  there- 
fore called  the  great  harlot,  and  these  things  are  said  of 
her  in  the  Apocalypse:  Babylon  hath  made  all  the  nations 
drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  fornication  (xiv.  8). 
The  angel  said,  I  will  show  thee  the  judgment  of  the  great 
whore,  with  whom  the  kings  of  the  earth  have  committed 
whoredom  (xvii.  1,  2).  He  hath  judged  the  great  whore, 
who  hath  corrupted  the  earth  with  her  whoredom  (xix.  2). 
Since  the  Jewish  nation  had  falsified  the  Word,  it  was 
therefore  called  by  the  Lord  an  adulterous  generation 
*  (Matt.  xii.  39;  xvi.  4;  Mark  viii.  38);  and  in  Isaiah,  the 
seed  of  the  adulterer  (lvii.  3).  There  are  many  other 
passages  where  adulteries  and  whoredoms  mean  adultera- 
tions and  falsifications  of  the  Word  (as  Jer.  iii.  6,  8  ;  xiii.  27; 
Ez.  xvi.  15,  16,  26,  28,  29,  32,  33  ;  xxiii.  3,  5,  7,  ii,  14,  17, 
18,  19  ;  Hos.  v.  3  j  vi.  10;  Nah.  iii.  4). 

315.  In  the  heavenly  [celestial]  sense,  to  commit  adul- 
tery means  to  deny  the  holiness  of  the  Word,  and  to  pro- 
fane it.  That  this  is  meant  in  this  sense  follows  from 
the  former,  the  spiritual  sense,  which  is  to  adulterate  its 


No.  316.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


449 


goods  and  to  falsify  its  truths.  They  deny  and  profane 
the  holiness  of  the  Word,  who  in  heart  laugh  at  every  thing 
of  the  church  and  of  religion  ;  for  all  things  of  the  church 
and  of  religion  in  the  Christian  world  are  from  the  Word. 

316.  There  are  various  causes  which  make  a  man  seem 
chaste,  not  only  to  others  but  also  to  himself,  while  yet  he 
is  wholly  unchaste ;  for  he  does  not  know  that  lust,  when 
it  is  in  the  will,  is  a  deed,  and  that  it  cannot  be  removed 
except  by  the  Lord  after  repentance.  Abstinence  from 
the  doing  does  not  make  one  chaste ;  but  abstinence  from 
the  willing  because  it  is  sin,  and  when  the  doing  is  pos- 
sible, does.  Just  so  far  as  any  one  abstains  from  adulteries 
and  fornication  solely  from  fear  of  the  civil  law  and  its 
penalties ;  for  fear  of  the  loss  of  reputation,  and  therefore 
of  honor ;  for  fear  of  diseases  from  them  ;  for  fear  of  up- 
braidings  from  his  wife  at  home,  and  thence  of  intranquillity 
of  life  \  for  fear  of  the  vengeance  of  the  husband  and  rela- 
tions, or  of  being  beaten  by  their  servants ;  on  account  of 
avarice  j  on  account  of  any  infirmity,  arising  from  disease, 
abuse,  age,  or  any  other  cause  of  impotence  \  yes,  if  he  ab- 
stains from  them  on  account  of  any  natural  or  moral  law, 
and  not,  at  the  same  time,  on  account  of  spiritual  law,  — 
still  he  is  inwardly  an  adulterer  and  a  fornicator ;  for  he 
none  the  less  believes  that  they  are  not  sins,  and  therefore 
does  not  in  his  spirit  make  them  unlawful  in  the  sight  of 
God ;  and  thus  in  spirit  he  commits  them,  though  not  be- 
fore the  world  in  the  body ;  therefore,  after  death,  when 
he  becomes  a  spirit,  he  speaks  openly  in  favor  of  them. 
Moreover,  adulterers  may  be  compared  to  covenant-break- 
ers, who  violate  compacts ;  and  also  to  the  satyrs  and 
priapi  of  the  ancients,  who  roamed  in  the  forests,  crying 
out,  "  Where  are  there  virgins,  betrothed  maidens,  and 
wives,  with  whom  we  may  sport  ?  "  Moreover,  adulterers  in 
the  spiritual  world,  actually  appear  like  satyrs  and  priapi, 
They  may  also  be  compared  to  rank  he-goats ;  and  also  to 
dogs  that  run  about  the  str-cts,  and  look  about,  and  smell 

2* 


450  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


after  other  dogs  with  which  they  may  exercise  their  lascivi- 
ousness ;  and  so  on.  Their  virility,  when  they  become 
husbands,  may  be  compared  to  the  blossoming  of  tulips  in 
the  spring,  which  after  a  month  lose  their  flowers  and 
wither. 

The  Seventh  Commandment. 

THOU  SHALT  NOT  STEAL. 

317.  In  the  natural  sense,  this  commandment  means 
according  to  its  letter,  not  to  steal,  to  rob,  or  to  commit 
piracy,  in  time  of  peace ;  and,  in  general,  not  to  take  from 
any  one  his  goods  secretly,  or  under  any  pretext.  It  also 
extends  itself  to  all  imposture,  illegitimate  gain,  usury,  and 
exaction  ;  and  also  to  fraudulent  practices  in  paying  duties 
and  taxes,  and  in  discharging  debts.  Workmen  offend 
against  this  commandment  who  do  their  work  unfaithfully 
and  dishonestly ;  merchants  who  deceive  in  merchandise, 
in  weight,  in  measure,  and  in  accounts ;  officers  who  de- 
prive the  soldiers  of  their  just  wages ;  judges  who  give 
judgment  for  friendship,  bribes,  relationship,  or  from  othei 
causes,  by  perverting  the  laws  or  judicial  investigations, 
and  who  thus  deprive  others  of  their  goods  which  they 
rightfully  possess. 

318.  In  the  spiritual  sense,  to  steal  means  to  deprive*- 
others  of  the  truths  of  their  faith,  which  is  done  by  falsities 
and  heresies.  Priests  who  minister  only  for  the  sake  of 
gain  or  the  attainment  of  worldly  honor,  and  who  teach  such 
things  as  they  see  or  may  see  from  the  Word  to  be  not  true, 
are  spiritual  thieves ;  since  they  deprive  the  people  of  the 
means  for  their  salvation  which  are  the  truths  of  faith. 
Such  are  also  called  thieves  in  the  Word  in  the  following 
passages  :  He  that  enter eth  not  by  the  door  into  the  sheep/old, 
but  elimbeth  7tp  some  other  way,  the  same  is  a  thief  and  a 
robber.  The  thief  cometh  not  but  to  steal,  and  to  kill,  and  to 
destroy  (John  x.  1,  to).    Lay  not  up  treasures  upon  earth, 


No.  320.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


451 


but  in  heaven,  where  thieves  do  not  come  and  steal  (Matt,  vi 
19,  20).  If  thieves  come  to  thee,  if  robbers  by  night,  how  art 
thou  cut  off!  Will  they  not  steal  what  is  enough  for  than 
(Obad.  verse  5)  ?  They  shall  run  to  a?id  fro  in  the  city,  they 
shall  rim  on  the  wall,  they  shall  climb  up  upon  the  houses,  they 
shall  e7iter  i?i  at  the  windows  like  a  thief  (Joel  ii.  9).  They  com- 
mit  falsehood,  and  the  thief  comet h  in,  a?id  the  troop  of  robbers 
spoileth  without  (Hos.  vii.  1). 

319.  In  the  heavenly  [celestial]  sense,  by  thieves  are  meant 
those  who  take  away  Divine  power  from  the  Lord ;  and 
also  those  who  claim  for  themselves  His  merit  and  right- 
eousness. These,  though  they  adore  God,  yet  do  not  trust 
in  Him,  but  in  themselves ;  and  also  they  do  not  believe  in 
God,  but  in  themselves. 

320.  They  who  teach  what  is  false  and  heretical,  and  per- 
suade the  common  people  that  it  is  true  and  orthodox, 
although  they  read  the  Word,  and  from  it  may  know  what 
is  false  and  what  is  true,  —  also  they  who  by  fallacies  con- 
firm the  falsities  of  religion,  and  seduce  men  by  them,  may 
be  compared  to  impostors  and  their  impostures  of  every 
kind  j  and  because  these  are  in  themselves  thefts  in  the 
spiritual  sense,  they  may  be  compared  with  counterfeiters, 
who  make  false  coins,  gild  them,  or  give  them  outwardly 
the  color  of  gold,  and  pass  them  as  genuine ;  then  again 
to  those  who  know  how  to  cut  and  polish  crystals  skilfully, 
and  to  harden  them,  and  who  sell  them  as  diamonds ; 
also  to  those  who  carry  apes  or  monkeys,  clothed  like  men, 
and  with  their  faces  veiled,  through  cities,  on  horses  or 
mules,  and  proclaim  that  they  are  noblemen  of  an  ancient 
stock.  They  are  also  like  those  who  cover  the  living  and 
natural  face  with  masks  bedaubed  with  paints  of  various 
colors,  and  so  conceal  its  beauty.  And  they  are  like  men 
who  show  selenite  and  mica  that  shine  as  from  gold 
and  silver,  and  cry  up  [the  source  of  their  supply]  as  lodes 
of  great  value.  They  may  also  be  likened  to  those  who 
by  theatrical  exhibitions  lead  men  away  from  true  Divine 


452 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


worship,  and  from  temples  to  playhouses.  They  who  con- 
firm falsities  of  every  kind,  regarding  truths  as  of  no 
moment,  and  who  discharge  the  offices  of  the  priesthood 
only  for  the  sake  of  gain  and  to  attain  honor,  and  who 
thus  are  spiritual  thieves,  may  be  likened  to  those  thieves 
who  carry  keys  with  which  they  can  open  the  door  of  any 
house  ;  also  to  leopards  and  eagles  that  with  sharp  eyes 
search  for  the  richest  prey. 

The  Eighth  Commandment. 

Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness  against  thy 
neighbor. 

321.  By  bearing  false  witness  against  the  neighbor,  or  tes- 
tifying falsely,  in  the  natural  sense,  the  meaning  nearest 
the  letter  is,  to  act  as  a  false  witness  before  a  judge,  or 
before  others  not  in  a  court  of  justice,  against  any  one 
who  without  cause  is  accused  of  any  evil,  and  to  assev- 
erate this  by  the  name  of  God  or  by  any  thing  holy,  or 
by  oneself  and  such  things  as  make  up  one's  reputation. 
In  a  wider  natural  sense,  this  commandment  forbids  lies 
of  every  kind  and  hypocrisy  in  civil  life,  which  have  an  evil 
end  in  view ;  and  also  to  traduce  and  defame  the  neigh- 
bor, so  that  his  honor,  name  and  fame,  on  which  the 
character  of  the  whole  man  depends,  are  injured.  In  the 
widest  natural  sense  it  includes  plots,  crafty  contrivances, 
and  evils  of  design,  against  any  one,  from  various  sources, 
as  from  enmity,  hatred,  revenge,  envy,  rivalry,  &c. ;  for 
these  evils  conceal  within  them  the  testifying  to  what  is 
false. 

322.  In  the  spiritual  sense,  to  bear  false  witness  means 
to  persuade  that  falsity  of  faith  is  truth  of  faith,  and  that 
evil  of  life  is  good  of  life,  and  the  reverse,  —  but  to  do 
these  things  from  design  and  not  from  ignorance,  thus  to 
do  them  after  one  knows  what  is  true  and  good,  but  no' 


No.  324.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


453 


before  •  for  the  Lord  says,  If  ye  were  blind,  ye  would  not 
have  sin ;  but  now  ye  say,  We  see ;  therefore  your  sin  re- 
maineth  (John  ix.  41).  This  falsity  is  meant  in  the  Word 
by  a  lie,  and  the  design  by  deceit,  in  these  passages :  Wc 
have  made  a  covenant  with  death,  and  with  hell  have  wc 
made  an  agreement,  we  have  made  a  lie  our  trust,  and  under 
falsehood  have  we  hid  ourselves  (Isa.  xxviii.  15).  They  arc, 
a  rebellious  people,  lying  sons,  they  will  ftot  hear  the  law  of 
Jehovah  (xxx.  9).  From  the  prophet  even  to  the  priest,  every 
one  doeth  a  lie  (Jer.  viii.  10).  The  inhabitants  speak  a  lie, 
and  their  tojigue  is  deceitful  in  their  mouth  (Micah  vi.  12). 
Thou  wilt  destroy  them  that  speak  a  lie ;  Jehovah  abhorreth 
a  man  of  deceit  (Ps.  v.  6).  They  have  taught  their  tongue  to 
speak  a  lie;  thine*  habitation  is  in  the  midst  of  deceit  (J er.  ix. 
5,  6).  Because  a  lie  means  falsity,  the  Lord  says  that  the 
devil  speaketh  a  lie  from  his  own  (John  viii.  44).  A  lie  signifies 
falsity  and  false  speaking  in  these  passages  also :  Jer.  xxiii. 
14,  32  ;  Ez.  xiii.  6-9,  19  j  xxi.  29  \  Hos.  vii.  1 ;  xii.  1  ; 
Nahum  iii.  1  ■  Ps.  cxx.  2,  3. 

323.  In  the  heavenly  [celestial']  sense,  to  bear  false  wit- 
ness means  to  blaspheme  the  Lord  and  the  Word,  and  so 
to  banish  the  Truth  itself  from  the  church;  for  the  Lord 
is  Truth  itself,  and  also  the  Word.  On  the  other  hand,  in 
this  sense  to  bear  witness  means  to  speak  the  truth,  and 
testimony  means  the  truth  itself.  Hence  the  decalogue  is 
called  the  testimony  (Ex.  xxv.  16,  21,  22  j  xxxi.  7,  18  j  xxxii. 
15  ;  xl.  20;  Lev.  xvi.  13;  Num.  xvii.  4,  7,  10).  And  be- 
cause the  Lord  is  the  Truth  itself,  He  says  concerning 
Himself,  that  He  testifies  :  that  the  Lord  is  Truth  itself, 
John  xiv.  6  ;  Apoc.  iii.  7  ;  and  that  He  testifies  and  is  wit- 
ness of  Himself,  John  iii.  11;  viii.  13-19;  xv.  26;  xviii. 
37- 

324.  Those  who  speak  falsities  from  deceit  or  design, 
and  utter  them  in  a  tone  imitative  of  spiritual  affection, 

*  The  Latin  here  reads  it/orum,  their.  In  Apoc.  Rev.  n.  624,  we 
nnd  (uutti,  t/titw,  which  agre<    with  the  Hebrew 


454 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V 


and  especially  if  they  mingle  with  them  truths  from  the 
Word  which  they  thus  falsify,  were  called  by  the  ancients 
enchanters  (concerning  whom,  see  "  Apocalypse  Revealed," 
n.  462)  ;  and  also  pythons  and  serpents  of  the  tree  of  the 
knowledge  of  good  and  evil.  These  falsifiers,  liars,  and 
deceivers,  may  be  likened  to  those  who  talk  in  a  bland  and 
friendly  way  with  those  to  whom  they  bear  enmity,  and  while 
speaking  hold  behind  them  a  dagger  with  which  they  kill 
them.  And  they  may  be  likened  to  those  who  poison  their 
swords,  and  so  attack  their  enemies  in  battle  ;  and  to  those 
who  mingle  wolf's-bane  with  water,  and  poison  with  wine 
and  sweetmeats.  They  may  also  be  compared  to  hand- 
some and  seductive  harlots,  infected  with  venereal  disease ; 
and  to  stinging  shrubs,  which,  when  brought  near  to  the  nos- 
trils, hurt  the  olfactory  fibrils  ;  also  to  sweetened  poisons  ; 
and  also  to  ordure,  which,  when  dried  in  autumn,  emits  a 
iragrant  odor.  Such  are  described  in  the  Word  by  leopards 
(see  "Apocalypse  Revealed,"  n.  572). 


The  Ninth  a?id  Tenth  Co?nmandments. 

Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor's  house;  thou 
shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor's  wife,  nor  his  man- 
servant, nor  his  maid-servant,  nor  his  ox,  nor  his 
ass,  nor  any  thing  that  is  thy  neighbor's. 

325.  In  the  Catechism  now  in  use,  these  words  are  sepa- 
rated into  two  commandments ;  one  making  the  ninth, 
which  is,  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor's  house;  and  the 
other  making  the  tenth,  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor's 
wife,  nor  his  man-servant,  nor  his  maid-servant,  nor  his  ox,  nor 
his  ass,  nor  any  thing  that  is  thy  neighbor's.  As  these  two 
commandments  make  one  thing,  and  in  Ex.  xx.  17,  and  Deut. 
v.  2 1,  one  verse,  I  have  undertaken  to  treat  of  both  together; 
not  that  I  wish  them  to  be  joined  together  into  one  com- 
mandment, but  distinguished  into  two,  as  before ;  inasmuch 


No.  326.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


455 


as  the  commandments  are  called  [in  Hebrew]  the  ten  words 
(Ex.  xxxiv.  28 ;  Deut.  iv.  13  ;  x.  4). 

326.  These  two  commandments  have  respect  to  all  the 
preceding  ones,  and  they  teach  and  enjoin  that  evils  must 
not  be  done,  and  also  that  they  must  not  be  lusted  after  j 
consequently  that  they  are  not  of  the  external  man  only, 
but  also  of  the  internal ;  for  he  who  does  not  commit  evils, 
and  yet  lusts  to  do  them,  still  does  them.  For  the  Lord 
says,  that  if  any  one  lusteth  after  the  wife  of  another,  he  hath 
already  committed  adultery  with  her  in  his  heart  (Matt.  v.  28) ; 
and  the  external  man  does  not  become  internal,  or  does  not 
act  as  one  with  the  internal,  until  lusts  have  been  put  away 
This  also  the  Lord  teaches,  saying,  Woe  unto  you,  scribed 
and  Pharisees,  for  ye  make  clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  of 
the  platter,  but  within  they  are  full  of  extortion  a?id  excess. 
Thou  blind  Pharisee,  cleanse  first  the  inside  of  the  cup  and 
platter,  that  the  outside  of  them  may  be  clean  also  (Matt, 
xxiii.  25,  26).  And  He  teaches  the  same  throughout  the 
chapter.  The  internals  which  are  pharisaical  are  lusts 
after  those  things  which  men  are  commanded  not  to  do, 
in  the  first,  second,  fifth,  sixth,  seventh,  and  eighth  com- 
mandments. It  is  known  that  the  Lord  in  the  world  taught 
the  internals  of  the  church  j  and  not  to  lust  after  evih 
makes  the  internals  of  the  church  ;  and  He  taught  thus  in 
order  that  the  internal  and  the  external  man  may  make 
one.  This  is  being  born  again,  of  which  the  Lord  spake 
to  Nicodemus  (John  iii.) ;  and  no  one  can  be  born  again, 
or  be  regenerated,  consequently  he  cannot  become  internal, 
except  from  the  Lord.  That  these  two  commandments  may 
have  respect  to  all  which  precede,  so  that  [what  they  pro- 
hibit] shall  not  be  lusted  after,  therefore  the  house  is  first 
named,  afterwards  the  wife,  and  then  the  man-servant,  the 
maid-servant,  the  ox,  and  the  ass ;  and  lastly,  all  that  is  the 
neighbor's;  for  the  home  involves  all  things  that  follow; 
for  in  it  are  the  husband,  the  wife,  the  man-servant,  the 
maid-servant,  the  ox,  and  the  ass.    The  wife,  who  is  after- 


456  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


wards  named,  involves  again  the  things  which  follow ;  for 
she  is  mistress  as  the  husband  is  master  in  the  house ; 
the  servant  and  maid  are  under  them,  and  the  oxen  and 
asses  under  these ;  and  last  come  all  things  which  are 
below  or  without,  as  it  is  said,  any  thing  that  is  thy  neigh- 
bor's. From  which  it  is  manifest,  that  these  two  command- 
ments, in  general  and  in  particular,  in  a  broad  and  in  a 
restricted  sense,  have  respect  to  all  the  preceding. 

327.  In  the  spiritual  sense  these  commandments  pro- 
hibit all  lusts  which  are  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  the  church, 
thus  which  are  contrary  to  its  spiritual  things  which  have 
relation  primarily  to  faith  and  charity ;  for  unless  the  lusts 
were  subdued,  the  flesh  according  to  its  freedom  would 
rush  into  all  wickedness.  For  it  is  known  from  Paul  that 
the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the 
flesh  (Gal.  v.  17)  ;  and  from  James  that  everyone  is  tempted 
of  his  own  lust  whe7i  he  is  enticed ;  then  lust,  after  it  hath  con- 
ceived, brifigeth  forth  sin,  and  sin,  when  it  is  finished,  bringeth 
forth  death  (James  i.  14,  15);  and  also  from  Peter  that 
the  Lord  reserveth  the  unrighteous  imto  the  day  of  judgment, 
to  be  punished ;  but  chiefly  them  that  walk  after  the  flesh  in 
lust  (2  Epis.  ii.  9,  10).  In  short,  these  two  commandments, 
understood  in  the  spiritual  sense,  regard  all  things  that  have 
before  been  presented  in  the  spiritual  sense,  and  forbid  to 
lust  after  them  j  and  likewise  all  that  have  before  been  pre- 
sented in  the  heavenly  [celestial]  sense.  But  to  repeat  them 
is  unnecessary. 

328.  The  lusts  of  the  flesh,  the  eye,  and  the  other  senses, 
separate  from  the  lusts,  that  is,  the  affections,  desires,  and 
enjoyments  of  the  spirit,  are  wholly  like  the  lusts  of  beasts; 
wherefore  they  are  in  themselves  ferine.  But  the  affections 
of  the  spirit  are  such  as  the  angels  have,  and  they  are  there- 
fore to  be  called  truly  human.  As  far  therefore  as  any  one 
indulges  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  he  is  a  beast  and  a  wild 
beast ;  but  as  far  as  he  offers  sacrifice  to  the  desires  of  the 
spirit,  so  far  he  is  a  man  and  an  angel.    The  lusts  of  the 


No.  329.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


457 


flesh  may  be  compared  to  scorched  and  withered  grapes, 
and  to  wild  grapes  ;  but  the  affections  of  the  spirit,  to  juicy 
and  delicious  grapes,  and  also  to  the  taste  of  the  wine  that 
is  pressed  out  of  them.  The  lusts  of  the  flesh  may  be  com- 
pared to  stables  where  there  are  asses,  goats,  and  swine  \ 
and  the  affections  of  the  spirit  to  stables  where  there  are 
noble  horses,  also  sheep  and  lambs :  they  differ  also  as  an 
ass  and  a  horse,  a  goat  and  a  sheep,  and  a  hog  and  a  lamb  ; 
in  geneial,  as  dross  and  gold,  as  lime-stone  and  silver,  and 
as  coral  and  the  ruby,  &c.  Lust  and  deed  cohere  like  blood 
and  flesh,  or  like  flame  and  oil ;  for  the  lust  is  in  the  deed, 
as  the  air  from  the  lungs  in  the  breathing  and  in  the  speech 
while  they  are  produced,  and  as  the  wind  is  in  the  sail  while 
the  vessel  is  in  motion,  and  as  water  is  on  the  wheel  that 
gives  motion  and  action  to  machinery. 

The  Ten  Commandments  of  the  Decalogue  contain 
all  things  which  are  of  love  to  god,  and  all 
things  which  are  of  love  toward  the  neighbor. 

329.  In  eight  precepts  of  the  decalogue,  in  the  first,  sec- 
ond, fifth,  sixth,  seventh,  eighth,  ninth,  and  tenth,  there  is 
nothing  said  of  love  to  God  and  of  love  towards  the  neigh- 
bor j  for  it  is  not  said  that  God  should  be  loved,  nor  that 
the  name  of  God  should  be  hallowed,  nor  that  the  neighbor 
should  be  loved,  nor  therefore  that  he  should  be  dealt  with 
sincerely  and  uprightly ;  but  only,  Thou  shalt  have  no  other 
God  before  My  face  j  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of 
God  in  vain  ;  Thou  shalt  not  kill  j  Thou  shalt  not  commit 
adultery;  Thou  shalt  not  steal ;  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false 
witness ;  Thou  shalt  not  covet  the  things  which  are  thy 
neighbor's  :  that  is,  in  general,  that  evil  is  not  to-be  willed, 
thought,  or  done  against  God,  or  against  the  neighbor.  But 
the  reason  why  such  things  as  belong  directly  to  love  and 
charity  are  not  commanded,  but  it  is  only  commanded  that 
such  things  as  are  opposite  to  them  should  not  be  done,  is. 


458 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


that  as  far  as  man  shuns  evils  as  sins,  he  wills  the  goods 
which  are  of  love  and  charity.  That  in  love  to  God  and  in 
love  toward  the  neighbor  the  first  thing  is  not  to  do  evil, 
and  the  second  is  to  do  good,  will  be  seen  in  the  chapter 
on  Charity.  There  are  two  opposite  loves,  the  love  of 
willing  and  doing  good,  and  the  love  of  willing  and  doing 
evil ;  the  latter  love  is  infernal,  and  the  former  heavenly ; 
for  all  hell  is  in  the  love  of  doing  evil,  and  all  heaven  in 
the  love  of  doing  good.  Now,  as  man  was  born  into  evils 
of  every  kind,  he  therefore  inclines  from  birth  to  the  things 
which  are  of  hell ;  and  as  he  cannot  come  into  heaven 
unless  he  is  born  again,  that  is,  regenerated,  it  is  necessary 
that  the  evils  which  are  of  hell  should  first  be  removed, 
before  he  can  will  the  goods  which  are  of  heaven ;  for  no 
one  can  be  adopted  by  the  Lord  before  he  is  separated 
from  the  devil.  But  how  evils  are  removed,  and  man 
brought  to  do  goods,  will  be  shown  in  the  two  chapters 
concerning  Repentance,  and  concerning  Reformation 
and  Regeneration.  That  evils  must  be  put  away  before 
the  goods  which  a  man  does  become  good  in  the  sight  of 
God,  the  Lord  teaches  in  Isaiah :  Wash  you,  make  you 
clea?i ;  put  away  the  evil  of  your  doings  from  before  Mine 
eyes ;  learn  to  do  good :  then,  though  your  sins  have  been  as 
scarlet,  they  shall  be  white  as  snow ;  though  they  have  been 
red  as  purple,  they  shall  be  as  wool  (i.  16-18).  Like  this  is 
what  is  said  in  Jeremiah  :  Sta?id  in  the  gate  of  the  house  of 
Jehovah,  and  proclaim  there  this  word:  Thus  said  Jehovah 
Zebaoth,  the  God  of  Israel,  Amend  your  ways  and  your 
doings ;  trust  ye  not  in  lying  words,  saying,  The  temple  of 
Jehovah,  the  te7nple  of  Jehovah,  the  temple  of  Jehovah  is 
here  (that  is,  the  church).  Will  ye  steal,  murder,  and  commit 
adultery,  and  swear  falsely,  and  come  a?id  stand  before  Me  in 
this  house,  which  is  called  by  My  Name,  and  say,  We  are 
delivered,  while  ye  do  all  these  abominations?  Is  this  house 
become  a  den  of  robbers  ?  Behold,  even  I  have  seen  it,  saith 
Jehovah  (vii.  2-4,  9-1 1).   That  before  washing  or  purifica- 


No  330.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


459 


tion  from  evils,  prayers  to  God  are  not  heard,  is  also  taught 
in  Isaiah :  Jehovah  saith,  Ah  sinful  ?iation,  a  people  laden 
with  iniquity ;  they  have  gone  away  backward.  And  when 
ye  spread forth  your  hands,  I  hide  Mine  eyes  from  you  ;  yea. 
when  ye  make  ma?iy  prayers,  I  do  not  hear  (i.  2,  4,  15).  That 
love  and  charity  follow  when  any  one  keeps  the  command- 
ments of  the  decalogue  by  shunning  evils,  is  evident  from 
these  words  of  the  Lord  in  John :  Jesus  said,  He  that  hath 
My  commandments,  a?id  keepeth  the?n,  he  it  is  that  loveth  Me  ; 
and  he  that  loveth  Me,  shall  be  loved  of  My  Father,  and  1  will 
love  him,  and  will  ?na7iifest  Myself  to  him  ;  a?id  We  will  make 
an  abode  with  him  (xiv.  21,  23).  By  commandments  are  there 
meant  particularly  the  commandments  of  the  decalogue, 
which  are,  that  evils  must  not  be  done  or  lusted  after ;  and 
that  so  the  love  of  man  to  God  and  the  love  of  God  toward 
man  follow,  as  good  follows  after  evil  has  been  removed. 

330.  It  has  been  said  that  as  far  as  man  shuns  evils,  so 
far  he  wills  goods ;  this  is  because  evils  and  goods  are 
opposites,  for  evils  are  from  hell,  and  goods  from  heaven. 
In  proportion,  therefore,  as  hell,  that  is  evil,  is  removed, 
heaven  draws  near,  and  man  looks  to  good.  That  it  is 
so,  is  very  manifest  from  the  eight  commandments  of  the 
decalogue,  so  viewed ;  thus  :  I.  As  far  as  any  one  does 
not  worship  other  gods,  he  worships  the  true  God.  II.  As 
far  as  any  one  does  not  take  the  name  of  God  in  vain,  he 
loves  the  things  which  are  from  God.  •  III.  As  far  as  any 
one  is  not  willing  to  kill  and  to  act  from  hatred  and  revenge, 
he  wishes  well  to  the  neighbor.  IV.  As  far  as  any  one  is 
not  willing  to  commit  adultery,  he  is  willing  to  live  chastely 
with  the  wife.  V.  As  far  as  any  one  is  not  willing  to  steal, 
he  practises  sincerity.  VI.  As  far  as  anyone  is  not  willing 
to  testify  falsely,  he  wishes  to  think  and  speak  what  is  true. 
VII.  and  VIII.  As  far  as  any  one  does  not  covet  the 
things  which  are  the  neighbor's,  he  wishes  the  neighbor  to 
enjoy  his  own.  Hence  it  is  evident,  that  the  command- 
ments of  the  decalogue  contain  all  things  which  are  of  love 


460 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


to  God,  and  of  love  towards  the  neighbor.  Therefore  Paul 
says,  He  that  loveth  a?iother,  hath  fulfilled  the  latv  ;  for  this, 
Thou  shalt  not  commit  adulter; ,  Thou  shalt  not  kill,  Thou 
shall  ?iot  steal,  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness,  Thou  shalt 
not  covet,  and  if  there  be  a?iy  other  commandment,  it  is  compre- 
hended in  this  saying,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself 
Love  workeih  no  evil  to  the  neighbor  ;  therefore  love  is  the  ful- 
filling of  the  law  (Rom.  xiii.  8-10).  To  these  are  to  be 
added  two  canons  for  the  service  of  the  New  Church: 
I.  No  one  can  shun  evils  as  sins,  and  do  goods  which  are 
good  in  the  sight  of  God,  from  himself ;  but  as  far  as  any 
one  shuns  evils  as  sins,  he  does  good  not  from  himself  but 
from  the  Lord.  II.  Man  ought  to  shun  evils  as  sins,  and 
to  fight  against  them,  as  from  himself ;  and  if  any  one  shuns 
evils  from  any  other  cause  whatever  than  because  they  are 
sins,  he  does  not  shun  them,  but  he  does  this  only  that  they 
may  not  appear  before  the  world. 

331.  That  evil  and  good  cannot  be  together,  and  that  as 
far  as  evil  is  removed,  good  is  regarded  and  felt,  is  because 
in  the  spiritual  world  there  exhales  from  every  one  the 
sphere  of  his  love,  which  spreads  itself  round  about,  and 
affects,  and  causes  sympathies  and  antipathies.  By  these 
spheres  the  good  are  separated  from  the  evil.  That  evil  is 
to  be  removed,  before  good  is  recognized,  perceived,  and 
loved,  may  be  compared  to  many  things  in  the  natural 
world ;  for  example  :  No  one  can  go  to  another  who  keeps 
a  leopard  and  a  panther  in  his  chamber  (living  safe  with 
them  himself  because  he  feeds  them),  unless  he  has  first 
removed  those  wild  beasts.  Who  that  has  been  invited  to 
the  table  of  a  king  and  queen  has  not  first  washed  his  face 
and  hands  before  coming  near?  And  who  after  the  wed- 
ding enters  the  marriage-chamber  with  his  bride  without 
having  bathed  and  clothed  himself  with  wedding  garment  ? 
Who  does  not  purify  the  ores  by  fire,  and  separate  them 
from  dross,  before  he  obtains  the  pure  gold  and  silver? 
Who  does  not  separate  the  tares  from  the  wheat,  before  he 


No.  332.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


461 


takes  it  into  the  barn  ?  and  thresh  the  bearded  chaff  from 
his  barley,  before  he  gathers  it  into  the  house  ?  Who  does 
not  prepare  his  meat  by  cooking,  before  it  becomes  eatable 
and  is  set  upon  the  table  ?  Who  does  not  shake  oft  the 
worms  from  the  leaves  of  the  trees  in  the  garden,  that  the 
leaves  may  not  be  devoured  and  the  fruit  thus  destroyed  ? 
Who  does  not  dislike  dirt  in  houses  and  in  halls  of  entrance, 
and  remove  it  from  them,  especially  when  a  prince  is  ex- 
pected, or  a  bride,  the  daughter  of  a  prince  ?  Who  loves  a 
virgin,  and  intends  marriage  with  her,  who  is  full  of  disease, 
or  covered  with  pimples  and  blotches,  however  she  may 
paint  her  face,  dress  splendidly,  and  study  to  bring  in  the 
enticements  of  love  by  the  charms  of  her  conversation? 
Man  ought  to  purify  himself  from  evils,  and  not  wait  for 
the  Lord  to  do  this  immediately;  otherwise,  he  may  be 
compared  to  a  servant,  with  face  and  clothes  befouled  with 
soot  and  dung,  who  comes  up  to  his  master  and  says, 
"  Wash  me,  my  lord."  Would  not  the  master  say  to  him, 
"  You  foolish  servant,  what  are  you  saying  ?  See,  there  are 
water,  soap,  and  a  towel.  Have  you  not  hands  and  power 
to  use  them?  Wash  yourself.''  And  the  Lord  God  will 
say,  The  means  of  purification  are  from  Me,  and  your 
ability  to  will  and  to  do  are  from  Me  j  wherefore  use  these 
My  gifts  and  endowments  as  your  own,  and  you  will  be 
purified ;  and  so  on.  That  the  external  man  is  to  be 
purged,  but  by  means  of  the  internal,  the  Lord  teaches 
in  the  twenty-third  chapter  of  Matthew,  from  beginning 
to  end. 

332.  To  the  above  shall  be  added  Four  Relations. 
First  :  I  once  heard  voices  which  seemed  to  gurgle  up  from 
the  lower  regions  through  waters ;  one  toward  the  left,  O 
how  just  !  another  at  the  right,  O  how  learned  !  and  a 
third  from  behind,  O  how  wise!  And  as. it  came  into  my 
thought,  whether  there  arc  in  hell,  too,  the  just,  the  learned, 
and  the  wise,  I  felt  a  desire  to  see  whether  there  are  such 
there.    And  it  was  said  to  me  from  heaven,  You  shall  see 


462  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


and  hear.  And  I  went  out  of  the  house  in  spirit,  and  saw 
before  me  an  opening.  I  approached  it  and  looked  down, 
and  behold  there  was  a  ladder,  by  which  I  descended. 
And  when  I  was  below,  I  saw  plains  covered  with  shrub- 
bery intermixed  with  thorns  and  nettles.  And  I  asked 
whether  this  was  hell ;  they  said,  "  It  is  the  lower  earth, 
which  is  next  above  hell."  And  then  I  proceeded,  follow- 
ing the  order  of  the  shouts,  first  toward  the  cry,  O  how 
JUST !  and  I  saw  a  company  of  those  who  in  the  world  had 
been  judges  influenced  by  friendship  and  bribes ;  then 
toward  the  second  shout,  O  how  learned  !  and  I  saw  a 
company  of  those  who  in  the  world  had  been  reasoners ; 
and  toward  the  third  shout,  O  how  wise  !  and  I  saw  a 
company  of  those  who  in  the  world  had  been  confirmers. 
But  from  these  I  turned  back  to  the  first,  where  were  the 
judges  influenced  by  friendship  and  bribes,  and  who  were 
proclaimed  just.  And  I  saw  at  the  side  as  it  were  an  amphi- 
theatre, built  of  brick  and  roofed  with  black  tiles ;  and  it 
was  said  to  me,  that  there  was  their  tribunal.  There  were 
three  entrances  to  it  on  the  north  side,  and  three  on  the 
west,  but  none  on  the  south  and  east ;  an  indication  that 
their  judgments  were  not  judgments  of  justice,  but  arbi- 
trary decisions.  In  the  midst  of  the  amphitheatre  was 
seen  a  fire-place,  into  which  servants  who  took  care  of 
the  fire  threw  pitch-pine  dipped  in  sulphur  and  bitumen ; 
the  light  from  which,  flickering  upon  the  plastered  walls, 
presented  images  of  birds  of  evening  and  night.  But  the 
fire-place,  and  the  flickering  of  the  light  from  it  into  the 
forms  of  those  images,  were  representations  of  their  judg- 
ments, that  they  could  color  the  facts  in  any  case,  and  give 
them  an  appearance  according  to  the  side  they  favored. 
After  half  an  hour,  I  saw  old  men  and  youths  entering,  in 
robes  and  cloaks,  who,  laying  aside  their  caps,  seated 
themselves  at  the  tables  to  sit  in  judgment.  And  I  heard 
and  perceived  how  skilfully  and  ingeniously,  out  of  regard 
for  friendship,  they  bent  and  turned  their  judgments  into 


No.  332.]  THE  DECALOGUE.  463 

seeming  justice,  and  this  to  such  an  extent  that  they  them- 
selves did  not  see  but  that  what  was  unjust  was  just,  and, 
on  the  other  hand,  that  what  was  just  was  unjust.  Such 
persuasions  concerning  these  things  appeared  in  their  faces, 
and  were  heard  in  the  sound  of  their  voices.  There  was 
then  given  me  enlightenment  from  heaven,  whereby  I  had 
a  perception  of  each  thing  whether  it  was  of  right  or  not  of 
right ;  and  I  saw  how  industriously  they  covered  over  what 
was  unjust,  and  induced  upon  it  the  appearance  of  what 
was  just ;  and  from  the  laws  they  selected  one  which  fa- 
vored them,  to  which  they  bent  the  thing  in  question,  and 
by  skilful  reasonings  they  put  all  others  aside.  After  the 
decision,  the  sentences  were  carried  out  to  their  clients, 
friends,  and  partisans ;  and  these,  to  return  the  favor,  for 
a  long  way  cried  out,  O  how  just  !  O  how  just  !  After 
this  I  conversed  with  angels  of  heaven  concerning  them, 
and  told  them  some  of  the  things  that  I  had  seen  and 
heard.  And  the  angels  said :  "  Such  judges  appear  to 
others  to  be  gifted  with  the  keenest  vision  in  understand- 
ing, when  yet  they  see  nothing  whatever  of  what  is  just 
and  equitable.  If  you  take  away  their  friendship  for  any 
one,  they  sit  in  judgment  like  statues,  and  only  say,  1 1 
assent;  I  concur  with'  —  this  one  or  that.  This  is  because 
all  their  judgments  are  prejudices,  and  prejudice  with  par- 
tiality follows  the  case  from  beginning  to  end  j  conse- 
quently they  see  nothing  but  what  is  for  their  friend  \ 
towards  all  that  is  against  him  they  turn  their  eyes  side- 
ways, and  look  out  of  their  corners  j  and  if  they  take  it  up 
again,  they  involve  it  in  reasonings,  as  a  spider  does  its  cap- 
tives in  its  threads,  and  they  consume  it.  Hence  if  they 
do  not  follow  the  web  of  their  prejudice,  they  see  nothing 
of  right.  They  have  been  explored  to  ascertain  whether 
they  were  able  to  see,  and  they  were  found  to  be  unable. 
The  inhabitants  of  your  world  will  wonder  that  it  is  so ; 
but  tell  them,  that  this  is  a  truth  which  has  been  explored 
by  the  angels  of  heaven.    Since  they  see  nothing  of  what" 


464  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


is  just,  we  in  heaven  do  not  consider  them  as  men,  but  as 
monstrous  images  of  man,  in  which  things  which  pertain  to 
friendship  make  the  heads,  things  which  are  of  injustice 
the  breasts,  things  which  are  of  confirmation  the  hands 
and  feet,  and  things  which  are  of  justice  the  soles  of  the 
feet ;  and  these  things,  if  they  do  not  favor  their  friend, 
they  put  beneath  the  feet  and  trample  upon  them.  But 
you  shall  see  what  they  are,  viewed  in  themselves,  for  their 
end  is  near."  And,  behold,  the  ground  then  suddenly 
opened,  and  the  tables  fell  one  upon  another,  and  together 
with  the  whole  amphitheatre  the  men  were  swallowed  up, 
cast  into  caverns,  and  imprisoned.  And  then  it  was  said 
to  me  :  "  Do  you  wish  to  see  them  there  ?  "  And,  behold, 
they  were  seen,  in  face  as  of  polished  steel,  in  body  from 
the  neck  to  the  loins  like  sculptured  images  clothed  with 
the  skins  of  the  leopard,  their  feet  like  serpents.  And  I 
saw  the  law-books  which  they  had,  lying  on  the  tables,  now 
turned  into  playing  cards ;  and  instead  of  sitting  as  judges, 
the  employment  was  now  given  them  to  prepare  cinnabar 
into  paints  for  besmearing  the  faces  of  harlots,  and  thus 
turning  them  into  beauties.  After  these  things  were  seen, 
I  wished  to  go  to  the  two  other  companies,  to  the  one 
where  were  merely  reasoners,  and  to  the  other  where  were 
merely  confirmers.  But  it  was  said  to  me,  "  Rest  a  little 
while ;  angels  from  the  society  next  above  them  shall  be 
given  you  as  companions ;  by  these,  light  will  be  given 
you  from  the  Lord,  and  you  will  see  wonderful  things." 

333.  Second  Relation.  After  some  time,  I  heard 
again  from  the  lower  earth  the  words  I  had  heard  before, 
O  how  learned  !  O  how  learned  !  And  I  looked  around 
to  see  who  were  present ;  and  behold  there  were  angels  who 
lived  in  the  heaven  immediately  above  those  who  were  cry- 
ing, O  how  learned  !  And  I  spoke  with  them  about  the 
shouting,  and  they  said :  "Those  learned  ones  are  some 
who  only  reason  as  to  whether  a  thing  is  or  is  ?iot,  and  who 
rarely  think  that  it  is  so:  wherefore  they  are  as  winds 


No.  333.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


465 


which  blow  and  pass  by ;  and  like  bark  around  trees  that 
have  no  heart;  and  like  shells  covering  almonds  with  no 
kernel ;  and  like  the  rind  around  fruit  without  the  pulp  ; 
for  their  minds  are  without  interior  judgment,  and  only 
united  with  the  senses  of  the  body ;  wherefore,  if  the  senses 
themselves  do  not  judge,  they  are  able  to  conclude  noth- 
ing ;  in  a  word,  they  are  merely  sensual,  and  by  us  they  are 
called  Reasoners.  They  are  called  reasoners  because  they 
never  conclude  any  thing,  but  take  up  whatever  they  hear, 
and  dispute  whether  it  is  so,  by  continually  contradicting. 
They  love  nothing  more  than  to  attack  truths,  and  thus  to 
tear  them  to  pieces  by  bringing  them  into  dispute.  These 
are  they  who  believe  themselves  learned  above  all  in  the 
world."  On  hearing  these  words,  I  requested  the  angels 
to  conduct  me  to  them,  and  they  conducted  me  to  a 
cave,  from  which  steps  led  to  the  lower  earth ;  and  we 
descended  and  followed  the  cry,  O  how  learned  !  and, 
behold,  there  were  some  hundreds  standing  in  one  place, 
treading  the  ground.  Wondering  at  this,  I  asked,  "Why  do 
they  stand  so,  and  tread  the  ground  with  the  soles  of  their 
feet ! "  and  added,  "  They  may  thus  make  a  hole  in  the 
ground  with  their  feet."  At  this  the  angels  smiled,  and 
said:  "There  is  the  appearance  that  they  stand  so,  because 
on  any  subject  their  thought  is  never,  'This  is  so,'  but, 
'Is  it  so?'  and  they  dispute;  and  while  the  thought 
does  not  advance  further,  they  appear  only  to  stamp  and 
wear  one  spot,  and  not  to  advance."  The  angels  also  said : 
"They  who  flock  from  the  natural  world  into  this,  and 
hear  that  they  are  in  another  world,  gather  themselves 
into  companies  in  many  places,  and  ask,  1  Where  is  heaven, 
and  where  is  hell  ?  \  as  also,  1  Where  is  God  ? '  and  after 
they  have  been  instructed,  they  still  begin  to  reason,  to 
dispute,  and  to  wrangle,  as  to  Whether  tJicrc  be  a  God. 
They  do  this,  because  there  are  at  this  day  so  many  nat- 
uralists in  the  natural  world,  and  these  among  themselves 
and  with  others,  when  the  conversation  is  about  religion, 
vol.  11.  3 


466 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


submit  this  to  discussion  \  and  this  proposition  and  the 
debate  are  seldom  terminated  in  the  affirmative  of  faith, 
that  there  is  a  God ;  and  afterwards  they  consociate  them- 
selves more  and  more  with  the  wicked  j  and  this  is  done 
because  no  one  can  do  any  good  from  the  love  of  good, 
except  from  God."  I  was  afterward  conducted  to  the 
assembly;  and,  behold,  they  appeared  to  me  men  of  not 
unhandsome  face,  and  in  ornamented  dress ;  and  the  an- 
gels said  :  "  They  appear  so  in  their  own  light ;  but  if  light 
out  of  heaven  flows  in,  the  faces  are  changed,  and  also  the 
garments."  And  the  light  of  heaven  flowed  in ;  and  then 
they  appeared  with  dusky  faces,  clothed  in  black  sack- 
cloth )  but  this  light  being  withdrawn,  they  seemed  as 
before.  Then  I  spoke  with  some  of  the  assembly,  and 
said  :  "  I  heard  the  shout  of  the  throng  about  you,  1 0  how 
learned  ! '  We  may  therefore  be  permitted  to  converse 
with  you  on  things  which  are  of  the  highest  learning." 
And  they  replied  :  "  Say  whatever  you  please,  and  we  will 
satisfy  you."  And  I  asked  :  "  Of  what  quality  must  the 
religion  be  by  means  of  which  man  is  saved  ? "  And  they 
said :  "  We  will  divide  this  question  into  several ;  and, 
until  we  have  formed  conclusions  concerning  these,  we 
cannot  give  an  answer.  And  the  discussion  shall  be : 
i.  Whether  religion  is  any  thing.  2.  Whether  there  is 
salvation  or  not.  3.  Whether  one  religion  effects  more 
than  another.  4.  Whether  there  are  a  heaven  and  a  hell. 
5.  Whether  there  is  an  eternal  life  after  death.  And 
there  are  other  points  besides."  And  I  made  inquiry 
concerning  the  first  point,  Is  religion  a?iy  thing  7  And  they 
began  to  discuss  this  with  arguments  in  abundance ;  and  I 
begged  that  they  would  refer  it  to  the  assembly ;  they  did 
so,  and  the  general  response  was,  that  the  proposition 
needed  so  much  investigation  that  it  could  not  be  finished 
in  an  evening.  And  I  asked  :  "  Can  you  finish  it  within  a 
year  ?  "  And  one  said  :  "  It  cannot  be  finished  in  a  hun- 
dred years."    And  I  said  :  "  Meanwhile  you  arc  withal* 


Ko.  333-1 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


467 


religion ;  and  because  salvation  depends  on  that,  you  are 
without  the  idea  of  salvation,  without  faith  in  it,  and  with- 
out hope  of  it."  And  he  replied :  "  Must  it  not  first  be 
demonstrated,  whether  there  is  religion,  and  what  it  is,  and 
whether  it  is  any  thing  ?  If  it  is,  it  must  also  be  for  the 
w;.se ;  if  not,  it  must  be  only  for  the  common  people.  It 
is  k::own,  that  religion  is  called  a  bond  \  but  for  whom  is 
it  a  bond  ?  If  for  the  common  people  only,  it  is  not  in 
itself  any  thing;  if  also  for  the  wise,  it  is  something." 
Hearing  this,  I  said :  "  You  are  any  thing  but  learned, 
because  you  can  think  only  whether  it  is,  and  you  keep 
turning  this  one  way,  and  the  other.  Can  any  one  be 
learned,  unless  he  knows  something  with  certainty,  and 
advances  in  that  as  a  man  walks,  step  by  step,  and  succes- 
sively into  wisdom  ?  Otherwise,  you  do  not  touch  truths, 
even  with  the  tip  of  the  finger  j  but  you  remove  them  mo*t 
and  more  out  of  sight.  Wherefore,  to  reason  only  whether 
a  thing  is,  is  to  reason  about  [the  fit  of  ]  a  cap  which  is 
never  put  on,  or  of  a  shoe  which  is  not  tried  on.  What 
comes  of  this,  but  that  you  know  not  whether  there  is  any 
given  thing,  or  whether  it  is  any  thing  but  an  idea  ?  thus 
whether  there  is  any  salvation,  whether  there  is  an  eternal 
life  after  death,  whether  one  religion  is  better  than  another, 
whether  there  are  a  heaven  and  a  hell.  On  these  subjects 
you  cannot  think  at  all  as  long  as  you  stick  at  the  first 
step  and  tread  the  sand  there,  and  do  not  set  one  foot 
before  the  other,  and  go  forward.  Take  heed  to  your- 
selves, lest  your  minds,  while  they  thus  stand  outside, 
where  no  judgment  can  be  given  [extra  judicium},  grow 
hard  within,  and  become  pillars  of  salt."  Having  said  this 
I  withdrew,  and  they  in  their  indignation  threw  stones 
after  me.  They  then  appeared  to  me  like  graven  images, 
in  which  there  is  no  human  reason.  I  asked  the  angels 
concerning  their  lot ;  and  they  said  that  the  lowest  of 
them  are  let  down  into  the  deep,  and  into  a  desert  there, 
and  are  compelled  to  carry  packs  j  and  then,  as  they  are 


408  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


unable  to  bring  forward  any  thing  from  reason,  they  prate 
and  speak  vain  words ;  and  there,  in  the  distance,  they 
appear  like  asses  carrying  burdens. 

334.  Third  Relation.  After  this  one  of  the  angels 
said :  "  Follow  me  to  the  place  where  they  are  shouting, 
*  O  how  wise  ! '  "  And  he  said,  "  You  will  see  ill-tokens  of 
men :  you  will  see  faces  and  bodies  which  are  of  man,  and 
yet  they  are  not  men."  And  I  said :  "  Are  they  beasts,  then  ? " 
He  replied  :  "  They  are  not  beasts,  out  beast-men ;  for 
they  are  those  who  are  wholly  unable  to  see  whether  truth 
is  truth  or  not ;  and  yet  they  can  make  whatever  they  wish 
seem  true ;  with  us  such  are  called  Conftrmers."  And  we 
followed  the  shouting,  and  came  to  the  place  ;  and,  behold, 
an  assembly  of  men,  and  around  them  a  throng,  and  in  this 
some  of  noble  lineage,  who  when  they  heard  them  proving 
every  thing  that  they  themselves  were  saying,  and  favoring 
them  with  concurrence  so  manifest,  turned  round  and  said, 
"  O  how  wise  !  "  But  the  angel  said  to  me  :  "  Let  us  not  go 
to  them,  but  let  us  call  out  one  from  the  assembly ; "  and 
we  called  one  out,  and  withdrew  with  him,  and  talked  of 
various  things,  and  he  confirmed  them  one  by  one,  even  so 
that  they  appeared  altogether  as  true.  And  we  asked  him 
whether  he  could  also  confirm  the  opposites  ;  he  said  that 
he  could  as  well  as  the  former.  Then  he  said,  openly  and 
from  the  heart,  "  What  is  truth  ?  Is  there  any  truth  in  the 
nature  of  things,  but  what  man  makes  true?  Say  what 
you  please,  and  I  will  make  it  true."  And  I  said  :  "  Make 
this  true,  that  faith  is  the  all  of  the  church."  And  he  did 
it  so  dexterously  and  skilfully  that  learned  persons  who 
stood  around  admired  and  applauded  him.  Afterwards  I 
requested  that  he  would  make  it  true  that  charity  is  the  all 
of  the  church  j  and  he  did  so ;  and  then  that  charity  is 
nothing  of  the  church.  And  he  so  clothed  and  decorated 
both  propositions  with  appearances,  that  the  by-standers 
looked  at  each  other,  and  said :  "  Is  he  not  wise  ? "  I 
then  said :  "  Do  you  not  know  that  to  live  well  is  charity, 


No.  334.  J 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


469 


and  that  to  believe  well  is  faith  ?  Does  not  he  who  lives 
well,  also  believe  well  ?  And  so  do  you  not  know  that 
faith  is  of  charity,  and  charity  of  faith  ?  Do  you  not  see 
that  this  is  true  ?  "  He  replied  :  "  I  will  make  it  true,  and 
shall  see."  And  he  did  so,  and  said,  "  I  see  it  now." 
But  presently  he  made  the  contrary  true,  and  then  he 
said,  "  I  see  that  this  is  true  also."  At  this  we  smiled, 
and  said,  "  Are  they  not  contraries  ?  How  can  two 
contraries  be  seen  to  be  true  ? "  Being  indignant  at 
this,  he  replied :  "  You  are  wrong ;  they  both  are  true, 
since  nothing  is  true  but  what  man  makes  true."  There 
was  one  standing  near,  who  in  the  world  had  been  a 
legate  of  the  highest  grade.  He  wondered  at  this,  and 
said  :  "  I  acknowledge  that  there  is  something  like  this 
in  the  world ;  but  still  you  are  insane.  Make  it  true  if 
you  can,  that  darkness  is  light,  and  light  darkness."  And 
he  replied,  "  I  shall  easily  do  this.  What  are  light  and 
darkness,  but  states  of  the  eye  ?  Is  not  light  changed  into 
shade  when  the  eye  comes  from  a  sunny  place,  as  also 
when  a  man  fixes  his  eye  intently  on  the  sun  ?  Who  does 
not  know  that  the  state  of  the  eye  is  then  changed,  and 
that  therefore  light  appears  as  shade?  and,  on  the  other 
hand,  that  when  the  state  of  the  eye  returns,  that  shade 
appears  like  light  ?  Does  not  an  owl  see  the  darkness  of 
night  as  the  light  of  day,  and  the  light  of  day  as  the  dark- 
ness of  night,  also  the  sun  itself  altogether  as  an  opaque 
and  dusky  globe  ?  If  any  one  had  eyes  like  an  owl's,  what 
would  he  call  light,  and  what  darkness  ?  What  then  is 
light  but  a  state  of  the  eye?  And  if  it  is  only  a  state  of 
the  eye,  is  not  light  darkness,  and  darkness  light  ?  Where- 
fore both  propositions  are  true."  But,  because  this  con- 
firmation confounded  some,  I  said,  u  I  perceive  that  that 
confirmer  does  not  know,  that  there  is  given  true  light  and 
fatuous  light ;  and  that  both  those  lights  appear  as  if  they 
were  lights,  but  still  fatuous  light  in  itself  is  not  light ;  but, 
m  respect  to  true  light,  it  is  darkness.    An  owl  is  in  fatuous 


470 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V 


light,  for  there  is  within  its  eyes  the  cupidity  for  pursuing 
and  devouring  birds ;  and  this  light  makes  its  eyes  see  in 
time  of  night,  just  as  cats  do,  whose  eyes  in  cellars  appear 
like  lighted  candles ;  it  is  the  fatuous  light  within  their  eyes, 
arising  from  the  cupidity  for  chasing  and  devouring  mice, 
which  produces  that  appearance.  It  is  thus  manifest,  that 
the  light  of  the  sun  is  true  light,  and  the  light  of  desire  is 
fatuous  light."  After  this,  the  legate  requested  the  con- 
firmer  to  make  this  as  if  true :  that  a  raven  is  white  and 
not  black.  And  he  replied,  "  This,  also,  I  shall  easily  do." 
And  he  said,  "  Take  a  needle  or  a  razor,  and  open  the  quills 
and  feathers  of  a  raven  \  then  remove  the  quills  and  feath- 
ers, and  look  at  the  raven's  skin ;  is  it  not  white  ?  What  is 
the  black  which  is  around  but  shade  ?  from  which  we  should 
not  judge  concerning  the  color  of  the  raven.  That  black 
is  only  a  shade,  consult  those  who  are  skilled  in  the  science 
of  optics,  and  they  will  tell ;  or  grind  a  black  stone  or 
glass  into  fine  powder,  and  you  will  see  that  the  powder 
is  white."  But  the  legate  replied,  "Does  not  the  raven 
appear  black  to  the  sight  ?  "  But  the  confirmer  answered, 
"  Are  you,  who  are  a  man,  willing  to  think  any  thing  from 
appearance  ?  You  may  indeed  say  from  the  appearance 
that  a  raven  is  black,  but  you  cannot  think  so ;  for  example, 
speaking  from  the  appearance,  you  may  say,  that  the  sun 
rises  and  sets ;  but  because  you  are  a  man  you  cannot 
think  so,  as  the  sun  stands  unmoved  and  the  earth  goes 
forward.  It  is  similar  with  the  raven.  Appearance  is  ap- 
pearance. Say  what  you  will,  the  whole  raven  is  white  ;  it 
also  grows  white  when  it  grows  old ;  this  I  have  seen." 
After  this,  the  by-standers  looked  at  me;  whereupon  I 
said,  that  it  is  true  that  the  quills  and  feathers  of  a  raven 
inwardly  partake  of  whiteness,  and  its  skin  likewise ;  but 
this  is  the  case  not  only  with  ravens,  but  also  with  all  the 
birds  in  the  universe ;  but  every  man  distinguishes  birds 
by  the  appearance  of  their  color ;  if  this  were  not  done,  we 
might  say  of  every  bird  that  it  is  white,  which  is  absurd  and 


No.  334.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


471 


ridiculous.  The  legate  then  asked,  "  Can  you  make  it  true 
that  you  are  insane  ? "  And  he  said.  "  I  can,  but  I  do  not 
wish  to  do  so ;  who  is  not  insane  ?  "  Finally  they  requested 
him  to  say  from  the  heart  whether  he  jested,  or  really  be- 
lieved that  there  is  nothing  true  but  what  man  makes  true. 
And  he  said,  "  I  swear  that  I  believe  it."  After  this,  that 
universal  confirmer  was  sent  to  the  angels,  who  explored 
him  as  to  his  quality ;  and  after  the  exploration  they  said 
that  he  did  not  possess  a  grain  of  understanding,  because 
all  that  which  is  above  the  rational  was  closed  with  him ;  and 
only  what  is  below  the  rational  was  open ;  above  the  rational 
is  spiritual  light,  and  below  the  rational  is  natural  light,  and 
this  light  with  man  is  such  that  he  can  confirm  whatever  he 
pleases ;  but  if  spiritual  light  does  not  flow  into  natural 
light,  man  does  not  see  whether  any  truth  is  truth,  and  hence 
he  does  not  see  that  any  falsity  is  a  falsity ;  these  both  are 
to  be  seen  from  spiritual  light  in  natural  light,  and  spiritual 
light  is  from  the  God  of  heaven,  Who  is  the  Lord ;  where- 
fore that  universal  confirmer  is  neither  man  nor  beast,  but 
a  beast-man.  I  asked  the  angels  concerning  the  lot  of  such, 
whether  they  can  be  together  with  the  living,  because  the 
life  of  man  is  from  spiritual  light,  and  from  this  is  his  under- 
standing. And  they  said,  that  such,  when  they  are  alone, 
are  not  able  to  think  any  thing,  and  thence  to  speak ;  but 
that  they  stand  dumb  like  automatons,  and,  as  it  were,  in 
a  deep  sleep ;  but  that  they  awake  as  soon  as  they  catch 
any  thing  with  the  ear.  They  added,  "They  become  such 
who  are  inmostly  evil ;  into  these  spiritual  light  cannot  flow 
in  from  above,  but  only  something  spiritual  through  the 
world,  whence  they  have  the  faculty  of  confirming."  These 
things  being  said,  I  heard  a  voice  from  the  angels  who  ex- 
plored him,  saying,  "  Form  a  universal  conclusion  from 
what  has  been  heard."  And  I  made  this :  Ability  to  con- 
firm whatever  one  pleases  does  not  belong  to  the  man  of  under- 
Handing;  but  the  ability  to  see  that  a  truth  is  truth,  and  that 
a  falsity  is  falsity,  and  to  eon/irm  this.    After  this  I  looked 


4/2  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V 


at  the  assembly  where  the  connrmers  were  standing,  and 
the  crowd  around  them  were  crying,  "  O  how  wise  ! " 
And  lo !  a  dark  cloud  covered  them,  and  in  the  cloud 
owls  and  bats  were  flying.  And  it  was  said  to  me,  "  The 
owls  and  bats,  flying  in  that  cloud,  are  correspondences 
and  thence  appearances  of  their  thoughts  j  since  confirma- 
tions of  falsities,  even  till  they  appear  like  truths,  are  repre- 
sented in  this  world  under  the  forms  of  birds  of  night,  whose 
eyes  are  illuminated  within  by  a  fatuous  light,  from  which 
they  see  objects  in  darkness,  as  in  the  light :  such  fatuous 
spiritual  light  have  those  who  confirm  falsities  until  they 
appear  as  truths,  and  afterwards  are  believed  to  be  truths. 
All  those  are  in  posterior  vision,  and  not  in  any  prior 
sight. 

335.  Fourth"  Relation.  Once  when  I  awakened  from 
sleep  in  the  twilight  of  the  morning,  I  saw  before  my  eyes, 
as  it  were,  spectres  in  various  shapes ;  and  afterwards, 
when  it  was  morning,  I  saw  fatuous  lights  in  divers  forms ; 
some  like  sheets  of  paper  full  of  writing,  which,  being  folded 
together  again  and  again,  at  length  appeared  like  falling 
stars,  which  in  their  descent  vanished  in  the  air ;  and  some 
like  open  books,  some  of  which  shone  like  little  moons, 
and  some  burned  like  candles ;  among  these  were  books 
which  raised  themselves  on  high  and  were  lost  in  the 
height,  and  others  which  fell  down  to  the  earth  and  there 
crumbled  into  dust.  From  these  appearances  I  conject- 
ured that  below  those  meteors  stood  some  who  were  dis- 
puting about  imaginary  things,  which  they  esteemed  of 
great  moment  j  for  in  the  spiritual  world  such  phenomena 
appear  in  the  atmospheres,  from  the  reasonings  of  those 
standing  below.  And  presently  the  sight  of  my  spirit  was 
opened  to  me,  and  I  observed  a  number  of  spirits,  whose 
heads  were  encircled  with  leaves  of  laurel,  and  who  were 
clothed  in  gowns  adorned  with  flowers,  which  signified  that 
they  were  spirits  who  in  the  natural  world  had  been  re- 
nowned from  their  reputation  for  erudition.    As  t  was  in 


No.  335.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


473 


the  spirit  I  came  to  them  and  mingled  with  the  assembly. 
I  then  heard  that  they  were  disputing  sharply  and  warmly 
among  themselves  concerning  connate  ideas,  whether 
there  were  any  in  men  from  birth,  as  in  beasts.  They 
who  held  the  negative  turned  themselves  away  from  those 
who  held  the  affirmative,  and  at  length  they  stood  sepa- 
rated from  each  other,  like  the  ranks  of  two  armies  ready 
to  fight  with  swords.  But  as  they  had  no  swords,  they 
fought  with  pointed  words.  But  suddenly,  a  certain  an- 
gelic spirit  stood  in  their  midst,  and  speaking  with  a  loud 
voice  he  said :  "At  a  short  distance  from  you,  I  heard  that 
you  were  engaged  in  hot  dispute  on  both  sides,  about  con- 
nate ideas,  whether  there  are  any  in  men,  as  in  beasts ;  but 

I  tell  yOU,  THAT  MEN  HAVE  NO  CONNATE  IDEAS,  AND  THAT 

beasts  have  no  ideas  j  wherefore,  you  are  quarrelling 
about  nothing,  or,  as  the  saying  is,  about  goat's  wool,  or 
about  new-born  Time's  beard  [barba  hujus  s<zcidi\."  On 
hearing  these  words,  they  were  all  very  angry,  and  cried : 
"  Put  him  out ;  he  talks  contrary  to  common  sense."  But 
when  they  tried  to  put  him  out,  they  saw  him  encircled 
with  heavenly  light,  which  they  could  not  break  through ; 
for  he  was  an  angelic  spirit.  They,  therefore,  drew  back, 
and  moved  a  little  way  from  him.  And  after  that  light 
was  indrawn,  he  said  to  them :  "  Why  are  you  angry  ? 
First  listen,  and  bring  together  the  reasons  which  I  shall 
offer,  and  make  a  conclusion  from  them  yourselves  :  and  I 
foresee  that  they  who  excel  in  judgment  will  concur,  and 
will  calm  the  tempests  which  have  arisen  in  your  minds." 
To  this  they  said,  yet  with  an  indignant  tone :  "  Speak, 
then,  and  we  will  hear."  And  then,  beginning  to  speak, 
he  said  :  "You  believe  that  beasts  have  connate  ideas,  and 
you  have  inferred  it  from  this,  that  their  actions  appear 
as  if  from  thought;  and  yet  they  have  no  thought  at  all, 
and  ideas  are  predicable  only  of  that;  and  it  is  the  charac- 
teristic of  thought  that  they  who  think  do  thus  and  so  for 
the  sake  of  this  or  that.    Consider  therefore  whether  the 

3* 


474  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V. 


spider,  which  weaves  its  web  most  curiously,  thinks  in  its 
little  head,  1 1  will  stretch  out  the  threads  in  this  order,  and 
will  bind  them  together  with  threads  that  run  crosswise,  so 
that  my  work  may  not  be  torn  asunder  by  the  rude  vibration 
of  the  air ;  and  at  the  beginnings  of  the  threads,  which  shall 
make  the  middle,  I  will  prepare  a  seat  for  myself,  where  I 
shall  feel  whatever  falls  in,  and  run  at  once  to  the  spot ; 
so  that  if  a  fly  gets  in,  it  may  be  entangled,  and  I  will 
quickly  rush  upon  it  and  bind  it  fast,  and  it  shall  serve  me 
for  food.'  Again  ;  does  the  bee  think  in  its  little  head,  '  I 
will  fly  abroad ;  I  know  where  there  are  fields  in  flower ; 
and  there  I  will  gather  wax  from  these  flowers,  and  from 
those  I  will  suck  the  honey ;  and  with  the  wax  I  will  build 
little  cells  close  to  each  other  in  the  row,  in  such  a  manner 
that  I  and  my  companions  may  freely  go  in  and  out  as 
through  streets ;  and  afterwards  we  will  lay  up  honey  in 
them  abundantly,  so  that  there  may  be  enough  also  for  the 
coming  winter,  that  we  may  not  die  '  ?  besides  other  won- 
derful things  in  which  they  not  only  vie  with,  but  in  some 
cases  surpass,  the  political  and  economical  prudence  of 
men  (see  above,  n.  12).  Moreover,  does  the  hornet  (funis 
major)  think  in  its  little  head,  '  I  and  my  companions  will 
build  a  little  house  of  thin  paper,  the  walls  of  which  we 
will  wind  in  the  form  of  a  labyrinth  inside,  and  in  the 
inmost  part  we  will  prepare  a  kind  of  forum,  into  which 
there  shall  be  a  way  of  entrance,  and  out  of  it  a  way  of 
egress,  and  contrived  with  such  art  that  no  living  creature 
but  those  of  our  family  shall  find  the  way  to  the  inmost 
place  where  we  assemble  '  ?  Again  ;  does  the  silk-worm, 
while  it  is  a  grub,  think  in  its  little  head,  '  Now  is  the  time 
for  me  to  prepare  to  spin  silk,  so  that  when  it  is  spun 
I  may  fly  abroad  in  the  air,  into  which  I  could  not  rise 
before,  may  sport  with  my  equals  and  provide  myself  a 
posterity  '  ?  Or  do  other  worms  so  think  when  they  creep 
about  the  walls  of  houses,  and  become  nymphs,  aurelia, 
chrysalides,  and  finally  butterflies  ?    Does  a  fly  have  an 


No.  335.] 


THE  DECALOGUE. 


475 


idea  of  its  meeting  with  another  fly,  that  it  happens  here 
and  not  there  ?  It  is  the  same  with  larger  animals  as  with 
these  smaller  ones ;  as  with  birds  and  feathered  creatures 
of  all  kinds,  when  they  pair,  build  their  nests,  lay  their 
eggs  in  them,  sit  on  them,  hatch  their  young,  provide  food 
for  them,  take  care  of  them  until  they  can  fly,  and  then  drive 
them  from  their  nests,  as  if  they  were  not  their  offspring ; 
besides  other  things  beyond  number.  The  case  is  similar, 
also,  with  the  beasts  of  the  earth,  with  serpents,  and  with 
fishes.  What  one  of  you  cannot  see  from  what  has  now 
been  said,  that  their  spontaneous  actions  do  not  flow  from 
any  thought,  of  which  alone  the  idea  can  be  predicated  ? 
The  error  that  beasts  have  ideas  has  come  from  no  other 
source  than  the  persuasion  that  they  think,  equally  with 
men,  and  that  speech  alone  makes  the  difference  between 
them."  After  this  the  angelic  spirit  looked  around,  and  as 
he  saw  them  still  in  doubt  whether  beasts  have  thought  or 
not,  he  continued  the  discourse  and  said :  "  I  perceive 
that  from  the  actions  of  brute  animals,  similar  to  those  of 
men,  there  still  clings  to  you  a  visionary  idea  of  their 
thinking;  wherefore  I  will  tell  whence  their  actions  are. 
Plainly  thus :  Every  beast,  every  bird,  every  fish,  reptile, 
and  insect,  has  its  own  natural,  sensual,  and  corporeal 
love,  the  dwelling-places  of  which  are  their  heads,  and  the 
brains  therein  ;  through  these,  the  spiritual  world  flows 
into  the  senses  of  their  body  immediately,  and  through 
them  determines  the  actions ;  which  is  the  reason  why  the 
senses  of  their  body  are  much  more  exquisite  than  those 
of  men.  This  influx  from  the  spiritual  world  is  what  is 
called  instinct,  and  it  is  called  instinct  because  it  exists 
without  intermediate  thought ;  there  are  also  things  acces- 
sory to  instinct,  coming  from  habit. '  But  their  love,  through 
which,  from  the  spiritual  world,  comes  the  determination 
to  actions,  is  a  love  only  for  nutrition  and  propagation,  not 
for  any  knowledge,  intelligence,  and  wisdom,  by  means  of 
which  love  is  successively  developed  with  men. 


4/6 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V 


"  That  neither  has  nian  any  connate  ideas  may  evidently 
appear  from  this,  that  he  has  no  connate  thought ;  and 
where  there  is  no  thought,  there  is  no  idea ;  for  they  be- 
long mutually  to  each  other.  This  may  be  concluded  from 
new-born  infants,  that  they  can  do  nothing  but  suck  and 
breathe.  Their  being  able  to  suck  is  not  from  any  thing 
connate,  but  from  a  continual  suction  in  the  mother's 
womb  ;  and  they  are  able  to  breathe  because  they  live, 
for  this  is  a  universal  of  life.  The  very  senses  of  their 
body  are  in  the  greatest  obscurity,  and  from  this  they 
work  their  way  out  successively  by  means  of  objects ;  in 
like  manner  their  powers  of  motion,  by  habitual  exercise. 
And  as  they  learn  successively  to  prattle  words,  and  to 
sound  them  at  first  without  any  idea,  there  arises  some- 
thing obscure,-  belonging  to  fancy;  and  as  this  grows 
clearer,  something  obscure  belonging  to  imagination  arises ; 
and  from  this,  of  thought.  According  to  the  formation  of 
this  state,  ideas  exist,  which,  as  before  said,  make  one  with 
thought  j  and  thought,  from  being  none,  grows  by  instruc- 
tions. Wherefore  men  have  ideas,  yet  not  connate,  but 
formed ;  and  from  them  flow  their  speech  and  actions." 
That  nothing  is  connate  with  man  but  the  faculty  for  know- 
ing, understanding,  and  being  wise,  as  also  an  inclination 
to  love  not  only  these  things  but  also  the  neighbor  and 
God,  may  be  seen  in  a  Relation  above,  n.  48,  and  also 
in  a  Relation  further  on.  After  this,  I  looked  around, 
and  saw  near  me  Leibnitz  and  Wolfius,  who  paid  close 
attention  to  the  reasons  advanced  by  the  angelic  spirit. 
Leibnitz  then  came  forward  and  expressed  his  concurrence; 
but  Wolfius  went  away,  both  denying  and  affirming,  foi  he 
did  not  excel  in  interior  judgment  as  Leibnitz  did. 


CHAPTER  SIXTH. 

CONCERNING  FAITH. 


336.  From  the  wisdom  of  the  ancients  flowed  forth  this 
dogma,  That  the  universe  and  the  things  thereof,  all  and 
each,  have  relation  to  good  and  truth ;  and  thus  all  things 
of  the  church  to  love  or  charity  and  faith,  since  all  is  called 
good  which  flows  from  love  or  charity,  and  all  is  called  truth 
which  flows  from  faith.  Now  because  charity  and  faith  are 
two  distinctly,  but  yet  make  one  in  a  man  that  he  may  be 
a  man  of  the  church,  that  is,  that  the  church  may  be  in  the 
man,  it  was  a  matter  of  controversy  and  dispute  among  the 
ancients  which  of  the  two  must  be  first,  and  which  there- 
fore is  by  right  to  be  called  the  first-born.  Some  of  them 
said  truth,  consequently  faith,  and  some  said  good,  conse- 
quently charity.  For  they  saw  that  immediately  after  his 
birth  man  learns  to  talk  and  think,  and  by  means  of  speech 
and  thought  to  be  perfected  in  understanding,  which  is 
done  through  knowledges;  and  so  that  to  learn  and  under- 
stand what  is  true  [is  first] ;  and  that  by  these  means  he 
afterwards  learns  and  understands  what  is  good;  conse- 
quently first  what  is  faith  and  afterwards  what  is  charity. 
They  who  so  comprehended  this  subject  supposed  that  the 
truth  of  faith  is  the  first-born,  and  that  the  good  of  charity 
is  born  afterwards ;  on  which  account  they  also  attributed 
to  faith  the  eminence  and  prerogative  of  primogeniture. 
But  they  overwhelmed  their  understanding  with  so  many 
arguments  in  favor  of  faith  that  they  did  not  see  that  faith 
is  not  faith  unless  conjoined  with  charity,  and  that  charity 
is  not  charity  unless  conjoined  with  faith,  and  thus  that 
they  make  one ;  and,  if  not,  that  neither  of  them  is  any 
thing  in  the  church.    That  they  truly  make  one  will  be 


47$  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


demonstrated  in  what  follows.  But  in  this  preface  I  shall 
briefly  show  in  what  manner  or  by  what  course  they  make 
one ;  for  this  is  of  importance,  that  the  things  which  follow 
may  be  in  some  light.  Faith,  by  which  is  also  meant  truth, 
is  first  in  time  ;  but  charity,  by  which  is  also  meant  good,  is 
first  in  end ;  and  that  which  is  first  in  end  is  actually  the 
first,  because  it  is  the  primary,  thus  also  the  first-born ; 
while  that  which  is  first  in  time  is  not  the  first  actually,  but 
apparently.  But  that  this  may  be  comprehended,  it  shall 
be  illustrated  by  comparisons  with  the  building  of  a  temple 
and  of  a  house,  the  laying  out  of  a  garden,  and  the  prepara- 
tion of  a  field.  In  the  building  of  a  temple,  the  first  thing  in 
time  is  to  lay  the  foundation,  to  raise  the  walls,  to  put  on 
the  roof,  and  afterwards  to  put  in  the  altar  and  erect  the 
pulpit;  but  in  end  the  first  thing  is  the  worship  of  God 
therein,  for  the  sake  of  which  those  things  are  done.  In 
the  building  of  a  house,  the  first  thing  in  time  is  to  build  its 
external  parts,  and  also  to  furnish  it  with  various  articles 
which  are  of  necessity ;  but  the  first  thing  in  end  is  a  suit- 
able dwelling  for  oneself  and  for  all  who  are  to  be  of  the 
household.  In  the  laying  out  of  a  garden,  the  first  thing  in 
time  is  to  level  the  ground,  prepare  the  soil,  and  plant  trees, 
and  sow  such  things  as  will  serve  for  use ;  but  in  end  the 
first  thing  is  the  use  of  the  fruits.  In  the  preparing  of  a 
field,  the  first  thing  in  time  is  to  clear  the  land,  to  plough, 
to  harrow,  and  then  to  sow  the  seed ;  but  in  end  the  first 
thing  is  the  harvest,  thus  again  use.  From  these  compari- 
sons any  one  may  conclude  what  is  in  itself  first.  Dees 
not  every  one  who  is  wishing  to  build  a  temple  or  a  house, 
or  to  lay  out  a  garden  and  to  cultivate  a  field,  first  intend 
the  use,  and  constantly  keep  and  revolve  this  in  his  mind, 
while  he  procures  the  means  to  carry  it  into  effect  ?  We 
therefore  conclude  that  the  truth  of  faith  is  first  in  time, 
but  that  the  good  of  charity  is  first  in  end ;  and  that  this 
latter,  because  it  is  primary,  is  actually  the  first-born  in  the 
mind.    But  it  is  necessary  to  know  what  faith  is,  and  what 


No.  337.] 


FAITH. 


479 


charity  is,  each  in  its  essence ;  and  this  cannot  be  known 
unless  they  are  divided  into  their  several  articles,  faith  into 
its  own,  and  charity  into  its  own.  Articles  of  faith  then 
are  these  :  I.  Saving  Faith  is  in  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ.  II.  The  sum  of  faith  is  that  he  who  lives  well 
and  believes  aright  is  saved  by  the  Lord.  III.  Ma?i  acquires 
faith  by  going  to  the  Lord,  learni?ig  truths  from  the  Word, 
and  living  according  to  them.  IV.  An  abundance  of  truths, 
coherent  as  if  bundled  together,  exalts  a?id  perfects  faith. 

V.  Faith  without  charity  is  not  faith,  and  charity  without 
faith  is  not  charity  ;  and  neither  is  alive  except  from  the  Lord. 

VI.  The  Lord,  charity,  and  faith  7nake  one,  like  life,  will,  and 
understanding  in  man  ;  and  if  they  are  divided,  each  perishes, 
like  a  pearl  reduced  to  powder.  VII.  The  Lord  is  Charity 
and  Faith  in  man,  and  man  is  charity  and  faith  in  the 
Lord.  VIII.  Charity  and  faith  are  together  in  good  works. 
IX.  There  is  a  true  faith,  a  spurious  faith,  and  a  hypocritical 
faith.  X.  There  is  no  faith  with  the  evil.  These  are  now 
to  be  explained  one  by  one. 


I.  Saving  Faith  is  in  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour 

Jesus  Christ. 

337.  Saving  faith  is  in  God  the  Saviour,  because  He  is 
God  and  Man,  and  He  is  in  the  Father  and  the  Father  in 
Him,  and  thus  They  are  one  j  wherefore  they  who  go  to 
Him,  go  at  the  same  time  to  the  Father,  and  thus  to  the 
one  and  only  God,  and  there  is  no  saving  faith  in  any  other. 
That  belief  or  faith  is  to  be  in  the  Son  of  God,  the  Re- 
deemer and  Saviour,  conceived  from  Jehovah  and  born  of 
the  Virgin  Mary,  named  Jesus  Christ,  is  evident  from  the 
commands  frequently  repeated  by  Him,  and  afterwards  by 
the  apostles.  That  faith  in  Him  was  commanded  by  Him- 
self, is  very  manifest  from  these  passages  :  Jesus  said,  This 
is  the  will  of  the  Father  that  sent  Me,  that  every  one  w/10  seeth 
the  Son  and  bei.ikveth  in  Him  shall  have  everlasting  life, 


480 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day  (John  vi.  40).  He 
that  believeth  in  the  Son  hath  everlasti?ig  life  ;  but  he  that 
believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God 
abideth  on  him  (iii.  36).  That  whosoever  believeth  in  the 
Son  should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life;  for  God  so  loved 
the  world  that  He  gave  His  Only-begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  Him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life 
(iii.  15,  16).  Jesus  said,  I  am  the  Resurrection  and  the  Life; 
he  that  believeth  in  Me  shall  never  die  (xi.  25,  26).  Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,  He  that  believeth  in  Me  hath  ever- 
lasting life.  I  am  the  bread  of  life  (vi.  47,  48).  I  am  the 
bread  of  life.  He  that  cometh  to  Me  shall  never  hunger, 
and  he  that  believeth  in  Me  shall  never  thirst  (vi.  35). 
Jesus  cried  saying,  If  any  one  thirst  let  him  come  unto  Me 
and  drink  ;  he  that  believeth  in  Me,  as  the  Scripture  hath 
said,  out  of  his  belly  shall flow  rivers  of  living  water  (vii.  37, 
38).  They  said  to  Jesus,  What  shall  we  do  that  we  might 
work  the  works  of  God  1  Jesus  answered,  This  is  the  work 
of  God,  that  ye  believe  in  Him  Whom  the  Father  hath  sent 
(vi.  28,  29).  While  ye  have  light  believe  in  the  light 
that  ye  may  be  sons  of  light  (xii.  3.6).  He  that  believeth  in 
the  Son  of  God,  is  not  judged ;  but  he  that  believeth  not, 
is  judged  already  because  he  hath  not  believed  in  the  ?iame 
of  the  Only-begotten  Son  of  God  (iii.  18).  These  things  are 
written,  that  ye  may  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of 
God  ;  and  that  believing,  ye  may  have  life  in  His  name 
(xx.  31).  For  if  ye  believe  not  that  I  am,  ye  shall  die  in 
your  sins  (viii.  24).  Jesus  said  that  when  the  Comforter, 
the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  come,  He  will  reprove  the  world  of  sin, 
of  righteousness,  and  of judgment;  of  sin,  because  they  believe 
not  in  Me  (xvi.  8). 

338.  That  the  faith  of  the  apostles  was  no  other  than 
faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  evident  from  many  pas- 
sages in  their  Epistles,  of  which  I  shall  present  only  these : 
/  live,  no  more  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me;  and  what  /  now 
live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  in  the  faith  which  is  in  the  Son  of 


No.  33S.] 


FAITH. 


God  (Gal.  ii.  20).  Paul  testified  to  the  Jews  and  to  the 
Greeks,  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  (Acts  xx.  2 1).  He  who  brought  Paul  out  said,  What 
must  1 do  to  be  saved  1  He  said,  Believe  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ;  thus  thru  shalt  be  saved,  and  thy  house 
(xvi.  30,  31).  He  that  hath  the  Son  hath  life,  but  he  that 
hath  not  the  Son  of  God,  hath  not  life.  These  things  have 
/written  to  you,  that  believe  in  the  name  of  the  Son  of 
God,  that  ye  ?nay  know  that  ye  have  eternal  life,  and  that  ye 
may  believe  in  the  ?iame  of  the  Son  of  God  (1  John  v.  12,  13). 
We  who  are  Jews  by  nature,  and  not  sinners  of  the  Gentiles, 
knowing  that  a  man  is  ?iot  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law, 
but  by  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  we  even  have  believed 
in  Jesus  Christ  (Gal.  ii.  15,  16).  Since  their  faith  was  in 
Jesus  Christ,  which  also  is  from  Him,  they  called  it  the 
faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  just  above  (Gal.  ii.  16),  and  in  the 
following  passages  :  The  righteousness  of  God,  by  the  faith 
of  Jesus  Christ,  unto  all  and  upon  all  thejn  that  believe,  that 
He  may  justify  him  who  is  of  the  faith  of  Jesus  (Rom. 
iii.  22,  26).  Having  the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  faith 
of  Christ,  the  righteous?iess  which  is  of  God  by  faith  (Phil, 
iii.  9).  That  keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and  the  faith 
of  Jesus  (Apoc.  xiv.  12).  Through  the  faith  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus  (2  Tim.  iii.  15).  In  Jesus  Christ  [that  which 
availeth]  is  the  faith  which  worketh  by  charity  (Gal.  v.  6). 
From  these  passages  it  may  be  evident  what  faith  was 
meant  by  Paul  in  the  saying  so  common  at  this  clay  in  the 
church,  Therefore  we  conclude  that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith 
without  the  deeds  of  the  law  (Rom.  iii.  2S);  that  it  was  not 
faith  in  God  the  Father,  but  in  His  Son ;  still  less  in  three 
Gods  in  order,  in  one  from  whom,  in  another  for  the  sake 
of  whom,  and  in  a  third  by  whom  [,  comes  salvation].  It 
is  believed  in  the  church  that  its  tripersonal  faith  wis 
meant  by  Paul  in  that  saying,  for  the  reason  that  the 
church  for  fourteen  centuries,  or  ever  since  the  Niccne 
Council,  has  acknowledged  no  other  faith,  and  thence  has 


482         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI 


known  no  other,  thus  believing  it  to  be  the  only  faith,  and 
that  there  can  be  no  other.  Therefore  wherever  faith  is 
mentioned  in  the  Word  of  the  New  Testament,  it  has  been 
believed  that  that  faith  is  meant,  and  to  it  every  thing  thei  e 
has  been  applied.  Hence  the  only  saving  faith,  which  is  in 
God  the  Saviour,  has  perished ;  hence,  also,  so  many  falla- 
cies have  crept  into  their  doctrines,  and  so  many  paradoxes 
adverse  to  sound  reason.  For  every  doctrine  of  the  church 
that  will  teach  and  point  out  the  way  to  heaven  or  to  the 
state  of  salvation,  depends  on  faith ;  and  because  so  many 
fallacies  and  paradoxes  crept  into  that,  as  already  said,  it 
was  necessary  to  proclaim  the  dogma  that  the  understand- 
ing is  to  be  kept  under  obedience  to  faith.  Now  since  faith, 
in  that  saying -of  Paul's  (Rom.  iii.  28),  does  not  mean  faith 
in  God  the  Father  but  in  His  Son,  and  since  the  works  of 
the  laiv  do  not  there  mean  the  works  of  the  law  of  the  deca- 
logue, but  the  works  of  the  Mosaic  law  for  the  Jews  (as  is 
manifest  from  subsequent  verses  there,  and  also  from  simi- 
lar passages  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  ii.  14,  15),  the 
foundation-stone  of  the  faith  of  the  present  day  goes,  and 
with  it  falls  the  temple  built  thereon,  like  a  house  sinking 
into  the  earth  and  leaving  only  the  summit  of  its  roof  above 
ground. 

339.  Men  ought  to  believe,  that  is,  to  have  faith  in  God 
the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  because  this  is  faith  in  the  visible 
God.  in  Whom  is  the  invisible ;  and  faith  in  a  visible  God, 
Who  is  Man  and  at  the  same  time  God,  enters  into  man ; 
for  faith  in  its  essence  is  spiritual,  but  natural  in  its  form ; 
therefore  with  man  this  faith  becomes  spiritual-natural ;  for 
every  thing  spiritual  is  received  in  what  is  natural  in  order 
to  be  any  thing  with  man.  The  naked  spiritual  does  indeed 
enter  into  man,  but  it  is  not  received  j  it  is  like  the  ether, 
which  flows  in  and  flows  out  without  affecting;  for  in  order 
to  affect,  there  must  be  perception,  and  so  a  reception,  each 
in  man's  mind  \  and  there  are  not  these  with  man  except 
in  his  natural.    But  on  the  other  hand,  merely  natural  faith, 


No.  339.] 


FAITH. 


483 


or  faith  destitute  of  spiritual  essence,  is  not  faith,  but  per- 
suasion only,  or  knowledge.  Persuasion  emulates  faith  in 
externals,  but  because  in  its  internals  there  is  nothing  spirit- 
ual, there  is  therefore  nothing  saving.  Such  is  faith  with 
all  who  deny  the  Divinity  of  the  Lord's  Human  •  such 
was  the  Arian  faith,  and  such  also  is  the  Socinian  faith, 
because  they  both  reject  the  Lord's  Divinity.  What  is  faith 
without  that  to  which  it  is  determined  ?  Is  it  not  like  a  look 
into  the  universe,  which  falls  as  it  were  into  vacuity  and  is 
lost  ?  Or  it  is  like  a  bird  flying  above  the  atmosphere  into 
the  ether,  where  as  in  a  vacuum  it  ceases  to  breathe.  The 
abiding  of  this  faith  in  the  mind  of  man  may  be  compared 
to  the  stay  of  the  winds  in  the  wings  of  yEolus,  and  of  light 
in  a  falling  star.  It  rises  like  a  comet  with  a  long  tail,  like 
it  to  pass  by  and  disappear.  In  a  word,  faith  in  an  invisi- 
ble God  is  actually  blind,  because  the  human  mind  does  not 
see  its  God ;  and  the  light  of  this  faith,  because  it  is  not 
spiritual-natural,  is  a  fatuous  light;  and  this  light  is  like 
the  light  in  a  glow-worm,  and  like  the  light  in  swamps  or 
over  sulphurous  glebes  in  the  night,  and  like  the  light  in 
decaying  wood.  From  this  light  nothing  else  exists  than 
what  is  of  fantasy,  in  which  the  apparent  is  believed  to  be 
reality  when  it  is  not.  Faith  in  an  invisible  God  shines  in 
no  other  light,  especially  when  God  is  thought  to  be  a  Spirit 
and  the  same  is  thought  of  spirit  as  of  ether.  What  fol- 
lows therefrom  but  that  man  regards  God  as  he  regards  the 
ether  ?  And  thus  he  seeks  Him  in  the  universe,  and  when 
he  does  not  find  Him  there,  he  believes  the  nature  of  the 
universe  to  be  God.  The  naturalism  reigning  at  this  day 
is  from  this  origin.  Did  not  the  Lord  say  that  no  one  hath 
ever  heard  the  voice  of  the  Father,  or  seen  His  shape  ?  (John 
v.  37  ;)  and  also  that  no  one  hath  seen  God  at  any  time,  and 
that  the  Only-begotten  Son  Who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father 
hath  revealed  Him  ?  (i.  18.)  No  one  hath  seen  the  Father 
but  He  Who  is  of  God;*  He  hath  seen  the  Father  (vi.  46). 

*  The  Latin  here  reads  apud  Patrem,  with  the  Father. 


484  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 

Also,  that  no  one  cometh  to  the  Father  but  by  Hi?n  (xiv.  6) ; 
and  furthermore,  that  the  man  seeth  and  knoweth  the  Father, 
who  seeth  and  knoweth  Him  (xiv.  7-12).  But  faith  in  the 
Lord  God  the  Saviour  is  different ;  He  being  God  and  Man, 
may  both  be  approached  and  seen  in  thought  •  faith  in  Him 
is  not  indeterminate,  but  it  has  its  terminus,  whence  it  comes 
and  whither  it  goes  ;  and  when  once  received,  it  remains ; 
as  when  any  one  has  seen  an  emperor  or  a  king,  as  often 
as  he  recollects  this  the  image  returns.  The  sight  of  that 
faith  is  as  of  one  who  sees  a  bright  cloud,  and  in  the  midst 
of  it  an  angel,  who  invites  the  man  to  him  that  he  may  be 
elevated  into  heaven.  So  does  the  Lord  appear  to  them 
who  have  faith  in  Him ;  He  draws  near  to  every  man  as 
the  man  knows  and  acknowledges  Him.  This  is  done  as 
man  knows  and  keeps  His  commandments,  which  are,  to 
shun  evils  and  do  goods ;  and  at  length  the  Lord  comes 
into  man's  house,  and  makes  His  abode  with  him,  together 
with  the  Father  Who  is  in  Him,  according  to  these  words 
in  John  :  jfesus  said,  He  that  hath  My  commandments  and 
keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  Me ;  a?id  he  that  loveth  Me 
shall  be  loved  of  My  Father,  a?id  I  will  love  him,  and  will 
manifest  Myself  to  him;  and  We  will  come  unto  him,  and 
make  an  abode  with  him  (John  xiv.  21,  23).  These  things 
have  been  written  in  the  presence  of  the  Lord's  twelve 
apostles,  who  were  sent  to  me  by  the  Lord  while  I  was 
writing  them. 

II.  The  Sum  of  Faith  is,  that  he  who  lives  well  and 

BELIEVES  ARIGHT  IS  SAVED  BY  THE  LORD. 

340.  That  man  was  created  for  eternal  life,  and  that 
every  man  can  inherit  it  provided  he  lives  according  to  the 
means  of  salvation  which  are  prescribed  in  the  Word,  is 
admitted  by  every  Christian,  and  by  every  heathen,  also, 
who  has  religion  and  sound  reason.  The  means  of  salva- 
tion, however,  are  manifold  ;  but  they  have  relation,  one 


No.  34 1-] 


FAITH. 


485 


and  all,  to  living  well  and  believing  aright,  thus  to  charity 
and  faith,  for  to  live  well  is  charity  and  to  believe  rightly 
is.  faith.  These  two  general  means  of  salvation  are  not 
only  prescribed  -to  man  in  the  Word,  but  they  are  also 
commanded ;  and  because  they  are  commanded  it  follows 
that  by  means  of  them  man  can  provide  for  himself  eternal 
lifs,  from  the  power  implanted  in  him  and  given  to  him 
by  God  \  also  as  far  as  man  uses  that  power,  and  at  the 
same  time  looks  to  God,  God  gives  it  strength  to  make 
all  that  which  is  of  natural  charity  to  be  of  spiritual  char- 
ity, and  all  that  which  is  of  natural  faith  to  be  of  spiritual 
faith  •  so  God  makes  dead  charity  and  faith  to  be  alive, 
and  at  the  same  time  the  man  also.  There  are  two 
things  which  are  to  be  together,  that  man  may  be  said  to 
live  well  and  believe  aright  j  in  the  church  those  two  things 
are  called  the  internal  and  the  external  man.  When  the 
internal  man  wills  well  and  the  external  acts  well,  then  the 
two  make  one,  the  external  [acting]  from  the  internal,  and 
the  internal  through  the  external ;  and  so  man  from  God, 
and  God  through  man.  But  on  the  other  hand,  if  the  in- 
ternal man  wills  evil  and  yet  the  external  man  acts  well, 
then  none  the  less  they  both  act  from  hell ;  for  his  willing 
is  from  hell,  and  his  doing  is  hypocritical  j  and  in  all  that 
is  hypocritical,  his  willing  which  is  infernal  is  inwardly 
concealed,  as  a  snake  in  the  grass,  or  a  worm  in  a  flower. 
The  man  who  not  only  knows  that  there  is  an  internal  and 
an  external  man,  but  also  knows  what  they  are,  and  that 
they  can  act  as  one  actually  and  can  also  act  as  one  ap- 
parently, and  who  knows  moreover  that  the  internal  man 
lives  after  death  and  the  external  is  buried,  possesses  po- 
tentially the  arcana  of  heaven  and  also  of  the  world,  in 
abundance.  And  he  who  conjoins  these  two  men  in  him- 
self in  good,  becomes  happy  to  eternity,  but  he  who 
divides  them,  and  still  more  he  who  conjoins  them  in  evil, 
becomes  unhappy  to  eternity. 

341.    Under  the  belief  that  the  man  who  lives  well  and 


486         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 

believes  aright  is  not  saved,  and  that  God  can  save  and 
condemn  whom  He  will,  freely  and  at  pleasure,  the  man 
who  perishes  may  justly  accuse  God  of  unmercifulness  and 
want  of  clemency,  and  even  of  cruelty ;  yes,  he  may  deny 
that  God  is  God.  He  may  make  the  further  accusation 
that  in  His  Word  He  has  spoken  vain  things,  and  com- 
manded things  that  are  of  no  importance  or  that  are 
trifling ;  and  again,  if  the  man  who  lives  well  and  believes 
aright  is  not  saved,  he  may  also  accuse  God  of  violating 
His  covenant  which  He  made  upon  mount  Sinai  and  wrote 
with  His  finger  upon  the  two  tables.  That  God  cannot 
but  save  those  who  live  according  to  His  commandments 
and  have  faith  in  Him,  is  evident  from  the  words  of  the 
Lord  in  John  xiv.  21-24:  and  every  one  who  has  religion 
and  sound  reason  may  confirm  himself  in  this,  when  he 
reflects  that  God,  Who  is  constantly  with  man  and  gives 
him  life  and  also  the  faculty  of  understanding  and  of  lov- 
ing, cannot  but  love  him  who  lives  well  and  believes  aright, 
and  by  love  conjoin  Himself  with  him.  Is  not  this  in- 
scribed by  God  on  every  man  and  every  creature  ?  Can  a 
father  and  mother  reject  their  children,  or  a  bird  or  a  beast 
its  young  ?  Even  tigers,  panthers,  and  serpents  cannot  do 
so.  For  God  to  do  otherwise  would  be  contrary  to  the 
order  in  which  God  is  and  according  to  which  He  acts; 
and  also  contrary  to  the  order  into  which  He  created  man. 
Now  as  it  is  impossible  for  God  to  damn  any  one  who 
lives  well  and  believes  aright,  so  on  the  other  hand  it  is 
impossible  for  God  to  save  any  one  who  lives  wickedly 
and  who  therefore  believes  falsities.  This  latter,  also,  is 
contrary  to  order,  and  thence  contrary  to  His  omnipotence, 
which  cannot  proceed  except  by  the  way  of  justice  ;  and 
the  laws  of  justice  are  truths,  which  cannot  be  changed : 
for  the  Lord  says,  is  easier  for  heaven  and  earth  to  pass, 
than  for  one  tittle  of  the  law  to  fail  (Luke  xvi.  17).  Any 
one  who  knows  any  thing  of  the  Essence  of  God,  and  of. 
man's  free-will,  can  perceive  this.    For  example :  Adam 


No.  342.] 


FAITH. 


487 


was  at  liberty  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  also  of  the  tree 
of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil ;  if  he  had  eaten  of  the 
tree  or  trees  of  life  only,  would  it  have  been  possible  for 
God  to  expel  him  from  the  garden  ?  I  believe  that  it 
would  not.  But  after  he  ate  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge 
of  good  and  evil,  would  it  have  been  possible  for  God  to 
retain  him  in  the  garden  ?  Again  I  believe  that  it  would  not ; 
and  likewise  that  God  cannot  cast  into  hell  any  angel  who 
has  been  received  into  heaven,  or  introduce  into  heaven 
any  devil  who  has  been  judged.  That  He  cannot  from  His 
Divine  omnipotence  do  either,  may  be  seen  above  in  the 
section  concerning  the  Divine  Omnipotence  (n.  49-70). 

342.  In  the  preceding  lemma  (from  n.  336  to  339)  it  was 
shown  that  saving  faith  is  faith  in  the  Lord  God  the  Sav- 
iour Jesus  Christ.  But  the  question  arises,  What  is  the 
first  [element]  of  faith  in  Him  ?    And  the  answer  is,  The 

ACKNOWLEDGMENT  THAT  He  IS  THE  SON  OF  GOD.  This 

was  the  first  [element]  of  faith  which  the  Lord  revealed 
and  announced  when  He  came  into  the  world.  For  unless 
men  had  first  acknowledged  that  He  was  the  Son  of  God, 
and  thus  God  from  God,  in  vain  would  He  Himself  and 
the  apostles  afterwards  have  preached  faith  in  Him.  Now 
as  the  case  is  somewhat  similar  at  this  day,  —  but  with 
those  who  think  from  the  proprium  \ownhood~\,  that  is, 
from  the  external  or  natural  man  only,  saying  to  them- 
selves, How  can  Jehovah  God  conceive  a  Son,  and  how 
can  man  be  God?  —  it  is  necessary  to  confirm  and  estab- 
lish from  the  Word  this  first  [element]  of  faith  j  the  follow- 
ing passages  shall  therefore  be  adduced :  The  angel  said 
to  Mary,  Thou  shalt  conceive  in  thy  womb  and  bring  forth  a 
Son,  and  shalt  call  His  name  Jesus.  He  shall  be  great,  the 
Son  of  the  Highest.  Then  said  Mary  unto  the  angel, 
How  shall  this  be  since  I  know  not  a  man  t  The  angel  an- 
swered, T/ie  Holy  Spirit  shall  come  upon  thee,  and  the  power 
of  the  Highest  shall  overshadow  thee ;  therefore  also  1  'nit 
Holy  THING  That  is  bom  0/ thee  shall  be  called  the  Son  04 


488 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI 


God  (Luke  i.  31-35).  While  Jesus  was  baptized,  there 
came  a  voice  from  heaven,  sayi?ig,  This  is  My  beloved  Son, 
m  Whom  I  am  well  pleased  (Matt.  iii.  16,  17  ;  Mark  i.  10, 
11  ;  Luke  iii.  21,  22).  And  again,  when  Jesus  was  trans- 
figured, a  voice  also  came  from  heaven,  saying,  This  is 
My  beloved  Son,  in  Whom  I  am  well  pleased ;  hear  ye  Him 
(Matt.  xvii.  5  ;  Mark  ix.  7  ;  Luke  ix.  35).  Jesus  asked  His 
disciples,  Who  do  men  say  that  I  am  ?  Peter  answered, 
Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God. 
And  Jesus  said,  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon  Barjona,  I  say 
unto  thee,  Upon  this  rock  I  will  build  My  church  (Matt.  xvi. 
13-18).  The  Lord  said  that  He  would  build  His  church 
upon  this  rock,  namely,  upon  the  truth  and  confession  that 
He  is  the  Son  of  God ;  for  rock  signifies  truth,  and  also  the 
Lord  as  to  Divine  Truth  ;  wherefore  the  church  is  not  with 
one  who  does  not  confess  this  truth,  that  He  is  the  Son  of 
God ;  and  therefore  it  was  said  above  that  this  is  the  first 
[element]  of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  is  thus  faith  in  its 
origin.  John  the  Baptist  saw  a?id  bare  record  that  This  is 
the  Son  of  God  (John  i.  34).  The  disciple  Nathanael  said 
to  Jesus,  Thou  art  the  Son  of  God,  Thou  art  the 
King  of  Israel  (John  i.  49).  The  twelve  disciples  said, 
We  have  believed  that  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of 
the  living  God  (vi.  69).  He  is  called  the  Only-begot- 
ten Son  of  God,  the  Only-begotten  of  the  Father, 
Who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father  (i.  14,  18  ;  iii.  16).  Jesus 
Himself  confessed  before  the  high  priest,  that  He  was  the 
Son  of  God  (Matt.  xxvi.  63,  64 ;  xxvii.  43  j  Mark  xiv.  61, 
62  j  Luke  xxii.  70).  They  that  were  in  the  ship  came  and 
worshipped  Jesus,  saying,  Of  a  truth  Thou  art  the  Son 
of  God  (Matt.  xiv.  33).  The  eunuch  who  wished  to  be 
baptized  said  to  Philip,  /  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
Son  of  God  (Acts  viii.  37).  Paul,  when  he  was  converted, 
preached  Christ,  that  He  was  the  Son  of  God  (ix.  20). 
Jesus  said,  The  hour  is  coming  when  the  dead  shall  hear  the 
voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  they  that  hear  shall  live 


No.  342.] 


FAITH. 


489 


(John  v.  25).  He  that  brfieveth  not  is  judged  already,  because 
he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  Only-begotten  Son 
of  God  (iii.  18).  These  are  written,  that  ye  might  believe 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and  that 
believing  ye  might  have  life  in  His  name  (xx.  31).  These 
things  have  I  writtefi  unto  you  that  believe  in  the  name  of 
rHE  Son  of  God,  that  ye  may  know  that  ye  have  eternal  life; 
and  that  ye  may  believe  in  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God 
(1  John  v.  13).  We  know  that  the  Son  of  God  is  come, 
and  hath  given  us  an  understanding  that  we  may  know  Him 
that  is  true;  and  we  are  in  Him  that  is  true,  in  His  Son 
Jesus  Christ.  This  is  the  true  God  and  eternal  Life  (v. 
20).  Whosoever  shall  confess  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of 
God,  God  dwclleth  in  him,  and  he  in  God  (iv.  15).  And 
also  in  other  places  (as  Matt.  viii.  29;  xxvii.  40,  43,  54; 
Mark  i.  1  ;  iii.  11  ;  xv.  39  ;  Luke  viii.  28  \  John  ix.  35  ;  x. 
36  ;  xi.  4,  27  ;  xix.  7  ;  Rom.  i.  4;  2  Cor.  i.  19  ;  Gal.  ii.  20 ; 
Eph.  iv.  13  ;  Heb.  iv.  14  j  vi.  6  \  vii.  3  ;  x.  29  •  1  John  iii. 
8;  v.  10;  Apoc.  ii.  18).  There  are  also  many  passages 
in  which  He  is  called  by  Jehovah  Son,  and  where  He 
Himself  calls  Jehovah  God  His  Father ;  as  in  this  :  What- 
soever the  Father  doeih,  this  doeth  the  Son  ;  as  the 
Father  raiseth  up  the  dead  and  quichencth  them,  even  so 
doth  the  Son.  As  the  Father  hath  life  in  Himself  so  hath 
He  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  Himself ;  all  men  should 
honor  the  Son  even  as  they  honor  the  Father  (John  v. 
19-26).  So  in  many  other  passages.  And  also  in  David  : 
/  will  declare  the  decree,  jfehovah  hath  said  unto  Me,  Thou 
art  My  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  IVice.  Kiss  the  Son, 
lest  lie  be  angry,  and  ye  perish  in  the  way,  when  His  wrath 
is  kindled  but  a  little.  Blessed  are  all  they  that  put  theik 
trust  in  Him  (Psalm  ii.  7,  12).  From  the  foregoing  now 
comes  this  conclusion  :  That  every  one  who  wishes  to  be 
truly  a  Christian,  and  to  be  saved  by  Christ,  ought  to  be- 
lieve that  yesus  is  the  Son  >f  the  living  God.  He  who  does 
not  believe  this,  but  only  that  Ue  is  the  Son  of  Mary,  im- 

VUI..  II.  .} 


490         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 

plants  in  himself  various  ideas  concerning  Him  which  are 
hurtful  and  destructive  of  that  state  of  salvation ;  of  which 
see  above,  n.  92,  94,  102.  Of  such  it  may  be  said,*as  of 
the  Jews,  that  instead  of  a  royal  crown,  they  put  upon  His 
head  a  crown  of  thorns,  and  give  Him  vinegar  to  drink, 
and  cry  out,  If  thou  be  the  Son  of  God,  command  that  these 
atones  be  made  bread ;  or,  If  thou  be  the  Son  of  God,  cast 
thyself  down  (Matt.  iv.  3,  6).  Such  profane  His  church 
and  His  temple  and  make  it  a  den  of  thieves.  These  are 
they  who  make  the  worship  of  Him  like  the  worship  of 
Mohammed,  and  do  not  distinguish  between  true  Chris- 
tianity (which  is  the  worship  of  the  Lord)  and  naturalism. 
They  may  be  compared  with  those  who  are  borne  in  a 
chariot  or  coach  over  thin  ice,  and  the  ice  breaks  under 
them,  and  they  sink;  and  themselves,  their  horses,  and  the 
chariot  are  covered  by  the  icy  water.  They  may  also  be 
likened  to  those  who  make  a  little  boat  of  reeds  and  canes, 
and  stick  it  together  with  pitch  that  it  may  cohere,  and  in 
it  launch  out  into  the  deep  ;  but  there.the  cohesiveness  from 
the  pitch  is  destroyed ;  and,  suffocated  in  the  waters  of  the 
sea,  they  are  swallowed  up  and  buried  in  its  depths. 

III.   Man  acquires  Faith  by  going  to  the  Lord, 

LEARNING  TRUTHS  FROM  THE  WORD,  AND  LIVING 
ACCORDING  TO  THEM. 

343.  Before  I  proceed  to  demonstrate  the  Origin  of 
Faith  (which  is,  that  man  must  go  to  the  Lord,  learn  truths 
from  the  Word,  and  live  according  to  them),  it  is  necessary 
first  to  set  forth  its  summaries,  from  which  may  be  had  a 
general  idea  of  faith,  in  the  [consideration  of  its]  several 
parts ;  for  thus  may  be  more  clearly  comprehended  not  only 
the  things  which  are  said  in  this  chapter  concerning  Faith, 
but  also  those  which  are  said  in  chapters  that  follow  con- 
cerning Charity,  Free  Will,  Repentance,  Reform«tVon  and 
Regeneration,  and  concerning  Imputation.   For  eVerS 


No.  345-] 


FAITH. 


49 1 


into  the  parts  of  a  system  of  theology,  one  and  all,  as  blood 
enters  into  the  members  of  the  body,  and  vivifies  them. 
What  the  present  church  teaches  respecting  faith  is  known 
in  the  Christian  world  generally,  and  particularly  in  its 
ecclesiastical  order ;  for  the  books  only  on  faith,  and  on 
faith  alone,  fill  the  libraries  of  the  Doctors  of  the  church ; 
for  almost  nothing  besides  this  is  regarded  as  properly 
theological  at  the  present  day.  But  before  what  the  pres- 
ent church  teaches  concerning  its  faith  is  taken  up,  consid- 
ered, and  examined  (which  will  be  done  in  an  Appendix), 
the  general  things  which  the  New  Church  teaches  concern- 
ing its  faith  shall  be  presented.    These  now  follow. 

344.  The  Esse  of  the  Faith  of  the  New  Church  is,  1.  Con- 
fidence in  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  2.  Trust 
that  he  who  lives  well  and  believes  aright  is  saved  by  Him. 
The  Essence  of  the  Faith  of  the  New  Church  is,  Truth  from 
the  Word.  The  Existence  of  the  Faith  of  the  New  Church 
is,  1.  Spiritual  Sight.  2.  Accordance  of  truths.  3.  Con- 
viction. 4.  Acknowledgment  inscribed  on  the  mind.  The 
States  of  Faith,  as  taught  in  the  New  Church,  are,  1.  In- 
fant faith,  adolescent  faith,  adult  faith.  2.  Faith  in  genuine 
truth  and  faith  in  appearances  of  truth.  3.  Faith  of  the 
memory,  faith  of  the  reason,  faith  of  light.  4.  Natural  faith, 
Ipiritual  faith,  heavenly  \celestiat\  faith.  5.  Living  faith  and 
miraculous  faith.  6.  Free  faith  and  forced  faith.  The 
Form  itself  of  the  Faith  of  the  New  Church,  in  a  universal 
and  in  a  particular  view,  may  be  seen  above  (n.  2  and  3). 

345.  Since  things  pertaining  to  spiritual  faith  have  been 
presented  in  a  summary,  so  also  shall  be  presented  those 
of  merely  natural  faith,  which  in  itself  is  a  persuasion  coun- 
terfeiting faith,  and  a  persuasion  of  falsity,  and  is  called 
heretical  faith.  Its  denominations  are  these:  1.  Spuri- 
ous faith,  in  which  falsities  are  commingled  with  truths. 
2.  Meretricious  faith  from  truths  falsified,  and  adulterous 
faith  from  goods  adulterated.  3.  Closed  or  Mind  faith, 
which  is  faith  in   mystical    things,   which    are  believed 


492         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 

although  it  is  not  known  whether  they  are  truths  or  falsi- 
ties, or  whether  they  are  above  reason  or  contrary  to  it. 
4.  Wandering  faith,  which  is  a  faith  in  more  Gods  than 
one.  5.  Purblind  faith,  which  is  a  faith  in  any  other  than 
the  true  God,  and  with  Christians  in  any  but  the  Lord  God 
the  Saviour.  6.  Hypocritical  or  Pharisaic  faith,  which  is  a 
faith  of  the  mouth  and  not  of  the  heart.  7.  Visionary  and 
preposterous  faith,  which  is  the  appearance  of  falsity  as 
truth  from  ingenious  confirmation. 

346.  It  was  stated  above,  that  faith  as  to  its  Existence 
with  man  is  spiritual  sight.  Now  as  spiritual  sight  which  is 
that  of  the  understanding  and  thus  of  the  mind,  and  natural 
sight  which  is  the  sight  of  the  eye  and  thus  of  the  body, 
mutually  correspond,  therefore  every  state  of  faith  may  be 
compared  with  some  state  of  the  eye  and  its  sight ;  a  state 
of  the  faith  of  truth  with  every  normal  state  of  eyesight,  and 
a  state  of  the  faith  of  falsity  with  every  perverted  state  of 
eyesight.  But  we  will  compare  the  correspondences  of 
these  two  kinds  of  sight,  mental  and  bodily,  as  to  their  per- 
verted states.  Spurious  faith,  in  which  falsities  are  com- 
mingled with  truths,  may  be  compared  to  the  disease  of  the 
eye,  and  consequently  of  the  sight,  called  white  speck  on  the 
cornea,  which  causes  dimness  of  sight.  Meretricious  faith, 
which  is  from  falsified  truths,  and  Adulterous  faith,  which  is 
from  adulterated  goods,  may  be  compared  to  the  disease  of 
the  eye,  and  consequently  of  the  sight,  called  glaucoma* 
which  is  a  drying  up  and  hardening  of  the  crystalline 
humor.  Closed  or  blind  faith,  which  is  in  mystical  things, 
that  are  believed  although  it  is  not  known  whether  they 
are  true  or  false,  or  whether  they  are  above  reason  or  con- 
trary to  it,  may  be  compared  to  the  disease  of  the  eye  called 
gutta  serena  and  amaurosis,  which  is  a  loss  of  sight  while 
the  eye  still  looks  as  if  it  saw  perfectly,  and  which  arises 
from  an  obstruction  of  the  optic  nerve.  Wandering  faith, 
which  is  a  faith  in  more  Gods  than  one,  may  be  compared 

*  This  term  if  now  applied  to  a  different  condition. 


No.  347.] 


FAITH. 


493 


to  the  disease  of  the  eye  called  cataract,  which  is  a  loss  of 
sight  arising  from  stoppage  between  the  sclerotic  coat  and 
the  uvea.  Purblind  faith,  which  is  a  faith  in  any  other  than 
the  true  God,  and  with  Christians  in  any  but  the  Lord  God 
the  Saviour,  may  be  compared  to  the  fault  in  the  eye  which 
is  called  strabismus.  Hypocritical  or  Pharisaic  faith,  which 
is  a  faith  of  the  mouth  and  not  of  the  heart,  may  be  com- 
pared with  atrophy  of  the  eye,  and  consequent  loss  of  sight. 
Visionary  and  preposterous  faith,  which  is  the  appearance  of 
falsity  as  truth  from  ingenious  confirmation,  may  be  com- 
pared to  the  disease  of  the  eye  called  nyctalopia,  which  is 
seeing  in  darkness  from  fatuous  light. 

347.  But  as  regards  the  Formation  of  Faith  :  Faith  is 
formed  by  man's  going  to  the  Lord,  learning  truths  from 
the  Word,  and  living  according  to  them.  First :  Faith  is 
formed  by  man's  going  to  the  Lord,  because  faith  which  is 
faith,  thus  which  is  the  faith  that  belongs  to  salvation,  is  from 
the  Lord  and  in  the  Lord.  That  it  is  from  the  Lord  is  evi- 
dent from  His  words  to  the  disciples,  Abide  in  Me,  and  I  in 
you,  for  without  Me  ye  can  do  nothing  (John  xv.  4,  5).  That 
faith  is  in  the  Lord  is  manifest  from  the  passages  presented 
in  abundance  above  (n.  337,  338),  to  the  effect  that  men 
ought  to  believe  i?i  the  Son.  Now  since  faith  is  from  the 
Lord  and  in  the  Lord,  it  may  be  said  that  the  Lord  is  Faith 
itself  j  for  its  life  and  essence  are  in  Him,  and  thus  from 
Him.  Second:  Faith,  is  formed  by  man's  learning  truths 
from  the  Word,  because  faith  in  its  essence  is  truth  ;  for  all 
things  that  enter  into  faith  are  truths;  wherefore  faith  is 
nothing  but  a  complex  of  truths  shining  in  the  mind  of 
man ;  for  truths  teach  not  only  that  man  ought  to  believe, 
but  also  in  Whom  he  ought  to  believe,  and  what  he  ought 
to  believe.  Truths  are  to  be  taken  from  the  Word,  because 
all  truths'which  conduce  to  salvation  are  there,  and  there  is 
efficacy  in  them  because  they  have  been  given  by  the  Lord, 
and  are  therefore  inscribed  on  the  whole  angelic  heaven  \ 
wherefore  when  man  learns  truths  from  the  Word,  he  comes 


494         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VL 


into  communion  and  consociation  with  the  angels  more 
than  he  knows.  Faith  without  truths  is  like  seed  destitute 
of  inner  substance,  which  when  ground  yields  nothing  but 
bran ;  while  faith  from  truths  is  like  good  grain,  which  when 
ground  yields  flour.  In  a  word,  the  essentials  of  faith  are 
truths ;  and  if  they  are  not  in  it  and  do  not  compose  it, 
faith  is  only  like  the  shrill  sound  of  a  whistle ;  but  when 
they  are  in  it  and  compose  it,  faith  is  as  the  voice  of  glad 
tidings.  Third :  Faith  is  formed  by  maris  living  according 
to  truths,  because  spiritual  life  is  a  life  according  to  truths, 
and  truths  do  not  actually  live  until  they  are  in  deeds. 
Truths  abstracted  from  deeds  are  of  the  thought  only, 
which,  if  they  do  not  become  of  the  will  also,  are  only  in 
the  entrance  to  the  man,  and  so  are  not  inwardly  in  him ; 
for  the  will  is  the  man  himself,  and  the  thought  is  so  far 
the  man,  in  quantity  and  quality,  as  it  adjoins  to  itself  the 
will.  He  who  learns  truths  and  does  not  do  them,  is  like 
one  who  scatters  seed  about  in  a  field  and  does  not  harrow 
it  in ;  and  so  the  seeds  become  swollen  by  the  rains  and 
are  spoiled ;  but  he  who  learns  truths  and  does  them,  is  like 
one  who  sows  his  seed  and  covers  it ;  and  so  the  rain  causes 
the  seeds  to  grow,  even  to  the  harvest,  to  be  of  use  for  food. 
The  Lord  says,  If  ye  know  these  things,  happy  are  ye  if  ye  do 
them  (John  xiii.  17);  and  again,  He  that  received  seed  into 
the  good  ground  is  he  that  heareth  the  Word,  and  attendeth, 
who  also  beareth  fruit  and  bringeth  forth  (Matt.  xiii.  23) ; 
again,  Whosoever  heareth  My  words  and  doeth  them,  I  will 
liken  him  unto  a  prudent  man  who  built  his  house  upon  a 
rock.  A?id  every  one  who  heareth  My  words  but  doeth  them 
not  shall  be  likened  unto  a  foolish  man  who  built  his  house 
upon  the  sand  (Matt.  vii.  24,  26).  All  the  Lord's  words  are 
truths. 

348.  From  the  things  said  above  it  is  manifest  that  there 
are  three  things  by  which  faith  is  formed  with  man ;  first, 
by  going  to  the  lord ;  second,  by  learning  truths  from  the 
Word ;  and  third,  by  living  according  to  them.     Now  as 


No.  34S.] 


FAITH. 


495 


these  are  three  things,  and  as  one  is  not  the  same  as  an- 
other, it  follows  that  they  can  be  separated  j  for  one  can 
go  to  the  Lord  and  not  know  any  but  historical  truths  con- 
cerning God  and  concerning  the  Lord ;  and  one  can  also 
know  truths  from  the  Word  in  abundance,  and  yet  not  live 
according  to  them.  But  with  the  man  in  whom  those  three 
things  are  separated,  that  is,  in  whom  there  is  one  without 
another,  there  is  not  the  faith  of  salvation ;  but  this  faith 
arises  when  the  three  are  conjoined,  and  the  faith  is  such 
as  the  conjunction  is.  Where  these  three  things  are  sepa- 
rated, faith  is  like  a  sterile  seed,  which  when  dropped  in 
the  earth  moulders  into  dust  \  but  where  the  three  are  con- 
joined, faith  is  like  a  seed  in  the  ground,  which  grows  up 
into  a  tree,  the  fruit  of  which  is  according  to  the  conjunc- 
tion. Where  those  three  things  are  separated,  faith  is  like 
an  egg  which  contains  nothing  prolific  j  but,  where  they  are 
conjoined,  the  faith  is  like  an  egg  which  produces  a  beauti- 
ful bird.  Faith,  with  those  in  whom  the  three  things  are 
separated,  may  be  likened  to  the  eye  of  a  fish  or  a  crab 
when  boiled ;  but  faith  with  those  in  whom  the  three  are 
conjoined  may  be  likened  to  an  eye  translucent  from  the 
crystalline  humor  even  to  and  through  the  uvea  of  the  iris. 
Faith  separated  is  like  a  picture  drawn  in  dark  colors  on  a 
black  stone  ;  but  faith  conjoined  is  like  a  picture  drawn  in 
beautiful  colors  on  a  transparent  crystal.  The  light  of  faith 
separated  may  be  compared  to  that  of  a  firebrand  in  the 
hand  of  a  traveller  in  the  night ;  while  the  light  of  faith 
conjoined  may  be  compared  to  that  of  a  torch,  which  when 
waved  about  shows  plainly  each  step  of  the  way.  Faith 
without  truths  is  like  a  vine  bearing  wild  grapes;  but  faith 
from  truths  is  like  a  vine  bearing  clusters  full  of  noble  wine. 
Faith  in  the  Lord  when  destitute  of  truths  may  be  compared 
to  a  new  star  appearing  in  the  expanse  of  heaven,  which  in 
time  grows  dim  ;  but  faith  in  the  Lord,  together  with  truths, 
may  be  compared  to  a  fixed  star  which  remains  constant. 
Truth  is  the  essence  of  faith ;  wherefore,  such  as  the  truth 


496         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  REL.GION.    [Chap.  VI. 

is,  such  is  the  faith,  which  without  truths  is  wandering,  but 
with  them  is  fixed ;  moreover,  the  faith  of  truths  shines  in 
heaven  like  a  star. 

IV.  An  Abundance  of  Truths,  coherent  as  if  bundled 

TOGETHER,  EXALTS  AND  PERFECTS  FAITH. 

349.  From  the  conception  of  faith  which  exists  at  this 
clay,  it  cannot  be  recognized  that  faith  in  its  compass  is  a 
complex  of  truths ;  and  still  less  that  man  can  contribute 
any  thing  toward  procuring  faith  for  himself,  when  yet 
faith  in  its  essence  is  truth,  for  it  is  truth  in  its  light ;  also 
that  as  truth  can  be  procured,  so  too  can  faith.  Who  can- 
not go  to  the  Lord  if  he  will  ?  Who  cannot  collect  truths 
from  the  Word  if  he  will  ?  And  every  truth  in  the  Word 
and  from  the  Word  gives  light,  and  truth  in  light  is  faith. 
The  Lord  Who  is  Light  itself  flows  in  with  every  man  ;  and 
in  him  in  whom  there  are  truths  from  the  Word,  He  causes 
them  to  shine,  and  so  to  become  of  faith  :  and  this  is  what 
the  Lord  says  in  John,  that  they  should  abide  in  the  Lord, 
and  His  words  in  them  (xv.  7).  The  Lord's  words  are 
truths.  But  that  it  may  be  rightly  comprehended  that  an 
abundance  of  truths,  coherent  as  if  bundled  together,  exalts 
and  perfects  faith,  the  comment  is  to  be  divided  undei  the 
following  heads  :  1.  The  truths  of  faith  may  be  multiplied  to 
infinity.  2 .  Their  disposition  is  into  series,  tints  as  it  we?-e  into 
fascicles.  3.  Faith  is  perfected  according  to  their  abundance 
and  coherence.  4.  Truths,  however  numerous  they  are,  and 
however  diverse  they  appear,  make  one  from  the  Lord,  Who  is 
the  Word,  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  God  of  all  flesh, 
the  God  of  the  vineyard  or  church,  the  God  of  faith,  Light 
itself,  the  Truth,  and  Life  eternal. 

350.  (r.)  The  Truths  of  Faith  may  be  multiplied  to  Ln- 
fnity.  This  may  be  evident  from  the  wisdom  of  the  angels 
df  heaven,  if  we  consider  that  it  increases  to  eternity.  The 
angels  also  say  that  there  is  no  end  to  wisdom ;  and  more, 


No.  351.] 


FAITH. 


497 


wisaom  is  from  no  other  source  than  Divine  truths,  analyti- 
cally distributed  into  forms,  by  means  of  the  light  flowing 
in  from  the  Lord.  The  human  intelligence  which  is  truly 
intelligence  is  also  from  no  other  source.  Divine  truth 
may  be  multiplied  to  infinity  because  the  Lord  is  Divine 
Truth  itself  or  Truth  in  its  infinity,  and  He  draws  all  to 
Himself  ;  but  angels  and  men,  being  finite,  can  follow  the 
current  of  the  attraction  only  according  to  their  measure, 
the  effort  of  the  attraction  still  continuing  to  infinity.  The 
Word  of  the  Lord  is  a  great  deep  of  truths,  from  which  is 
all  angelic  wisdom ;  although  to  a  man  who  knows  nothing 
of  its  spiritual  and  heavenly  [celestial]  sense,  it  appears  no 
more  than  the  water  in  a  pitcher.  The  multiplication  of 
the  truths  of  faith  to  infinity  may  be  compared  to  the  seed 
of  men,  from  one  of  whom  may  be  propagated  families  to 
ages  of  ages.  The  prolification  of  the  truths  of  faith  may 
also  be  compared  to  the  prolification  of  the  seeds  in  a  field 
or  a  garden,  which  may  be  propagated  to  myriads  of  myri- 
ads, and  perpetually.  Seed  in  the  Word  means  nothing  but 
truth  j  a  field  means  doctrine  j  and  a  garden,  wisdom.  The 
human  mind  is  like  soil,  in  which  spiritual  and  natural 
truths  are  implanted  as  seeds,  and  they  may  be  multiplied 
without  end.  Man  derives  this  from  the  infinity  of  God, 
Who  with  His  light  and  His  heat,  and  with  the  faculty  of 
generating,  is  in  man  perpetually. 

351.  (2.)  The  disposition  of  the  Truths  of  Faith  is  into 
Series,  thus  as  it  were  into  Fascicles.  That  this  is  so,  is  as 
yet  unknown ;  and  it  is  unknown  because  the  spiritual 
truths  of  which  the  whole  Word  is  composed,  owing  to  the 
mystical  and  enigmatical  faith  which  makes  every  point  of 
the  theology  of  the  day,  could  not  appear  j  and  therefore, 
like  storehouses,  they  have  sunk  into  the  earth.  That  it 
may  be  known  what  is  meant  by  series  and  fascicles,  it 
shall  be  explained.  The  first  chapter  of  this  book,  which 
treats  of  God  the  Creator,  is  distinguished  into  a  series  of 

sections  ;  the  first  of  these  is  concerning  the  Unity  of  God 

4* 


498         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 

the  second,  concerning  the  Esse  of  God,  or  Jehovah ;  the 
third,  concerning  God's  Infinity;  the  fourth,  concerning 
the  Essence  of  God,  which  is  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom ; 
the  fifth,  concerning  God's  Omnipotence;  and  the  sixth, 
concerning  Creation.  The  arrangement  of  each  section 
into  its  articles  makes  a  series,  binding  what  is  therein  as 
into  bundles.  These  series,  in  general  and  in  particular, 
thus  conjointly  and  severally,  contain  truths,  which  accord- 
ing to  their  abundance  and  coherence  exalt  and  perfect 
faith.  He  who  does  not  know  that  the  human  mind  is 
organized,  or  that  it  is  a  spiritual  organism  terminating  in 
a  natural  organism,  in  which  and  according  to  which  the 
mind  produces  its  ideas  or  thinks,  cannot  but  suppose  that 
perceptions,  thoughts,  and  ideas  are  nothing  but  radiations 
and  variations  of  light  flowing  into  the  head,  and  exhibiting 
the  forms  which  man  sees  and  acknowledges  as  reasons. 
But  this  is  foolishness ;  for  every  one  knows  that  the  head 
is  full  of  brains,  that  the  brains  are  organized,  that  the 
mind  dwells  in  them,  and  that  its  ideas  are  fixed  therein 
and  remain  as  they  have  been  accepted  and  confirmed. 
The  question  then  is,  What  is  the  nature  of  that  organiza- 
tion ?  The  answer  is,  It  is  the  arrangement  of  all  things  in 
series,  as  it  were  in  fascicles,  and  the  truths  which  are  of 
faith  are  so  disposed  in  the  human  mind.  That  it  is  so  may 
be  illustrated  by  what  now  follows :  The  brain  consists  of 
two  substances,  one  of  which  is  glandular,  and  is  called  the 
cortical  and  cineritious  substance,  and  the  other  is  fibril- 
lous,  and  is  called  the  medullary  substance.  The  first,  or 
the  glandular  substance,  is  disposed  into  clusters  like  grapes 
on  a  vine ;  those  clusterings  are  its  series.  The  other  sub- 
stance, which  is  called  medullary,  consists  of  perpetual 
bundlings  of  fibrils  issuing  from  the  glandules  of  the  former 
substance ;  these  bundlings  are  its  series.  All  the  nerves 
which  proceed  therefrom,  and  pass  down  into  the  body  to 
perform  various  functions,  are  only  bundles  and  fascicles 
of  fibres ;  and  so  are  all  the  muscles,  and  in  general  all  the 


No.  352.] 


FAITH. 


499 


viscera  and  organs  of  the  body.  All  these  are  sich  because 
they  correspond  to  the  series  into  which  the  mental  organ- 
ism is  disposed.  Moreover,  there  is  not  any  thing  in  uni- 
versal nature  that  is  not  fasciculated  into  series  \  every  tree, 
every  bush,  shrub,  and  plant,  yes,  every  ear  of  corn  and 
blade  of  grass,  in  whole  and  in  part,  is  so.  The  universal 
cause  is,  that  Divine  truths  have  such  a  conformation;  for 
we  read  that  all  things  were  created  by  the  Word,  that  is, 
by  Divine  Truth,  and  that  the  world  also  was  made  by  it 
(John  i.  1,  and  subsequent  verses).  From  all  this  it  may  be 
seen,  that  unless  there  were  such  an  arrangement  of  sub- 
stances in  the  human  mind,  man  would  have  no  power  of 
rational  analysis,  which  every  one  has  according  to  the 
arrangement,  thus  according  to  the  abundance  of  truths 
coherent  as  it  were  in  the  general  bundle ;  and  the  arrange- 
ment is  according  to  the  use  of  reason  from  freedom. 

352.  (3.)  That  faith  is  perfected  according  to  the  Abun- 
dance and  Coherence  of  Truths,  follows  from  the  things  said 
above,  and  becomes  manifest  to  every  one  who  collects  rea- 
sons, and  observes  what  multiplied  series  effect  when  they 
cohere  as  one  ;  for  then  one  thing  strengthens  and  confirms 
another,  and  they  make  a  form  together,  and,  when  this  is 
put  into  action,  they  exhibit  one  act.  Now  as  faith  in  its 
essence  is  truth,  it  follows  that,  according  to  the  abundance 
and  coherence  of  truths,  it  becomes  more  and  more  perfectly 
spiritual,  therefore  less  and  less  sensual-natural ;  for  it  is 
exalted  to  a  higher  region  of  the  mind,  from  which  it  sees 
below  it  troops  of  confirmations  of  itself  in  the  nature  of 
the  world.  True  faith,  by  an  abundance  of  truths  coherent 
as  it  were  in  a  bundle,  also  becomes  more  lustrous,  more 
perceptible,  more  evident,  and  clearer ;  it  also  becomes 
more  capable  of  conjunction  with  the  goods  of  charity,  and 
consequently  of  being  alienated  from  evils  ;  and  succes- 
sively more  removed  from  the  allurements  of  the  eye  and 
the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  therefore  happier  in  itself.  Espe- 
cially does  it  become  more  powerful  against  evils  and 


5oo 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


falsities,  and  consequently  more  and  more  living  and 
saving. 

353.  It  was  said  above,  that  all  truth  in  heaven  shines, 
and  thence  that  truth  shining  is  faith  in  essence  ;  where- 
fore the  beauty  and  comeliness  of  faith,  coming  from  that 
enlightenment,  when  its  truths  are  multiplied,  may  be  com- 
pared to  various  forms,  objects,  and  pictures,  produced 
from  different  colors  harmoniously  combined;  and  so  to 
the  precious  stones  of  many  colors  in  the  breastplate  of 
Aaron,  which  together  were  called  the  Urim  and  Thum- 
mim ;  likewise  to  the  precious  stones  of  which  the  founda- 
tions of  the  wall  of  the  New  Jerusalem  are  to  be  built 
(concerning  which  see  Apoc.  xxi.).  It  may  also  be  com- 
pared with  the  precious  stones  of  many  colors  in  the  crown 
of  a  king.  Precious  stones  also  signify  truths  of  faith. 
Comparison  may  be  made,  also,  with  the  beauty  of  the 
rainbow,  and  with  the  beauty  of  a  flowery  field,  and  also 
of  a  garden  blossoming  in  the  early  spring.  The  light  and 
glory  of  faith,  from  an  abundance  of  truths  fitly  entering 
into  it,  may  be  compared  to  the  illumination  of  temples  by 
numerous  candelabra,  of  houses  by  chandeliers,  and  of 
streets  by  lamps.  The  exaltation  of  faith  by  an  abundance 
of  truths,  may  be  illustrated  by  comparison  with  the  uplift- 
ing of  sound  and  likewise  with  the  melody  of  many  musical 
instruments  played  in  concert ;  and  also  with  the  increase 
of  fragrance  from  a  collection  of  sweet-smelling  flowers; 
and  so  on.  The  power  of  faith  formed  of  many  truths, 
against  evils  and  falsities,  may  be  compared  with  the  firm- 
ness of  a  temple,  in  consequence  of  the  stones'  being  well 
laid,  with  columns  built  into  its  wall,  and  under  its  fretted 
ceiling;  it  may  also  be  compared  with  a  battalion  drawn 
up  in  square,  where  the  soldiers  stand  side  by  side,  and 
so  form  and  act  as  one  force ;  it  may  also  be  compared 
with  the  muscles  woven  about  the  whole  body,  which, 
although  numerous  and  situated  in  different  places,  still 
in  actions  mnke  one  power;  and  so  on. 


No.  354.] 


FAITH. 


501 


354.  (4.)  The  Truths  of  Faith,  however  numerous  they 
are,  a?id  however  diverse  they  appear,  make  one  from  the 
Lord,  Who  is  the  Word,  the  God  of  Heaven  and  Earth,  the 
God  of  all  Flesh,  the  God  of  the  Vineyard  or  Church,  the  God 
of  Faith,  Light  itself,  the  Truth,  and  Life  eternal.  The 
truths  of  faith  are  various,  and  to  man  they  appear  diverse. 
For  example  :  some  are  concerning  God  the  Creator,  some 
concerning  the  Lord  the  Redeemer,  some  concerning  the 
Holy  Spirit  and  the  Divine  Operation,  some  concerning 
Faith  and  Charity,  and  others  concerning  Free  Will,  Re- 
pentance, Reformation  and  Regeneration,  Imputation,  and 
so  on.  Still  they  make  one  in  the  Lord,  and  with  man  from 
the  Lord,  like  many  branches  in  one  vine  (John  xv.  1,  and 
the  subsequent  verses).  For  the  Lord  joins  scattered  and 
divided  truths  together,  as  into  one  form,  in  which  they 
present  one  aspect  and  exhibit  one  action.  This  may  be 
illustrated  by  comparison  with  the  members,  viscera,  and 
organs  in  one  body ;  although  these  are  various  and  in  man's 
sight  diverse,  nevertheless  a  man  who  is  their  general  form 
feels  them  only  as  one ;  and  when  he  is  acting  from  them 
all,  he  acts  as  if  from  one.  So  it  is  with  heaven,  which, 
although  distinguished  into  innumerable  societies,  still  ap- 
pears before  the  Lord  as  one ;  that  it  appears  as  one  Man, 
was  shown  above.  This  is  as  with  a  kingdom,  which, 
although  divided  into  several  departments  and  also  into 
provinces  and  cities,  still  makes  one  under  a  king  who  has 
justice  and  judgment.  It  is  from  the  Lord  that  it  is  similar 
with  the  truths  of  faith  (from  which  the  church  is  the  church), 
because  the  Lord  is  the  Word,  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth, 
the  God  of  all  flesh,  the  God  of  the  vineyard  or  church,  the 
God  of  faith,  Light  itself,  the  Truth,  and  Life  eternal.  That 
the  Lord  is  the  Word,  and  therefore  all  the  truth  of  heaven 
and  the  church,  is  evident  in  John  :  The  Word  was  with 
God,  and  the  Word  was  God ;  and  the  Word  became  Flesh 
(i.  1,  14).  That  the  Lord  is  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth, 
is  evident  in  Matthew:  Jesus  said,  All  power  is  given  unto 


502 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI 


Me  in  heaven  and  in  earth  (xxviii.  18).  That  the  Lord  is  the 
God  of  all  flesh,  in  John :  The  Father  hath  given  to  the  Son 
power  over  all flesh  (xvii.  2).  That  the  Lord  is  the  God  of 
the  vineyard  or  church,  in  Isaiah :  My  Well-beloved  had  a 
vineyard  (v.  1) ;  and  in  John :  /  am  the  Vine,  ye  are  the 
bra?iches  (xv.  5).  That  the  Lord  is  the  God  of  faith,  in 
Paul :  Having  the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  faith  of  Christ, 
of  the  God  of  faith  (Philip,  iii.  9).  That  the  Lord  is  Light 
itself,  in  John  :  That  was  the  true  Light,  Which  lighteth  every 
man  that  cometh  into  the  world  (i.  9)  ;  and  in  another  place, 
Jesus  said,  /  am  come  a  Light  into  the  world,  that  whosoever 
bclieveth  i?i  Me  should  not  abide  in  darkness  (xii.  46).  That 
the  Lord  is  the  Truth  itself,  in  John:  Jesus  said,  I  am  the 
Way,  the  Truth;  and  the  Life  (xiv.  6).  That  the  Lord  is  Life 
eternal,  in  the  first  Epistle  of  John  :  We  know  that  the  Son 
of  God  is  come  into  the  world,  that  we  may  know  the  Truth, 
and  we  are  in  the  Truth  iti  Jesus  Christ ;  this  is  the  true  God 
and  eler7ial  Life  (v.  20,  21).  To  this  must  be  added,  that 
man,  owing  to  his  worldly  occupations,  can  procure  for  him- 
self only  a  few  truths  of  faith ;  but  still,  if  he  goes  to  the 
Lord  and  worships  Him  alone,  he  comes  into  the  power  of 
recognizing  all  truths ;  wherefore  every  true  worshipper  of 
the  Lord,  as  soon  as  he  hears  any  truth  of  faith  with  which  he 
was  not  before  acquainted,  sees,  acknowledges,  and  receives 
it  instantly.  This  is  because  the  Lord  is  in  him,  and  he  in 
the  Lord ;  consequently  the  light  of  truth  is  in  him,  and  he 
in  the  light  of  truth ;  for,  as  said  above,  the  Lord  is  Light 
itself  and  Truth  itself.  This  may  be  confirmed  by  the  fol- 
lowing experience.  A  spirit  was  seen  by  me,  who  in  the 
company  of  some  others  appeared  simple,  because  he  ac- 
knowledged the  Lord  alone  as  the  God  of  heaven  and 
earth,  and  confirmed  this  his  faith  by  some  truths  from  the 
Word.  He  was  taken  up  into  heaven,  among  the  wiser 
angels ;  and  it  was  told  me  that  there  he  was  as  wise  as 
they ;  yes  that  he  spoke  truths  in  abundance,  of  which  he 
had  before  known  nothing,  and  altogether  as  from  himself. 


No.  355.] 


FAITH. 


503 


Similar  will  be  the  state  of  those  who  are  to  come  into  the 
Lord's  New  Church.  It  is  the  same  state  that  is  described 
in  Jeremiah  :  This  shall  be  the  cove?iant  that  I  will  make  with 
the  house  of  Israel,  after  these  days  ;  I  will  put  my  law  i?i  the 
midst  of  them,  aud  write  it  in  their  hearts ;  a7id  they  shall 
teach  no  more  every  man  his  fellow,  a?id  every  man  his  brother, 
saying,  Know  the  Lord;  for  they  shall  all  know  Me,fro??i  the 
least  of  them  unto  the  greatest  of  tJmn  (xxxi.  33,  34).  That 
state  will  also  be  such  as  is  described  in  Isaiah :  There  shall 
come  forth  a  Rod  out  of  the  stem  of  Jesse ;  truth  shall  be  the 
girdle  of  His  thighs.  The  wolf  also  shall  dwell  with  the  lamb, 
and  the  leopard  shall  lie  down  with  the  kid ;  the  sucking  child 
shall  play  on  the  hole  of  the  asp,  and  the  weaned  child  shall 
put  his  hand  on  the  cockatrice'  den  ;  for  the  earth  shall  be  full 
of  the  k?iowledge  of  Jehovah,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea.  In 
that  day  the  nations  shall  seek  the  Root  of  Jesse,  and  His  rest 
shall  be  glory  (xi.  1,  5,  6,  8,  10). 

V.  Faith  without  Charity  is  not  Faith,  and  Charity 
without  Faith  is  not  Charity  j  and  neither 
lives  except  from  the  lord. 

355.  That  the  church  of  this  day  would  separate  faith 
from  charity,  by  saying  that  faith  alone  justifies  and  saves 
without  the  works  of  the  law,  and  so  that  charity  cannot  be 
conjoined  with  faith,  since  faith  is  from  God  and  charity 
from  man  so  far  as  it  is  actual  in  works,  never  entered  the 
mind  of  any  of  the  apostles,  as  is  very  manifest  from  their 
Epistles.  But  this  separation  and  division  were  introduced 
into  the  Christian  Church  when  they  divided  the  one  God 
into  three  persons  and  ascribed  equal  divinity  to  each. 
But  that  there  is  no  faith  without  charity,  and  no  charity 
without  faith,  and  that  neither  has  life  except  from  the 
Lord,  will  be  illustrated  in  the  following  lemma;  here,  to 
prepare  the  way,  it  shall  be  demonstrated,  1.  That  man  can 
acquire  faith  for  himself.    2.  That  lie  can  acquire  charity 


504         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


also.  3.  And  likewise  the  life  of  both.  4.  But  yet  that 
nothing  of  faith,  nothing  of  charity,  and  nothing  of  the  life  of 
either,  is  from  7nan,  but  from  the  Lord  alone. 

356.  (1.)  Man  can  acqitire  Faith  for  himself.  This  was 
shown  in  the  third  lemma  above  (n.  343-348) ;  and  it  was 
shown  in  this  way :  That  faith  in  its  essence  is  truth,  and 
truths  from  the  Word  can  be  acquired  by  any  one  \  and 
that  so  far  as  any  one  acquires  them  for  himself  and  loves 
them,  so  far  he  initiates  in  himself  faith.  To  which  shall 
be  added,  that  if  man  were  not  able  to  procure  faith  for 
himself,  all  that  is  commanded  in  the  Word  concerning 
faith  would  be  useless  \  for  we  read  there  that  it  is  the  will 
of  the  Father  that  men  should  believe  in  the  Son ;  a?id  that 
whosoever  believeth  in  Him  hath  eternal  life,  and  that  he  who 
believeth  not  shall  not  see  life.  We  read  also  that  Jesus 
would  send  the  Comforter  who  would  convince  the  world  of 
sin,  because  it  believed  not  in  Him  :  besides  many  other  pas- 
sages which  were  adduced  above  (n.  337,  338).  Moreover, 
that  all  the  apostles  preached  faith,  and  this  in  the  Lord 
God  the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  What  meaning  would  there 
be  in  all  this  if  man  were  to  stand  with  his  hands  hanging 
down,  like  a  sculptured  statue  with  movable  joints,  and 
wait  for  influx?  the  joints  meanwhile  being  intrinsically 
excited  to  something  that  is  not  of  faith,  except  that  they 
are  able  to  apply  themselves  to  the  reception  of  the  influx. 
For  modern  orthodoxy  in  the  part  of  the  Christian  world 
that  is  separate  from  the  Roman  Catholics,  teaches  thus : 
That  man  is  utterly  corrupt  and  dead  to  good,  so  that  since 
the  fall  there  does  not  remain  or  abide  in  man's  nature, 
before  regeneration,  even  a  spark  of  spiritual  strength  by 
which  he  is  capable  of  becoming  prepared  for  the  grace  of 
God  or  of  apprehending  it  when  offered,  or  of  retaining  it, 
from  and  by  himself ;  nor  can  he  from  himself,  in  things 
spiritual,  understand,  believe,  embrace,  think,  will,  begin, 
carry  out,  act,  operate,  co-operate,  or  apply  or  accommodate 
himself  to  grace,  or  do  any  thing  towards  conversion,  wholly, 


No.  357.] 


FAITH. 


505 


or  by  halves,  or  in  the  smallest  measure.  And  that,  in 
spiritual  things  which  respect  the  safety  of  the  soul,  he  is 
like  the  statue  of  salt,  Lot's  wife,  and  like  a  stock  or  a 
stone  without  life,  which  has  no  use  of  eyes,  mouth,  or  any 
of  the  senses.  That  still  he  has  the  power  of  moving  from 
place  to  place,  or  can  direct  his  external  members,  go  to 
public  meetings,  and  hear  the  Word  and  the  Gospel.  This 
is  in  the  book  of  the  church  of  the  Evangelical,  called 
"Formula  Concordiae,"  in  the  Leipsic  edition  of  1756, 
pages  656,  658,  661,  662,  663,  671,  672,  673  ;  to  which 
book,  and  thus  to  which  faith,  the  priests  when  they  are 
inaugurated,  make  oath.  The  faith  of  the  Reformed  is 
similar.  But  who  that  has  reason  and  religion  would  not 
hiss  at  those  things  as  absurd  and  ridiculous  ?  Would  he 
not  say  to  himself,  "If  this  were  so,  what  would  the  Word 
amount  to,  or  religion,  or  the  priesthood,  or  preaching,  but 
mere  emptiness,  or  sound  about  nothing?"  Tell  some 
pagan  who  has  any  judgment  and  whom  you  wish  to  con- 
vert, that  he  is  such  with  regard  to  conversion  and  faith, 
and  would  he  not  look  upon  Christianity  as  one  looks  on 
an  empty  vessel  ?  For  take  from  man  all  power  of  believ- 
ing as  of  himself,  and  then  what  else  is  he  ?  But  this  will 
be  exhibited  in  clearer  light  in  the  chapter  concerning 
Free  Will. 

357.  (2.)  Man  can  acquire  Charity  for  himself.  The 
case  here  is  similar  to  that  of  faith  j  for  what  does  the 
Word  teach  but  faith  and  charity  because  these  arc  the 
two  essentials  of  salvation  ?  For  we  read,  Thou  shalt  love 
the  Lord,  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul ;  and  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself  (Matt.  xxii.  34-39).  And  Jesus  said, 
A  new  commandment  I  give  unto  you,  That  ye  love  one 
another ;  by  this  shall  ye  be  known  that  ye  are  My  disciples, 
that  ye  love  one  another  (John  xiii.  34,  35  ;  see  also  xv.  9  ; 
xvi.  27).  Also,  that  men  ought  to  bear  fruit  like  a  good 
tree ;  and  that  he  who  does  good  shall  be  rewarded  at  the 
resurrection  ;  besides  other  similar  things.  For  what  would 


506         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


all  this  be  if  man  could  not  of  himself  exercise  charity, 
and  in  some  measure  procure  it  for  himself  ?  Can  he  not 
give  alms,  help  the  needy,  and  do  good  in  his  house  and 
in  his  employment  ?  Can  he  not  live  according  to  the 
commandments  of  the  decalogue  ?  Has  he  not  a  soul 
from  which  he  can  do  these  things,  and  a  rational  mind 
from  which  he  can  lead  himself  to  act  for  this  or  that  end  ? 
Can  he  not  think  that  he  ought  to  do  them  because  they 
are  commanded  in  the  Word,  and  thus  by  God?  This 
power  is  wanting  to  no  man ;  and  it  is  not  wanting,  because 
the  Lord  gives  it  to  every  one ;  and  He  gives  it  as  some- 
thing that  is  man's  own;  for  who  while  doing  charity 
knows  otherwise  than  that  he  is  doing  it  from  himself  ? 

358.  (3.)  Man  can  also  acquire  for  himself  the  Life  of 
Faith  and  Charity.  This  again  is  similar ;  for  man  ac- 
quires this  life  for  himself  when  he  goes  to  the  Lord  Who 
is  Life  itself ;  and  access  to  Him  is  not  foreclosed  to  any 
man,  for  the  Lord  continually  invites  every  one  to  come  to 
Him ;  for  He  said,  He  that  comcth  to  Me  shall  never  hunger, 
a?id  he  that  believeth  in  Me  shall  never  thirst ;  and  him  that 
cometh  to  Me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out  (John  vi.  35,  37). 
Jes:is  stood  a?id  cried,  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto 
Me  and  drink  (vii.  37).  And  in  another  place  :  The  king- 
dom of  heave?i  is  like  one  who  made  a  wedding  for  his  son, 
and  sent  forth  his  servants  to  call  them  that  were  bidden. 
And  at  last  he  said,  Go  ye  into  the  highways,  and  as  many 
as  ye  shall  find,  call  to  the  wedding  (Matt.  xxii.  2-9).  Who 
does  not  know  that  the  invitation  or  call  is  universal,  and 
also  the  grace  of  reception  ?  Man  obtains  life  by  going  to 
the  Lord,  because  the  Lord  is  Life  itself ;  not  only  the 
Life  of  faith,  but  also  the  Life  of  charity.  That  the  Lord  is 
that  Life,  and  that  man  has  it  from  the  Lord,  is  evident 
from  these  passages :  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word ;  in 
Hun  was  life,'  a?id  the  life  was  the  light  of  men  (John  i. 
1,  4).  As  the  Father  raiscth  up  the  dead  and  quickeneth 
them,  even  so  tjil'  Son  quickeneth  whom  lie  will  (v.  21) 


No.  359.] 


FAITH. 


507 


As  the  Father  hath  life  in  Himself  so  hath  He  given  to  the 
Son  to  have  life  in  Himself  (vi  26).  The  Bread  of  God 
is  He  that  co??ieth  down  from  heaven,  and  giveth  life  wito 
the  world  (vi.  33).  The  words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they 
are  spirit  and  they  are  life  (vi.  63).  Jesus  said,  He  that 
followeth  Me,  shall  have  the  light  of  life  (viii.  12). 
I  a?n  come  that  they  may  have  life,  and  may  have  abun- 
dance (x.  10).  He  who  believeth  i?i  Me,  though  he  be  dead 
yet  shall  he  live  (xi.  25).  I  am  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and 
the  Life  (xiv.  6).  Because  I  live,  ye  shall  live  also  (xiv. 
9).  These  things  are  written  that  ye  may  have  lite  in  His 
name  (xx.  31).  He  is  eternal  life  (i  John  v.  20).  By 
the  life  in  faith  and  charity,  is  meant  spiritual  life  which  is 
given  by  the  Lord  to  man  in  his  natural  life. 

359.  (4.)  Yet  710 thing  of  Faith,  and  nothing  of  Charity, 
and  nothing  of  the  Life  of  either,  is  from  Man,  but  from  the 
Lord  alone.  For  we  read  that  A  man  ca?i  receive  nothing 
except  it  be  given  him  from  heaven  (John  iii.  27).  And  Jesus 
said,  Lie  that  abidcth  in  Me  and  L  in  him,  the  same  bringeth 
forth  much  fruit ;  for  without  Me  ye  ca?i  do  nothing  (xv.  5). 
But  this  is  to  be  understood  thus  ;  that  man  of  himself  can 
procure  for  himself  none  but  natural  faith,  which  is  per- 
suasion that  a  thing  is  so  because  some  man  of  authority 
has  said  so ;  nor  can  he  procure  any  but  natural  charity, 
which  is  a  working  for  favor,  for  the  sake  of  some  remu- 
neration ;  in"  which  faith  and  charity  there  is  man's  pro- 
prium  [ownhood],  and  not  yet  life  from  the  Lord.  Still, 
man  by  both  of  these  prepares  himself  to  be  a  receptacle  of 
the  Lord ;  and  as  he  prepares  himself,  so  the  Lord  enters, 
and  causes  his  natural  faith  to  become  spiritual,  also  his 
charity,  and  so  makes  both  to  be  alive ;  and  this  is  done 
when  man  goes  to  the  Lord  as  the  God  of  heaven  and 
earth.  Because  man  was  created  an  image  of  God,  he  was 
created  an  abode  of  God.  Wherefore  the  Lord  says,  He 
that  hath  My  commandments  and  ketpeth  them,  he  it  is  that 
lovcth  Me  ;  and  I  will  love  him,  and  will  come  to  him,  and 


503 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


make  an  abode  with  him  (John  xiv.  21,  23).  And  again: 
Behold  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock;  if  any  man  hear  My 
voice,  and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup 
with  him,  and  he  with  Me  (Apoc.  iii.  20).  Hence  follows 
the  conclusion,  that  as  man  prepares  himself  naturally  to 
receive  the  Lord,  so  the  Lord  enters  and  makes  all  things 
with  him  inwardly  spiritual,  and  thus  alive.  But,  on  the 
other  hand,  as  far  as  man  does  not  prepare  himself,  he 
removes  the  Lord  from  him,  and  does  all  things  from  him- 
self ;  and  what  man  does  from  himself  has  nothing  of  life 
in  it.  But  these  things  cannot  yet  be  set  forth  to  be  seen 
in  any  light,  before  Charity  and  Free  Will  have  been 
treated  of ;  and.  they  will  be  seen  later,  in  the  chapter  con- 
cerning Reformation  and  Regeneration. 

360.  It  was  stated  above  that  faith  in  its  beginning  with 
man  is  natural,  and  that  as  man  draws  near  to  the  Lord  it 
becomes  spiritual ;  so  also  with  charity.  But  no  one  has  yet 
been  acquainted  with  the  distinction  that  there  is  between 
natural  faith  and  charity  and  spiritual.  This  great  arcanum 
must  therefore  be  disclosed.  There  are  two  worlds,  the  nat- 
ural and  the  spiritual ;  and  in  each  world  there  is  a  sun, 
and  from  each  sun  proceed  light  and  heat :  but  the  heat  and 
light  from  the  Sun  of  the  spiritual  world  have  life  in  them ; 
their  life  is  from  the  Lord,  Who  is  in  the  midst  of  that  Sun  ; 
but  the  heat  and  light  from  the  sun  of  the  natural  world 
have  nothing  of  life  in  them,  but  they  serve  the  other  heat 
and  light  as  receptacles  for  the  conveyance  of  them  to  man, 
as  instrumental  causes  always  serve  their  principals.  It 
must  be  known,  therefore,  that  the  heat  and  light  from  the 
Sun  of  the  spiritual  world  are  those  from  which  all  spiritual 
things  are  ;  these  also  are  themselves  spiritual,  because 
spirit  and  life  are  in  them  ;  while  the  heat  and  light  from 
the  sun  of  the  natural  world  are  those  from  which  are  all 
natural  things,  which  viewed  in  themselves  are  without 
spirit  and  life.  Now  because  faith  is  of  light  and  charity 
is  of  heat,  it  is  manifest  that  as  far  as  man  is  in  the  light 


No.  361.] 


FAITH. 


509 


and  heat  which  proceed  from  the  Sun  of  the  spiritual  world, 
he  is  in  spiritual  faith  and  charity ;  while  as  far  as  he  is  in 
the  light  and  heat  which  proceed  from  the  sun  of  the  natu- 
ral world,  he  is  in  natural  faith  and  charity.  Evidently, 
therefore,  as  spiritual  light  is  inwardly  in  natural  light  as  in 
its  receptacle  or  its  casket,  and  as  spiritual  heat  in  like 
manner  is  inwardly  in  natural  heat,  so  also  is  spiritual  faith 
inwardly  in  natural  faith,  and  spiritual  charity  in  like  man- 
ner inwardly  in  natural  charity ;  and  this  is  effected  in  the 
degree  in  which  man  advances  from  the  natural  world  into 
the  spiritual  world ;  and  he  does  this  as  he  believes  in  the 
Lord,  Who  is  Light  itself,  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life, 
as  He  Himself  teaches.  This  being  so,  it  is  manifest  that 
when  man  is  in  spiritual  faith  he  is  also  in  natural  faith  j 
for  as  was  said,  spiritual  faith  is  inwardly  in  natural  faith. 
Because  faith  is  of  light,  it  follows  that  by  this  insertion 
man's  natural  becomes  as  it  were  transparent,  and,  accord- 
ing to  the  quality  of  its  conjunction  with  charity,  beautifully 
colored.  This  is  because  charity  has  a  ruddy  glow,  and 
faith  is  shining  white  from  the  splendor  of  the  light  there- 
from. The  contrary  happens  if  the  spiritual  is  not  inwardly 
in  the  natural,  but  the  natural  is  inwardly  in  the  spiritual ; 
this  is  the  case  with  men  who  reject  faith  and  charity.  With 
these,  the  internal  of  their  mind,  in  which  they  are  when 
left  to  their  own  thoughts,  is  infernal ;  moreover  they  think 
from  hell,  although  they  do  not  know  it ;  but  the  external 
of  their  mind,  from  which  they  speak  with  their  associates 
in  the  world,  is  as  it  were  spiritual,  but  it  is  fillod  with  such 
unclean  things  as  are  in  hell ;  they  are  therefore  in  hell,  for, 
compared  with  the  former  class,  they  are  in  an  inverted 
state. 

361.  When,  therefore,  it  is  known  that  the  spiritual  is 
inwardly  in  the  natural  with  those  who  arc  in  faith  in  the 
Lord  and  at  the  same  time  in  charity  towards  the  neighbor, 
and  that  therefore  the  Datura]  with  them  is  transparent,  it 
follows  that  so  far  as  this  is  the  case  man  is  wise  in  spirit- 


510         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap  VI. 

ual  things  and  consequently  in  natural  things  also ;  for 
whenever  he  thinks  or  reads  or  hears  any  thing,  inwardly 
in  himself  he  sees  whether  it  is  a  truth  or  not.  He  per- 
ceives this  from  the  Lord,  from  Whom  spiritual  light  and 
heat  flow  into  the  higher  sphere  of  his  understanding.  As 
far  as  faith  and  charity  with  man  are  made  spiritual,  he  is 
withdrawn  from  proprium,  and  looks  not  to  himself,  to  re- 
ward and  recompense,  but  only  to  the  enjoyment  of  perceiv- 
ing the  truths  of  faith,  and  of  doing  the  goods  of  love ;  and  as 
far  as  this  spirituality  is  increased,  that  enjoyment  becomes 
blessedness.  From  this  is  his  salvation,  which  is  called 
eternal  life.  This  state  of  man  may  be  compared  with  the 
most  beautiful  and  charming  things  in  the  world,  and  it  also 
is  compared  with  them  in  the  Word ;  as  with  fruitful  trees 
and  the  gardens  in  which  they  are,  with  flowery  fields,  with 
precious  stones,  with  delicacies,  and  with  nuptials  and  their 
festivities  and  rejoicings.  But  when  the  reverse  is  the  case, 
that  is,  when  the  natural  is  inwardly  in  the  spiritual,  and 
thence  the  man  in  his  internals  is  a  devil  and  in  his  exter- 
nals like  an  angel,  he  may  then  be  compared  to  a  dead 
person  in  a  coffin  made  of  costly  wood  and  gilded  ;  he  may 
also  be  compared  to  a  skeleton  in  full  dress  like  a  man,  and 
borne  about  in  a  magnificent  chariot ;  and  also  to  a  corpse 
in  a  sepulchre  built  like  the  temple  of  Diana ;  yes,  his  inter- 
nal may  be  imaged  forth  by  a  nest  of  serpents  in  a  cavern, 
and  his  external  by  butterflies  whose  wings  are  tinted  with 
colors  of  every  kind,  but  which  nevertheless  stick  their 
filthy  eggs  to  the  leaves  of  useful  trees,  from  which  their 
fruit  is  consumed ;  yes,  the  internal  of  such  may  be  com- 
pared with  a  hawk,  and  their  external  with  a  dove,  and  the 
faith  and  charity  in  it  with  the  dove  endeavoring  to  escape 
while  the  hawk  flies  over  it,  which  tires  it  out  at  last  and 
then  darts  upon  and  devours  it. 


No.  362. J 


FAITH. 


VI.  The  Lord,  Charity,  and  Faith,  make  one,  like 
Life,  Will,  and  Understanding  in  Man  j  and 
if  they  are  divided,  each  perishes,  like  a 
Pearl  reduced  to  Powder. 

362.  There  shall  first  be  stated  some  things  which  have 
been  heretofore  unknown  in  the  learned  world,  and  so  in 
the  ecclesiastical  order ;  as  much  so  as  things  buried  in  the 
ground ;  when  yet  they  are  treasures  of  wisdom ;  and  unless 
they  are  dug  up  and  given  to  the  public,  in  vain  does  man 
toil  to  come  into  any  just  cognition  concerning  God,  concern- 
ing faith,  concerning  charity,  and  concerning  the  state  of  his 
]ife,  how  he  should  regulate  and  prepare  it  for  the  state  of 
eternal  life.  These  are  things  that  have  been  unknown  :  — 
that  man  is  a  mere  organ  of  life  :  that  life  with  all  belong- 
ing to  it  flows  in  from  the  God  of  heaven  Who  is  the  Lord : 
that  there  are  two  faculties  of  life  in  man,  called  the  will 
and  the  understanding ;  and  that  the  will  is  the  receptacle 
of  charity,  and  the  understanding  the  receptacle  of  faith : 
that  all  the  things  which  man  wills,  and  all  the  things  which 
he  understands  flow  in  from  without ;  the  goods  which  are 
of  love  and  charity,  and  the  truths  which  are  of  wisdom  and 
faith,  from  the  Lord ;  but  all  that  is  contrary  to  them,  from 
hell :  that  it  has  been  provided  by  the  Lord  that  man  should 
feel  in  himself  as  his  those  things  which  flow  in  from  with- 
out, and  should  therefore  produce  them  of  himself  as  his 
own,  although  nothing  of  them  is  his  :  that  nevertheless 
those  things  are  imputed  to  him  as  his,  on  account  of  the 
freedom  of  choice  in  which  are  his  willing  and  his  thinking, 
and  on  account  of  the  cognitions  of  good  and  truth  given 
him,  from  which  he  can  freely  choose  whatever  conduces 
to  his  temporal  and  his  eternal  life.  A  man  who  looks 
askance  at  the  things  which  have  been  advanced,  or  from 
the  corners  of  the  eyes,  may  draw  from  them  many  insane 
conclusions;  but  a  man  who  looks  at  them  directly,  or  with 
the  full  pupil,  may  draw  from  them  many  conclusions  which 


512         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


are  of  wisdom ;  and  that  this  may  be  done  and  not  the 
other,  it  was  necessary  first  to  put  forth  decisions  and  dog- 
mas concerning  God  and  the  Divine  Trinity,  and  afterward 
to  establish  decisions  and  dogmas  concerning  Faith  and 
Charity,  Free  Will,  and  Reformation  and  Regeneration,  as 
also  Imputation ;  and  likewise  concerning  Repentance,  Bap- 
tism, and  the  Holy  Supper,  as  means. 

363.  But  that  this  article  of  faith  (which  is,  that  the 
Lord,  charity,  and  faith  make  one,  like  life,  will,  and  un- 
derstanding in  man,  and  that  if  they  are  divided  each 
perishes  like  a  pearl  reduced  to  powder)  may  be  seen  as  a 
truth  and  acknowledged,  it  is  expedient  to  consider  it  in 
this  order :  1.  The  Lord,  with  all  His  Divine  Love,  with  all 
His  Divine  Wisdom,  thus  with  all  His  Divine  Life,  flows  in 
with  every  man.  2.  Therefore  with  all  the  essence  of  faith 
and  charity.  3.  But  they  are  received  by  man  according  to 
his  form.  4.  But  the  7na?i  who  divides  the  Lord,  charity, 
and  faith,  is  not  a  form  receiving  but  a  form  destroying  them. 

364.  (1.)  The  Lord,  with  all  His  Divine  Love,  with  all 
His  Divine  Wisdom,  thus  with  all  His  Divine  Life,  flows  in 
with  every  Man.  In  the  book  of  Creation  we  read,  that 
man  was  created  an  image  of  God ;  and  that  God  breathed 
into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  lives  (Gen.  i.  27  ;  ii.  7)  ;  which 
describes  man  as  being  an  organ  of  life,  and  not  Life. 
For  God  could  not  create  another  like  Himself;  if  He 
could  have  done  so,  there  would  be  as  many  gods  as  there 
are  men.  Neither  could  He  create  life  (just  as  light  can- 
not be  created) ;  but  He  could  create  man  a  form  of  life, 
as  He  created  the  eye  a  form  of  light.  Neither  could  God, 
nor  can  He,  divide  His  essence ;  for  this  is  one  and  indivis 
ible.  Since,  therefore,  God  alone  is  Life,  it  follows  indu- 
bitably that  from  His  Life  He  vivifies  every  man  ;  and  that 
man  without  that  vivification  would  be  as  to  his  flesh  a 
mere  sponge,  and  as  to  his  bones  a  mere  skeleton,  having 
no  more  life  in  him  than  a  clock  which  is  set  in  motion  by 
a  pendulum  together  with  a  weight  or  a  spring.  This  being 


No.  364.] 


FAITH. 


513 


so,  it  follows  also  that  God  flows  in  with  every  man  with 
all  His  Divine  Life,  that  is,  with  all  His  Divine  Love  and 
His  Divine  Wisdom  j  these  two  constitute  His  Divine  Life, 
as  may  be  seen  above  (n.  39,  40) ;  for  the  Divine  cannot 
be  divided.  But  how  God  flows  in  with  all  His  Divine 
Life  may  be  perceived  by  an  idea  somewhat  like  that  by 
which  the  sun  of  the  world  with  all  its  essence  which  is 
heat  and  light  is  perceived  to  flow  into  every  tree  and 
flower,  and  into  ever)'  stone  common  as  well  as  precious, 
every  object  taking  its  portion  from  this  common  influx, 
the  sun  not  dividing  its  light  and  its  heat  and  dispensing  a 
part  to  this  object  and  a  part  to  that.  It  is  similar  with 
the  Sun  of  heaven,  from  which  the  Divine  love  proceeds 
as  heat  and  the  Divine  wisdom  as  light ;  these  two  flow 
into  human  minds  (as  the  heat  and  light  of  the  sun  of  the 
world  flow  into  men's  bodies),  and  vivify  them  according 
to  the  quality  of  the  form,  each  form  taking  from  the  com- 
mon influx  what  is  necessary  for  itself.  To  this  is  appli- 
cable what  the  Lord  says  :  Your  Father  maketh  His  Sun  to 
rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  sendeth  rain  on  the  Just 
and  on  the  unjust  (Matt.  v.  45).  Moreover  the  Lord  is 
omnipresent ;  and  where  He  is  present,  there  He  is  with 
His  whole  essence  :  and  it  is  impossible  for  Him  to  take 
some  of  it  away,  and  thus  to  give  a  part  to  one  and  a  part 
to  another ;  but  He  gives  the  whole,  and  gives  man  the 
opportunity  to  take  little  or  much.  He  says,  moreover, 
that  He  has  an  abode  with  those  who  keep  His  command- 
ments, also  that  the  faithful  are  in  Him  and  He  in  them. 
In  a  word,  all  things  are  full  of  God,  and  every  one  takes 
his  portion  from  that  fulness.  It  is  similar  with  every 
thing  general,  as  with  the  atmospheres  and  the  oceans  ; 
the  atmosphere  in  its  least  parts  is  such  as  it  is  in  the 
greatest ;  it  does  not  apportion  a  part  of  itself  for  man  to 
breathe,  and  for  the  bird  to  fly  in,  or  for  the  sails  of  a  ship, 
or  for  the  fans  of  a  wind  mill  ;  but  each  of  these  takes 
from  it  its  portion,  and  applies  to  itself  as  much  as  is  suih- 
vul.  11.  5 


514         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VL 


cient.  The  case  is  also  the  same  as  with  a  storehouse  full 
of  grain ;  from  it  the  possessor  daily  takes  his  food,  and 
the  granary  does  not  distribute  it. 

365.  (2.)  Therefore  the  Lord  with  all  the  Essence  of 
Faith  and  Charity  flows  in  with  every  Man.  This  follows 
from  the  former  theorem,  since  the  life  of  Divine  wisdom 
is  the  essence  of  faith,  and  the  life  of  Divine  love  is  the 
essence  of  charity;  wherefore  when  the  Lord  is  present 
with  those  things  which  are  properly  His,  which  are  Divine 
wisdom  and  Divine  love,  He  is  also  present  with  all  the 
truths  which  are  of  faith  and  with  all  the  goods  which  are 
of  charity  j  for  by  faith  is  meant  all  the  truth  which  man 
from  the  Lord  perceives,  thinks,  and  speaks,  and  by  charity 
is  meant  all  the  good  with  which  he  is  affected  by  the 
Lord,  and  which  he  thence  wills  and  does.  It  was  said 
above  that  the  Divine  love  which  proceeds  from  the  Lord 
as  a  Sun  is  perceived  by  the  angels  as  heat,  and  that  the 
Divine  wisdom  therefrom  is  perceived  as  light ;  but  one 
who  does  not  think  beyond  the  appearance  may  imagine 
that  that  heat  is  bare  heat,  and  that  light  bare  light,  such 
as  are  the  heat  and  light  proceeding  from  the  sun  of  our 
world.  But  the  heat  and  light  which  proceed  from  the 
Lord  as  a  Sun  contain  in  their  bosom  all  the  infinities  that 
are  in  the  Lord ;  the  heat  all  the  infinities  of  His  Love, 
and  the  light  all  the  infinities  of  His  Wisdom,  and  thus  also 
in  infinity  all  the  good  which  is  of  charity  and  all  the  truth 
which  is  of  faith.  This  is  because  that  Sun  is  itself  pres- 
ent everywhere  in  its  heat  and  its  light,  and  it  is  the 
circle  most  closely  encompassing  the  Lord,  emanating 
from  His  Divine  Love  and  at  the  same  time  from  His 
Divine  Wisdom ;  for,  as  has  been  several  times  stated 
above,  the  Lord  is  in  the  midst  of  that  Sun.  Hence  it  is 
now  manifest  that  there  can  be  nothing  lacking  to  preclude 
man's  taking  from  the  Lord  (because  He  is  omnipresent,) 
all  the  good  which  is  of  charity  and  all  the  truth  which  is 
of  faith.    That  there  is  no  such  lack  is  evident  from  the 


No.  365.] 


FAITH. 


515 


love  and  wisdom  which  the  angels  of  heaven  have  from  the 
Lord,  in  their  being  ineffable,  and  to  the  natural  man 
incomprehensible,  and  also  capable  of  being  multiplied  to 
eternity.  That  there  are  infinite  things  in  the  light  and 
heat  which  proceed  from  the  Lord,  although  they  are 
perceived  simply  as  heat  and  light,  may  be  illustrated  by 
various  things  in  the  natural  world;  as  by  these:  The 
sound  of  a  man's  voice  and  speech  is  heard  only  as  simple 
sound,  and  yet  when  the  angels  hear  it  they  perceive  in  it 
all  the  affections  of  his  love,  and  they  also  show  what  and 
of  what  quality  they  are.  That  these  things  are  inwardly 
concealed  in  the  sound,  a  man  can  also  perceive  in  some 
measure  from  the  tone  of  one  speaking  with  him,  as 
whether  there  is  contempt  in  it,  or  ridicule,  or  hatred ;  and 
also  whether  there  is  charity,  benevolence,  gladness,  or 
other  affection  in  it.  Similar  things  are  concealed  in  the 
lighting  of  the  eye  when  it  looks  at  any  one.  It  may  also 
be  illustrated  by  the  fragrances  from  a  large  garden  or 
from  extensive  fields  of  flowers ;  the  fragrant  odor  exhaled 
from  them,  consists  of  thousands  and  myriads  of  different 
odors,  and  still  they  are  perceived  as  one.  It  is  similar 
with  many  other  things,  which  although  they  appear  uni- 
form extrinsically,  are  yet  intrinsically  manifold ;  sympa- 
thies and  antipathies  are  nothing  else  than  exhalations  of 
affections  from  the  mind,  which  affect  another  according 
to  similitudes,  and  cause  aversion  according  to  dissimili- 
tudes. These,  although  innumerable,  and  unpciccived  by 
any  bodily  sense,  are  yet  perceived  by  the  sense  of  the 
soul  as  one ;  and  all  conjunctions  and  consociations  in  the 
spiritual  world  are  effected  according  to  them.  These 
things  have  been  presented  in  order  to  illustrate  what  was 
said  above  concerning  the  spiritual  light  which  proceeds 
from  the  Lord,  that  in  it  are  all  things  of  wisdom,  and 
hence  all  things  of  faith  ;  and  that  it  is  that  light  from 
which  the  understanding  analytically  sees  and  perceives 
rational  things,  as  the  eye  sees  and  perceives  natural 
things  symmetrically. 


5  l6         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 

366.  (3.)  Those  things  which  flow  in  from  the  Lord,  are 
received  by  Man  according  to  his  Form.  By  form  is  here 
meant  man's  state  as  to  his  love  and  wisdom  together,  and 
consequently  as  to  the  affections  of  his  goods  of  charity, 
and  at  the  same  time  as  to  the  perceptions  of  his  truths  of 
faith.  That  God  is  one,  indivisible,  and  the  same  from 
eternity  to  eternity,  not  the  same  simply  but  infinitely,  and 
that  all  variableness  is  in  the  subject  in  which  He  is,  was 
shown  above.  That  the  form  or  recipient  state  induces 
variations,  may  be  evident  from  the  life  of  infants,  chil- 
dren, youths,  adults,  and  aged  persons.  The  same  life, 
because  the  same  soul,  is  in  each  one  from  infancy  to  old 
age ;  but  as  his  state  is  varied  according  to  the  age  and 
what  is  suitable  thereto,  life  also  is  perceived  accordingly. 
The  life  of  God  in  all  fulness  is  not  only  with  good  and 
pious  men,  but  also  with  the  wicked  and  impious ;  in  like 
manner  both  with  the  angels  of  heaven  and  the  spirits  of 
hell.  The  difference  is  that  the  wicked  obstruct  the  way 
and  shut  the  door,  that  God  may  not  enter  into  the  lower 
regions  of  their  mind ;  while  the  good  clear  the  way  and 
open  the  door,  and  also  invite  God  to  enter  the  lower  parts 
of  their  mind  as  He  dwells  in  its  highest  parts  \  and  so  they 
form  the  state  of  the  will  for  the  influx  of  love  and  charity, 
and  the  state  of  the  understanding  for  the  influx  of  wisdom 
and  faith,  consequently  for  the  reception  of  God  ;  but  the 
wicked  obstruct  that  influx  by  various  lusts  of  the  flesh  and 
spiritual  defilements,  which  bestrew  the  way  and  hinder  the 
passage ;  but  still  God  resides  in  their  highest  parts,  with 
all  His  Divine  essence,  and  gives  them  the  faculty  of  will- 
ing good  and  of  understanding  truth ;  a  faculty  that  eveiy 
man  has,  but  which  he  would  by  no  means  have  if  life  from 
God  were  not  in  his  soul.  That  the  wicked  also  have  this 
faculty,  has  been  granted  me  to  know  from  much  expe- 
rience. That  every  one  receives  life  from  God  according 
to  his  form,  may  be  illustrated  by  comparisons  with  plants 
of  every  kind.    Every  tree,  every  shrub,  every  bush,  and 


No.  367.] 


FAITH. 


517 


every  blade  of  grass,  receives  the  influx  of  heat  and  light 
according  to  its  form  j  and  not  only  those  which  are  of  good 
use,  but  those  also  which  are  of  evil  use ;  the  sun  with  its 
heat  does  not  change  their  forms,  but  the  forms  change 
its  effects  in  themselves.  So  it  is  with  the  subjects  of  the 
mineral  kingdom  \  each  one  of  them,  the  valuable  and  the 
common  alike,  receives  influx  according  to  the  form  of 
the  contexture  of  the  parts  among  themselves,  thus  one 
stone  differently  from  another,  one  mineral  differently  from 
another,  and  one  metal  differently  from  another.  Some 
of  them  adorn  themselves  with  most  beautiful  variegated 
colors,  some  transmit  the  light  without  variegation,  and 
some  confuse  and  suffocate  it  in  themselves.  From  these 
few  examples  it  may  be  evident,  that  as  the  sun  of  the  world 
with  its  heat  and  its  light  is  equally  present  in  one  object 
and  another,  but  the  recipient  forms  vary  its  operations,  so 
is  the  Lord  present,  from  the  Sun  of  heaven,  in  the  midst 
of  which  He  is,  with  its  heat  which  in  its  essence  is  love, 
and  with  its  light  which  in  its  essence  is  wisdom ;  but  that 
man's  form,  which  is  induced  by  the  states  of  his  life, 
varies  the  operations ;  consequently  that  the  Lord  is  not 
the  cause  that  a  man  is  not  born  again  and  saved,  but  the 
man  himself. 

367.  (4.)  But  the  Man  who  divides  the  Lord,  Charity, 
and  Faith,  is  not  a  Form  receiving  but  a  Form  destroying 
them.  For  he  who  separates  the  Lord  from  charity  and 
faith,  separates  life  from  them,  and  when  this  is  done, 
charity  and  faith  either  do  not  exist  or  they  are  abortions. 
That  the  Lord  is  Life  itself,  may  be  seen  above  (n.  358). 
He  who  acknowledges  the  Lord  and  separates  charity,  ac- 
knowledges Him  with  the  lips  only ;  his  acknowledgment 
and  confession  are  only  cold,  in  which  is  no  faith ;  for  they 
are  destitute  of  spiritual  essence,  as  charity  is  the  essence 
of  faith.  But  he  who  does  charity  but  does  not  acknowl- 
edge the  Lord  as  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  one  with 
the  Father  (as  He  Himself  teaches),  does  no  other  charitv 


518         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI 

than  what  is  merely  natural,  in  which  there  is  not  eternal 
life.  The  man  of  the  church  knows  that  all  good  which  in 
itself  is  good  is  from  God,  consequently  from  the  Lord, 
Who  is  the  true  God  and  eternal  Life  (i  John  v.  20).  So 
also  with  charity,  because  good  and  charity  are  one.  Faith 
separate  from  charity  is  not  faith,  because  faith  is  the  light 
of  man's  life,  and  charity  is  the  heat  of  it ;  wherefore  when 
charity  is  separated  from  faith,  it  is  as  when  heat  is  sepa- 
rated from  light  \  man's  state  thus  becomes  like  that  of  the 
world  in  winter,  when  all  things  on  the  earth  die.  That 
charity  may  be  charity  and  faith  may  be  faith,  they  can  no 
more  be  separated  than  the  will  and  the  understanding ; 
and  if  these  are  separated,  the  understanding  becomes 
nothing,  and  presently  the  will  likewise.  It  is  similar  with 
charity  and  faith,  because  charity  resides  in  the  will,  and 
faith  in  the  understanding.  Separating  charity  from  faith 
is  like  separating  essence  from  form.  It  is  known  in  the 
learned  world  that  essence  without  form,  or  form  without 
essence,  is  not  any  thing ;  for  essence  has  no  quality  except 
from  form,  nor  is  form  a  subsisting  entity  except  from 
essence ;  consequently,  nothing  can  be  predicated  of  either 
when  separated  from  the  other.  Charity  is  also  the  essence 
of  faith,  and  faith  is  the  form  of  charity ;  just  as  good  (as 
stated  above)  is  the  essence  of  truth,  and  truth  is  the  form 
of  good.  These  two,  namely,  good  and  truth,  are  in  all 
things  which  essentially  exist,  and  in  each  of  them  singly  j 
therefore  charity,  because  it  is  of  good,  and  faith,  because 
it  is  of  truth,  may  be  illustrated  by  comparisons  with  many 
things  in  the  human  body  and  with  many  things  on  the 
earth.  Comparison  with  the  respiration  of  the  lungs  and 
the  systolic  motion  of  the  heart,  is  fitting ;  for  charity  can 
no  more  be  separated  from  faith  than  the  heart  from  the 
lungs ;  for  when  the  heart's  pulsation  ceases,  immediately 
the  respiration  of  the  lungs  ceases ;  and  when  the  respira- 
tion of  the  lungs  ceases,  all  the  senses  faint,  all  the  muscles 
are  deprived  of  motion,  and  soon  afterwards  the  heart  stops, 


No.  367-] 


FAITH. 


519 


and  all  the  life  is  dissipated.  This  comparison  is  fitting, 
inasmuch  as  the  heart  corresponds  to  the  will  and  therefore 
to  charity  also,  and  the  respiration  of  the  lungs  to  the  un- 
derstanding and  therefore  to  faith  also ;  for,  as  said  above, 
charity  resides  in  the  will,  and  faith  in  the  understanding. 
Nor  is  any  thing  else  meant  in  the  Word  by  heart  and 
spirit.  The  separation  of  charity  and  faith  also  coincides 
with  the  separation  of  blood  and  flesh  :  for  blood  separated 
from  the  flesh  is  gore,  and  becomes  corruption  j  and  flesh 
separated  from  the  blood  gradually  becomes  putrid  and 
breeds  worms.  Blood  also  in  the  spiritual  sense  signifies 
the  truth  of  wisdom  and  faith ;  and  flesh,  the  good  of  love 
and  charity.  That  this  is  the  signification  of  blood,  is 
shown  in  the  "  Apocalypse  Revealed,"  n.  379,  and  that  flesh 
has  this  signification,  n.  832.  Charity  and  faith,  to  be  any 
thing,  can  no  more  be  separated  than  food  and  water,  or 
than  bread  and  wine,  with  man  j  for  food  or  bread  taken 
without  water  and  wine  merely  distends  the  stomach,  and  as 
an  undigested  mass  destroys  it,  and  becomes  like  putrid 
filth.  Water  and  wine  without  food  or  bread,  also  distend 
the  stomach  and  likewise  the  vessels  and  pores,  which  being 
thus  destitute  of  nutrition  emaciate  the  body  even  to  death. 
This  comparison  is  also  just,  since  food  and  bread  in  the 
spiritual  sense  signify  the  good  of  love  and  charity,  and 
water  and  wine  signify  the  truth  of  wisdom  and  faith,  as 
may  be  seen  in  the  "Apocalypse  Revealed"  (n.  50,  316,  778, 
932).  Charity  conjoined  with  faith,  and  faith  conjoined  in 
its  turn  with  charity,  may  be  likened  to  the  face  of  a  hand- 
some virgin,  beautiful  from  the  blending  of  red  and  white  ; 
which  similitude  is  also  fitting,  since  love  and  hence  charity 
in  the  spiritual  world  are  red  from  the  fire  of  the  Sun  there, 
and  truth  and  hence  faith  are  white  from  the  light  of  that 
Sun.  Wherefore  charity  separated  from  faith  may  be  likened 
to  a  face  inflamed  with  pimples,  and  faith  separated  from 
charity  may  be  likened  to  the  pallid  face  of  a  corpse.  Faith 
separated  from  charity  may  also  be  likened  to  paralysis  of 


£20         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  V] 

one  side,  which  is  called  hemiplegia,  from  which,  when  k 
increases  the  man  dies.  It  may  also  be  likened  to  St. 
Vitus's  dance,  or  the  dance  of  St.  Guy,  which  comes  from 
the  bite  of  the  tarantula.  The  rational  faculty  becomes 
like  one  so  bitten  \  like  him  it  dances  furiously ;  and  it 
believes  itself  to  be  then  alive,  when  yet  it  can  no  more 
collect  reasons  into  one,  and  think  concerning  spiritual 
truths,  than  one  lying  in  bed  weighed  down  with  night- 
mare. These  are  sufficient  for  the  demonstration  of  the 
two  themes  of  this  chapter:  first,  That  faith  without  charity 
is  not  faith,  that  charity  without  faith  is  not  charity,  and  that 
neither  lives  except  from  the  Lord;  and  second,  That  the  Lord, 
charity,  and  faith  make  one,  like  life,  will,  and  understanding 
in  man  ;  and  that  if  they  are  divided,  each  perishes  like  a  pearl 
reduced  to  powder. 

VII.  The  Lord  is  Charity  and  Faith  in  Man,  and 
Man  is  Charity  and  Faith  in  the  Lord. 

368.  That  the  man  of  the  church  is  in  the  Lord,  and  the 
Lord  in  him,  is  evident  from  these  passages  in  the  Word : 
Jesus  said,  Abide  in  Me  and  I  in  you  ;  L  am  the  Vine,  ye 
are  the  branches.  He  that  abideth  in  Me  and  I  in  him, 
the  same  bringcth  forth  much  fruit  (John  xv.  4,  5).  He  that 
eateth  My  flesh  and  drinketh  My  blood,  dwelleth  in  Me  and 
I  in  him  (vi.  56).  At  that  day  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  in 
My  Father,  and  ye  in  Me,  a?id  I  in  you*  (xiv.  20).  Who- 
soever confesseth  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  God  dwelleth 
in  him  and  he  in  God  (i  John  iv.  15).  Yet  the  man  him- 
self cannot  be  in  the  Lord,  but  the  charity  and  faitli  which 
are  with  him  from  the  Lord,  fiom  which  two  man  is  essen- 
tially man.  But  in  order  that  this  arcanum  may  appear  in 
some  light  before  the  understanding,  it  is  to  be  investigated 
in  this  series:  1.  It  is  by  conjunction  with  God  that  man- 
has  salvation  and  eternal  life.    2.  Conjunction  with  God  the 

*  The  Latin  here  reads  in  Mo,  in  Juju. 


No.  369.] 


FAITH. 


521 


Father  is  not  possible,  but  with  the  Lord,  and  through  Him 
with  God  the  Father.  3.  Conjunction  with  the  Lord  is  re- 
ciprocal, that  is,  the  Lord  is  in  man,  and  man  in  the  Lofd. 
4.  This  reciprocal  conjunction  is  effected  by  charity  and  faith. 
That  these  things  are  so  will  be  manifest  from  the  explana- 
tion that  follows. 

369.  (1.)  It  is  by  Conjunction  with  God  that  Man  has 
Salvation  and  eternal  Life.  Man  was  created  that  he  may 
be  conjoined  with  God  j  for  he  was  created  a  native  of 
heaven,  and  also  of  the  world ;  and  as  far  as  he  is  a  native 
of  heaven  he  is  spiritual,  while  as  far  as  he  is  a  native  of 
the  world  he  is  natural  j  and  the  spiritual  man  can  think 
of  God  and  perceive  such  things  as  are  of  God,  he  can  also 
love  God,  and  be  affected  with  those  things  which  are  from 
God  j  from  which  it  follows  that  he  can  be  conjoined  with 
God.  That  man  can  think  of  God  and  can  perceive  such 
things  as  are  of  God,  is  beyond  all  doubt ;  for  he  can 
think  of  the  Unity  of  God,  the  Esse  of  God  which  is  Jeho- 
vah, of  God's  Immensity  and  Eternity,  the  Divine  Love 
and  Wisdom  which  make  the  Ess*ence  of  God,  of  God's 
Omnipotence,  Omniscience,  and  Omnipresence,  of  the  Lord 
the  Saviour  His  Son,  and  of  Redemption  and  Mediation, 
and  also  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  finally  of  the  Divine 
Trinity ;  which  all  are  of  God,  yes,  are  God.  Moreover, 
he  can  think  of  God's  operations,  which  are  principally 
faith  and  charity,  and  of  other  things  also  which  proceed 
from  these  two.  That  man  can  not  only  think  of  God,  but 
also  love  Him,  is  evident  from  the  two  commandments  of 
God  Himself,  which  read  thus :  Thou  shall  love  the  Lord 
thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul ;  this  is 
the  first  and  great  commandment.  The  second  is  like  unto  it ; 
Thou  shall  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself  (Matt.  xxii.  37-39  ; 
Deut.  vi.  5).  That  man  can  keep  God's  commandments, 
and  that  this  is  to  love  Him  and  to  be  loved  by  Him,  is 
evident  from  these  words :  Jesus  said,  He  that  hath  J/y 
commandments  and  heepeih  them,  he  it  is  that  lovetli  Afe;  and 

S* 


522         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


he  that  loveth  Me  shall  be  loved  of  My  Father,  and  I  will 
love  hi?n,  and  will  manifest  Myself  u?ito  him  (John  xiv.  21). 
Besides,  what  is  faith  but  conjunction  with  God  by  truths 
which  are  of  the  understanding  and  thence  of  the  thought  ? 
And  what  is  love  but  conjunction  with  God  by  goods 
which  are  of  the  will  and  thence  of  the  affection  ?  God's 
conjunction  with  man  is  spiritual  conjunction  in  the  nat- 
ural, and  man's  conjunction  with  God  is  natural  conjunc- 
tion from  the  spiritual.  For  the  sake  of  this  conjunction 
as  an  end,  man  was  created  a  native  of  heaven  and  at 
the  same  time  of  the  world ;  as  a  native  of  heaven  he  is 
spiritual,  and  as  a  native  of  the  world  he  is  natural.  If 
therefore  a  man  becomes  spiritual-rational,  and  at  the 
same  spiritual-moral,  he  is  conjoined  with  God,  and  by  the 
conjunction  he  has  salvation  and  eternal  life.  But  if  man 
is  merely  natural-rational  and  also  natural-moral,  there  is 
indeed  a  conjunction  of  God  with  him,  but  not  a  conjunc- 
tion of  him  with  God ;  from  this  he  has  spiritual  death, 
which  viewed  in  itself  is  natural  life  without  spiritual ;  for 
with  him  the  spiritual,  in  which  is  the  life  of  God,  is 
extinct. 

370.  (2.)  Conj miction  with  God  the  Father  is  not  possible, 
but  with  the  Lord,  and  through  Him  with  God  the  Father. 
This  the  Scripture  teaches,  and  reason  sees.  The  Scrip- 
ture teaches  that  God  the  Father  has  never  been  seen  or 
heard,  and  that  He  cannot  be  seen  or  heard;  consequently 
that  from  Himself,  such  as  He  is  in  His  Esse  and  in  His 
Essence,  He  cannot  operate  any  thing  with  man ;  for  the 
Lord  says  that  no  one  hath  seen  the  Father*  save  He  Who  is 
of  God,\  He  hath  seen  the  Father  (John  vi.  46).  Neither 
knowcth  any  man  the  Father  save  the  Son,  and  he  to  whom- 
soever the  Son  will  reveal  him  (Matt.  xi.  27).  Ye  have  neither 
heard  the  Father's  voice,  nor  seen  His  shape  (John  v.  37). 
This  is  because  He  is  in  the  firsts  and  the  principles  of  all 

*  The  Latin  here  reads  Dcum>  God. 

t  The  Latin  here  reads  a  pud  Patrcm,  with  the  Father. 


No.  370.] 


FAITH. 


5^3 


things,  so  most  eminently  above  all  the  sphere  of  the 
human  mind ;  for  He  is  in  the  firsts  and  the  principles  of 
all  things  of  wisdom  and  all  things  of  love,  and  with  those 
man  has  no  possible  conjunction.  Wherefore  if  He  should 
come  to  man  or  man  to  Him,  man  would  be  consumed 
and  would  melt  away  like  wood  in  the  focus  of  a  large 
burning-glass  j  or  rather,  like  an  image  thrown  into  the 
sun  itself.  It  was  therefore  said  to  Moses,  who  desired  to 
see  God,  that  ma?i  cannot  see  Him  and  live  (Ex.  xxxiii.  20). 
But  that  God  the  Father  is  conjoined  through  the  Lord,  is 
evident  from  the  passages  just  adduced ;  that  not  the 
Father,  but  the  Only-begotten  Son,  Who  is  in  the  bosom 
of  the  Father  and  has  seen  the  Father,  has  brought  to 
view  and  revealed  the  things  which  are  of  God  and  from 
God.  Furthermore,  from  these  passages  :  At  that  day  ye 
shall  know  that  I  am  in  My  Father ;  and  ye  in  Me,  and  I  in 
you  (John  xiv.  20).  And  the  glory  which  Thou  gavest  Me, 
I  have  given  the?n,  that  they  may  be  one,  even  as  We  are  one  ; 
I  in  them,  and  Thou  in  Me  (xvii.  22,  23  ;  also  26).  yesus 
said,  I  am  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life  ;  no  man  comcth 
unto  the  Father  but  by  Me.  And  then  Philip  wished  to  see 
the  Father,  and  the  Lord  answered  him,  He  that  secth  Me 
seeth  the  Father  also;  He  that  knowcth  Me  knoivcth  the 
Father  also  (xiv.  6,  7,  and  subsequent  verses).  And  in 
another  place,  He  that  seeth  Me  secth  Him  That  sent  Me 
(xii.  45).  And  He  moreover  says  that  He  is  the  Door,  and 
that  whosoever  entereth  through  Him,  is  saved ;  while  he  that 
climbcth  up  some  other  way,  is  a  thief  and  a  robber  (x.  1,  9). 
And  He  says  also  that  he  that  abidcth  not  in  Him  is  cast 
out,  and,  like  a  dried  branch,  is  cast  into  the  fire  (xv.  6). 
This  is  because  the  Lord  our  Saviour  is  Jehovah  the 
Father  Himself,  in  the  Human  form ;  for  Jehovah  de- 
scended and  became  Man,  that  He  might  be  able  to  draw 
near  to  man  and  man  to  Him,  and  so  conjunction  might 
be  effected,  and  that  by  conjunction  man  should  have  sal- 
vation and  eternal  life.    For  when  God  became  Man,  and 


524         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VL 


thus  also  became  Man-God,  being  then  accommodated  to 
man  He  could  draw  near  to  him  and  be  conjoined  with 
him,  as  God-Man  and  Man-God.  There  are  three  things 
which  follow  in  order,  Accommodation,  Application,  and 
Conjunction,  There  must  be  accommodation  before  there 
is  application ;  and  there  must  be  accommodation  and 
application  together,  before  there  is  conjunction.  The  ac- 
commodation on  God's  part  was,  that  He  became  Man ; 
application  on  God's  part  is  perpetual  so  far  as  man  ap- 
plies himself  in  his  turn ;  and  as  this  is  done,  conjunction 
is  effected  also.  These  three  follow  one  another  and  pro- 
ceed in  their  order,  in  all  things  which  become  one  and 
co-exist,  and  in  them  singly. 

371.  (3.)  Conjunction  with  the  Lord  is  reciprocal,  that  is, 
the  Lord  is  in  Man,  and  Ma?i  in  the  Lord.  That  conjunc- 
tion is  reciprocal,  the  Scripture  teaches,  and  reason  also 
sees.  Of  His  conjunction  with  the  Father,  the  Lord  teaches 
that  it  is  reciprocal ;  for  He  says  to  Philip,  Believest  thou 
not  that  1 am  in  the  Father  and  the  Father  in  Me  ?  Believe 
Me  that  L  am  in  the  Father  a?id  the  Father  in  Me  (John  xiv. 
10,  11).  That  ye  may  kitow  and  believe  that  the  Father  is  in 
Me,  and  L  in  the  Father  (x.  38).  Jesus  said,  Father,  the 
hour  is  come;  glorify  Thy  Son,  that  Thy  Son  also  may 
glorify  Thee  (xvii.  1).  Father,  all  Mine  are  Thine,  and  all 
Thine  are  Mi?ie  (xvii.  10).  The  Lord  says  the  same  con- 
cerning His  conjunction  with  man,  that  is,  that  it  is  re- 
ciprocal \  for  He  says,  Abide  in  Me  and  L  in  you  ;  he  that 
abideth  IN  Me  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringcth  forth  much 
fruit  (John  xv.  4,  5).  He  that  eateth  My  flesh  and  drinketh 
My  blood  dwelleth  in  Me,  and  I  in  him  (vi.  56).  At 
that  day  ye  shall  know  that  L  am  in  My  Father,  and  ye  in 
Me,  and  I  in  you  (xiv.  20).  lie  that  keepeth  the  command- 
ments of  Christ  dwelleth  in  Him,  and  He  in  him  (i  John 
iii.  24;  also  iv.  13).  Whosoever  confesseth  that  Jesus*  is 
the  Son  of  God,  God  dwelleth  in  him,  and  he  in  God  (iv.  15). 

*  The  Latin  here  reads  Christus. 


No.  37i.| 


FAITH. 


525 


If  any  man  hear  My  voice,  and  open  the  door,  I  will  cojne  in 
to  him,  and  I  will  sup  with  him  and  he  with  Me  (Apoc. 
iii.  20).  From  these  plain  declarations,  it  is  evident  that 
the  conjunction  of  the  Lord  and  man  is  reciprocal  j  and 
because  it  is  reciprocal,  it  necessarily  follows  that  man 
ought  to  conjoin  himself  with  the  Lord,  that  the  Lord  may 
conjoin  Himself  with  man ;  and  that  otherwise,  conjunc- 
tion is  not  effected,  but  withdrawal,  and  consequently  a 
separation,  yet  this  not  on  the  Lord's  part  but  on  man's. 
That  there  may  be  this  reciprocal  conjunction,  free  choice 
is  given  to  man,  from  which  he  can  walk  in  the  way  to 
heaven  or  the  way  to  hell.  From  this  freedom  that  is  given 
to  man,  flows  his  power  of  reciprocation,  which  enables 
him  to  conjoin  himself  with  the  Lord  or  to  conjoin  himself 
with  the  devil.  But  this  liberty,  its  quality,  and  the  pur- 
pose for  which  it  is  given  to  man,  will  be  illustrated  in  the 
following  chapters,  where  we  shall  treat  of  Free  Will,  of 
Repentance,  of  Reformation  and  Regeneration,  and  of 
Imputation.  It  is  to  be  lamented  that  the  reciprocal 
conjunction  of  the  Lord  and  man,  although  it  stands  out 
so  clearly  in  the  Word,  is  still  unknown  in  the  Christian 
church.  That  it  is  unknown  is  because  of  certain  hypothe- 
ses concerning  faith  and  concerning  free-will.  The  hy- 
potheses concerning  faith  are,  that  faith  is  bestowed  upon 
man  without  his  contributing  any  thing  toward  the  acquisi- 
tion of  it,  or  fitting  and  applying  himself  any  more  than  a 
stock  to  its  reception.  The  hypothesis  concerning  free- 
will is,  that  man  has  not  even  a  grain  of  free-will  in  spiritual 
things.  But  that  the  reciprocal  conjunction  of  the  Lord  and 
man,  on  which  the  salvation  of  the  human  race  depends 
may  be  no  longer  concealed  and  unknown,  necessity  itself 
enjoins  its  disclosure,  which  cannot  be  better  effected  than 
by  examples,  because  they  illustrate.  There  are  two  kind) 
of  reciprocation  by  which  conjunction  is  effected:  one  is 
alternate^  and  the  other  is  mutual*  The  alternate  recipro- 
cation by  which  conjunction  is  effected,  may  be  illustrated 


526  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI 

by  the  action  of  the  lungs  in  breathing.  Man  inhales  the 
air,  and  thereby  expands  the  chest ;  and  then  he  expels  the 
air  that  was  inhaled,  and  thereby  contracts  the  chest. 
This  inhalation,  and  the  consequent  expansion,  is  effected 
by  means  of  the  pressure  of  the  air  proportionate  to  its 
column ;  while  this  expulsion,  and  the  consequent  con- 
traction, is  effected  by  means  of  the  ribs,  by  the  force  of 
the  muscles.  Such  is  the  reciprocal  conjunction  of  the  air 
and  the  lungs,  on  which  depends  the  life  of  the  senses  and 
of  the  motions  of  the  whole  body ;  for  these  grow  faint 
when  respiration  stops.  The  reciprocal  conjunction  which 
is  effected  by  alternations  of  action,  may  be  also  illustrated 
by  the  conjunction  of  the  heart  with  the  lungs,  and  of  the 
/lings  with  the  heart.  The  heart  from  its  right  chamber 
pours  the  blood  into  the  lungs,  and  the  lungs  pour  it  back 
into  the  left  chamber  of  the  heart ;  thus  is  effected  that 
reciprocal  conjunction  on  which  the  life  of  the  whole  body 
is  wholly  dependent.  There  is  a  similar  conjunction  of 
the  blood  with  the  heart ;  the  blood  of  all  the  body  flows 
through  the  veins  into  the  heart,  and  from  the  heart  it  flows 
out  through  the  arteries  into  the  whole  body ;  action  and 
reaction  make  this  conjunction.  There  is  a  similar  action 
and  reaction  (by  which  there  is  a  constant  conjunction) 
between  the  embryo  and  the  mother's  womb.  There  is  not, 
however,  such  a  reciprocal  conjunction  of  the  Lord  and 
man,  but  there  is  a  mutual  conjunction  which  is  not  effected 
by  action  and  reaction,  but  by  co-operation ;  for  the  Lord 
acts,  and  man  receives  action  from  the  Lord  and  operates 
as  from  himself  ;  yes,  out  of  himself,  from  the  Lord.  This 
operation  of  man  from  the  Lord  is  imputed  to  man  as  his, 
inasmuch  as  he  is  constantly  kept  in  the  freedom  of  will 
by  the  Lord.  The  freedom  of  will  resulting  from  this  is, 
that  man  has  ability  to  will  and  to  think  from  the  Lord, 
that  is,  from  the  Word  j  and  also  ability  to  will  and  to 
think  from  the  devil,  that  is,  contrary  to  the  Lord  and  the 
Word.    The  Lord  gives  man  this  freedom,  so  that  he  may 


No.  372.] 


FAITH. 


527 


be  able  to  conjoin  himself  reciprocally,  and  by  conjunction 
be  gifted  with  eternal  life  and  blessedness ;  for  this,  with- 
out reciprocal  conjunction,  is  not  possible.  This  reciprocal 
conjunction  which  is  mutual,  may  also  be  illustrated  by 
various  things  in  man  and  in  the  world  :  such  is  the  con- 
junction of  the  soul  and  the  body  in  every  man ;  such  is 
the  conjunction  of  will  and  action,  and  also  that  of  thought 
and  speech ;  such  is  the  conjunction  of  the  two  eyes  with 
each  other,  of  the  two  ears  with  each  other,  and  of  the  two 
nostrils  with  each  other.  That  the  conjunction  of  the  two 
eyes  is  in  its  way  reciprocal,  is  manifest  from  the  optic 
nerve,  in  which  fibres  from  both  hemispheres  of  the  cere- 
brum are  folded  with  each  other,  and  thus  folded  together 
they  extend  to  both  the  eyes.  It  is  similar  with  the  ears 
and  the  nostrils.  There  is  a  similar  mutual  reciprocal 
conjunction  of  light  and  the  eye,  of  sound  and  the  ear,  of 
odor  and  the  nostril,  of  taste  and  the  tongue,  of  touch  and 
the  body ;  for  the  eye  is  in  the  light  and  the  light  is  in  the 
eye,  sound  is  in  the  ear  and  the  ear  is  in  sound,  odor  is  in 
the  nostril  and  the  nostril  is  in  odor,  taste  is  in  the  tongue 
and  the  tongue  is  in  taste,  and  touch  is  in  the  body  and 
the  body  is  in  touch.  This  reciprocal  conjunction  may 
also  be  compared  with  the  conjunction  of  a  horse  and  a 
carriage,  of  an  ox  and  a  plough,  of  a  wheel  and  machinery, 
of  a  sail  and  the  wind,  of  a  musical  pipe  and  the  air;  in 
short,  such  is  the  reciprocal  conjunction  of  the  end  and  the 
cause,  and  such  is  that  of  the  cause  and  the  effect.  But 
there  is  not  time  to  explain  all  these  examples  one  by  one, 
for  that  would  be  a  work  of  many  pages. 

372.  (4.)  This  reciprocal  Conjunction  of  the  Lord  and  Man 
is  effected  by  Charity  and  Faith.  It  is  known  at  this  day  that 
the  church  constitutes  the  Body  of  Christ,  and  that  every 
one  in  whom  the  church  is,  is  in  some  member  of  that  Body, 
according  to  Paul  (Eph.  i.  23  ;  1  Cor.  xii.  27  ;  Rom.  xii.  4,  5). 
But  what  is  the  Body  of  Christ,  but  Divine  Good  and  Divine 
Truth  ?    This  is  meant  by  the  Lord's  words  in  John,  Ifc 


528         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 

that  eateth  My  flesh  and  drinketh  My  blood  dwelleth  in  Me, 
and  I  in  him  (vi.  56).  By  the  Lord's  flesh,  as  also  by  bread, 
is  meant  Divine  good ;  and  by  His  blood,  as  also  by  wine, 
is  meant  Divine  truth ;  that  these  are  meant  will  be  seen  in 
the  chapter  concerning  the  Holy  Supper.  From  this  it 
follows,  that  as  far  as  man  is  in  the  goods  of  charity  and  in 
the  truths  of  faith,  he  is  in  the  Lord  and  the  Lord  is  in  him  j 
for  the  conjunction  with  the  Lord  is  spiritual  conjunction, 
and  spiritual  conjunction  is  effected  solely  by  charity  and 
faith.  That  there  is  a  conjunction  of  the  Lord  and  the 
church,  and  consequently  of  good  and  truth,  in  all  things 
of  the  Word  and  in  every  single  thing,  was  shown  in  the 
chapter  concerning  the  Sacred  Scripture  (n.  248-253); 
and  since  charity  is  good  and  faith  is  truth,  there  is  every- 
where in  the  Word  a  conjunction  of  charity  and  faith. 
Hence  now  it  follows,  that  the  Lord  is  Charity  and 
Faith  in  man,  and  that  man  is  charity  and  faith  in 
the  Lord  ;  for  the  Lord  is  Spiritual  Charity  and  Faith  in 
the  natural  charity  and  faith  of  man ;  and  man  is  natural 
charity  and  faith  from  the  Spiritual  of  the  Lord;  which, 
conjoined,  make  a  spiritual-natural  charity  and  faith. 

VIII.  Charity  and  Faith  are  together  in  Good 
Works. 

373.  In  every  work  that  proceeds  from  man,  there  is  the 
whole  man  such  as  he  is  as  to  the  mind  [animus],  or  such 
as  he  is  essentially.  By  the  mind  [animus]  is  meant  his 
love's  affection  and  the  thought  therefrom ;  these  form  his 
nature,  and  in  general  his  life.  If  we  look  upon  works 
thus,  they  are  as  mirrors  of  the  man.  This  may  be  illus- 
trated by  what  is  similar  in  brute  animals  and  in  wild 
beasts ;  a  brute  is  a  brute  and  a  wild  beast  is  a  wild  beast 
in  all  their  actions.  Tn  all  their  actions  a  wolf  is  a  wolf,  a 
tiger  is  a  tiger,  a  fox  is  a  fox,  and  a  lion  is  a  lion ;  so,  too, 
with  a  sheep  and  a  kid  in  all  their  actions.    So,  too,  with 


No.  374-] 


FAITH. 


529 


man  \  but  he  is  such  as  he  is  in  his  internal  man ;  if  in  this 
he  is  like  a  wolf  or  a  fox,  then  all  his  work  is  internally 
wolfish  or  fox-like,  but  the  reverse  if  he  is  like  a  sheep  or  a 
lamb.  But  that  he  is  such  in  all  his  works,  is  not  manifest 
in  his  external  man,  because  this  is  changeable  in  its  rela- 
tion to  the  internal ;  but  still  it  is  inwardly  concealed  in 
this.  The  Lord  says,  A  good  man,  out  of  the  good  treasure 
of  his  heart  bringeth  forth  that  which  is  good ;  and  an  evil 
man,  out  of  the  evil  treasu?-e  of  his  heart,  bringeth  forth  that 
which  is  evil  (Luke  vi.  45);  and  also,  Every  tree  is  known  by 
its  own  fruit ;  for  of  thorns  men  do  not  gather  figs,  ?ior  of  a 
bramble  bush  gather  they  grapes  (vi.  44).  That  in  the  things 
which  proceed  from  him,  one  and  all,  the  man  is  such  as 
he  is  in  his  internal  man,  is  after  death  shown  in  him  to 
the  very  life ;  since  he  then  lives  an  internal  and  no  longer 
an  external  man.  That  good  is  in  man,  and  that  every 
work  which  proceeds  from  him  is  good,  when  the  Lord, 
charity,  and  faith  reside  in  his  internal  man,  will  be  demon- 
strated in  this  series:  1.  Charity  is  to  will  well,  and  good 
works  are  to  do  well  fro??i  willing  well.  2 .  Charity  and  faith 
are  only  mental  and  pei'ishable  things,  unless  they  are  deter- 
mined to  works  and  coexist  in  them,  when  possible.  3.  Charity 
alone  does  not  produce  good  works,  and  still  less  faith  alone, 
but  charity  and  faith  together.  But  these  will  be  considered 
one  by  one. 

374.  (1.)  Charity  is  to  will  well,  and  Good  Works  are  to 
do  well  from  willing  well.  Charity  and  works  are  distinct 
from  each  other  like  will  and  action,  and  like  the  mind  s 
affection  and  the  body's  operation  ;  consequently,  also,  like, 
the  internal  man  and  the  external  j  and  in  relation  to  each 
other  these  are  like  cause  and  effect,  since  the  causes  of  all 
things  are  formed  in  the  internal  man.  and  all  effects  are 
produced  therefrom  in  the  external ;  wherefore  charity, 
because  it  is  of  the  internal  man,  is  to  will  well ;  and  the 
works,  because  they  are  of  the  external  man,  arc  to  do  well 
trom  willing  well.    But  still  there  is  infinite  diversity  be- 


530         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


tween  the  good  willing  of  one  and  of  others ;  for  all  that  is 
done  by  any  one  in  favor  of  another  is  believed  or  appears 
to  flow  from  good  will  or  benevolence ;  but  still  it  is  not 
known  whether  the  good  deeds  are  from  charity  or  not, 
still  less  whether  they  are  from  genuine  or  from  spurious 
charity.  This  infinite  diversity  between  the  good  will  of 
one  and  of  others,  originates  in  the  end,  intention,  and  con- 
sequent purpose  ;  these  are  inwardly  concealed  in  the  will 
of  performing  good  actions  ;  the  quality  of  every  one's  will 
is  from  them.  And  the  will  searches  the  understanding 
for  the  means  and  modes  of  arriving  at  its  ends  which  are 
effects ;  and  in  the  understanding  it  pfaces  itself  in  the 
light,  that  it  may  see  not  only  the  reasons  but  also  the 
occasions,  when  and  how  it  is  to  determine  itself  to  acts, 
and  thus  produce  its  effects  which  are  works ;  and  at  the 
same  time  it  brings  itself  in  the  understanding  into  the 
power  of  acting.  From  this  it  follows  that  works  are 
essentially  of  the  will,  formally  of  the  understanding,  and 
actually  of  the  body.  Thus  charity  comes  down  into  good 
works.  This  may  be  illustrated  by  comparison  with  a  tree. 
Man  himself,  in  all  that  belongs  to  him,  is  like  a  tree.  In 
the  seed  of  the  tree  there  are  concealed,  as  it  were,  the  end, 
intention  and  purpose  of  producing  fruits  ;  in  these  the  seed 
corresponds  to  the  will  with  man,  in  which  are  those  three 
things,  as  stated  above.  Then  the  seed  from  its  interiors 
shoots  up  from  the  earth,  clothes  itself  with  branches, 
branchlets,  and  leaves,  and  so  prepares  for  itself  means 
to  the  ends  which  are  fruits ;  in  these  the  tree  corresponds 
to  the  understanding  in  man.  And  finally,  when  the  time 
comes,  and  there  is  opportunity  for  determination,  it  bears 
blossoms,  and  yields  fruits ;  in  these  the  tree  corresponds 
to  good  works  with  man ;  and  it  is  manifest  that  they  are 
essentially  of  the  seed,  formally  of  the  branchlets  and 
leaves,  and  actually  of  the  wood  of  the  tree.  This  may 
also  be  illustrated  by  comparison  with  a  temple.  Man  is  a 
temple  of  God  according  to  Paul  (i  Cor.  iii.  16,  17 ;  2  Cor. 


No.  375.] 


FAITH. 


531 


vi.  16;  Ephes.  ii.  21,  22).  As  a  temple  of  God,  man  has 
salvation  and  eternal  life  for  his  end,  intention,  and  pur- 
pose ;  in  these  there  is  a  correspondence  with  the  will,  in 
which  these  three  are.  Afterwards  he  acquires  doctrinals 
of  faith  and  charity  from  parents,  masters,  and  preachers  ; 
and,  when  he  becomes  capable  of  judging  for  himself,  from 
the  Word  and  from  doctrinal  works;  all  of  which  are  means 
to  the  end ;  in  these  there  is  a  correspondence  with  the 
understanding.  Finally  there  takes  place  a  determination 
to  uses,  according  to  the  doctrinals  as  means ;  which  is 
effected  by  acts  of  the  body,  -which  are  called  good  works. 
Thus  the  end,  through  mediate  causes,  produces  effects, 
which  are  essentially  of  the  end,  formally  of  the  doctrinals 
of  the  church,  and  actually  of  uses.  So  man  becomes  a 
temple  of  God. 

375.  (2.)  Charity  and  Faith  are  only  Menial  and  Perish- 
able things,  unless  they  are  determined  to  Works  a?id  coexist  in 
them,  when  possible.  Has  not  man  a  head  and  a  body  con- 
nected by  the  neck  ?  Is  there  not  in  the  head  a  mind  which 
wills  and  thinks,  and  in  the  body  power  which  performs 
and  executes  ?  If  therefore  man  were  only  to  will  wel1  or 
were  to  think  from  charity,  and  were  not  to  do  well  and 
perform  uses  from  it,  would  he  not  be  as  a  head  only,  and 
thus  as  a  mind  only,  which  cannot  subsist  alone  without  a 
body  ?  Who  does  not  see  from  this,  that  charity  and  faith 
are  not  charity  and  faith  while  they  are  only  in  the  head 
and  its  mind  and  not  in  the  body  ?  For  they  are  then  like 
birds  flying  in  the  air  without  any  resting-place  on  the  earth, 
and  also  like  birds  ready  to  lay,  but  having  no  nests,  in 
which  case  the  eggs  would  drop  in  the  air  or  upon  the 
branch  of  some  tree,  and  would  fall  to  the  ground  and  be 
destroyed.  There  is  nothing  in  the  mind  to  which  there 
docs  not  correspond  something  in  the  body ;  and  that  which 
corresponds  may  be  called  its  embodiment ;  wherefore,  while 
charity  and  faith  are  in  the  mind  only,  they  are  not  embodied 
in  the  man,  and  they  may  be  likened  to  the  aerial  being 


532  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VL. 


called  a  spectre,  such  as  Fame  was  painted  by  the  ancients, 
with  a  laurel  around  her  head,  and  in  the  hand  a  horn.1* 
Because  they  are  such  spectres  and  still  are  able  to  think, 
with  such  persons  there  cannot  but  be  agitation  by  fanta- 
sies, which  is  also  brought  about  by  reasonings  from  various 
kinds  of  sophistry,  almost  as  reeds  of  the  marsh  are  shaken 
by  the  wind,  beneath  which  shells  lie  at  the  bottom,  and 
frogs  croak  on  the  surface.  Who  cannot  see  that  suck 
things  take  place  when  men  merely  know  some  things  from 
the  Word  about  charity  and  faith,  and  do  not  do  them  ? 
Moreover  the  Lord  says,  Whosoever  heareth  My  words  and 
doeth  them,  I  will  liken  him  unto  a  wise  man  who  built  his 
house  upo?i  a  rock.  And  every  one  that  heareth  My  words 
and  doeth  them  not  shall  be  likened  unto  a  foolish  man 
who  built  his  house  upon  the  sand,  or  upon  the  ground  with- 
out a  foundation  (Matt.  vii.  24,  26  ;  Luke  vi.  47-49).  Charity 
and  faith  with  their  factitious  ideas  while  man  does  not 
practise  them,  may  also  be  compared  to  butterflies  in  the 
air,  upon  which  when  seen  the  sparrow  darts  and  devours 
them.  The  Lord  also  says,  A  sower  went  forth  to  sow ;  and 
some  fell  upon  the  hard  way,  and  the  fowls  came  and  devoured 
them  (Matt.  xiii.  3,  4). 

376.  That  charity  and  faith  do  not  profit  a  man  while 
they  inhere  only  in  one  hemisphere  of  his  body,  that  is,  in 
his  head,  and  are  not  grounded  in  works,  is  evident  from  a 
thousand  passages  in  the  Word,  of  which  I  will  adduce  only 
these  :  Every  tree  that  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit  is 
hewn  down  and  cast  into  the  fire  (Matt.  vii.  19 ;  also  verses 
20,  21).  He  that  received  seed  into  the  good  ground,  is  he  that 
heareth  the  Word  and  attendcth,  who  also  beareth  fruit 
and  bringeth  forth.  When  Jesus  said  these  things  He 
cried  saying,  Who  hath  ears  to  hear  let  him  hear  (Matt.  xiii. 
23>  43^-  Jesus  said,  My  mother  and  My  brethren  are  these 
who  hear  the  Word  of  God  and  do  it  (Luke  viii.  21).  We 
know  that  God  heareth  not  sinners,  but  if  any  man  be  a  wor- 

*  The  Latin  hero  has  cornucopia,  probably  for  coniu. 


No.  376.] 


FAITH. 


shipper  of  God  and  doeth  His  will,  him  He  heareth  (John 
ix.  31).  If  ye  know  these  things  happy  are  ye  if  ye  do  them 
(xiii.  17).  He  that  hath  My  commandments  and  keepeth 
them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  Ale,  and  I  will  love  Mm  and  will 
manifest  Myself  to  him  ;  and  I  will  come  unto  him  and  make 
an  abode  with  him  (xiv.  21,  23).  Herein  is  My  Father  glori- 
fied, that  ye  bear  much  fruit  (xv.  8;  also  verse  16).  Not 
the  hearers  of  the  law  are  justified  before  God,  but  the  doers 
of  the  law  (Rom.  ii.  13  ;  James  i.  22).  God  in  the  day  of 
wrath  and  righteous  judgment  will  render  to  every  man  ac- 
cording to  his  deeds  (Rom.  ii.  5,  8).  We  must  all  appear 
before  the  judg?neni-seat  of  Christ,  that  every  one  may  receive 
the  things  doxe  in  the  body,  according  to  that  he  hath 
done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad  (2  Cor.  v.  10).  The  Son  of 
Man  shall  co?ne  in  the  glory  of  His  Father,  and  then  He  shall 
reward  every  man  according  to  his  works  (Matt.  xvi.  27). 
I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying,  Blessed  are  the  dead  who 
die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth ;  yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that 
they  may  rest  from  their  labors,  a?id  their  works  do  fol- 
low them  (Apoc.  xiii.  14).  A  Book  was  ope?icd,  which  is 
the  Book  of  Life  ;  and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of  those  things 
which  were  written  in  the  book,  all  according  to  their 
works  (xx.  12,  13).  Behold  I  come  quickly,  and  My  reward 
is  with  Me  to  give  every  nian  according  to  his  work 
(Apoc.  xxii.  12).  Jehovah,  Whose  eyes  arc  open  upon  all  the 
ways  of  men,  to  give  every  one  according  to  his  ways,  and 
according  to  the  fruit  of  his  doings  (Jer.  xxxii.  19). 
/  will  visit  according  to  his  ways,  and  I  will  reward  him 
his  works  (Hos.  iv.  9).  yehovah  dcaleth  with  us  according 
to  our  ways,  and  according  to  our  works  (Zech.  i.  C).  So 
in  a  thousand  other  passages.  Hence  it  may  be  evident 
that  charity  and  faith  are  not  charity  and  faith  before  they 
are  in  works  ;  and  that  if  they  are  only  in  the  expanse, 
above  works,  or  in  mind,  they  are  like  images  of  a  taber- 
nacle or  of  a  temple  in  the  air,  which  are  nothing  but  a 
mirage,  and  vanish  of  themselves  j  and  are  like  pictures 


534         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


drawn  on  paper,  which  moths  consume ;  or  they  are  like 
an  abode  on  the  housetop,  where  there  is  no  place  to  sleep, 
instead  of  in  the  house.  From  this  it  may  now  i  e  seen 
that  charity  and  faith  are  perishable  things  while  they  are 
merely  mental,  unless  they  are  determined  to  works  and 
coexist  in  them  when  this  can  be  done. 

377.  (3.)  Charity  alo?ie  does  not  produce  Good  Works ;  still 
less  Faith  alone,  but  Charity  and  Faith  together.  This  is 
because  charity  without  faith  is  not  charity,  and  faith  with- 
out charity  is  not  faith,  as  shown  above  (n.  355-358); 
wherefore  there  is  no  solitary  charity  or  solitary  faith  j 
consequently  it  cannot  be  said  that  charity  by  itself  pro- 
duces any  good  works,  or  faith  by  itself.  It  is  the  same 
with  them  as  with  the  will  and  the  understanding.  There 
is  no  solitary  will,  and  therefore  it  does  not  produce  any 
thing ;  nor  is  there  a  solitary  understanding,  nor  does  it 
produce  any  thing ;  but  all  production  is  effected  by  both 
together,  and  it  is  effected  by  the  understanding  from  the 
will.  There  is  this  similarity,  because  the  will  is  the  abode 
of  charity,  and  the  understanding  is  the  abode  of  faith.  It 
is  said,  Still  less  does  faith  alone  ^produce  good  works'],  be- 
cause faith  is  truth,  and  its  operation  is  to  make  truths,  and 
these  illuminate  charity  and  its  exercises.  That  truths  illu- 
minate, the  Lord  teaches  by  saying,  He  that  doeth  truth 
cometh  to  the  light,  that  his  deeds  may  be  made  manifest,  since 
they  are  done  in  God  (John  iii.  21).  Wherefore  while  man 
does  good  works  according  to  truths,  he  does  them  in  light, 
that  is,  intelligently  and  wisely.  The  conjunction  of  chanty 
and  faith  is  like  the  marriage  of  husband  and  wife.  All 
natural  offspring  are  born  from  the  husband  as  father  and 
from  the  wife  as  mother;  in  like  manner  all  spiritual 
offspring  (which  are  cognitions  of  good  and  truth)  are 
born  from  charity  as  the  father  and  from  faith  as  the 
mother.  From  this  may  be  cognized  the  generation  of 
spiritual  families.  In  the  Word,  also,  husband  and  father 
in  the  spiritual  sense  signify  the  good  of  charity,  and  wife 


No.  37S.| 


FAITH. 


535 


and  mother  the  truth  of  faith.  From  this  again  it  is  mani- 
fest that  neither  charity  alone  nor  faith  alone  can  produce 
good  works,  as  neither  a  husband  alone  nor  a  wife  alone 
can  produce  any  offspring.  The  truths  of  faith  not  only 
illuminate  charity,  but  they  also  qualify  it,  and  moreover 
nourish  it ;  wherefore  a  man  who  has  charity  but  not  truths 
of  faith  is  like  one  walking  in  a  garden  by  night,  who 
plucks  fruits  from  the  trees,  not  knowing  whether  they  are 
fruits  of  good  use  or  of  evil  use.  Since  truths  of  faith  not 
only  illuminate  charity  but  also  qualify  it,  as  said  before,  it 
follows  that  charity  without  truths  of  faith  is  like  fruit  with- 
out juice,  like  a  dried-up  fig,  and  like  a  grape  after  the  wine 
has  been  pressed  out  of  it.  Since  truths  nourish  faith,  as 
was  also  said,  it  follows  that  if  charity  is  without  truths  of 
faith  it  has  no  other  nourishment  than  a  man  has  from  eat- 
ing burnt  bread,  and  at  the  same  time  drinking  unclean 
water  from  some  stagnant  pond. 


IX.  There  is  a  true  Faith,  a  spurious  Faith,  and  a 

HYPOCRITICAL  FAITH. 

378.  The  Christian  church  began  from  the  cradle  to  be 
infested  and  divided  by  schisms  and  heresies,  and  in  the 
course  of  time  to  be  torn  and  mutilated  almost  as  we  read 
of  the  man  who  went  down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho  ;  he 
was  surrounded  by  robbers,  who  stripped  him  and  beat  him 
and  then  left  him  half  dead  (Luke  x.  30).  Whence  it  has 
come  to  pass  as  we  read  of  that  churcn  in  Daniel :  At  length 
upon  the  bird  of  abominations  there  shall  be  desolation,  and 
even  to  a  consummation  and  decree,  shall  it  drop  upon  the  dev- 
astation (ix.  27).  Also  according  to  these  words  of  the 
Lord :  Then  shall  the  end  come,  when  ye  shall  see  the  abomi- 
nation of  desolatio?i  spoken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet  (Matt, 
xxiv.  14,  15).  The  lot  of  this  church  may  be  compared 
with  that  of  a  ship  laden  with  merchandise  of  the  greatest 
value,  which,  as  soon  as  it  left  the  port  was  driven  about 


536         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 

by  storms ;  and  soon  after,  a  wreck  on  the  sea,  it  settles 
down,  and  its  merchandise  is  in  part  destroyed  by  the 
water,  and  partly  scattered  by  the  fishes.  That  the  Chris- 
tian church  has  been  so  vexed  and  torn  from  its  infancy  is 
evident  from  ecclesiastical  history,  which  shows  that  this 
was  done  even  in  the  time  of  the  apostles  by  Simon  who 
was  a  Samaritan  by  birth,  and  in  practice  a  magician,  of 
whom  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  (viii.  9-20) ;  and  also  by 
Hymeneus  and  Philetus,  who  are  mentioned  by  Paul  in  the 
[second]  Epistle  to  Timothy ;  also  by  Nicholas,  from  whose 
name  (Nicolaus)  the  Nicolaitans  were  called,  who  are  men- 
tioned in  the  Apocalypse  (ii.  6),  and  in  the  Acts  (vi.  5); 
and  also  by  Cerinthns.  After  the  times  of  the  apostles, 
many  others  arose,  as  the  Marcionites,  the  Noetians,  the 
Encratites,  the  Cataphrygians,  the  Qiiarto-Decimans,  the 
Alogians,  the  Catharians,  the  Origenists  or  Adamites,  the 
Sabellians,  the  Samosatenes,  the  Manichaeans,  the  Meletians, 
and  lastly  the  Arians.  After  their  times,  also,  whole  bat- 
talions of  heresiarchs  invaded  the  church,  as  Donatists, 
Photinians,  Ac  arians  or  Semiarians,  Eitnomians,  Macedo- 
nians, Nestorians,  Predestinarians,  Papists,  Zwing/ians,  Ana- 
baptists, Schwenckfeldians,  Synergists,  Socinians,  Antitrini- 
tarians,  Quakers,  Moravians,  and  many  more.  At  last 
Luther,  Melancthon,  and  Calvin  have  prevailed  over  these, 
whose  dogmas  reign  at  this  day.  The  causes  of  so  many 
divisions  and  separations  in  the  church  are  principally 
three  :  First,  The  Divine  Trinity  has  not  been  understood ; 
Second,  There  has  been  no  just  recognition  of  the  Lord ; 
Third,  The  passion  of  the  cross  has  been  taken  for  redemp- 
tion itself.  While  there  is  ignorance  concerning  these  three 
things,  which  yet  are  the  very  essentials  of  faith  from  which 
the  church  has  its  being  and  is  called  a  church,  it  cannot 
be  otherwise  than  that  all  things  of  the  church  should  be 
drawn  aside  into  a  wrong  and  at  length  into  the  opposite 
course,  and  when  there,  should  still  believe  that  it  is  in  the 
true  faith  in  God  and  in  the  faith  of  all  the  truths  of  God. 


No.  379.] 


FAITH. 


537 


It  is  with  them  as  with  those  who  bandage  their  eyes,  and 
then  fancy  themselves  to  be  walking  in  a  straight  line,  and 
yet  step  after  step  they  deviate  from  it,  and  at  length  turn 
in  the  opposite  direction  where  there  is  a  cave  into  which 
they  fall.  But  the  man  of  the  church  cannot  be  led  back 
from  his  wandering,  into  the  way  of  truth,  except  by  know- 
ing what  true  faith  is,  what  spurious  faith  is,  and  what  hypo- 
critical faith  is.  It  shall  therefore  be  demonstrated,  1.  That 
the  true  faith  is  the  one  only  faith,  and  that  it  is  faith  in  the 
Lord  God  the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and  is  with  those  who 
believe  Him  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  1>he  God  of  heaven  and  earth, 
and  one  with  the  Father ;  2.  That  spurious  faith  is  all  faith 
that  departs  from  the  true,  which  is  the  one  only  faith,  and  that 
it  is  ivith  those  who  climb  up  some  other  way,  and  regard  the 
Lord  not  as  God  but  only  as  a  man;  3.  That  hypocritical 
faith  is  no  faith. 

379.  (1.)  The  true  Faith  is  the  one  only  Faith  ;  it  is  Faith 
in  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and  is  with  those 
who  believe  Lfi?n  to  be  the  Sou  of  God,  the  God  of  Heaven  and 
Earth,  and  one  with  the  Father.  The  true  faith  is  the  one 
only  faith,  because  faith  is  truth  ;  and  truth  cannot  be 
broken  up  or  cut  in  halves  so  that  one  part  of  it  may  look 
to  the  left  and  another  to  the  right,  and  still  remain  its  own 
truth.  Faith  in  a  general  sense  consists  of  innumerable 
truths,  for  it  is  the  complex  of  them  \  but  those  innumera- 
ble truths  make  as  it  were  one  body,  and  in  that  body  the 
truths  are  what  make  its  members ;  some  make  the  mem- 
bers which  depend  on  the  breast,  as  the  arms  and  hands  ; 
some  make  those  which  depend  on  the  loins,  as  the  feet 
and  the  soles  of  the  feet.  Dut  interior  truths  make  the 
head  \  and  the  truths  directly  proceeding  from  these,  make 
the  sensories  which  are  in  the  face.  Interior  truths  make 
the  head,  because  when  it  is  said  interior,  higher  also  is 
meant ;  for  in  the  spiritual  world  all  interior  things  are  also 
the  higher  ;  it  is  so  with  the  three  heavens  there.  Of  this 
body  and  of  all  its  members,  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour  is 
VOL.  11.  6 


538 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


the  Life  and  Soul ;  therefore  Pa  Hi  called  the  church  the 
Body  of  Christ  •  and  the  men  of  the  church,  according  to 
the  states  of  charity  and  faith  in  them,  make  its  members. 
That  the  true  faith  is  the  one  only  faith,  Paul  also  teaches 
thus  :  There  is  one  body  and  one  spirit,  one  Lord,  one  faith, 
one  baptism,  o?ie  God.  He  gave  the  work  of  the  ministry  for 
the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ,  till  we  all  come  into  the 
unity  of  the  faith,  and  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God, 
and  into  a  life  perfected  to  the  measure  of  the  age  of  the  fulness 
of  Christ  (Ephes.  iv.  4,  5,  6,  12,  13).  That  the  true  faith, 
which  is  the  one  only  faith,  is  m  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  was  fully  shown  above  (n.  337-339).  But 
that  the  true  faith  is  with  those  who  believe  the  Lord  to  be 
the  Son  of  God,  is  because  they  believe  also  that  He  is 
God  ;  and  faith  is  not  faith  unless  it  is  in  God.  That  this 
element  of  faith  is  primary  in  all  the  truths  which  enter 
into  faith  and  form  it,  is  evident  from  the  words  of  the 
Lord  to  Peter  when  he  said,  Thou  art  the  Christ  the 
Son  of  the  living  God:  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon.  I say 
unto  thee,  upon  this  Rock  L  will  build  My  church,  and  the 
gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  agaifist  it  (Matt.  xvi.  16,  17). 
By  Rock,  here  as  elsewhere  in  the  Word,  is  meant  the  Lord 
as  to  Divine  Truth ;  and  also  Divine  truth  from  the  Lord. 
That  this  truth  is  the  primary,  and  like  a  diadem  upon  the 
head  and  a  sceptre  in  the  hand  of  the  body  of  Christ,  is 
evident  from  the  Lord's  saying  that  upon  that  rock  He 
would  build  His  church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  should  not 
prevail  against  it.  That  this  primary  of  faith  is  such,  is 
also  evident  from  these  words  in  John :  Whosoever  shall 
confess  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  God  dwelleth  in  him 
and  he  in  God  (1  Epistle  iv.  15).  Besides  this  characteris- 
tic of  their  being  in  the  true  faith,  which  is  the  one  only 
faith,  there  is  also  another,  which  is  that  they  believe  the 
Lord  to  be  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth.  This  follows  from 
the  former,  that  lie  is  the  Sou  of  God,  and  from  the  state- 
ments that  in  Him  is  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  (Cc\os. 


No  379.] 


FAITH. 


539 


ii.  9) :  that  He  is  the  God  of  heaven  and  eaj'th  (Matt,  xxviii. 
18):  that  all  things  of  the  Father  are  His  (John  iii.  35  ; 
xvi.  15).  A  third  sign  that  they  who  believe  in  the  Lord 
are  interiorly  in  faith  in  Him,  thus  in  the  true  faith  which 
is  the  only  one,  is  that  they  believe  the  Lord  to  be  o?ie  with  the 
Father.  That  He  is  one  with  God  the  Father,  and  that  He 
is  the  Father  Himself  in  the  Human,  was  fully  shown  in 
the  chapter  concerning  the  Lord  and  Redemption,  and  is 
very  evident  from  the  words  of  the  Lord  Himself,  that  the 
Father  and  He  are  one  (John  x.  30) :  that  the  Father  is  in 
Him,  and  He  in  thr  Father  (x.  38;  xiv.  10,  11):  that  He 
said  to  the  disciples,  Henceforth  ye  know  the  Father  and 
have  seen  Him :  also  that  He  looked  on  Philip  and  said, 
that  he  then  saw  and  knew  the  Father  (John  xiv.  7-10). 
These  three  are  characteristic  testimonies  that  men  are  in 
faith  in  the  Lord,  thus  in  the  true  which  is  the  one  only 
faith,  because  not  all  who  go  to  the  Lord  are  in  faith  in 
Him ;  for  true  jiaith  is  internal,  and  at  the  same  time  ex- 
ternal. Those  who  have  these  three  precious  characteris- 
tics of  faith  are  in  both  the  internals  of  that  faith  and  its 
externals ;  thus  it  is  not  only  a  treasure  in  their  heart,  but 
also  a  jewel  in  their  mouth.  It  is  otherwise  with  those  who 
do  not  acknowledge  the  Lord  as  the  God  of  heaven  and 
earth,  and  as  one  with  the  Father.  They  look  interiorly  to 
other  Gods  who  have  like  power  j  but  they  acknowledge 
that  this  is  to  be  exercised  by  the  Son,  either  as  a  Vicar,  or 
as  One  Who  on  account  of  redemption  has  deserved  to 
reign  over  those  whom  He  has  redeemed.  But  these  break 
the  true  faith  in  pieces  by  the  division  of  the  unity  of  God  \ 
and  when  this  has  been  done,  there  is  faith  no  longer,  but 
only  the  ghost  of  faith  ;  which  when  seen  naturally  appears 
like  some  image  of  it,  but  seen  spiritually  it  becomes  a  chi- 
mera. Who  can  deny  that  the  true  faith  is  in  one  God  Who 
is  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  consequently  faith  in  God 
the  Father  in  the  Human  form,  thus  in  the  Lord?  These 
three  marks,  testimonies,  and  indications  that  faith  in  the 


540 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


Lord  is  faith  itself,  are  like  the  touchstones  by  which  gold 
and  silver  are  recognized.  They  are  also  like  the  stones 
by  the  wayside,  or  the  hands  on  the  guide-posts,  pointing 
out  the  way  to  the  temple  where  the  one  and  true  God  is 
worshipped.  And  they  are  like  lights  on  rocks  in  the  sea, 
by  which  those  who  are  sailing  at  night  know  where  they 
are,  and  to  what  quarter  .to  direct  the  ships.  The  first 
characteristic  of  faith,  which  is,  that  the  Lord  is  the  Son  of 
the  living  God,  is  like  the  morning  star  to  all  who  enter  His 
church. 

380.  (2.)  Spurious  Faith  is  all  Faith  that  departs  from 
the  true,  which  is  the  one  only  Faith ;  and  it  is  with  those 
who  climb  up  some  other  way,  a?id  regard  the  Lord  not  as 
God  but  only  as  a  man.  That  spurious  faith  is  all  faith  that 
departs  from  the  true,  which  is  the  only  one,  is  self-evident ; 
for  when  one  only  is  truth,  it  follows  that  that  which  de- 
parts from  it  is  not  truth.  All  the  good  and  truth  of  the 
church  are  propagated  from  the  marriage  of.  the  Lord  and 
the  church ;  thus  all  that  is  essentially  charity  and  essen- 
tially faith  is  from  that  marriage ;  but  on  the  other  hand, 
all  of  charity  and  faith  that  is  not  from  that  marriage,  is 
not  from  a  legitimate  but  from  an  illegitimate  bed ;  thus 
either  from  a  bed  or  marriage  that  is  polygamic,  or  from 
adultery.  Every  faith  which  acknowledges  the  Lord,  but 
adopts  the  falsities  of  heresies,  is  from  polygamic  marriage  ; 
and  the  faith  which  acknowledges  three  Lords  of  one 
church  is  from  adultery ;  for  this  is  either  like  a  harlot,  or 
like  a  woman  who  is-  married  to  one  man  and  spends  nights 
with  two  others,  and  when  she  lies  with  them  she  calls  the 
one  she  chooses  her  husband.  Therefore  such  faith  is 
called  spurious.  These  the  Lord  in  many  places  calls 
adulterers ;  and  He  also  means  these  in  John,  by  thieves 
and  robbers  :  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  he  that  cntercth  not  by 
the  Door  into  the  shccpfold,  but  climbeth  up  some  other  way, 
the  same  is  a  thief  and  a  robber.  I  am  the  Door  ;  by  Me  if 
an)  man  enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved  (x.  1,  9).    To  enter  into 


No.  380. J 


FAITH. 


541 


the  sheepfold  is  to  enter  into  the  church,  and  likewise  into 
heaven ;  that  it  is  into  heaven  also,  is  because  the  church 
and  heaven  make  one,  and  nothing  makes  heaven  but 
the  church  therein ;  wherefore,  as  the  Lord  is  the  Bride- 
groom and  the  Husband  of  the  church,  so  also  He  is  the 
Bridegroom  and  the  Husband  of  heaven.  There  may  be  an 
examination  and  cognition,  as  to  whether  a  faith  is  a  legiti- 
mate or  a  spurious  offspring  by  the  three  indications  men- 
tioned above,  namely,  the  acknowledgment  of  the  Lord  as 
the  Son  of  God,  the  acknowledgment  of  Him  as  the  God 
of  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  acknowledgment  that  He  is 
one  with  the  Father.  So  far,  therefore,  as  any  faith  de- 
parts from  these  its  essentials,  it  is  spurious.  Faith  is 
spurious  and  at  the  same  time  adulterous  with  those  who 
regard  the  Lord  not  as  God,  but  only  as  a  man.  That  this 
is  so,  is  very  manifest  from  the  two  abominable  heresies, 
the  Arian  and  the  Sorinian,  which  have  been  anathema- 
tized in  the  Christian  church,  and  excommunicated  from 
it ;  and  this,  because  they  deny  the  Lord's  Divinity,  and 
climb  up  some  other  way.  But  I  fear  that  those  abomina- 
tions lie  concealed  at  this  day  in  the  general  spirit  of  the 
men  of  the  church.  It  is  remarkable  that  the  more  any 
one  deems  himself  superior  to  others  in  learning  and  judg- 
ment, the  more  prone  he  is  to  embrace  and  appropriate  to 
himself  the  ideas  concerning  the  Lord  that  He  is  a  man 
and  not  God,  and  that  because  He  is  a  man  He  cannot  be 
God  ;  and  one  who  appropriates  to  himself  these  ideas, 
introduces  himself  into  companionship  with  the  Arians  and 
Socinians  who  in  the  spiritual  world  are  in  hell.  Such  is 
the  general  spirit  of  the  men  of  the  church  at  this  day,  be- 
cause there  is  with  every  man  an  associate  spirit ;  for  man 
without  this  cannot  think  analytically,  rationally,  and 
spiritually,  and  thus  would  not  be  a  man  but  a  brute  ;  and 
every  man  attaches  to  himself  a  spirit  similar  to  the  affec- 
tion of  his  will,  and  to  the  perception  of  his  understanding 
that  comes  from  this.    To  the  man  who  introduces  himself 


542  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VL 


into  good  affections  by  means  of  truths  from  the  Word  and 
by  a  life  according  to  them,  there  is  adjoined  an  angel 
from  heaven;  while  to  him  who  introduces  himself  into 
evil  affections  by  confirmations  of  falsities  and  by  an  evil 
life,  a  spirit  from  hell  adjoins  himself ;  and  when  the  spirit 
is  joined,  man  enters  more  and  more  as  it  were  into  frater- 
nity with  satans,  and  then  confirms  himself  more  and  more 
in  falsities  contrary  to  the  truths  of  the  Word,  and  in  the 
Arian  and  the  Socinian  abomination  against  the  Lord. 
This  is  because  no  satan  can  bear  to  hear  any  truth  from 
the  Word,  or  to  have  Jesus  named ;  or  if  they  hear  them, 
they  become  like  furies,  #nd  run  hither  and  thither,  and 
blaspheme.  And  then  if  light  from  heaven  flows  in,  they 
throw  themselves  headlong  into  caverns  and  into  their  own 
thick  darkness,  in  which  there  is  light  to  them  as  there  is 
to  birds  of  night  in  the  dark,  and  such  as  cats  have  in 
cellars  when  they  are  hunting  for  mice.  All  become  such 
after  death  who  in  heart  and  faith  deny  the  Divinity  of  the 
Lord  and  the  holiness  of  the  Word ;  their  internal  man  is 
such,  howsoever  the  external  may  act  the  mimic  and 
counterfeit  the  Christian.  I  know  that  this  is  so,  for  I 
have  seen  and  heard  it.  The  mouth  of  all  who  honor  the 
Lord  as  Redeemer  and  Saviour  with  the  mouth  and  the 
lips  only,  while  in  heart  and  spirit  they  look  upon  Him  as 
a  mere  man,  when  they  are  speaking  of  these  things  and 
teaching  them,  is  like  a  bag  of  honey,  but  their  heart  is 
like  a  bag  of  gall;  their  words  are  like  sweet  cakes,  but 
their  thoughts  are  like  emulsions  of  monk's-hood ;  and  they 
are  like  rolls  of  pastry  containing  serpents.  If  such  per- 
sons are  priests,  they  are  like  pirates  on  the  sea,  who  hang 
out  the  flag  of  a  kingdom  at  peace,  but  when  a  ship  ap- 
proaches and  hails  them  as  friends,  they  raise  the  pirates' 
flag  in  place  of  the  other,  and  capture  the  ship  and  carry 
its  crew  into  captivity.  They  are  also  like  serpents  of  the 
tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  that  approach  like 
angels  of  light,  holding  n  the  hand  apples  from  that  tree 


No.  381.] 


FAITH. 


543 


painted  with  gold-like  colors,  as  if  plucked  from  the  tree  of 
life ;  and  they  offer  them  and  say,  God  doth  know  that  in 
the  day  ye  eat  thereof,  your  eyes  shall  be  opened,  and  ye  shall 
be  as  God,  knowing  good  and  evil  (Gen.  iii.  5).  And  when 
they  have  eaten,  they  follow  the  serpent  into  the  lower 
world  (Orats),  and  there  they  dwell  together.  Round 
about  that  world  are  the  satans  who  have  eaten  of  the 
apples  of  Arius  and  of  Socinus.  They  are  meant  also 
by  him  who  came  in  to  the  marriage  not  having  on  a  wed- 
ding garment ;  who  was  cast  into  outer  darkness  (Matt, 
xxii.  11-13).  The  wedding  garment  is  faith  in  the  Lord 
as  the  Son  of  God,- the  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  one 
with  the  Father.  They  who  honor  the  Lord  with  the  mouth 
and  lips  only,  but  in  heart  and  spirit  look  upon  Him  as  a 
mere  man,  if  they  disclose  their  thoughts  and  persuade 
others,  are  spiritual  murderers,  and  the  worst  of  them  are 
spiritual  cannibals ;  for  man  has  life  from  love  to  the  Lord 
and  faith  in  Him ;  but  if  this  essential  element  of  faith 
and  love,  that  the  Lord  is  God-Man  and  Man-God,  is 
taken  away,  man's  life  becomes  death ;  so,  therefore,  the 
man  is  killed  and  devoured  as  a  lamb  by  a  wolf. 

381.  (3.)  Hypocritical  Faith  is  no  Faith.  Man  becomes 
a  hypocrite  while  he  thinks  much  about  himself,  and  places 
himself  before  others ;  for  so  he  directs  the  thoughts  and 
affections  of  his  mind  to  his  body,  pours  them  into  it,  and 
conjoins  them  with  its  senses.  He  thus  becomes  a  natu- 
ral, sensual,  and  corporeal  man ;  and  then  his  mind  cannot 
be  withdrawn  from  the  flesh  with  which  it  coheres,  cannot 
be  elevated  to  God,  and  cannot  see  any  thing  of  God  in  the 
light  of  heaven,  that  is,  any  thing  spiritual ;  and  because  he 
is  a  carnal  man,  the  spiritual  things  which  enter,  —  they 
enter  the  understanding  through  the  hearing,  —  seem  to 
him  only  like  spectres,  or  like  down  which  floats  in  the  air, 
yes,  like  flies  about  the  head  of  a  running  and  sweating 
horse  ;  wherefore  in  heart  lie  ridicules  them  ;  for  it  is  known 
that  the  natural  man  regards  the  things  of  the  spirit,  or 


$44         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI 


spiritual  things,  as  foolishness.  Among  natural  men  the 
hypocrite  is  the  lowest  natural,  for  he  is  sensual,  inasmuch 
as  his  mind  is  closely  bound  to  the  senses  of  his  body,  and 
therefore  he  does  not  love  to  see  any  thing  but  what  his 
senses  suggest ;  and  the  senses,  because  they  are  in  nature, 
compel  the  mind  to  think  from  nature  concerning  every 
thing,  and  so  of  all  that  pertains  to  faith.  If  this  hypocrite 
becomes  a  preacher,  he  retains  in  memory  such  things  as 
were  said  concerning  faith,  in  his  childhood  and  youth ;  but 
because  there  is  nothing  spiritual  but  only  what  is  natural 
inwardly  in  those  things,  when  he  brings  them  forward  before 
an  assembly  they  are  only  soulless  words ;  their  sounding 
as  if  they  were  animate  comes  from  the  enjoyments  of  the 
love  of  self  and  the  world ;  from  these  they  ring  out  accord- 
ing to  the  eloquence  of  the  speaker,  and  soothe  the  ear 
almost  like  the  harmony  of  song.  When  a  hypocritical 
preacher  returns  home  after  the  sermon,  he  laughs  at  every 
thing  concerning  faith  and  at  every  thing  from  the  Word 
which  he  has  advanced  to  the  congregation ;  and  perhaps 
says  to  himself,  "  I  cast  a  net  into  the  lake,  and  have  caught 
flat-fish  and  shell-fish ; "  for  such  to  his  fancy  seem  all  who 
are  in  true  faith.  A  hypocrite  is  like  a  sculptured  image 
having  a  double  head,  one  head  within  another ;  the  inter- 
nal head  is  connected  with  the  trunk  or  body;  and  the 
external,  which  can  rotate  about  the  other,  is  painted  in 
front  with  appropriate  colors,  like  a  human  face,  not  unlike 
the  heads  of  wood  that  are  displayed  at  the  shops  of  hair- 
dressers. He  is  also  like  a  boat  which  the  sailor,  by  a 
proper  adjustment  of  the  sail,  can  direct  at  pleasure,  either 
with  the  wind  or  against  it ;  his  favoring  every  one  who  gives 
him  indulgence  in  the  enjoyments  of  the  flesh  and  its  senses, 
is  his  management  of  the  sail.  Ministers  who  are  hypocrites 
are  perfect  comedians,  mimics,  and  players,  who  can  per- 
sonate kings,  dukes,  primates,  and  bishops  ;  and  as  soon  as 
they  have  put  off  their  theatrical  robes,  visit  brothels  and 
consort  with  harlots.    They  are  also  like  doors  hung  on 


No.  382.] 


FAITH. 


545 


the  round  hinge,  which  can  open  either  way ;  such  is  their 
mind,  for  it  can  be  opened  toward  hell  and  toward  heaven, 
and  when  opened  to  one  it  is  closed  to  the  other ;  for,  what 
is  wonderful,  when  they  are  ministering  in  holy  things  and 
teaching  from  the  Word,  they  know  not  but  that  they  believe 
those  things,  for  the  door  is  then  closed  toward  hell ;  but 
as  soon  as  they  return  home,  they  believe  nothing,  for  the 
door  is  then  shut  toward  heaven.  With  consummate  hypo- 
crites there  is  an  intestine  enmity  against  truly  spiritual 
men,  for  it  is  like  that  of  satans  against  the  angels  of 
heaven.  They  are  not  sensible  of  this  while  they  live  in 
the  world,  but  it  manifests  itself  after  death,  when  their 
external,  by  which  they  counterfeited  the  spiritual  man,  has 
been  taken  away ;  for  it  is  their  internal  man  which  is  such 
a  satan.  But  I  will  tell  how  spiritual  hypocrites  (who  are 
such  as  walk  in  sheep's  clothing,  but  inwardly  aj-e  ravening 
wolves,  Matt.  vii.  15)  appear  to  the  angels  of  heaven;  they 
appear  like  soothsayers  walking  on  the  palms  of  their  hands 
and  praying;  who  with  the  mouth  and  from  the  heart  cry 
to  demons  and  kiss  them,  but  they  clap  in  the  air  with  their 
shoes,  and  so  they  make  sound  to  God.  But  when  they 
stand  on  their  feet,  their  eyes  look  like  those  of  a  leopard, 
they  step  like  wolves,  as  to  the  mouth  they  are  like  the 
fox,  as  to  the  teeth  like  crocodiles,  and  as  to  faith  like 
vultures. 


X.    There  is  no  Faith  with  the  Evil. 

382.  All  who  deny  that  the  world  was  created  by  God, 
and  so  deny  God,  are  evil ;  for  they  are  atheist  naturalists. 
They  all  are  evil,  because  all  good  which  is  good  not  only 
naturally  but  also  spiritually  is  from  God  ;  wherefore  they 
who  deny  God  are  not  willing,  and  therefore  are  not  able, 
to  receive  any  good  from  any  other  source  than  from  their 
proprium  \ownhood\  and  man's  proprium  is  the  lust  of  his 
flesh;  and  whatever  proceeds  from  tin's  is  spiritually  evil, 

6* 


540 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


however  good  it  seems  naturally.  Such  persons  are  theo- 
retically evil ;  but  they  are  practically  evil  who  pay  no 
regard  to  the  Divine  commandments  (which  are  exhibited 
in  a  summary  in  the  decalogue),  and  live  like  outlaws. 
These  also  deny  God  in  heart  (although  many  of  them 
confess  Him  with  the  mouth),  because  God  and  His  com 
mandments  make  one  j  for  which  reason  the  ten  command- 
ments of  the  decalogue  were  called  Jehovah  there  (Num. 
x.  35,  36 ;  Ps.  cxxxii.  7,  8).  But  to  make  it  more  manifest 
that  the  evil  have  no  faith,  a  conclusion  will  be  made  from 
these  two  propositions:  1.  The  evil  have  no  faith,  because 
evil  belongs  to  hell,  and  faith  belongs  to  heaven.  2 .  All  those 
in  Christendom  have  no  faith  who  reject  the, Lord  and  the 
Word,  although  they  live  morally,  and  speak,  teach,  and  write 
rationally,  even  about  faith.    But  of  these  separately. 

383.  (1.)  The  Evil  have  no  Faith,  because  Evil  belongs  to 
Hell,  and  Faith  belongs  to  Heaven.  Evil  belongs  to  hell, 
because  all  evil  is  from  hell ;  faith  belongs  to  heaven, 
because  all  the  truth  which  is  of  faith  is  from  heaven.  As 
long  as  man  lives  in  the  world,  he  is  kept  and  he  walks  in 
the  middle  [region]  between  heaven  and  hell,  and  is  there 
in  spiritual  equilibrium,  which  is  his  free-will.  Hell  is 
under  his  feet,  and  heaven  is  above  his  head ;  and  what- 
ever ascends  from  hell  is  evil  and  false,  but  whatever 
comes  down  from  heaven  is  good  and  true.  Man  being  in 
the  middle  [region]  between  those  two  opposites,  and  at 
the  same  time  in  spiritual  equilibrium,  can  choose,  adopt, 
and  appropriate  to  himself  either  the  one  or  the  other, 
from  freedom.  If  he  chooses  the  evil  and  false,  he  con- 
joins himself  with  hell ;  if  the  good  and  true,  he  conjoins 
himself  with  heaven.  From  this  it  is  manifest  not  only 
that  evil  belongs  to  hell  and  faith  to  heaven,  but  also  that 
the  two  cannot  be  together  in  the  same  subject  or  man 
For  if  they  were  together,  the  man  would  be  drawn  in  two 
directions,  as  if  two  ropes  were  tied  around  him  and  he 
were  drawn  upward  by  one  and  downward  by  the  other, 


« 


No.  384.] 


FAITH. 


547 


and  thus  he  would  become  as  one  suspended  in  the  air 
And  it  would  be  as  if  he  were  to  fly  like  a  blackbird,  now 
upward  and  now  downward;  and  when  flying  upward, 
should  adore  God,  and  when  downward,  the  devil.  Every 
one  sees  that  this  is  profane.  That  no  man  can  serve  two 
masters,  but  hates  one  and  loves  the  other,  the  Lord  teaches 
in  Matthew  (vi.  24).  That  where  evil  is  there  is  no  fait\ 
may  be  illustrated  by  various  comparisons,  as  by  these : 
Evil  is  like  fire  (infernal  fire  is  nothing  but  the  love  of  evil), 
and  it  consumes  faith  like  stubble,  reducing  it  and  all 
belonging  to  it  to  ashes.  Evil  dwells  in  darkness,  and 
faith  in  light ;  and  evil  by  falsities  extinguishes  faith,  as 
darkness  extinguishes  light.  Evil  is  black  like  ink,  and 
faith  is  white  like  snow  and  clear-white  like  water;  and 
evil  blackens  faith,  as  ink  blackens  snow  or  water.  More- 
over, evil  and  the  truth  of  faith  cannot  be  conjoined, 
except  as  what  is  stinking  with  what  is  aromatic,  as  urine 
with  wine  of  good  flavor ;  and  they  cannot  be  together 
except  as  a  noisome  carcass  in  the  same  bed  with  a  living 
man ;  and  they  cannot  dwell  together  any  more  than  a 
wolf  can  dwell  in  a  sheepfold,  a  hawk  in  a  dovecote,  and 
a  fox  in  a  hencoop. 

384.  (2.)  All  those  in  Christendom  have  no  Faith  who 
reject  the  Lord  and  the  Word,  although  they  live  morally, 
and  speak,  teach,  and  write  ratio?ially,  even  about  Faith. 
This  follows  as  a  conclusion  from  all  that  precedes ;  for  it 
has  been  shown  that  the  true  and  only  faith  is  in  the  Lord 
and  from  the  Lord,  and  that  faith  which  is  not  in  Him  and 
from  Him  is  not  spiritual  faith  but  natural ;  and  merely 
natural  faith  has  not  the  essence  of  faith  in  it.  Moreover, 
faith  is  from  the  Word  ;  it  is  from  no  other  source ;  be- 
cause  the  Word  is  from  the  Lord,  and  consequently  the 
Lord  Himself  is  in  the  Word.  He  therefore  says  that  Hi 
is  the  Word  (John  i.  1,  2).  From  this  it  follows  that  they 
who  reject  the  Word  reject  the  Lord  also,  for  these  cohere 
as  one ;  and  further  that  they  who  reject  either  the  one  or 


543         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 

the  other  also  reject  the  church,  because  the  church  is 
from  the  Lord  through  the  Word  ;  furthermore,  that  they 
who  reject  the  church  are  outside  of  heaven,  for  the  church 
gives  introduction  into  heaven ;  and  they  who  are  outside 
of  heaven  are  among  the  damned,  and  these  have  no  faith. 
They  who  reject  the  Lord  and  the  Word  have  no  faith, 
although  they  live  morally,  and  speak,  teach,  and  write 
rationally  even  about  faith,  because  their  moral  life  is  not 
spiritual  but  natural,  and  their  rational  mind  also  is  not 
spiritual  but  natural ;  and  merely  natural  morality  and 
rationality  are  in  themselves  dead ;  wherefore,  to  them  as 
dead  there  is  no  faith.  A  man  who  is  merely  natural  and 
dead  as  to  faith,  can  indeed  speak  and  teach  concerning 
faith,  charity,  and  God,  but  not  from  faith,  from  charity, 
and  from  God.  That  they  alone  have  faith  who  believe  in 
the  Lord,  and  that  others  have  not  faith,  is  evident  from 
these  passages  :  He  that  belicveth  on  the  Son  is  not  condemned, 
but  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son  is  condemned  already,  because 
he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  Only-begotten  Son  of 
God  (John  iii.  18).  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  ever- 
lasting life ;  and  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see 
life:  but  the  ivrath  of  God  abideth  on  him  (iii.  36).  Jesus 
said  that  when  the  Spirit  of  truth  is  come,  it  will  reprove 
the  world  of  sin  becaicse  they  believe  not  on  Me  (xvi.  8,  9) ; 
and  to  the  Jews  He  said,  If  ye  believe  not  that  I  am,  ye 
shall  die  in  your  sins  (viii.  24).  Wherefore  David  says,  / 
will  declare  the  decree;  Jehovah  hath  said,  Thou  art  My 
Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  Thee!  Kiss  the  Son,  lest  He  be 
angry,  and  ye  perish  in  the  way.  Blessed  are  all  they  that 
put  their  trust  in  Hi?n  (Ps.  ii.  7,  12).  That  in  the  consum- 
mation of  the  age,  which  is  the  last  time  of  the  church, 
there  would  be  no  faith, — because  none  in  the  Lord  as 
the  Son  of  God,  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  one 
with  the  Father,  —  the  Lord  foretells  in  the  Evangelists, 
saying  that  there  would  be  the  abomination  of  desolation, 
and  tribulation  such  as  was  not,  nor  ever  shall  be.   Also  that 


No.  385.] 


FAITH. 


549 


the  sun  will  be  darkened,  and  the  moon  will  not  give  her  light, 
and  the  stars  will  fall  from  heaven  (Matt.  xxiv.  15,  21,  29). 
And  in  the  Apocalypse,  that  Satan,  being  loosed  from  his 
prison,  will  go  forth  to  deceive  the  nations  which  are  in  the 
four  comers  of  the  earth,  •whose  7iu??iber  is  as  the  sand  of  the 
sea  (xx.  7,  8).  And  because  the  Lord  foresaw  this,  He 
also  said,  Nevertheless,  when  the  Son  of  Man  cometh,  shall 
He  find  faith  on  the  earth  ?  (Luke  xviii.  8.) 

385.  To  the  above  will  be  joined  these  Relations. 
First  :  An  angel  once  said  to  me,  "  If  you  wish  to  see 
clearly  what  faith  and  charity  are,  and  thus  what  faith 
separate  from  charity  is,  and  what  faith  conjoined  with 
charity,  I  will  show  it  so  that  it  shall  be  seen."  I  answered, 
"  Show  it."  And  he  said,  "  Instead  of  faith  and  charity, 
think  of  light  and  heat,  and  you  will  see  clearly.  Faith  in 
its  essence  is  truth  which  is  of  wisdom ;  and  charity  in  its 
essence  is  the  affection  of  love ;  and  the  truth  of  wisdom 
in  heaven  is  light,  and  the  affection  of  love  in  heaven  is 
heat.  The  light  and  heat  in  which  angels  are,  essentially 
are  nothing  else.  From  this  you  can  clearly  see  what  faith 
separate  from  charity  is,  and  what  faith  conjoined  with 
charity  is.  Faith  separate  from  charity  is  like  the  light  in 
winter,  and  faith  conjoined  with  charity  is  like  the  light  in 
spring.  Wintry  light,  which  is  light  separated  from  heat, 
because  it  is  conjoined  with  cold,  even  strips  the  trees 
wholly  of  their  leaves,  kills  the  grass,  hardens  the  earth, 
and  freezes  the  waters  ;  but  the  vernal  light,  which  is  light 
conjoined  with  heat,  quickens  the  trees  to  put  forth,  first 
leaves,  then  blossoms,  and  finally  fruits ;  it  opens  and 
softens  the  earth,  that  it  may  produce  grasses,  herbs, 
flowers  and  shrubs ;  it  also  melts  the  ice,  that  waters  may 
flow  from  the  springs.  It  is  wholly  similar  with  faith  and 
charity.  Faith  separated  from  charity  deadens  all  things, 
and  faith  conjoined  with  charity  quickens  all  things.  This 
quickening  and  that  deadening  may  be  seen  to  the  life 
in  our  spiritual  world,  because  here  faith  is  light,  and 


550         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI 


charity  is  heat ;  for  where  there  is  faith  conjoined  with 
charity,  there  are  paradisal  gardens,  flower-beds,  and  grass- 
plots,  in  their  pleasantness  according  to  the  conjunction ; 
but  where  there  is  faith  separated  from  charity,  there  is  not 
even  grass ;  and  where  it  is  green,  this  is  from  briers  and 
thorns."  Not  far  from  us  at  this  time  were  some  clergy- 
men whom  the  angel  called  justifiers  and  sanctifiers  of  men 
by  faith  alone,  and  also  mystery-men.  We  said  these  same 
things  to  them,  and  so  demonstrated  them  that  they  could 
see  that  it  was  so ;  and  when  we  asked,  "  Is  it  not  so  ? " 
they  turned  themselves  away  and  said,  "  We  did  not  hear." 
But  we  cried  out  to  them,  saying,  "  Hear  now,  then."  But 
they  then  put  both  hands  over  their  ears,  and  shouted, 
"  We  do  not  wish  to  hear." 

After  hearing  this,  I  talked  with  the  angel  about  solitary 
faith,  and  said  that  by  living  experience  it  was  given  me  to 
know  that  that  faith  is  like  the  light  of  winter.  And  I  told 
him  that  for  several  years  spirits  with  faith  of  various  kinds 
had  passed  by  me,  and  that  whenever  those  who  separated 
faith  from  charity  came  near,  such  coldness  seized  my  feet 
and  afterwards  the  loins,  and  at  length  my  breast,  that  I 
hardly  knew  but  that  all  the  vitality  of  my  body  was  about 
to  become  extinct,  which  also  would  have  come  to  pass  if 
the  Lord  had  not  driven  those  spirits  away  and  liberated 
me.  To  me  it  seemed  wonderful  that  those  spirits  had  no 
sense  of  cold  in  themselves  ;  this  they  confessed.  I  there- 
fore compared  them  to  fishes  under  the  ice,  which  also  do 
not  feel  any  cold,  since  their  life,  and  hence  their  nature,  is 
in  itself  cold.  I  then  perceived  that  this  cold  emanated 
from  the  fatuous  light  of  their  faith  ;  like  what  takes  place 
in  swampy  and  sulphurous  places  in  midwinter  after  sunset ; 
this  fatuous  and  cold  light  is  often  seen  by  travellers.  Such 
spirits  may  be  compared  to  icebergs  torn  from  their  places 
in  northern  regions,  which  are  carried  about  on  the  ocean ; 
of  which  I  have  heard  it  said,  that  when  they  come  near  a 
ship,  all  who  are  on  board  begin  to  shiver  with  cold.  Where- 


No  386.] 


FAITH. 


551 


fore  companies  of  those  who  are  in  faith  separated  from 
charity,  may  be  likened  to  those  icebergs,  and,  if  you  please, 
they  may  also  be  called  so.  It  is  known  from  the  Word 
that  faith  without  charity  is  dead ;  but  I  will  tell  whence 
comes  its  death.  Its  death  is  from  cold ;  from  which  that 
faith  expires  like  a  bird  in  a  severe  winter ;  first  it  dies  as 
to  its  power  to  see,  then  at  the  same  time  as  to  its  power  to 
fly,  and  at  length  as  to  power  to  breathe ;  and  then  it  falls 
headlong  from  the  branch  into  the  snow,  and  is  buried 
there. 

386.  Second  Relation.  One  morning,  awaking  from 
sleep,  I  saw  two  angels  descending  from  heaven,  one  from 
the  southern  part  of  heaven  and  one  from  the  eastern  part, 
both  in  chariots,  to  which  were  harnessed  white  horses. 
The  chariot  in  which  was  borne  the  angel  from  the  south 
in  heaven,  shone  like  silver  j  and  the  chariot  that  bore  the 
angel  from  the  east,  shone  like  gold :  and  the  reins  which 
they  held  in  their  hands  flashed  as  from  the  flamy  light  of 
the  dawn.  So  did  those  two  angels  appear  to  me  in  the 
distance  ;  but  when  they  came  near  they  did  not  appear  in 
chariots,  but  in  their  angelic  form,  which  is  the  human.  He 
who  came  from  the  east  in  heaven,  was  in  a  shining  purple 
garment,  and  he  who  came  from  the  south  in  heaven,  in  a 
garment  of  hyacinthine  blue.  When  they  were  in  the  regions 
that  are  beneath  the  heavens,  they  ran  to  meet  each  other, 
as  if  emulous  as  to  which  should  be  first,  and  embraced 
and  kissed  each  other.  I  heard  that  these  two  angels, 
while  they  lived  in  the  world,  were  conjoined  in  an  interior 
friendship  ;  but  now  one  was  in  the  eastern  heaven,  and  the 
other  in  the  southern.  In  the  eastern  heaven  are  they  who 
are  in  love  from  the  Lord,  but  in  the  southern  heaven  those 
who  are  in  wisdom  from  the  Lord.  When  they  had  con- 
versed awhile  concerning  the  magnificent  things  in  their 
heavens,  this  came  up  in  their  discourse,  Whether  heaven 
in  its  essence  is  love,  or  is  wisdom.  They  at  once  agreed 
that  the  one  is  of  the  other,  but  questioned  which  is  the 


552         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


original.  The  angel  who  was  from  the  heaven  of  wisdom 
asked  the  other  what  love  is ;  and  he  answered  that  love, 
having  its  origin  from  the  Lord  as  a  Sun,  is  the  heat  of  the 
life  of  angels  and  men,  thus  the  esse  of  their  life ;  and  that 
the  derivations  of  love  are  called  affections ;  and  that  by 
these  are  produced  perceptions,  and  so  thoughts ;  from 
which  it  flows  that  wisdom  in  its  origin  is  love ;  conse- 
quently that  thought  in  its  origin  is  the  affection  of  that 
love ;  and  that  it  may  be  seen  from  the  derivations  viewed 
in  their  order  that  thought  is  nothing  else  than  the  form  of 
affection ;  and  that  this  is  not  known,  because  thoughts  are 
in  light,  but  affections  are  in  heat ;  and  that  we  therefore 
reflect  upon  thoughts,  but  not  upon  affections.  That 
thought  is  nothing  else  than  the  form  of  the  affection  of 
some  love,  may  also  be  illustrated  by  speech,  as  this  is 
nothing  but  the  form  of  sound.  It  is  similar,  also,  because 
sound  corresponds  to  affection,  and  speech  to  thought; 
wherefore  affection  makes  sound,  and  thought  speaks. 
This  may  also  be  made  quite  clear  if  we  say,  Take  sound 
away  from  speech,  and  is  there  any  thing  of  speech  left  ? 
In  like  manner,  take  away  affection  from  thought,  and  is 
there  any  thing  of  thought  left  ?  From  this  it  is  now  mani- 
fest that  love  is  the  all  of  wisdom ;  consequently,  that  the 
essence  of  the  heavens  is  love,  and  their  existence  is  wis- 
dom j  or,  what  is  the  same,  that  the  heavens  are  from  the 
Divine  love,  and  that  they  exist  from  the  Divine  love  by 
the  Divine  wisdom  \  and  therefore,  as  was  said  before,  the 
one  is  of  the  other.  There  was  with  me  then  a  novitiate 
spirit,  who,  on  hearing  this,  inquired  whether  it  was  the 
same  with  charity  and  faith,  because  charity  is  of  affection 
and  faith  is  of  the  thought.  And  the  angel  replied,  "  It  is 
altogether  similar ;  faith  is  nothing  but  the  form  of  charity, 
just  as  speech  is  the  form  of  sound."*   Faith  is  also  formed 

*  The  Latin  here  reads,  "sicut  Sonus  est  forma  loquelae."  We 
find  the  same  in  Apocalypsis  Revelata^  n.  875.  But  in  Swcdenborg's 
own  copy  of  Vera  Christiana  Rcli^ioi  there  is  a  marginal  correction  in 


No.  387.] 


FAITH. 


553 


from  charity,  as  speech  is  formed  from  sound.  We  are  also 
acquainted  with  the  mode  of  the  formation  in  heaven,  but 
there  is  not  leisure  to  explain  it  here."  He  added,  "  By 
faith,  I  mean  spiritual  faith,  in  which  there  are  life  and 
spirit  solely  from  the  Lord  through  charity ;  for  charity  is 
spiritual,  and  through  charity  faith  is  so.  Wherefore  faith 
without  charity  is  merely  natural  faith,  and  this  faith  is 
dead  ;  it  conjoins  itself  also  with  merely  natural  affection, 
which  is  nothing  but  lust."  The  angels  spoke  of  these 
things  spiritually;  and  spiritual  speech  embraces  thou- 
sands of  things  winch  natural  speech  cannot  express,  and 
what  is  wonderful,  which  cannot  even  fall  into  the  ideas  of 
natural  thought.  After  this  conversation  the  angels  de- 
parted ;  and  as  they  withdrew,  each  to  his  own  heaven, 
there  appeared  stars  around  their  heads ;  and  when  they 
were  at  a  distance  from  me,  they  again  appeared  in  chariots 
as  before. 

387.  Third  Relation.  After  these  two  angels  were 
out  of  my  sight,  I  saw  a  garden  on  the  right,  in  which 
there  were  olive-trees,  fig-trees,  laurels,  and  palms,  arranged 
in  order  according  to  correspondence.  I  looked  thither, 
and  among  the  trees  I  saw  angels  and  spirits  walking  and 
conversing.  And  then  in  return  one  angelic  spirit  looked 
at  me.  They  are  called  angelic  spirits  who  are  preparing 
for  heaven,  in  the  world  of  spirits.  That  spirit  came  to 
me  from  the  garden,  and  said,  "  Will  you  come  with  me 
into  our  paradise  ?  You  shall  hear  and  see  wonderful 
things."  And  I  went  with  him.  And  he  then  said  to  me, 
"  These  whom  you  see  (for  there  were  many  others),  are 
all  in  the  love  of  truth,  and  thence  are  in  the  light  of  wis- 
dom. There  is  also  a  palace  here,  which  we  call  the 
Temple  0/  Wisdom ;  but  no  one  can  see  it  who  believes 
himself  to  be  very  wise,  still  less  he  who  believes  himself 
to  be  wise  enough,  and  less  still  he  who  believes  himself  to 

his  handwriting,  Loquela  being  substituted  for  Sonus,  and  stmt  for 
\tquelae.  This  agrees  with  the  statement  found  earlier  in  this  num- 
ber, and  it  has  been  followed  in  the  translation. 


554         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


be  wise  from  himself.  This  is  because  these  are  not  in 
the  reception  of  the  light  of  heaven  from  the  love  of  gen- 
uine wisdom.  It  is  genuine  wisdom  for  a  man  to  see  from 
the  light  of  heaven  that  what  he  knows,  understands,  and 
is  wise  in,  is  as  little  compared  with  what  he  does  not  know 
and  understand  and  in  which  he  is  not  wise,  as  a  drop  to 
the  ocean  •  and  so,  almost  nothing.  Every  one  who  is  in 
this  paradisal  garden,  and  acknowledges  from  perception 
and  sight  in  himself  that  he  has  comparatively  so  little 
wisdom,  sees  that  Temple  of  Wisdom ;  for  interior  light  in 
a  man's  mind  enables  him  to  see  it,  but  not  his  exterior 
light  without  the  interior."  Now  as  I  have  often  thought 
this,  and  from  knowledge,  and  then  from  perception,  and 
at  last  from  interior  light,  have  acknowledged  that  man 
has  so  little  wisdom,  behold  it  was  granted  me  to  see  that 
temple.  As  to  form  it  was  wonderful.  It  was  raised  high 
above  the  ground,  quadrangular,  the  walls  of  crystal,  the 
roof  of  translucent  jasper  elegantly  arched,  the  substruc- 
ture of  various  precious  stones.  There  were  steps  for  ascent 
into  it,  of  polished  alabaster.  At  the  sides  of  the  steps 
appeared  the  figures  of  lions  with  their  whelps.  And  I 
then  asked  whether  it  was  allowable  to  enter,  and  was  told 
that  it  was.  I  therefore  ascended;  and  as  I  entered,  I 
saw  as  it  were  cherubs  flying  under  the  roof,  but  soon 
vanishing.  The  floor  on  which  we  walked  was  of  cedar ; 
and  the  whole  temple,  from  the  transparency  of  the  roof 
and  walls,  was  built  for  a  form  of  light.  The  angelic  spirit 
entered  with  me,  to  whom  I  related  what  I  heard  from  the 
two  angels  concerning  Love  and  Wisdom,  as  also  concern- 
ing Charity  and  Faith.  And  then  he  asked,  "  Did  they 
not  speak  of  a  third  also  ?  "  I  said,  "  What  third  ?  "  He 
replied,  "  There  is  the  Good  of  Use.  Love  and  wisdom 
without  the  good  of  use  are  not  any  thing ;  they  are  ideal 
entities  only,  nor  do  they  become  real  before  they  are  in 
use ;  for  love,  wisdom,  and  use  are  three  things  which 
cannot  be  separated ;  if  separated,  no  one  of  them  is  any 
thing.     Love  is  not  any  thing  without  wisdom,  but  in 


No.  387.] 


FAITH. 


555 


wisdom  it  is  formed  for  something;  this  something  for 
which  it  is  formed,  is  use.  Therefore,  when  love  through 
wisdom  is  in  use,  it  then  really  is,  because  it  exists  actually. 
They  are  wholly  like  end,  cause,  and  effect.  The  end  is 
not  any  thing,  unless  through  the  cause  it  is  in  the  effect. 
If  one  of  the  three  is  dissolved,  the  whole  is  dissolved  and 
becomes  as  nothing.  It  is  similar  with  charity,  faith,  and. 
works.  Charity  without  faith  is  not  any  thing,  nor  is  faith 
without  charity ;  nor  are  charity  and  faith  without  works : 
but  in  works  they  are  something,  the  quality  of  which  is 
according  to  the  use  of  the  works.  It  is  similar  with  affec- 
tion, thought,  and  operation  j  and  similar  also  with  will, 
understanding,  and  action ;  for  will  without  understanding 
is  like  the  eye  without  sight ;  and  the  two  without  action 
are  like  a  mind  without  a  body.  That  it  is  so,  may  be 
clearly  seen  in  this  temple,  because  the  light  in  which  we 
are  here  is  a  light  that  enlightens  the  mind's  interiors. 
That  there  is  nothing  complete  and  perfect  unless  there  is 
a  trine,  geometry  also  teaches,  for  a  line  is  not  any  thing 
unless  it  becomes  a  surface,  nor  is  a  surface  any  thing  un- 
less it  becomes  a  solid ;  wherefore  the  one  must  be  pro- 
duced into  another  that  they  may  exist,  and  they  co-exist 
in  the  third.  As  in  this,  so  is  it  aiso  in  all  created  things 
and  in  each  one  singly;  they  have  been  made  finite  in 
their  third.  Now  it  is  from  this  that  three  in  the  Word 
signifies  complete,  and  wholly.  Since  this  is  so,  I  could 
not  but  wonder,  that  some  profess  faith  alone,  some  charity 
alone,  and  some  works  alone ;  when  yet  the  one  without  a 
second,  and  two  together  without  the  third,  are  not  any 
thing."  But  then  I  asked,  "  Cannot  a  man  have  charity 
and  faith,  and  still  not  have  works?  Cannot  a  man  have 
a  preference  for  something,  and  be  in  thought  about  it,  and 
yet  not  be  in  the  performance  of  it  ?  "    And  the  angel  * 

*  The  Latin  here  reads  Angelas.  In  the  margin  of  Swedenborg's 
own  copy  (perhaps  not  by  his  hand),  this  is  changed  to  Spiritus  Angt* 
finis,  which  better  agrees  with  the  statement  in  an  earlier  part  of  this 
number,  and  which  is  the  reading  in  Apocalyfsis  Rii'data,  n.  875. 


556  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


answered  me,  "He  cannot  except  ideally, —  not  really;  he 
must  still  be  in  the  endeavor  or  will  to  operate ;  and  will 
or  endeavor  is  in  itself  act,  because  it  is  a  continual  effort 
to  act,  which  becomes  an  act  in  externals  when  the  con- 
clusion is  reached.  On  this  account,  endeavor  and  will,  as 
an  internal  act,  is  accepted  by  every  wise  man,  because  it 
is  accepted  by  God,  altogether  as  an  external  act,  provided 
it  is  not  deficient  when  opportunity  is  given." 

388.  Fourth  Relation.  I  have  spoken  with  some 
who  are  meant  in  the  Apocalypse  by  the  dragon ,  and  one 
of  them  said,  "  Come  with  me,  and  I  will  show  you  the 
enjoyments  of  our  eyes  and  hearts."  And  he  led  me 
through  a  dark  forest  and  up  on  a  hill  from  which  I  could 
behold  the  enjoyments  of  the  dragons.  And  I  saw  an 
amphitheatre  built  in  the  form  of  a  circus,  with  benches 
around  constructed  on  an  upward  slant,  upon  which  sat 
the  spectators.  They  who  sat  upon  the  lowest  benches 
appeared  to  me  at  a  distance  like  satyrs  and  priapi,  some 
with  a  slight  covering  for  their  shame,  and  some  naked 
without  any.  On  the  benches  above  these  sat  whore- 
mongers and  harlots  ;  such  they  appeared  to  me  to  be  from 
their  gestures.  And  the  dragon  then  said  to  me,  "  Now 
you  will  see  our  sport."  And  I  saw  as  it  were  bullocks, 
rams,  sheep,  kids,  and  lambs  let  into  the  area  of  the 
circus ;  and  after  these  were  let  in,  a  gate  was  opened, 
and  there  rushed  in  as  it  were  young  lions,  panthers,  tigers, 
and  wolves,  and  they  attacked  the  flock  with  fury,  and  tore 
and  slaughtered  them.  But  after  that  carnage,  the  satyrs 
scattered  sand  over  the  place  of  the  slaughter.  Then 
the  dragon  said  to  me,  "  These  are  our  sports  which  de- 
light our  minds"  [animus].  And  I  answered,  "Away, 
demon  j  after  a  short  time  you  will  see  this  amphitheatre 
converted  into  a  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone."  At  this  he 
laughed  and  went  away.  And  afterwards  I  was  thinking 
to  myself  why  such  things  are  permitted  by  the  Lord ;  and 
I  received  the  answer  in  my  heart,  that  they  are  permitted 
as  long  as  they  are  in  the  world  of  spirits ;  but  after  their 


No.  388.J 


FAITH. 


557 


time  in  that  world  has  passed,  such  theatrical  scenes  are 
turned  into  such  as  are  direful  and  infernal.  All  those 
things  that  were  seen  were  induced  by  the  dragon  by 
means  of  fantasies ;  so  there  were  no  bullocks,  rams, 
sheep,  kids,  and  lambs ;  but  they  made  the  genuine  goods 
and  truths  of  the  church,  which  they  hated,  to  appear  so. 
The  lions,  panthers,  tigers,  and  wolves,  were  appearances 
of  the  lusts  in  those  who  seemed  like  satyrs  and  priapi. 
Those  with  no  covering  for  their  shame,  were  they  who 
believe  that  evils  do  not  appear  before  God  j  and  those 
with  a  covering  were  they  who  believed  that  they  do  ap- 
pear, but  do  not  condemn,  provided  men  are  in  faith.  The 
whoremongers  and  harlots  were  falsifiers  of  the  truths  of 
the  Word,  for  whoredom  signifies  falsification  of  the  truth. 
In  the  spiritual  world  all  things  in  the  distance  appear  ac- 
cording to  correspondences  j  which,  when  they  appear  in 
forms  are  called  representations  of  spiritual  things  in  ob- 
jects similar  to  those  that  are  natural.  Afterwards  I  saw 
them  going  out  of  the  forest ;  the  dragon  in  the  midst  of 
the  satyrs  and  priapi,  and  waiters  and  scullions  (who 
were  the  whoremongers  and  harlots)  behind  them.  The 
company  was  increased  on  the  way,  and  then  I  heard  what 
they  were  saying  to  each  other.  They  said  that  they  saw 
a  flock  of  sheep  with  lambs  in  a  meadow,  and  that  this  was 
a  sign  that  one  of  the  cities  of  Jerusalem  was  near,  where 
charity  is  the  chief  thing.  And  they  said,  "  Let  us  go 
and  take  that  city,  and  cast  out  the  inhabitants,  and  plun- 
der their  goods."  They  approached  the  city,  but  there 
was  a  wall  around  it,  and  angel  guards  were  upon  the  wall. 
And  then  they  said,  "  Let  us  take  it  by  stratagem  ;  let  us 
send  some  one  expert  in  mussitation,*  who  can  make  black 
white  and  white  black,  and  can  color  the  truth  of  any  mat- 
ter." And  one  was  found,  skilled  in  metaphysical  arts,  who 
could  change  ideas  of  things  into  ideas  of  terms,  and  conceal 

*  For  the  meaning  of  mussitation,  muttering,  or  mumbling,  as  here 
used,  see  "Apocalypse  Revealed,"  n.  462.    Also  see  Isaiah  viii.  19. 


558         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 

the  things  themselves  under  formulas,  and  so  fly  away  like 
a  hawk  with  the  prey  beneath  his  wings.  He  was  in- 
structed how  he  should  speak  with  the  citizens,  —  that  they 
were  in  fellowship  in  religion,  and  were  to  be  admitted. 
Going  up  to  the  gate  he  knocked  ;  and  when  it  was  opened, 
he  said  that  he  wished  to  speak  with  the  wisest  man  of  the 
city.  And  he  entered,  and  was  conducted  to  a  certain  one 
whom  he  addressed  as  follows  :  "  My  brethren  are  outside 
of  the  city,  and  they  beg  to  be  received.  They  are  in 
fellowship  with  you  in  religion.  With  you  we  make  faith 
and  charity  the  two  essentials  of  religion ;  the  only  difference 
is  that  you  say  that  charity  is  the  primary  and  that  faith  is 
from  it,  while  we  say  that  faith  is  the  primary  and  that 
charity  is  from  it.  What  matters  it  whether  the  one  or  the 
other  is  called  the  primary  when  both  are  believed  in  ? " 
The  wise  man  of  the  city  answered,  "  Let  us  not  talk  on 
this  subject  by  ourselves,  but  in  the  presence  of  others 
who  may  be  arbiters  and  judges ;  otherwise,  no  decision  is 
reached."  And  some  were  then  sent  for,  to  whom  the 
dragonist  addressed  the  same  words  as  before.  And  the 
wise  man  of  the  city  then  answered,  "  You  have  said  that 
it  is  the  same  thing  whether  charity  is  taken  as  the  primary 
of  the  church,  or  faith,  provided  it  is  agreed  that  both  of 
them  make  the  church  and  its  religion ;  and  yet  there  is  a 
difference  like  that  between  the  prior  and  the  posterior, 
between  cause  and  effect,  the  principal  and  the  instru- 
mental, the  essential  and  the  formal.  I  say  such  things 
because  I  perceive  that  you  are  expert  in  metaphysical 
art,  which  art  we  call  mussitation,  and  some  call  it  incan- 
tation :  but  to  leave  those  terms,  the  difference  is  as  be- 
tween that  which  is  above  and  that  which  is  beneath ;  yes, 
if  you  are  willing  to  believe  it,  the  difference  is  like  that 
between  the  minds  of  those  who  dwell  in  the  higher  and  of 
those  who  dwell  in  the  lower  parts  of  this  world ;  for  that 
which  is  the  primary  makes  the  head  and  the  breast,  and 
that  which  is  from  it  makes  the  feet  and  their  soles.  But 


No.  3S8.] 


FAITH. 


559 


let  us  first  agree  as  to  what  charity  is,  and  what  faith  is;  — 
that  charity  is  the  affection  of  the  love  of  doing  good  to 
the  neighbor  for  the  sake  of  God,  salvation,  and  eternal 
life ;  and  that  faith  is  thought  from  trust,  respecting  God, 
salvation,  and  eternal  life."  And  the  emissary  said,  "I 
grant  that  this  is  faith ;  and  I  grant  also  that  charity  is  that 
affection,  for  the  sake  of  God,  because  for  the  sake  of  His 
command,  —  not,  however,  for  the  sake  of  salvation  and 
eternal  life."  After  this  agreement  and  disagreement,  the 
wise  man  of  the  city  said,  "  Is  not  affection  or  loving  the 
primary  ?  is  not  thought  from  it  ?  "  But  he  that  was  sent 
by  the  dragon  said,  "  This  I  deny."  But  he  received  for 
answer,  "  You  cannot  deny  it.  Does  not  a  man  think  from 
some  love  ?  Take  away  love,  can  he  think  any  thing  ?  It 
is  precisely  as  if  you  should  take  away  sound  from  speech. 
If  you  were  to  take  away  sound,  could  you  speak  any 
thing?  Sound  also  is  of  the  affection  from  some  love,  and 
speech  is  of  the  thought ;  for  love  gives  sound,  and  thought 
speaks.  It  is  also  like  flame  and  light ;  if  you  take  away 
the  flame,  does  not  light  perish  ?  It  is  similar  with  charity 
because  this  is  of  love,  and  with  faith  because  this  is  of 
the  thought.  Can  you  not  thus  comprehend  that  the 
primary  is  the  all  in  the  secondary,  altogether  as  with 
flame  and  light  ?  From  which  it  is  manifest,  that  if  you 
do  not  make  that  the  primary  which  is  primary,  you  are 
not  in  the  other.  Wherefore  if  you  put  faith,  which  is  in 
the  second  place,  in  the  first,  you  will  appear  in  heaven 
only  as  an  inverted  man,  with  his  feet  upward  and  his  head 
downward ;  or  like  a  mountebank,  who,  with  his  body  up- 
side down,  walks  on  the  palms  of  his  hands.  When  ye 
appear  such  in  heaven,  what  then  are  your  good  works, 
which  are  charity  in  act,  but  such  as  that  mountebank 
would  do  with  his  feet,  because  he  cannot  do  them  with 
his  hands  ?  Hence  your  charity  is  natural  and  not  spirit- 
ual, because  it  is  inverted."  The  emissary  understood  this ; 
for  every  devil  can  understand  what  is  true  when  he  hears 


560         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


it,  but  he  cannot  retain  it,  because  when  the  affection  of 
evil  which  in  itself  is  the  lust  of  the  flesh  returns,  it  casts 
out  the  thought  of  truth.  And  afterwards  the  wise  man  of 
the  city  showed  in  many  ways  what  the  quality  of  faith  is 
when  it  has  been  accepted  as  the  primary,  that  it  is  merely 
natural  and  is  persuasion  without  any  spiritual  life ;  conse- 
quently, that  it  is  not  faith.  And  he  added,  "  I  can  almost 
say  that  in  your  faith  there  is  no  more  that  is  spiritual 
than  in  thought  about  the  kingdom  of  the  Mogul,  the 
diamond  mine  there,  and  of  the  treasure  and  court  of  that 
emperor."  Hearing  this  the  dragonist  went  away  angry, 
and  reported  to  his  companions  outside  of  the  city.  And 
when  they  heard  that  it  was  said  that  charity  is  the  affec- 
tion of  the  love  of  doing  good  to  the  neighbor  for  the  sake 
of  salvation  and  eternal  life,  they  all  cried  out,  "  This  is  a 
lie ! "  And  the  dragon  himself  exclaimed,  "  Alas,  what 
wickedness !  Are  not  all  the  works  which  are  of  charity, 
when  done  for  the  sake  of  salvation,  meritorious  ? "  Then 
they  said  to  one  another,  "  Let  us  call  together  still  more 
of  our  people,  and  besiege  this  city,  and  cast  out  those 
charities."  But  when  they  attempted  this,  lo,  there  ap- 
peared as  it  were  fire  out  of  heaven  which  consumed  them. 
But  the  fire  out  of  heaven  was  an  appearance  of  their 
anger  and  hatred  against  those  who  were  in  the  city,  be- 
cause they  cast  down  faith  from  the  first  to  the  second 
place,  yes,  to  the  lowest  beneath  charity,  because  they  said 
that  [theirs]  was  not  faith.  They  appeared  to  be  con- 
sumed as  by  fire,  because  hell  was  opened  under  their  feet, 
and  they  were  swallowed  up.  Things  similar  to  these 
happened  in  many  places  in  the  day  of  the  last  judgment, 
and  this  is  what  is  meant  by  these  words  in  the  Apoc- 
alypse :  The  dragon  shall  go  out  to  seduce  the  nations  which 
are  in  the  four  corners  of  the  earth,  to  gather  them  together  to 
battle;  and  they  went  up  on  the  plain  of  the  earth,  and  en- 
compassed the  camp  of  the  saints  and  the  beloved  city,  but  fur- 
came  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  and  consumed  them 
(xx.  8,  2). 


No.  389.] 


FAITH. 


561 


389.  Fifth  Relation.  A  paper  was  once  seen,  sent 
down  from  heaven  to  a  society  in  the  world  of  spirits, 
where  were  two  prelates  of  the  church,  with  canons  and 
elders  under  them.  The  paper  contained  an  exhortation 
that  they  should  acknowledge  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the 
God  of  heaven  and  earth,  as  He  Himself  taught  (Matt, 
xxviii.  18) ;  also  that  they  should  recede  from  the  doctrine 
of  faith  justifying  without  the  works  of  the  law,  because  it 
is  erroneous.  This  paper  was  read  and  copied  by  many ; 
and  respecting  those  things  which  were  in  it,  many  thought 
and  spoke  from  judgment.  Yet  after  they  received  it, 
they  said  among  themselves,  "  Let  us  hear  the  prelates." 
And  they  were  heard  ;  but  they  spoke  against  it  and  dis- 
approved. For  the  prelates  of  that  society  were  hard  of 
heart,  from  the  falsities  with  which  they  had  been  imbued 
in  the  former  world.  Wherefore,  after  a  short  consulta- 
tion among  themselves,  they  sent  the  paper  back  to  heaven 
whence  it  came.  This  having  been  done,  after  some  mur- 
muring most  of  the  laity  receded  from  their  former  assent, 
and  then  the  light  of  their  judgment  in  spiritual  things, 
which  before  shone  bright,  was  suddenly  extinguished. 
After  they  had  been  admonished  again,  but  to  no  purpose, 
I  saw  that  society  sinking  down  (but  how  deeply  I  did  not 
see),  and  thus  withdrawn  from  the  sight  of  those  who  wor- 
ship the  Lord  only,  and  are  averse  to  justification  by  faith 
alone.  But  after  some  days,  I  saw  nearly  a  hundred  as- 
cending from  the  lower  earth  which  was  the  limit  to  which 
that  little  society  sunk  down.  They  came  up  to  me,  and 
one  of  them  spoke  and  said,  "  Listen  to  what  is  wonderful. 
When  we  sunk  down,  the  place  appeared  to  us  like  a 
swamp,  but  presently  like  dry  land,  and  afterwards  like  a 
little  city,  in  which  many  had  each  his  own  house.  After 
a  day  had  passed  we  consulted  among  ourselves  as  to  what 
was  to  be  done.  Many  said  that  we  must  go  to  the  two 
prelates  of  the  church  and  censure  them  mildly  because 
they  sent  the  paper  back  to  heaven  from  which  it  was  sent 
vol.  11.  7 


562  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


down,  and  on  account  of  which  this  had  befallen  us.  They 
also  chose  some  who  went  to  the  prelates  (and  he  who  was 
speaking  with  me  said  that  he  was  one  of  them),  and  then 
one  among  us  who  excelled  in  wisdom  spoke  to  the  prel- 
ates thus  :  1  We  believed  that  with  us  above  others  were 
the  church  and  religion,  because  we  have  heard  it  said  that 
we  are  in  the  greatest  gospel  light ;  but  there  has  been 
given  to  some  of  us  enlightenment  from  heaven,  and  in  the 
enlightenment  a  perception  that  at  this  day  there  is  no 
longer  any  church  in  the  Christian  world,  because  there  is 
no  religion.'  The  prelates  replied,  '  What  are  you  saying  ? 
Is  there  not  a  church  where  there  is  the  Word,  where 
Christ  the  Saviour  is  known,  and  where  there  are  the  sacra- 
ments ? '  To  this  our  friend  replied,  1  Those  things  belong 
to  the  church,  for  they  make  the  church ;  but  they  do  not 
make  it  outside  of  man,  but  within  him.'  And  he  further 
said,  '  Can  the  church  be  where  three  Gods  are  wor- 
shipped ?  Can  the  church  be  where  its  whole  doctrine  is 
founded  on  a  single  saying  of  Paul  falsely  understood,  and 
consequently  not  upon  the  Word  ?  Can  there  be  the 
church  while  the  Saviour  of  the  world  Who  is  the  very 
God  of  the  church  is  not  approached  ?  Who  can  deny 
that  religion  is  to  shun  evil  and  to  do  good  ?  Is  there  any 
religion  [where  it  is  taught*]  that  faith  alone  saves,  and 
not  charity  at  the  same  time  ?  Is  there  religion  where 
it  is  taught  that  the  charity  proceeding  from  a  man  is 
nothing  but  moral  and  civil  charity  ?  Who  does  not  see 
that  in  that  charity  there  is  not  any  thing  of  religion  ?  Is 
there  in  faith  alone  any  thing  of  deed  or  work  ?  and  yet 
religion  consists  in  doing.  Is  there  found  a  nation  in  all 
the  world,  which  excludes  all  saving  power  from  the  goods 
of  charity,  which  are  good  works  ?  when  yet  the  all  of  re- 
ligion consists  in  good,  and  the  all  of  the  church  in  doc- 

*  The  words  within  brackets  have  been  supplied  from  the  "Apoc- 
alypse Revealed,"  n.  675.  We  also  find  the  corresponding  Latin,  ubi 
docetur,  in  the  margin  of  Swedenborg's  copy  of  this  work 


No.  389.] 


FAITH. 


563 


trine  which  teaches  truths,  and  goods  by  truths.  What 
glory  we  should  have  had  if  we  had  accepted  those  things 
which  the  paper  that  was  sent  down  from  heaven  carried 
in  its  bosom ! '  Then  the  prelates  said,  '  You  speak  too 
loftily.  Is  not  faith  in  act,  which  is  faith  fully  justifying 
and  saving,  the  church  ?  And  is  not  faith  i?i  state,  which 
is  faith  proceeding  and  perfecting,  religion  ?  Sons,  lay 
hold  on  this.'  But  then  our  wise  companion  said,  1  Hear, 
Fathers  :  Does  not  man  according  to  your  dogma,  conceive 
faith  in  act  like  a  stock  ?  Can  a  stock  be  quickened  into 
a  church?  And  is  not  faith  in  state,  according  to  your 
idea,  the  continuation  and  progression  of  faith  in  act  1 
And  since,  according  to  your  dogma,  every  thing  saving  is 
in  faith,  and  not  any  thing  in  the  good  of  charity  from  man, 
where  then  is  religion  ? '  Then  the  leaders  said,  '  You 
speak  so,  friend,  because  you  do  not  know  the  mysteries 
of  justification  by  faith  alone ;  and  he  who  does  not  know 
them  does  not  interiorly  know  the  way  of  salvation.  Your 
way  is  external  and  the  way  of  the  common  people.  Go  in 
that  way  if  you  will,  yet  know  only  that  all  good  is  from 
God  and  nothing  from  man,  and  so  that  in  spiritual  things 
man  has  no  ability  of  himself.  How  then  can  man  do 
good  that  is  spiritual  good,  of  himself?'  To  this  our 
spokesman,  being  very  indignant,  replied,  'I  know  youi 
mysteries  of  justification  better  than  you  do,  and  I  tell  you 
plainly  that  inwardly  in  your  mysteries  I  have  seen  nothing 
but  spectres.  Is  it  not  religion  to  acknowledge  [and  love*] 
God,  and  to  hate  and  shun  the  devil  ?  Is  not  God  good 
itself,  and  the  devil  evil  itself  ?  Who  in  the  whole  world 
that  has  any  religion  does  not  know  this  ?  And  is  not 
acknowledging  and  loving  God  this,  —  to  do  good,  because 
it  is  God's  and  is  from  Him?  And  is  not  shunning  and 
hating  the  devil  this,  —  not  to  do  evil,  because  this  is  the 

*  The  words  within  brackets  have  been  supplied  from  the  "Apoc- 
alypse Revealed,"  n.  675.  The  corresponding  Latin,  et  amort,  we  find 
au  a  marginal  correction  in  Swedenborg's  own  copy  of  this  work. 


564 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


devil's  and  is  from  him  ?  Or  what  is  the  same  thing,  does 
your  faith  in  act,  which  you  call  faith  fully  justifying  and 
saving,  or  what  is  again  the  same,  your  act  of  justification 
by  faith  alone,  teach  the  doing  of  any  good  which  is  God's 
and  is  from  Him  ?  And  does  it  teach  the  shunning  of  any 
evil  which  is  the  devil's  and  from  him  ?  Not  in  the  least ; 
because  you  maintain  that  there  is  nothing  of  salvation  in 
either.  What  is  your  faith  in  state,  which  you  have  called 
faith  proceeding  and  perfecting,  but  the  same  with  faith  i?i 
act?  How  can  this  be  perfected  when  you  exclude  all 
good  done  by  man  as  from  himself  ?  saying  in  your  mys- 
teries, "  How  can  a  man  be  saved  by  any  good  from  himself, 
when  salvation  is  gratuitous  ?  and  what  good  comes  from 
man  but  what  is  meritorious  ?  and  yet  all  merit  belongs  to 
Christ.  Wherefore  to  do  good  for  the  sake  of  salvation 
would  be  to.  attribute  to  oneself  what  belongs  to  Christ 
alone ;  thus  also  it  would  be  to  wish  to  justify  and  save 
oneself.  Again,  how  can  any  one  work  what  is  good,  when 
the  Holy  Spirit  works  all,  without  any  help  from  man  ? 
What  need  is  there,  then,  of  any  accessory  good  from  man, 
when  all  the  good  from  man  is  in  itself  not  good?"  — 
besides  other  things.  Are  not  these  your  mysteries?  But 
in  my  eyes  they  are  mere  subtleties  and  artifices,  contrived 
for  the  purpose  of  setting  aside  good  works  which  are  the 
goods  of  charity,  to  establish  your  faith  alone.  And  be- 
cause you  do  this,  you  look  at  man,  with  regard  to  faith, 
and  in  general  with  regard  to  all  spiritual  things  that  per- 
tain to  the  church  and  religion,  as  a  stock  or  as  a  lifeless 
form,  and  not  as  a  man  created  in  the  image  of  God,  to 
whom  was  given  and  is  given  continually  the  faculty  of 
understanding  and  willing,  of  believing  and  loving,  and  of 
speaking  and  doing,  altogether  as  from  himself ;  and  es- 
pecially in  spiritual  things,  because  man  is  man  from  them. 
If  man  did  not  think  and  operate  as  from  himself  in  spirit- 
ual things,  for  what  then  would  be  the  Word  ?  for  what 
the  church,  and  religion  ?  and  for  what,  worship  ?  You  know 


No  390.I 


FAITH. 


565 


that  to  do  good  to  the  neighbor  from  love  is  charity ;  and 
yet  you  do  not  know  what  charity  is,  when  yet  charity  is 
the  soul  and  essence  of  faith.  And  as  charity  is  both  of 
these,  what  then  is  faith  when  charity  is  removed  but  dead 
faith  ?  And  dead  faith  is  nothing  but  a  spectre.  I  call  it 
a  spectre,  because  James  calls  faith  without  good  works 
not  only  dead,  but  also  diabolical.'  Then  one  of  those 
prelates,  when  he  heard  his  faith  called  dead,  diabolical, 
and  a  spectre,  became  so  enraged,  that  he  snatched  the 
mitre  from  his  head,  and  threw  it  upon  the  table,  saying, 
1 1  will  not  resume  it  until  I  have  taken  vengeance  upon 
the  enemies  of  the  faith  of  our  church ; '  and  he  shook  his 
head,  muttering,  and  saying,  '  That  James,  that  James  / ' 
On  the  front  of  the  mitre  there  was  a  plate  on  which  was 
engraved,  Faith  alone  justifyi?ig.  And  suddenly  there  ap- 
peared a  monster  rising  out  of  the  earth,  with  seven  heads, 
with  feet  like  a  bear's,  a  body  like  a  leopard's,  and  a  mouth 
like  a  lion's,  altogether  like  the  beast  which  is  described  in 
the  Apocalypse  (xiii.  1,  2),  whose  image  was  made  and 
worshipped  (verses  14,  15).  This  spectre  took  the  mitre 
from  the  table,  and  stretched  it  wide  at  the  bottom,  and 
put  it  on  his  seven  heads ;  and  then  the  earth  opened 
under  his  feet,  and  he  sunk  down.  On  seeing  this,  the 
prelate  cried  out,  'Violence!  Violence!'  We  then  left 
them  ;  and  behold  there  were  steps  by  our  eyes,  by  which 
we  ascended  and  returned  upon  the  earth,  and  into  the 
view  of  heaven,  where  we  were  before."  These  things  were 
related  to  me  by  the  spirit  who  with  a  hundred  others  had 
ascended  from  the  lower  earth. 

390.  Sixth  Relation.  In  the  northern  quarter  of  the 
spiritual  world,  I  heard  as  it  were  the  noise  of  waters ;  I 
therefore  went  toward  it ;  and  when  I  was  near,  it  ceased  ; 
and  I  heard  a  sound  like  that  from  an  assembled  multitude. 
And  then  was  seen  a  house  full  of  holes,  surrounded  by  a 
rough  wall,  from  which  that  sound  was  heard.  I  went  to 
it.    A  doorkeeper  was  there,  and  I  asked  him  who  were 


566 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI. 


there.  He  said,  "  The  wisest  of  the  wise,  who  determine 
with  each  other  supernatural  things."  He  spoke  so  from 
his  simple  faith.  And  I  asked  whether  it  was  allowable  to 
enter.  He  said  that  it  was,  "  provided  you  do  not  say  any 
thing,  for  I  have  leave  to  admit  gentiles,  who  stand  with  me 
near  the  door."  .1  therefore  entered  ;  and  behold  there  was 
a  circular  hall,  and  in  the  middle  of  it  a  pulpit ;  and  a  com- 
pany of  so-called  wise  men  were  discussing  the  mysteries  of 
their  faith.  The  matter  or  proposition  then  submitted  for 
discussion  was,  "  Whether  the  good  which  a  man  does  in 
the  state  of  justification  by  faith,  or  in  its  progress  after  the 
act,  is  the  good  of  religion  or  not."  They  said  unanimously 
that  by  the  good  of  religion  was  meant  good  which  con- 
tributes to  salvation.  There  was  sharp  discussion,  but 
those  prevailed  who  said  that  the  good  deeds  which  a  man 
does  in  the  state  or  progress  of  faith  are  only  moral  good, 
which  are  conducive  to  prosperity  in  the  world,  but  con- 
tribute nothing  to  his  being  saved ;  to  this,  only  faith  con- 
tributes. And  they  confirmed  it  thus :  "  How  can  any 
voluntary  good  of  man's  be  conjoined  with  free  grace  ? 
And  is  not  salvation  of  free  grace  ?  How  can  any  good 
from  man  be  conjoined  with  Christ's  merit?  And  is  not 
salvation  by  that  alone  ?  And  how  can  man's  operation  be 
conjoined  with  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit?  Does 
not  this  do  all,  without  man's  help  ?  Are  not  these  three 
things  alone  saving,  in  the  act  of  justification  by  faith  ?  and 
the  same  three  continue  alone  saving  in  its  state  or  progress. 
Wherefore  the  accessory  good  from  man  can  by  no  means 
be  called  the  good  of  religion,  which  as  was  said  contributes 
to  his  being  saved ;  but  if  any  one  does  it  for  the  sake  of 
being  saved,  since  the  will  of  man  is  in  it  (and  this  cannot 
but  regard  it  as  merit),  it  should  rather  be  called  the  evil 
of  religion."  There  were  two  gentiles  standing  near  the 
doorkeeper  in  the  vestibule  ;  and  they  heard  these  things, 
and  said  to  each  other,  "  These  people  have  no  religion. 
Who  does  not  see  that  to  do  good  to  the  neighbor  for 


No.  391.] 


FAITH. 


567 


God's  sake,  thus  with  God  and  from  God,  is  what  is  called 
religion  ? "  And  the  other  said,  "  Their  faith  has  infatuated 
them."  And  they  then  asked  the  doorkeeper,  "  Who  are 
they  ?  "  The  doorkeeper  said,  "They  are  wise  Christians. " 
And  they  replied,  "Nonsense,  you  are  feigning  this ;  they 
are  play-actors ;  they  talk  like  them."  And  I  went  away. 
It  was  of  the  Divine  auspices  of  the  Lord  that  I  came  to 
that  house,  and  that  they  then  deliberated  concerning  these 
matters,  and  that  all  took  place  as  described. 

391.  Seventh  Relation.  What  a  desolation  of  truth 
and  theological  meagreness  there  are  at  this  day  in  the 
Christian  world,  was  brought  to  my  knowledge  from  con- 
versing with  many  of  the  laity  and  of  the  clergy  in  the 
spiritual  world.  With  the  latter  there  is  such  spiritual 
destitution  that  they  scarcely  know  any  thing  but  that  there 
is  a  Trinity,  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit ;  and  that 
faith  alone  saves  ;  and  of  Christ  the  Lord  they  know  only 
the  historical  things  concerning  Him  found  in  the  Evange- 
lists. But  all  else  which  the  Word  of  both  Testaments 
teaches  concerning  Him,  —  as  that  the  Father  and  He  are 
one,  that  He  is  in  the  Father  and  the  Father  in  Him,  that 
He  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  that  it  is  the 
Father's  will  that  they  should  believe  in  the  Son,  and  that 
whosoever  believeth  in  Him  hath  everlasting  life, — these 
and  many  other  things  are  as  unknown  to  them  and  as 
remote  as  the  things  that  lie  at  the  bottom  of  the  ocean, 
yes,  as  those  which  are  at  the  centre  of  the  earth.  And 
when  such  things  are  brought  forth  from  the  Word  and 
read,  they  stand  as  if  they  heard  and  yet  did  not  hear ;  nor 
do  they  enter  their  ears  more  deeply  than  the  whispering  of 
the  wind  or  the  beating  of  a  drum.  The  angels  who  are 
sometimes  sent  by  the  Lord  to  visit  the  Christian  societies 
that  are  in  the  world  of  spirits,  thus  beneath  heaven,  lament 
exceedingly,  saying  that  there  is  a  dulncss  and  consequent 
thick  darkness  among  them  in  matters  that  pertain  to  sal- 
vation, almost  like  that  of  a  talking  parrot.    Their  learned 


568         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VI 


also  say  that  in  spiritual  and  Divine  things  they  understand 
no  more  than  statues.  An  angel  once  told  me  that  he  con 
versed  with  two  of  the  clergy,  one  of  whom  was  in  faith 
separate  from  charity,  and  the  other  in  faith  not  separate. 
With  the  one  who  was  in  faith  separate  from  charity  he 
spoke  as  follows  :  "  Friend,  who  are  you  ?  "  He  replied, 
"  I  am  a  Reformed  Christian."  "What  is  your  doctrine, 
and  the  religion  from  it?"  He  answered,  "It  is  faith." 
The  angel  asked,  "What  is  your  faith?"  He  replied,  "My 
faith  is,  that  God  the  Father  sent  the  Son  to  take  upon  Him- 
self the  damnation  of  the  human  race,  and  that  we  are  saved 
thereby."  The  angel  asked  further,  "  What  more  do  you 
know  about  salvation  ? "  He  replied,  "  Salvation  is  effected 
by  that  faith  alone."  Again  the  angel  asked,  "  What  do 
you  know  of  redemption  ?  "  He  replied,  "  It  was  accom- 
plished by  the  passion  of  the  cross,  and  the  merit  of  the 
Son  is  imputed  through  that  faith."  Again,  "  What  do  you 
know  of  regeneration  ?  "  He  answered,  "  It  is  effected  by 
that  faith."  "  Tell  what  you  know  about  love  and  charity." 
He  replied,  "They  are  that  faith."  "And  what  do  you 
think  of  the  commandments  of  the  decalogue,  and  of  the 
others  in  the  Word  ? "  He  replied,  "  They  are  in  that 
faith."  Then  said  the  angel,  "You  will  therefore  do  noth- 
ing." He  replied,  "  What  am  I  to  do  ?  I  cannot  from 
myself  do  good  that  is  good."  "  Can  you  have  faith  from 
yourself?"  asked  the  angel.  He  replied,  "I  do  not  inquire 
into  that ;  I  am  to  have  faith."  At  length  he  said,  "  Surely 
you  know  something  more  about  the  state  of  salvation 
[salus]  ?  "  He  replied,  "  What  more,  since  the  work  of  sal- 
vation [salvatio]  is  by  that  faith  alone  ? "  But  then  the 
angel  said,  "  You  answer  like  one  who  plays  but  one  note 
on  a  flute  ;  I  hear  nothing  but  faith.  If  you  know  that  and 
know  nothing  else,  you  know  nothing.  Go  and  see  your 
companions."  He  went  and  found  them  in  a  desert,  where 
there  was  no  grass.  He  asked  why  this  was  so ;  and  it 
was  said,  "  Because  they  have  nothing  of  the  church." 


No.  391.] 


FAITH. 


569 


With  him  who  was  in  faith  conjoined  with  charity,  the 
angel  spoke  as  follows  :  "  Friend,  who  are  you  ?  "  He  re- 
plied, "I  am  a  Reformed  Christian."  "What  is  your  doc- 
trine, and  the  religion  from  it  ?  "  He  answered,  "  Faith 
and  charity."  "  These  are  two  things,"  said  the  angel.  He 
replied,  "They  cannot  be  separated."  The  angel  asked, 
"  What  is  faith  ?  "  He  replied,  "  To  believe  what  the  Word 
teaches."  "And  what  is  charity?  "  He  answered,  "To  do 
what  the  Word  teaches."  The  angel  said,  "  Have  you  only 
believed  those  things,  or  have  you  also  done  them  ?  "  He 
replied,  "  I  have  also  done  them  ?  "  The  angel  of  heaven 
then  looked  at  him  and  said,  "  My  friend,  come  with  me, 
and  dwell  with  us." 


CHAPTER  SEVENTH. 


CONCERNING    CHARITY,   OR   LOVE   TOWARDS  THE 
NEIGHBOR,  AND  CONCERNING  GOOD  WORKS. 

392.  Having  treated  of  Faith,  we  now  go  on  to  treat  of 
Charity ;  for  faith  and  charity  are  conjoined  like  truth  and 
good,  and  these  two  like  light  and  heat  in  spring.  This  is 
said  because  spiritual  light,  which  is  the  light  that  proceeds 
from  the  Sun  of  the  spiritual  world,  in  its  essence  is  truth  j 
therefore  truth  in  that  world,  wherever  it  appears,  shines 
with  a  splendor  according  to  its  purity ;  and  spiritual  heat, 
which  also  proceeds  from  that  Sun,  in  its  essence  is  good. 
These  things  are  said,  because  it  is  the  same  with  charity 
and  faith  as  with  good  and  truth ;  for  charity  is  the  com- 
plex of  all  things  which  a  man  does  to  the  neighbor  which 
belong  to  good,  and  faith  is  the  complex  of  all  things 
belonging  to  truth  which  a  man  thinks  concerning  God  and 
concerning  Divine  things.  Since,  therefore,  the  truth  of 
faith  is  spiritual  light,  and  the  good  of  charity  is  spiritual 
heat,  it  follows  that  it  is  the  same  with  these  two  as  with 
the  two  that  bear  the  same  name  in  the  natural  world ; 
that  is  to  say,  from  their  conjunction  all  things  on  earth 
flourish,  and  in  like  manner  from  their  conjunction  all 
things  in  the  human  mind ;  but  with  the  distinction  that 
natural  heat  and  light  cause  things  on  the  earth  to  blos- 
som, but  spiritual  heat  and  light  cause  things  to  blossom 
in  the  human  mind ;  and  that  the  latter  blossoming,  be- 
cause it  is  spiritual,  is  wisdom  and  intelligence.  There  is 
also  correspondence  between  them ;  and  therefore  the 
human  mind  in  which  charity  is  conjoined  with  faith  and 
faith  with  charity,  is  in  the  Word  likened  to  a  garden,  and 


No-  393-1         CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


571 


is  also  meant  by  the  garden  of  Eden.  This  has  been  fully 
shown  in  the  "  Arcana  Ccelestia  "  (published  at  London). 
It  must  be  known,  moreover,  that  if  charity  were  not 
treated  of  after  having  treated  of  faith,  what  faith  is  could 
not  be  comprehended ;  since,  as  stated  and  shown  in  the 
preceding  chapter,  Faith  without  charity  is  not  faith,  and 
charity  without  faith  is  not  charity,  and  neither  of  them 
lives  except  from  the  Lord  (n.  355-361).  And  also,  The 
Lord,  charity,  and  faith  make  one,  like  life,  will,  and  under- 
standing; and  if  they  are  divided,  each  perishes,  like  a 
pearl  reduced  to  powder  (n.  362-367).  And  further,  Chai 
ity  and  faith  are  together  in  good  works  (n.  373-378). 

393.  It  is  a  constant  truth  that,  for  man  to  have  spirit- 
ual life  and  consequently  to  be  saved,  charity  and  faith 
cannot  be  separated.  This  is  self-evident  to  the  under- 
standing of  any  man  even  if  it  is  not  cultivated  by  means 
of  the  talents  and  the  pounds  of  learning.  Who  does  not 
see  from  some  interior  perception,  and  therefore  give  assent 
from  the  understanding,  when  he  hears  any  one  say  that 
whoever  lives  well  and  believes  aright  is  saved  ?  And  who 
does  not  reject  it  from  the  understanding,  as  he  would  a 
bit  of  dirt  falling  into  the  eye,  when  he  hears  it  said  that 
whoever  believes  aright  and  does  not  live  well  is  also 
saved  ?  inasmuch  as  from  interior  perception  it  then  in- 
stantly comes  into  the  thought,  How  can  any  one  believe 
aright  when  he  does  not  live  well  ?  And  what  is  believing 
then,  but  a  painted  figure  of  faith,  and  not  its  living  image? 
So  again,  if  any  one  hears  it  said  that  whoever  lives  well  is 
saved,  although  he  does  not  believe,  does  not  the  under- 
standing while  revolving  this  or  turning  it  over  and  over, 
see,  perceive,  and  think  that  this  is  without  coherence,  in- 
asmuch as  to  live  well  is  from  God  ?  for  all  good  that  in 
itself  is  good  is  from  God.  What  then  is  it  to  live  well 
and  not  believe,  but  as  with  clay  in  the  hand  of  the  potter 
which  cannot  be  formed  into  any  vessel  of  use  in  the  spir 
itual  kingdom,  but  only  in  the  natural  ?    Furthermore,  who 


5/2        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII 


does  not  see  contradiction  in  these  two  statements,  that  he 
who  believes  but  does  not  live  well  is  saved,  —  and,  that 
he  ;s  saved  who  lives  well  and  does  not  believe  ?  Now 
because  living  well,  which  belongs  to  charity,  is  at  this  day 
both  known  and  not  known,  —  it  is  known  what  it  is  to 
live  well  naturally,  but  it  is  not  known  what  it  is  to  live 
well  spiritually,  —  this  will  therefore  be  treated  of,  for  it 
belongs  to  Charity.  And  this  will  be  done  distinctly,  in 
series,  by  articles. 

I.  There  are  three  universal  Loves,  the  Love  of 
Heaven,  the  Love  of  the  World,  and  the  Love 
of  Self. 

394.  A  commencement  is  made  with  these  three  loves, 
because  they  are  the  universal  and  fundamental  of  all,  and 
because  charity  has  something  in  common  with  each  of 
them.  For  by  the  Love  of  Heaven  is  meant  love  to  the  Lord 
and  also  love  towards  the  neighbor ;  and  because  each  of 
these  regards  use  as  the  end,  it  may  be  called  the  love 
of  uses.  The  Love  of  the  World  is  not  merely  the  love  of 
wealth  and  property,  but  also  of  all  that  the  world  af- 
fords, and  of  all  that  delights  the  senses  of  the  body ;  as 
beauty  delights  the  eyes,  harmony  the  ear,  fragrance  the 
nostrils,  delicacies  the  tongue,  softness  the  skin ;  also 
becoming  dress,  convenient  habitations,  society,  thus  all 
the  enjoyments  coming  from  these  and  many  other  things. 
The  Love  of  Self  is  not  merely  the  love  of  honor,  glory, 
fame,  and  eminence,  but  also  the  love  of  meriting  and 
soliciting  office,  and  so  of  reigning  over  others.  Charity 
has  something  in  common  with  each  of  these  three  loves, 
because,  viewed  in  itself,  it  is  the  love  of  uses  ;  for  charity 
wishes  to  do  good  to  the  neighbor  (and  good  is  the  same 
as  use),  and  from  those  loves  every  one  regards  uses  as 
his  ends ;  the  love  of  heaven  regards  spiritual  uses,  the 
love  of  the  world  natural  uses  which  may  be  called  civil, 


No.  395.J         CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


573 


and  the  love  of  self  corporeal  uses  which  may  also  be  called 
domestic,  done  for  oneself  and  his  own. 

395.  That  these  three  loves  are  in  every  man  from 
creation  and  therefore  from  birth,  and  that  when  they  are 
rightly  subordinated  they  perfect  him,  and  when  not  rightly 
subordinated  they  pervert  him,  will  be  demonstrated  in  the 
next  article.  It  is  proper  here  merely  to  remark  that  these 
three  loves  are  rightly  subordinated  when  the  love  of 
heaven  makes  the  head,  the  love  of  the  world  the  breast 
and  the  abdomen,  and  the  love  of  self  the  feet  and  their 
soles.  The  human  mind  is  divided  into  three  distinct  re- 
gions, as  repeatedly  stated  above :  from  the  highest  region 
man  regards  God,  from  the  second  or  middle  region  the 
world,  and  from  the  third  or  lowest  himself.  Because  the 
mind  is  such,  it  can  be  raised  and  it  can  raise  itself  upward, 
because  to  God  and  heaven ;  it  can  be  spread  and  it  can 
spread  itself  to  the  sides  in  all  directions,  because  into  the 
world  and  its  nature  ;  and  it  can  be  let  downward  and 
can  let  itself  downward,  because  to  earth  and  to  hell.  In 
these  respects  the  sight  of  the  body  emulates  that  of  the 
mind  ;  it,  too,  can  look  upward,  round  about,  and  down- 
ward. The  human  mind  is  like  a  house  of  three  stories 
which  communicate  by  stairs  ;  in  the  highest  of  which 
stories  dwell  angels  from  heaven,  in  the  middle  men  from 
the  world,  and  in  the  lowest  genii.  The  man  in  whom 
these  three  loves  are  rightly  subordinated,  can  ascend  and 
descend  at  pleasure ;  and  when  he  goes  up  to  the  highest 
story,  he  is  in  company  with  angels  as  an  angel ;  and  when 
from  this  he  goes  down  to  the  middle  story,  he  is  there  in 
company  with  men  as  an  angel-man  ;  and  when  from  this 
he  descends  further,  he  is  in  company  with  genii  as  a  man 
of  the  world,  and  instructs,  reproves,  and  subdues  them. 
In  the  man  in  whom  these  three  loves  are  rightly  subor- 
dinated, they  are  also  so  co-ordinated  that  the  highest  love 
which  is  the  love  or  heaven  is  inwardly  in  the  second 
which  is  the  love  of  the  world,  and  by  this  in  the  third  or 


574        TIIE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 


lowest  which  is  the  love  of  self ;  and  the  love  which  is 
within  directs  at  its  pleasure  that  which  is  without.  Where- 
fore if  the  love  of  heaven  is  inwardly  in  the  love  of  the 
world,  and  by  this  in  the  love  of  self,  the  man  does  uses  in 
each  from  the  God  of  heaven.  In  operating,  these  three 
loves  are  like  will,  understanding,  and  action.  The  will 
flows  into  the  understanding,  and  there  provides  itself  with 
the  means  by  which  it  produces  action.  But  on  these 
points  more  will  be  seen  in  the  next  article,  where  it  will  be 
demonstrated  that  the  three  loves  if  rightly  subordinated 
perfect  man ;  but  if  they  are  not  rightly  subordinated  they 
pervert  and  invert  him. 

396.  But  in  order  that  what  follows  in  this  chapter  and 
in  those  succeeding,  on  Free  Will,  Reformation  and  Re- 
generation, and  so  forth,  may  be  presented  in  the  light  of 
reason  so  as  to  be  clearly  seen,  it  is  necessary  to  premise 
something  respecting  the  Will  and  the  Understanding, 
Good  and  Truth,  Love  in  general,  the  Love  of  the  World 
and  the  Love  of  Self  in  particular,  the  External  and  the 
Internal  Man,  and  the  merely  Natural  and  Sensual  Man. 
These  things  will  be  laid  open,  lest  the  rational  sight  of  man 
in  its  perception  of  what  follows  further  on,  should  be  as 
it  were  in  a  thick  fog,  and  so  should  run  through  the 
streets  of  a  city  till  it  knows  not  the  way  home.  For 
what  is  theology  without  the  understanding,  and  if  the 
understanding  is  not  enlightened  when  the  Word  is  read, 
but  as  a  lamp  in  the  hand  not  lighted,  such  as  were  in  the 
hands  of  the  five  foolish  virgins  who  had  no  oil  ?  Of  each, 
then,  in  its  order. 

397.  L  Of  the  Will  and  the  Understanding 
1.  Man  has  two  faculties  which  make  his  life;  one  is 
called  the  will,  and  the  other  the  understanding.  These 
are  distinct  from  each  other,  but  so  created  as  to  be  one ; 
and  when  they  are  one,  they  are  called  the  mind.  Where- 
fore they  are  the  human  mind,  and  all  man's  life  is  therein 
in  its  principles,  and  is  thence  in  the  body.    2.  As  all  things 


No.  39S.] 


CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


575 


in  the  universe  which  are  according  to  order  have  relation 
to  good  and  truth,  so  all  things  in  man  have  relation  to  the 
will  and  understanding,  since  good  in  man  is  of  his  will,  and 
truth  in  him  is  of  his  understanding  j  for  these  two  faculties, 
or  these  two  lives  of  man,  are  their  receptacles  and  subjects, 
the  will  being  the  receptacle  and  the  subject  of  all  things 
of  good,  and  the  understanding  being  the  receptacle  and 
the  subject  of  all  things  of  truth.  Goods  and  truths  with 
man  are  nowhere  else.  And  because  goods  and  truths 
with  man  are  nowhere  else,  therefore  neither  are  love  and 
faith  elsewhere,  since  love  is  of  good  and  good  is  of  love, 
but  faith  is  of  truth  and  truth  is  of  faith.  3.  The  will  and 
the  understanding  also  make  man's  spirit ;  for  in  them 
reside  his  wisdom  and  intelligence,  also  his  love  and 
charity,  and  in  general  his  life.  The  body  is  only  obedi- 
ence. 4.  Nothing  is  of  more  concern  to  know  than  how 
the  will  and  the  understanding  make  one  mind.  They 
make  one  mind  as  good  and  truth  make  one ;  for  there  is 
a  marriage  between  the  will  and  the  understanding  like 
that  between  good  and  truth.  What  the  quality  of  that 
marriage  is,  will  be  evident  from  what  will  presently  be 
adduced  respecting  good  and  truth,  namely,  that  as  good 
is  the  very  esse  of  a  thing  and  truth  is  its  existere  therefrom, 
so  the  will  with  man  is  the  very  esse  of  his  life,  but  the 
understanding  is  the  existere  of  life  therefrom  j  for  good, 
which  is  of  the  will,  forms  itself  in  the  understanding,  and 
presents  itself  to  be  seen. 

398.  II.  Of  Good  and  Truth,  i.  All  things  in  the 
universe  that  are  in  Divine  order,  have  relation  to  good 
and  truth.  Nothing  exists  in  heaven  and  nothing  in  the 
world  that  does  not  have  relation  to  these  two.  This  is 
because  both  of  them,  good  as  well  as  truth,  proceed  from 
God  from  Whom  are  all  things.  2.  From  this  it  is  manifest, 
that  it  is  necessary  for  man  to  know  what  good  is  and  what 
truth  is,  as  also  how  the  one  regards  the  other,  and  how  the 
one  is  conjoined  with  the  other.    But  this  is  most  necessary 


576        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 


for  the  man  of  the  church ;  for  as  all  things  of  heaven  have 
relation  to  good  and  truth,  so  also  have  all  things  of  the 
church,  because  the  good  and  truth  of  heaven  are  the  good 
and  truth  of  the  church  also.  3.  It  is  according  to  Divine 
order  for  good  and  truth  to  be  conjoined  and  not  separated, 
so  for  them  to  be  one  and  not  two ;  for  they  proceed  from 
God  conjoined,  and  in  heaven  they  are  conjoined ;  and 
therefore  they  must  be  conjoined  in  the  church.  In  heaven 
the  conjunction  of  good  and  truth  is  called  the  heavenly 
marriage  ;  for  all  who  are  there  are  in  this  marriage.  For 
this  reason  heaven  is  compared  in  the  Word  to  a  marriage; 
and  the  Lord  is  called  the  Bridegroom  and  Husband,  but 
heaven  is  called  the  Bride  and  Wife,  and  the  church  the 
same.  Heaven  and  the  church  are  so  called  because  they 
who  are  therein  receive  Divine  good  in  truths.  4.  All  the 
intelligence  and  wisdom  which  the  angels  have  is  from  that 
marriage,  and  not  any  from  good  separate  from  truth,  nor 
from  truth  separate  from  good.  It  is  the  same  with  the 
men  of  the  church.  5.  Since  the  conjunction  of  good  and 
truth  is  like  a  marriage,  it  is  manifest  that  good  loves  truth, 
and  that  in  return  truth  loves  good,  and  that  the  one  desires 
to  be  conjoined  with  the  other.  The  man  of  the  church 
who  has  not  such  love  and  such  desire  is  not  in  the  heav 
enly  marriage,  thus  the  church  is  not  yet  in  him ;  for  the 
conjunction  of  good  and  truth  makes  the  church.  6.  Goods 
are  manifold  :  in  general  there  are  spiritual  good  and  natu- 
ral good,  and  both  conjoined  in  genuine  moral  good.  As 
are  goods,  so  are  truths  j  because  truths  are  of  good  and 
are  the  forms  of  good.  7.  As  it  is  with  good  and  truth,  so 
it  is,  in  the  opposite  way,  with  evil  and  falsity;  that  is,  as 
all  things  in  the  universe  which  are  according  to  Divine 
order  have  relation  to  good  and  truth,  so  all  things  that 
are  contrary  to  Divine  order  have  relation  to  evil  and 
falsity :  and  as  good  loves  to  be  conjoined  with  truth  and 
truth  with  good,  so  evil  loves  to  be  conjoined  with  falsity 
and  falsity  with  evil :  and  also,  as  all  intelligence  and  wis- 


No.  399  ]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


57/ 


dom  are  born  from  the  conjunction  of  good  and  truth,  so 
are  all  insanity  and  folly  from  the  conjunction  of  evil  and 
falsity.  The  conjunction  of  evil  and  falsity,  viewed  interi- 
orly, is  not  marriage  but  adultery.  8.  Because  evil  and 
falsity  are  opposite  to  good  and  truth,  it  is  manifest  that 
truth  cannot  be  conjoined  with  evil,  nor  good  with  the 
falsity  of  evil.  If  truth  is  adjoined  to  evil,  it  becomes  no 
longer  truth  but  falsity,  because  it  is  falsified ;  and  if  good 
is  adjoined  to  the  falsity  of  evil,  it  becomes  no  longer  good 
but  evil,  because  it  is  adulterated.  Yet  falsity  which  is  not 
of  evil  can  be  conjoined  with  good.  9.  No  one  who  is  in  evil 
and  consequently  in  falsity  from  confirmation  and  the  life, 
can  know  what  good  and  truth  are ;  since  he  believes  his 
evil  to  be  good,  and  from  this  he  believes  his  falsity  to  be 
truth ;  but  every  one  who  is  in  good  and  consequently  in 
truth  from  confirmation  and  the  life,  can  know  what  evil 
and  falsity  are.  'This  is  because  all  good  and  its  truth  are 
heavenly  in  their  essence,  but  all  evil  and  the  falsity  from 
it  are  infernal* in  their  essence;  and  every  thing  heavenly 
is  in  light,  but  every  thing  infernal  in  darkness. 

399.  III.  Of  Love  in  general,  i.  Man's  very  life  is 
his  love ;  and  such  as  the  love  is,  such  is  the  life,  yes  such 
is  the  whole  man.  But  it  is  the  dominant  or  reigning  love 
which  makes  the  man.  This  love  has  many  other  loves 
subordinate  to  it,  which  are  derivations.  Their  appearance 
is  under  another  aspect  j  but  yet  every  one  of  them  is  in 
the  dominant  love,  and  with  it  they  make  one  kingdom. 
The  dominant  love  is  as  their  king  and  head ;  it  directs 
them  j  and  through  them  as  through  mediate  ends  it  regards 
and  intends  its  own  end,  which  is  the  primary  and  the  ulti- 
mate of  all  ;  and  this  both  directly  and  indirectly.  2.  That 
which  is  of  the  dominant  love,  is  what  is  loved  above  all 
things.  What  a  man  loves  above  all  things  is  continually 
present  in  his  thought,  because  it  is  in  his  will  and  it  makes 
his  veriest  life.  For  example,  one  who  loves  wealth  above 
all  things,  whether  money  or  possessions,  is  continually 


578        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIL 


considering  in  his  mind  how  he  may  procure  it,  rejoices 
inmostly  when  he  acquires  it,  inmostly  grieves  when  he 
loses  it ;  his  heart  is  in  it.  He  who  loves  himself  above  all 
things  is  mindful  of  himself  in  every  thing ;  he  thinks  of 
himself,  speaks  of  himself,  acts  for  the  sake  of  himself;  for 
his  life  is  the  life  of  self.  3.  A  man  has  for  an  end  that 
which  he  loves  above  all  things ;  this  he  regards  in  all 
things  and  in  every  single  thing.  It  is  in  his  will  like  the 
latent  flow  of  a  river  which  sweeps  along  and  bears  him 
away  even  when  he  is  acting  in  some  other  way,  for  it  is 
that  which  animates  him.  Such  is  that  which  one  man 
searches  out  in  another,  and  also  sees ;  and  by  it  he  either 
leads  him  or  acts  with  him.  4.  A  man  is  wholly  such  as  the 
dominant  [principle]  of  his  life  is ;  by  this  he  is  distinguished 
from  others ;  according  to  this  his  heaven  is  made  if  he  is 
good,  and  his  hell  if  he  is  evil ;  it  is  his  very  will,  his  pro- 
prium,  and  his  nature ;  for  it  is  the  very  esse  of  his  life. 
This  cannot  be  changed  after  death,  because  it  is  the  man 
himself.  5.  All  that  gives  enjoyment,  SJftisf action,  and 
happiness  to  any  one,  comes  to  him  from  his  ruling  love 
and  according  to  it.  For  a  man  calls  that  which  he  loves 
enjoyment,  because  he  feels  it ;  but  that  which  he  thinks 
and  does  not  love,  he  may  also  call  enjoyment,  but  it  is  not 
the  enjoyment  of  his  life.  The  love's  enjoyment  is  what 
is  good  to  a  man,  but  the  undelightful  is  what  to  him  is 
evil.  6.  There  are  two  loves  from  which,  as  from  their 
very  fountains,  all  goods  and  truths  exist ;  and  there  are 
two  loves  from  which  all  evils  and  falsities  exist.  The  two 
loves  from  which  are  all  goods  and  truths,  are  love  to  the 
Lord  and  love  towards  the  neighbor;  but  the  two  loves 
from  which  are  all  evils  and  falsities,  are  the  love  of  self 
and  the  love  of  the  world.  The  two  latter  when  they  are 
predominant,  are  wholly  opposed  to  the  two  former.  7.  The 
.two  loves  [from  which  all  goods  and  truths  are*],  which,  as 

*  The  words  within  brackets  have  been  supplied  from  "The  New 
Jerusalem  and  its  Heavenly  Doctrine,"  n.  59;  from  which  treatise 

this  is  an  extract. 


No.4oo.]       CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


579 


was  said,  are  love  to  the  Lord  and  love  towards  the  neigh- 
bor, make  heaven  with  man,  for  they  reign  in  heaven ;  and 
because  they  make  heaven  with  man,  they  also  make  the 
church  with  him.  The  two  loves  from  which  all  evils  and 
falsities  are,  which,  as  was  said,  are  the  love  of  self  and  the 
love  of  the  world,  make  hell  with  man ;  for  they  reign  in 
hell ;  consequently  also  they  destroy  the  church  with  him. 
8.  The  two  loves  from  which  are  all  goods  and  truths, 
which,  as  was  said,  are  the  loves  of  heaven,  open  and  form 
the  internal  spiritual  man,  for  they  reside  there ;  but  the 
two  loves  from  which  are  all  evils  and  falsities,  which,  as 
was  said,  are  the  loves  of  hell,  when  they  are  predominant 
close  and  destroy  the  internal  spiritual  man,  and  cause  the 
man  to  be  natural  and  sensual  according  to  the  quantity 
and  quality  of  their  dominion. 

400.  IV.  Of  the  Love  of  Self  and  the  Love  of 
the  World  in  particular,  i.  The  Love  of  Self  is,  to 
wish  well  to  oneself  only,  and  not  to  others  except  for  the 
sake  of  self;  not  even  to  the  church,  one's  country,  any 
human  society,  or  to  a  fellow-citizen ;  it  is  also  to  do  good 
to  them  only  for  the  sake  of  one's  reputation,  honor,  and 
glory ;  and  unless  these  are  seen  in  the  good  which  is  done 
to  others,  it  is  said  in  the  heart,  "  What  matters  it  *?  Why 
should  I  do  this?  What  shall  I  gain  by  it?"  And  so  it 
is  passed  by.  Whence  it  is  manifest  that  he  who  is  in  the 
love  of  self  does  not  love  the  church,  or  his  country,  or 
society,  or  his  fellow-citizen,  or  any  thing  truly  good,  but 
only  himself  and  what  is  his.  2.  A  man  is  in  the  love  of 
self,  when,  in  what  he  thinks  and  does,  he  does  not  regard 
the  neighbor,  therefore  not  the  public,  still  less  the  Lord, 
but  only  himself  and  those  who  are  his ;  consequently, 
when  he  does  every  thing  for  the  sake  of  himself  and  those 
belonging  to  him  ;  and  if  for  the  public,  it  is  only  for  the 
appearance  ;  and  if  for  the  neighbor,  it  is  that  the  neighbor 
may  favor  him.  3.  It  is  said,  for  the  sahe  of  himseff  and 
those  who  are  his ;  for  he  who  loves  himself  also  loves  his 


580        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 

own,  who  are  especially  his  children  and  grandchildren, 
and  in  general  all  who  make  one  with  him,  whom  he  calls 
his  own.  To  love  these  two  classes,  is  also  to  love  himself, 
for  he  regards  them  as  it  were  in  himself,  and  himself  in 
them.  Among  those  whom  he  calls  his,  are  likewise  all 
who  praise,  honor,  and  pay  court  to  him  ;  all  others  he 
indeed  looks  upon  with  the  eyes  of  the  body  as  men,  but 
with  the  eyes  of  his  spirit  he  scarcely  regards  them  other- 
wise than  as  spectres.  4.  The  man  is  in  the  love  of  self 
who  despises  his  neighbor  in  comparison  with  himself,  who 
holds  him  as  an  enemy  if  he  does  not  favor  him  and  if  he 
does  not  venerate  and  pay  court  to  him.  Still  more  in  the 
love  of  self  is  he  who  on  that  account  hates  his  neighbor 
and  persecutes  him ;  and  more  still  he  who  therefore 
burns  with  revenge  against  him  and  desires  his  destruction. 
Such  at  length  love  to  be  cruel.  5.  It  may  be  evident 
what  the  love  of  self  is,  from  comparison  with  heavenly 
love.  It  is  heavenly  love  to  love  uses  for  the  sake  of  the 
uses,  or  goods  for  the  sake  of  the  goods,  which  a  man  per- 
forms for  the  church,  his  country,  human  society,  and  the 
fellow-citizen  ;  but  he  who  loves  these  things  for  his  own 
sake,  loves  them  only  as  he  loves  the  servants  of  the 
household,  because  they  are  serviceable  to  him.  It  follows 
hence  that  he  who  is  in  the  love  of  self  wishes  the  church, 
his  country,  human  societies,  and  his  fellow-citizens  to  serve 
him,  and  not  that  he  should  serve  them  ;  he  puts  himself 
above  them,  and  them  beneath  himself.  6.  Moreover,  as 
far  as  any  one  is  in  heavenly  love,  which  is  to  love  uses  and 
goods  and  to  have  heartfelt  enjoyment  in  promoting  them, 
he  is  led  by  the  Lord ;  because  that  is  the  love  in  which 
the  Lord  is,  and  which  is  from  Him.  But  as  far  as  any 
one  is  in  the  love  of  self,  he  is  led  by  himself  and  is  led 
by  his  proprium  \ownhood\  and  man's  proprium  is  nothing 
but  evil ;  for  it  is  his  hereditary  evil,  which  is  to  love  one- 
self more  than  God,  and  the  world  more  than  heaven. 
7.  Such  also  is  the  love  of  self,  that  as  far  as  the  reins 


No.  400.]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  581 

are  given  to  it,  that  is,  as  far  as  external  bonds  are  re- 
moved, which  are  fears  of  the  law  and  its  penalties,  and  of 
the  loss  of  reputation,  honor,  gain,  office,  and  life,  so  far 
it  rushes  on,  even  till  it  wishes  to  have  command  not  only 
over  the  whole  world,  but  also  over  heaven,  yes,  over  God 
Himself.  There  is  nowhere  any  limit  or  end  to  it.  This 
lurks  in  every  one  who  is  in  the  love  of  self,  although  it  is 
not  manifest  before  the  world,  where  the  reins  and  bonds 
which  have  been  named  restrain  him  •  and  every  such  per- 
son, where  impossibility  is  in  the  way,  there  makes  his 
stand  until  there  comes  possibility.  It  is  owing  to  all  these 
things,  that  the  man  who  is  in  such  love  does  not  know  that 
an  insane  and  unlimited  cupidity  of  this  kind  is  concealed 
within  him.  Nevertheless,  that  it  is  so  no  one  can  help 
seeing  in  potentates  and  kings  to  whom  there  are  no  such 
reins,  bonds,  and  impossibilities ;  they  rush  on  and  subju- 
gate provinces  and  kingdoms  as  far  as  they  have  success, 
and  aspire  to  power  and  glory  beyond  bounds  ;  and  still 
more  in  those  who  extend  their  sovereignty  into  heaven, 
and  transfer  to  themselves  all  the  Lord's  Divine  power. 
These  continually  desire  more.  8.  There  are  two  kinds 
of  rule,  one  of  love  towards  the  neighbor,  and  the  other  of 
the  love  of  self.  These  two  kinds  of  rule  are  opposites. 
He  who  rules  from  love  towards  the  neighbor  wishes  good 
to  all,  and  loves  nothing  more  than  to  perform  uses,  thus 
to  serve  others  (to  serve  others  is  to  do  good  to  others 
from  good  will,  and  to  perform  uses) ;  this  is  his  love,  and 
the  enjoyment  of  his  heart.  As  far,  too,  as  he  is  raised  to 
dignities  he  is  also  glad,  not  for  the  sake  of  the  dignities, 
but  for  the  sake  of  the  uses  which  he  can  then  perform  in 
more  abundance  and  in  a  greater  degree.  Such  is  rule  in 
the  heavens.  But  he  who  rules  from  the  love  of  self  wills 
good  to  no  one  but  himself  and  his.  The  uses  which  he 
performs  are  for  the  sake  of  the  honor  and  glory  of  him- 
self, which  to  him  are  the  only  uses ;  his  end  in  serving 
Others  is  that  he  may  be  served  and  honored,  and  may 


582        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 

rule.  He  solicits  dignities,  not  for  the  sake  of  the  good 
which  he  may  do,  but  that  he  may  be  in  eminence  and 
glory,  and  thereby  in  his  heart's  enjoyment.  9.  A  love  of 
rule  remains  also  with  every  one  after  the  life  in  the 
world ;  but  to  those  who  have  ruled  from  love  towards  the 
neighbor,  is  also  entrusted  dominion  in  the  heavens ;  and 
then  they  do  not  rule,  but  the  uses  and  goods  which  they 
love  \  and  when  uses  and  goods  rule,  the  Lord  rules.  But 
they  who  in  the  world  ruled  from  the  love  of  self,  after  the 
life  in  the  world  are  made  to  abdicate  and  are  reduced  to 
servitude.  From  these  things  it  is  now  cognized  who  are 
in  the  love  of  self.  It  matters  not  how  they  appear  in 
the  external  form,  whether  elated  or  submissive ;  for  such 
things  are  in  the  internal  man,  and  the  internal  man  is 
hidden  by  most  people,  and  the  external  is  trained  to  coun- 
terfeit what  belongs  to  the  love  of  the  public  and  the 
neighbor,  thus  contrary  things ;  and  this  also  for  the  sake 
of  self ;  for  they  know  that  to  love  the  public  and  the 
neighbor  affects  all  men  interiorly,  and  that  they  them- 
selves are  esteemed  in  the  same  measure.  This  love  so 
affects  men  because  heaven  flows  into  it.  10.  The  evils 
which  are  with  those  who  are  in  the  love  of  self  are,  in 
general,  contempt  of  others,  envy,  enmity  against  those 
who  do  not  favor  them,  consequently  hostility,  hatred  of 
various  kinds,  revenge,  cunning,  deceit,  unmercifulness  and 
cruelty.  And  where  there  are  such  evils  there  is  also  con- 
tempt of  God  and  of  Divine  things  which  are  the  truths 
and  goods  of  the  church;  if  they  honor  these,  it  is  with 
the  mouth  only,  not  with  the  heart.  And  because  such 
evils  are  thence,  similar  falsities  are  so  too ;  for  falsities 
are  from  evils.  11.  But  the  Love  of  the  World  is  to  wish 
to  draw  to  oneself  the  wealth  of  others  by  any  art,  and  to 
set  the  heart  upon  riches,  and  to  suffer  the  world  to  with- 
draw and  lead  one  away  from  spiritual  love  which  is  love 
towards  the  neighbor,  and  so  from  heaven.  They  are  in 
the  love  of  the  world  who  desire  to  draw  to  themselves 


No.  401.] 


CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


533 


the  goods  of  others  by  various  arts,  especially  by  cunning 
and  deceit,  making  nothing  of  the  neighbor's  good.  They 
who  are  in  that  love  covet  the  goods  of  others,  and,  as  far 
as  they  do  not  fear  the  laws  and  the  loss  of  reputation  on 
account  of  the  gain,  they  deprive  them  of  their  goods,  yes, 
prey  upon  them.  12.  But  the  love  of  the  world  is  not- 
opposed  to  heavenly  love  to  such  a  clegree  as  the  love  of 
self  is,  inasmuch  as  so  great  evils  are  not  concealed  in  it. 
13.  This  love  is  manifold :  there  is  the  love  of  wealth,  that 
one  may  be  raised  to  honors  \  there  is  the  love  of  honors 
and  dignities,  that  one  may  gain  wealth ;  there  is  the  love 
of  wealth  for  the  sake  of  various  uses  from  which  one  has 
delight  in  the  world ;  there  is  the  love  of  wealth  for  its 
own  sake  only;  such  love  have  the  avaricious;  and  so  on. 
The  end  for  the  sake  of  which  wealth  is  loved  is  called  the 
use ;  and  it  is  the  end  or  use  from  which  a  love  derives  its 
quality ;  for  the  love  is  such  as  the  end  is  which  it  regards ; 
other  things  serve  it  as  means.  14.  In  a  word,  the  love 
of  self  and  the  love  of  the  world  are  wholly  opposite  to 
love  to  the  Lord  and  love  towards  the  neighbor.  Where- 
fore the  love  of  self  and  the  love  of  the  world,  such  as 
have  been  described  above,  are  infernal  loves,  reign  also  in 
hell,  and  likewise  make  hell  with  man.  But  love  to  the 
Lord  and  love  towards  the  neighbor  are  heavenly  loves, 
reign  also  in  heaven,  and  likewise  make  heaven  with  man. 

401.  V.  Of  the  Internal  and  the  External  Man. 
i.  Man  has  been  so  created  that  he  is  in  the  spiritual  world 
and  in  the  natural  world  at  the  same  time.  The  spiritual 
world  is  where  angels  are,  and  the  natural  world  where  men 
are.  And  because  man  has  been  so  created,  there  has  been 
given  him  an  internal  and  an  external ;  an  internal  by  which 
he  may  be  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  an  external  by  which 
he  may  be  in  the  natural  world.  His  internal  is  what  is 
called  the  internal  man,  and  his  external  what  is  called  the 
external  man.  2.  Every  man  has  an  internal  and  an  ex- 
ternal, but  with  a  difference  between  the  good  and  the  evil. 


584        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 


With  the  good  the  internal  is  in  heaven  and  its  light,  and 
the  external  in  the  world  and  its  light;  and  this  light  is  with 
them  illumined  by  the  light  of  heaven ;  and  so  with  them 
the  internal  and  the  external  act  as  one,  like  cause  and 
effect,  or  like  the  prior  and  the  posterior.  But  with  the 
evil  the  internal  is  in  hell  and  in  its  light,  which  light, 
viewed  in  relation  to  the  light  of  heaven,  is  thick  darkness  j 
and  their  external  may  be  in  light  similar  to  that  in  which 
the  good  are.  The  case  is  therefore  the  reverse  of  the 
other.  Hence  it  is  that  the  evil  just  like  the  good  can 
speak  and  teach  about  faith,  about  charity,  and  about  God ; 
but  not,  like  the  good,  from  faith,  charity,  and  God.  3.  It 
is  the  internal  man  that  is  called  the  spiritual  man,  because 
it  is  in  the  light  of  heaven,  which  light  is  spiritual ;  and  it 
is  the  external  man  that  is  called  the  natural  man,  because 
it  is  in  the  light  of  the  world,  which  light  is  natural.  The 
man  whose  internal  is  in  the  light  of  heaven  and  his  exter- 
nal in  the  light  of  the  world,  is  a  spiritual  man  as  to  both, 
inasmuch  as  spiritual  light  from  the  interior  illumines  the 
natural  light  and  makes  it  as  its  own  \  but  the  case  is  re- 
versed with  the  evil.  4.  The  internal  spiritual  man  viewed 
in  itself  is  an  angel  of  heaven,  and  while  living  in  the  body 
is  also  in  society  with  angels  without  knowing  it,  and  after 
release  from  the  body  also  comes  among  them.  But  with 
the  evil  the  internal  man  is  a  satan,  and  while  living  in  the 
body  is  also  in  society  with  satans,  and  after  separation 
from  the  body  also  comes  among  them.  5.  With  those 
who  are  spiritual  men,  the  interiors  of  the  mind  are  actually 
elevated  towards  heaven,  for  they  look  primarily  to  that ; 
but  with  those  who  are  merely  natural,  the  interiors  of  the 
mind  are  turned  away  from  heaven,  and  turned  to  the 
world,  because  they  look  primarily  to  this.  6.  They  who 
entertain  only  a  general  idea  of  the  internal  and  the  exter- 
nal man,  believe  that  it  is  the  internal  man  that  thinks  and 
that  wills,  and  the  external  that  speaks  and  that  acts ;  inas- 
much as  thinking  and  willing  are  internal,  and  speaking 


No.  40t.]        CHARITY  AXD  GOOD  WORKS. 


585 


and  acting  are  external.  But  it  is  to  be  known  that  when 
a  man  thinks  and  wills  well  concerning  the  Lord  and  the 
things  which  are  the  Lord's,  and  well  concerning  the  neigh- 
bor and  the  things  which  are  the  neighbor's,  he  then  thinks 
and  wills  from  a  spiritual  internal,  because  from  the  faith 
of  truth  and  from  the  love  of  good ;  but  that  when  a  man 
thinks  ill  concerning  them  and  wills,  ill  to  them,  he  then 
thinks  and  wills  from  an  infernal  internal,  because  from 
the  faith  of  falsity  and  from  the  love  of  evil.  In  a  word, 
as  far  as  a  man  is  in  love  to  the  Lord  and  in  love  towards 
the  neighbor  he  is  in  a  spiritual  internal,  and  thinks  and 
wills  from  it,  and  also  speaks  and  acts  from  it ;  while  as 
far  as  a  man  is  in  the  love  of  self  and  in  the  love  of  the 
world  he  thinks  and  wills  from  hell,  though  he  speaks  and 
acts  otherwise.  7.  It  has  thus  been  provided  and  arranged 
by  the  Lord  that  the  spiritual  man  should  be  opening  and 
forming  so  far  as  a  man  thinks  and  wills  from  heaven;  the 
opening  is  into  heaven  -j\  en  to  the  Lord,  and  the  formation 
is  to  the  things  which  are  of  heaven.  But  on  the  other 
hand,  so  far  as  a  man  thinks  and  wills  not  from  heaven 
but  from  the  world,  the  internal  spiritual  man  is  closing, 
and  the  external  is  opening  and  forming ;  the  opening  is 
into  the  world,  and  the  formation  is  to  the  things  which  are 
of  hell.  8.  Those  with  whom  the  internal  spiritual  man  is 
opened  into  heaven  to  the  Lord,  are  in  the  light  of  heaven 
and  in  illumination  from  the  Lord,  and  thereby  in  intelli- 
gence and  wisdom ;  these  see  truth  from  the  light  of  truth, 
and  perceive  good  from  the  love  of  good.  But  those  with 
whom  the  internal  spiritual  man  is  closed,  do  not  know 
what  the  internal  man  is,  neither  do  they  believe  in  the 
Word,  nor  in  a  life  after  death,  nor  the  things  which  are  of 
heaven  and  the  church  :  and  because  they  are  in  only  natu- 
ral light  \lu?ncn\  they  believe  that  nature  is  of  itself  ami 
not  from  God  ;  they  see  falsity  as  truth,  and  perceive  evil 
as  good.  9.  The  internal  and  external  here  treated  of,  are 
the  internal  and  external  of  man's  spirit.  I  lis  body  is  only 
vol.  n.  8 


586        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII 


an  external  superadded,  within  which  the  others  exist;  for 
the  body  acts  in  nothing  from  itself,  but  from  the  spirit 
which  is  in  it.  It  is  to  be  known  that  the  spirit  of  man 
after  its  release  from  the  body,  equally  thinks  and  wills, 
and  speaks  and  acts :  thinking  and  willing  are  its  internal, 
but  speaking  and  doing  are  then  its  external. 

402.  VI.  Of  the  merely  Natural  and  Sensual  Man. 
Inasmuch  as  few  know  who  are  meant  by  sensual  men,  and 
of  what  quality  they  are  (and  yet  it  is  important  to  know), 
they  shall  therefore  be  described.  1.  He  is  called  a  sensual 
man  who  judges  of  all  things  by  the  senses  of  the  body,  and 
who  believes  nothing  but  what  he  can  see  with  the  eyes  and 
touch  with  the  hands,  saying  that  such  things  are  something, 
and  rejecting  all  others.  The  sensual  man  is  therefore  the 
lowest  natural  man.  2.  The  interiors  of  his  mind,  which 
see  from  the  light  of  heaven,  are  closed,  so  that  he  there 
sees  nothing  of  the  truth  which  pertains  to  heaven  and  the 
church,  since  he  thinks  in  outermosts  and  not  interiorly 
from  any  spiritual  light.  3.  And  since  he  is  in  gross  natu- 
ral light  \lumen\  he  is  interiorly  opposed  to  the  things 
which  are  of  heaven  and  the  church,  and  yet  he  can  exte- 
riorly speak  in  favor  of  them,  and  ardently  according  to  the 
dominion  attainable  by  means  of  them.  4.  Sensual  men 
reason  sharply  and  ingeniously,  because  their  thought  is  so 
near  to  speech,  almost  in  it,  and  as  it  were  in  the  lips ;  and 
because  they  place  all  intelligence  in  speech  from  memory 
alone.  5.  Some  of  them  can  confirm  any  thing  they  wish, 
and  falsities  dexterously ;  and  after  confirming  them,  they 
believe  them  to  be  truths ;  but  they  reason  and  confirm 
from  the  fallacies  of  the  senses,  by  which  the  common  peo- 
ple are  captivated  and  persuaded.  6.  Sensual  men  are 
shrewd  and  crafty  above  all  others.  7.  The  interiors  of 
their  minds  are  foul  and  filthy,  inasmuch  as  through  them 
they  communicate  with  the  hells.  8.  Those  who  are  in  the 
hells  are  sensual ;  and  the  deeper  they  are  the  more  sensual 
they  are ;  also  the  sphere  of  infernal  spirits  conjoins  itself 


No.  402.] 


CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


53; 


with  man's  sensuals,  from  behind.  9.  As  sensual  men  do 
not  see  any  genuine  truth  in  light,  but  reason  and  dispute 
about  every  thing  as  to  whether  it  is  so,  and  as  these  dis- 
putes are  heard  at  a  distance  from  them  as  the  gnashing  of 
teeth,  which  viewed  in  themselves  are  collisions  of  falsities 
with  each  other,  and  also  of  the  false  and  the  true,  it  is 
«  anifest  wha*  is  signified  in  the  Word  by  gnashing  of  teeth. 
The  reason  is  that  reasoning  from  the  fallacies  of  the  senses 
corresponds  to  the  teeth.  10.  Men  of  science  and  erudi 
tioii  who  have  deeply  confirmed  themselves  in  falsities,  and 
still  more  they  who  have  confirmed  themselves  against  the 
truths  of  the  Word,  are  more  sensual  than  others,  although 
they  do  not  appear  so  to  the  world.  Heresies  have  flowed 
chiefly  from  such  as  were  sensual.  11.  The  hypocritical, 
the  deceitful,  the  voluptuous,  the  adulterous,  and  the  avari- 
cious are  for  the  most  part  sensual.  12.  They  who  rea- 
soned from  sensual  things  only,  and  against  the  genuine 
truths  of  the  Word  and  thus  of  the  church,  were  called  by 
the  ancients  serpents  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good 
and  evil. 

Inasmuch  as  sensual  things  mean  the  things  presented 
to  the  senses  of  the  body,  and  imbibed  through  those  senses, 
it  follows  :  13.  That  by  sensual  things  man  communicates 
with  the  world,  and  by  the  rational  things  above  them,  with 
heaven.  14.  That  sensual  things  minister  in  furnishing 
such  things  from  the  natural  world  as  are  of  service  to  the 
interiors  of  the  mind  in  the  spiritual  world.  15.  That  there 
are  sensual  things  which  minister  to  the  understanding,  and 
these  are  the  various  things  which  are  called  physics ;  and 
there  are  sensual  things  which  minister  to  the  will,  and  these 
are  the  enjoyments  of  the  senses  and  the  body.  16.  That 
unless  the  thought  is  elevated  above  sensual  things,  man 
has  little  wisdom  ;  that  a  wise  man  thinks  above  sensual 
things;  and  that  when  the  thought  is  elevated  above  them  it 
comes  into  clearer  light  \lumcn\  and  at  length  into  the  light 
of  heaven  ;  hence  man  has  a  perception  of  truth  which  is 


588        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 

properly  intelligence.  17.  That  the  elevation  of  the  mind 
above  sensual  things  and  its  withdrawal  from  them,  was 
known  to  the  ancients.  18.  That  if  sensual  things  are  in 
the  last  place,  through  them  is  opened  a  way  for  the  under- 
standing, and  truths  are  disengaged  by  a  kind  of  extrac- 
tion; but  if  sensual  things  are  in  the  first  place,  that  way 
is  closed  by  them,  and  man  does  not  see  truths  except  as 
in  a  mist,  or  as  in  the  night.  19.  That  sensual  things  with 
a  wise  man  are  in  the  last  place,  and  are  subject  to  more 
internal  things  \  but  that  with  an  unwise  man  they  are  in 
the  first  place,  and  have  dominion.  Such  are  they  who 
are  properly  called  sensual.  20.  That  with  man  there  are 
sensual  things  which  he  has  in  common  with  beasts,  and 
there  are  sensual  things  not  held  in  common  with  them. 
21.  That  so  far  as  any  one  thinks  above  sensual  things,  he  is 
a  man ;  but  no  one  can  think  above  sensual  things  and  see 
the  truths  of  the  church,  unless  he  acknowledges  God  and 
lives  according  to  His  commandments  j  for  God  elevates 
and  enlightens. 

II.  These  three  Loves,  when  rightly  subordinated, 
perfect  Man  ;  but  when  they  are  not  rightly 
subordinated,  they  pervert  and  invert  him. 

403.  Something  shall  first  be  said  concerning  the  sub- 
ordination of  the  three  universal  loves,  which  are  the  love 
of  heaven,  the  love  of  the  world,  and  the  love  of  self ;  and 
then  concerning  the  influx  and  insertion  of  one  into  an- 
other j  and  lastly,  concerning  man's  state  according  to  the 
subordination.  These  three  loves,  in  relation  to  each 
other,  are  like  the  three  regions  of  the  body,  the  highest  of 
which  is  the  head,  the  middle  is  the  chest  with  the  abdo- 
men, while  the  knees,  the  feet,  and  their  soles  make  the 
third.  When  the  love  of  heaven  makes  the  head,  the  love 
of  the  world  the  chest  and  the  abdomen,  and  the  love  of  self 
the  feet  with  their  soles,  then  man  is  in  a  perfect  state  ac- 


No.  403. J         CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  589 

cording  to  creation  •  because  the  two  lower  loves  then 
subserve  the  highest,  as  the  body  and  all  its  parts  subserve 
the  head.  When,  therefore,  the  love  of  heaven  makes  the 
head,  it  flows  into  the  love  of  the  world  which  is  chiefly  a 
love  of  riches,  and  by  means  of  these  it  performs  uses  j 
and  through  this  love  it  flows  mediately  into  the  love  of 
self  which  is  chiefly  a  love  of  dignities,  and  it  performs 
uses  by  means  of  these.  Thus  those  three  loves  breathe 
out  uses  from  the  influx  of  one  into  another.  Who  does 
not  comprehend  that  when  a  man  wishes  to  perform  uses 
from  spiritual  love  (which  is  from  the  Lord  and  is  what  is 
meant  by  the  love  of  heaven),  his  natural  man  performs 
them  by  means  of  his  riches  and  his  other  goods,  and  his 
sensual  man  in  its  own  function,  and  that  it  is  his  honor  to 
produce  them  ?  Who  also  does  not  comprehend  that  all  the 
works  which  a  man  does  with  the  body  are  done  according 
to  the  state  of  his  mind  in  the  head,  and  that  if  the  mind  is 
in  the  love  of  uses,  the  body  by  means  of  its  members 
effects  them  ?  And  this  is  so  because  the  will  and  the 
understanding  in  their  principles  are  in  the  head,  and  in 
their  derivatives  in  the  body,  as  the  will  is  in  deeds,  and 
the  thought  in  speech ;  and,  comparatively,  as  the  prolific 
principle  of  the  seed  is  in  all  and  in  every  one  of  the 
things  pertaining  to  a  tree,  by  which  it  produces  fruits 
which  are  its  uses.  And  it  is  like  fire  and  light  within  a 
crystalline  vase,  which  thereby  becomes  warm  and  shows 
the  light  through  it.  Moreover,  the  spiritual  sight  in  the 
mind,  and  at  the  same  time  the  natural  sight  in  the  body, 
with  him  in  whom  those  three  loves  are  justly  and  rightly 
subordinated,  from  the  light  which  flows  in  through  heaven 
from  the  Lord,  may  be  likened  to  an  African  apple  which 
is  pellucid  even  to  the  centre,  where  is  the  repository  of 
the  seeds.  Something  like  this  is  meant  by  these  words 
of  the  Lord  :  17ie  light  of  the  body  is  the  eye;  if  tin-  eye  be 
single  (that  is,  good;  /lie  whole  body  is  full  of  light  (Matt.  vi. 
22  \  Luke  xi.  34).    No  man  of  sound  reason  can  condemn 


590        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIL 


riches,  for  they  are  in  the  general  body  like  the  blood  in  a 
man ;  nor  can  he  condemn  the  honors  attached  to  office, 
for  they  are  the  hands  of  a  king  and  the  pillars  of  society, 
provided  the  natural  and  sensual  loves  of  them  are  subor- 
dinated to  spiritual  love.  There  are  also  administrative 
offices  in  heaven,  and  dignities  attached  to  them ;  but  they 
who  fill  them  love  nothing  more  than  to  do  uses,  because 
they  are  spiritual. 

404.  But  a  man  puts  on  an  entirely  different  state  if 
the  love  of  the  world  or  of  riches  makes  the  head,  that  is,  if 
it  is  the  reigning  love ;  for  then  the  love  of  heaven  is  exiled 
from  the  head  and  betakes  itself  to  the  body.  The  man 
who  is  in  this  state  prefers  the  world  to  heaven  •  he  wor- 
ships God,  indeed,  but  from  merely  natural  love  which 
places  merit  in  all  worship ;  he  also  does  good  to  the 
neighbor,  but  for  the  sake  of  rewards.  To  them  the  things 
•which  are  of  heaven  are  as  coverings,  in  which  they  go 
shining  before  the  eyes  of  men,  but  dusky  before  the  eyes 
of  angels  j  for  when  the  love  of  the  world  possesses  the 
internal  man,  and  the  love  of  heaven  the  external,  the 
former  then  obscures  all  things  of  the  church,  and  hides 
them  as  under  a  veil.  But  this  love  is  in  much  variety, 
worse  as  it  verges  toward  avarice ;  in  this  the  love  of 
heaven  grows  black  ;  so,  too,  if  it  verges  toward  pride  and 
eminence  over  others  from  the  love  of  self.  It  is  different 
if  it  tends  to  prodigality  ;  it  is  less  hurtful  if  it  has  in  view 
as  an  end  the  splendors  of  the  world,  as  palaces,  decora- 
tions, magnificent  clothing,  servants,  horses  and  chariots, 
with  pompous  display,  and  so  on.  The  quality  of  any  love 
is  predicated  according  to  the  end  which  it  regards  and 
intends.  This  love  may  be  likened  to  a  crystal  of  a  black- 
ish hue,  which  smothers  the  light,  and  variegates  it  only  in 
dusky  and  fading  colors.  And  it  is  like  the  mist  and 
the  cloud  which  take  away  the  rays  of  the  sun.  It  is 
also  like  new,  unfermented  wine,  which  tastes  sweet,  but 
troubles  the  stomach.    Such  a  man  viewed  from  heaven 


No.  405.]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  591 

appears  like  a  hunchback  walking  with  his  head  down, 
looking  to  the  earth ;  and  when  he  raises  it  toward  heaven, 
he  strains  back  the  muscles,  and  then  quickly  relapses  into 
his  stooping  posture.  By  the  ancients  in  the  church  such 
were  called  Mammons ;  the  Greeks  called  them  Plutos. 

405.  But  if  the  love  of  self  or  the  love  of  ruling  makes 
the  head,  then  the  love  of  heaven  passes  through  the  body 
to  the  feet ;  and  so  far  as  that  love  increases,  the  love  of 
heaven  descends  through  the  ankles  to  the  soles  of  the 
feet ;  and  if  it  increases  still  further,  the  love  of  heaven 
passes  beneath  the  shoes,  and  is  trampled  under  foot. 
There  is  a  love  of  ruling  that  comes  from  the  love  of  the 
neighbor,  and  there  is  a  love  of  ruling  from  the  love  of 
self.  They  who  are  in  the  love  of  ruling  from  the  love  of 
the  neighbor,  seek  dominion  to  the  end  that  they  may 
perform  uses  to  the  public  and  to  private  individuals ;  and 
to  them,  therefore,  is  also  entrusted  dominion  in  the 
heavens.  Emperors,  kings,  and  dukes,  born  and  educated 
for  positions  of  authority,  if  they  humble  themselves  before 
God  are  sometimes  less  in  that  love  than  they  who  are  of 
low  origin  but  from  pride  seek  for  places  of  pre-eminence. 
But  to  those  who  are  in  the  love  of  ruling  from  the  love  of 
self,  the  love  of  heaven  is  like  a  bench  on  which,  for  the 
sake  of  the  common  people,  they  plant  their  feet,  which, 
however,  when  the  people  are  out  of  sight,  they  toss  into  a 
corner  or  out  of  doors.  This  is  because  they  love  them- 
selves only,  and  consequently  immerse  their  wills  and  the 
thoughts  of  the  mind  in  the  proprium,  which  viewed  in 
itself  is  hereditary  evil ;  and  this  is  diametrically  opposed 
to  the  love  of  heaven.  The  evils  appertaining  to  those 
who  are  in  the  love  of  ruling  from  the  love  of  self  are  in 
general  these :  Contempt  of  others,  enmity  against  those 
who  do  not  favor  them,  consequently  hostility,  hatred,  re- 
venge, unmercifulness,  harshness,  and  cruelty  ;  and  where 
there  are  such  evils,  there  also  is  contempt  of  God  and  of 
Divine  things  which  are  the  truths  and  goods  of  the  church ; 


592        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII 


if  these  are  honored,  it  is  only  with  the  mouth,  lest  they 
should  be  denounced  by  the  ecclesiastical  order  and  cen- 
sured by  others.  But  this  love  is  one  thing  with  the  clergy, 
and  another  with  the  laity.  With  the  clergy,  this  love 
climbs  upward,  when  the  reins  are  given  to  it,  until  they 
wish  to  be  gods  ;  but  with  the  laity  until  they  wish  to  be 
kings  ;  the  fantasy  of  that  love  carries  their  minds  \animus} 
away,  even  to  this  extent.  Since  the  love  of  heaven  holds 
the  highest  place  with  the  perfect  man,  and  makes  as  it 
were  the  head  of  all  the  loves  that  follow,  while  the  love  of 
the  world  is  below  it  and  is  like  the  chest  which  is  beneath 
the  head,  and  the  love  of  self  is  below  this  like  the  feet,  — 
it  follows  that  if  the  love  of  self  were  to  make  the  head,  it 
would  completely  invert  the  man.  He  would  then  appear 
to  the  angels  like  one  lying  bent  over,  with  the  head  to  the 
earth  and  the  back  toward  heaven  ;  and  when  at  worship, 
he  would  appear  to  be  on  his  hands  and  feet,  and  to  dance 
like  a  panther's  cub ;  and  moreover  such  would  appear  as 
beasts  of  various  form,  with  two  heads,  one  above  having 
the  face  of  a  wild  animal,  another  below  having  a  human 
face,  which  would  be  constantly  thrust  forward  by  the 
upper  one  and  compelled  to  kiss  the  earth.  These  all  are 
sensual  men,  and  are  such  as  were  described  above 
(n.  402). 

III.  Every  Man  individually  is  the  Neighbor  who  is 
to  be  loved,  but  according  to  the  quality  of 
his  Good. 

4d6.  Man  is  not  born  for  the  sake  of  himself,  but  for  the 
sake  of  others  \  that  is,  he  is  born  not  to  live  for  himself 
alone,  but  for  others ;  otherwise  there  would  not  be  any 
society  that  would  hold  together,  and  with  some  good  in  it. 
It  is  a  common  saying  that  every  one  is  neighbor  to  him- 
self;  but  the  doctrine  of  charity  teaches  how  this  is  to  be 
understood,  which  is  thus :  Every  one  should  provide  for 


No.  407-1        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


593 


himself  the  necessaries  of  life,  as  food,  clothing,  a  habita- 
tion, and  other  things  which  are  necessarily  required  in  the 
civil  life  in  which  he  is ;  and  this  not  only  for  himself  but 
also  for  his  family,  and  not  for  the  present  time  only  but 
also  for  the  future ;  for  unless  he  acquires  for  himself  the 
necessaries  of  life,  he  is  not  in  a  state  to  exercise  charity, 
as  he  is  in  want  of  all  things.  But  how  every  one  ought  to 
be  neighbor  to  himself,  may  be  evident  from  a  comparison : 
Every  one  ought  to  provide  his  body  with  food ;  this  must 
be  first,  but  to  the  end  that  there  may  be  a  sound  mind  in 
a  sound  body ;  and  every  one  ought  to  provide  the  mind 
with  its  food,  namely,  such  things  as  are  of  intelligence  and 
judgment,  but  to  the  end  that  he  may  thereby  be  in  a  state 
to  serve  his  fellow-citizen,  society,  his  country,  the  church, 
and  thus  the  Lord  \  he  who  does  this,  provides  well  for  him- 
self to  eternity.  From  this  it  is  plain  what  is  first  in  time 
and  what  is  first  in  end,  and  that  the  first  in  end  is  that  to 
which  all  things  look.  This  is  also  as  with  one  who  is 
building  a  house :  he  first  lays  the  foundation,  but  the 
foundation  will  be  for  the  house,  and  the  house  for  resi- 
dence. He  who  believes  that  he  is  neighbor  to  himself  in 
the  first  place  or  primarily,  is  like  one  who  regards  the 
foundation  as  the  end,  and  not  residence ;  when  yet  resi- 
dence is  itself  the  first  and  the  last  end,  and  the  house  with 
the  foundation  is  only  the  means  to  the  end. 

407.  It  shall  be  told  what  it  is  to  love  the  neighbor.  To 
love  the  neighbor  is  not  merely  to  will  and  do  good  to  the 
relative,  the  friend,  and  the  good  man,  but  also  to  the 
stranger,  the  enemy,  and  the  bad  man.  But  charity  is  ex- 
ercised toward  the  latter  in  one  way,  and  toward  the  former 
in  another;  toward  a  relative  and  a  friend  by  direct  bene- 
fits ;  toward  an  enemy  and  a  wicked  man  by  indirect  benefits 
which  are  conferred  by  exhortation,  discipline,  punishment, 
and  so  by  correction.  This  may  be  illustrated  thus  :  The 
judge  who  according  to  law  and  justice  punishes  an  evil- 
doer, loves  the  neighbor ;  for  so  he  corrects  him  and  con 

8* 


594        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII 


suits  the  welfare  of  the  citizens,  that  he  may  not  clo  them 
harm.  Every  one  knows  that  a  father  who  chastises  his 
children  when  they  do  wrong,  loves  them ;  and  on  the 
other  hand,  that  he  who  does  not  chastise  them  therefor, 
loves  their  evils ;  and  charity  cannot  be  said  to  belong  tc 
this.  Further,  if  any  one  repels  an  insulting  enemy,  and  in 
self-defence  strikes  him  or  delivers  him  to  the  judge,  so  as 
to  prevent  injury  to  himself  yet  with  a  disposition  to  be- 
friend the  man,  he  acts  in  the  course  of  charity.  Wars  that 
have  for  their  end  the  defence  of  one's  country  and  the 
church  are  not  contrary  to  charity ;  the  end  in  view  shows 
whether  there  is  charity  or  not. 

408.  Since,  therefore,  charity  in  its  origin  is  to  have  good 
will,  and  as  this  has  its  seat  in  the  internal  man,  it  is  mani- 
fest that  when  any  one  who  has  charity  resists  an  enemy, 
punishes  the  guilty,  or  chastises  the  wicked,  he  does  so  by 
means  of  the  external  man ;  wherefore  after  he  has  done  it, 
he  returns  to  the  charity  that  is  in  the  internal  man ;  and 
then,  as  far  as  he  can,  and  as  far  as  is  useful,  he  wishes 
him  well,  and  from  good  will  does  good  to  him.  They  who 
have  genuine  charity  have  a  zeal  for  what  is  good ;  and  that 
zeal  in  the  external  man  may  seem  like  anger  and  flam- 
ing fire,  but  its  flame  is  extinguished  and  it  is  quieted  as 
soon  as  the  adversary  returns  to  reason.  It  is  otherwise 
with  those  who  have  no  charity :  their  zeal  is  anger  and 
hatred ;  for  from  these  their  internal  is  heated  and  set  on 
fire. 

409.  Before  the  Lord  came  iito  the  world,  scarcely  any 
one  knew  what  the  internal  man  was,  or  what  charity  was  ; 
therefore  in  so  many  places  he  taught  brotherly  love,  that 
is,  charity ;  and  this  makes  a  distinction  between  the  Old 
Testament  or  Covenant  and  the  New.  That  good  ought 
to  be  done,  from  charity,  to  the  adversary  and  the  enemy, 
the  Lord  taught  in  Matthew :  Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath 
been  said  (to  them  of  old  time),  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor 
and  hate  thine  enemy.    But  I  say  unto  you.  Love  your  enemies, 


No.  4io.]         CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  595 


bless  them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you,  and 
pray  for  them  that  injure  and  persecute  you ;  that  ye  may  be 
sons  of  your  Father  Who  is  in  the  heavens  (v.  43-45).  And 
when  Peter  asked  how  often  he  should  forgive  one  sinning 
against  him,  whether  until  seven  times,  He  answered,  I  say 
not  unto  thee  until  seven  times,  but  until  seve?ity  times  seven 
(xviii.  2i,  22).  And  I  have  heard  out  of  heaven  that  the 
Lord  remits  to  every  one  his  sins,  and  never  takes  ven- 
geance, and  does  not  even  impute  them,  because  He  is 
Love  itself  and  Good  itself ;  yet  that  sins  are  not  thereby 
washed  away,  for  they  are  not  washed  away  except  by  re- 
pentance; for,  when  He  said  to  Peter  that  he  should  for- 
give until  seventy  times  seven  times,  what  will  not  the 
Lord  do? 

410.  Since  charity  itself  has  its  seat  in  the  internal  man, 
where  it  is  good  will,  and  from  that  in  the  external  man 
where  it  is  well-doing,  it  follows  that  the  internal  man  is  to 
be  loved,  and  from  that  the  external ;  consequently,  that  a 
man  is  to  be  loved  according  to  the  quality  of  the  good 
which  is  in  him.  Wherefore  good  itself  is  essentially  the 
neighbor.  This  may  be  illustrated  thus :  When  any  one 
selects  for  himself  among  three  or  four  a  steward  for  his 
house,  or  a  servant,  does  he  not  search  his  internal  man, 
and  choose  a  sincere  and  faithful  person,  and  therefore 
love  him  ?  So,  too,  a  king  or  a  magistrate  from  three  or 
four  persons  would  select  one  qualified  for  an  office,  and 
reject  one  not  competent,  whatever  his  looks  might  be, 
and  though  his  words  and  his  deeds  might  be  in  his  favor. 
Since,  therefore,  every  man  is  the  neighbor,  and  the  variety 
of  men  is  infinite,  and  every  one  is  to  be  loved  as  a  neigh- 
bor according  to  his  good,  it  is  manifest  that  there  are 
genera  and  species,  and  also  degrees,  of  love  towards  the 
neighbor.  Now  as  the  Lord  is  to  be  loved  above  all  things, 
it  follows  that  the  degrees  of  love  towards  the  neighbor 
are  to  be  measured  by  the  love  to  Him,  thus  by  the  meas- 
ure in  which  another  possesses  the  Lord  in  himself,  or  has 


596        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VTL 


a  possession  from  the  Lord ;  for  so  much  good  he  also  pos- 
sesses, because  all  good  is  from  the  Lord.  But  as  these 
degrees  are  in  the  internal  man,  and  this  rarely  manifests 
itself  in  the  world,  it  is  enough  that  the  neighbor  be  loved 
according  to  the  degrees  of  which  one  has  cognizance.  But 
after  death  those  degrees  are  clearly  perceived ;  for  there, 
[in  the  spiritual  world,]  the  will's  affections  and  the  thoughts 
of  the  understanding  which  are  from  these,  make  a  spirit- 
ual sphere  around  them,  which  is  felt  in  various  ways ;  but 
in  the  world  this  spiritual  sphere  is  absorbed  by  the  mate- 
rial body,  and  encloses  itself  within  the  natural  sphere, 
which  then  flows  out  from  man.  That  there  are  degrees  of 
love  toward  the  neighbor,  is  evident  from  the  Lord's  para- 
ble of  the  Samaritan  who  showed  mercy  to  him  who  was 
wounded  by  thieves,  whom  the  priest  and  the  Levite  saw 
and  passed  by ;  and  when  the  Lord  asked  which  of  those 
three  seemed  to  have  been  the  neighbor,  the  answer  was, 
He  who  showed  mercy  (Luke  x.  30-37). 

411.  We  read,  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  God  above  all 
things,  and  the  neighbor  as  thyself  (Luke  x.  27).  To  love  the 
neighbor  as  oneself  is,  not  to  despise  him  in  comparison 
with  oneself,  to  deal  justly  with  him,  and  not  to  judge  evil 
of  him.  The  law  of  charity  laid  down  and  given  by  the 
Lord  Himself  is  this  :  All  things  whatsoever  ye  would  that 
mm  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them,  for  this  is  the  laiu 
and  the  prophets  (Matt.  vii.  12;  Luke  vi.  31,  32).  So  do 
they  love  the  neighbor  who  are  in  the  love  of  heaven ; 
while  they  who  are  in  the  love  of  the  world  love  the  neigh- 
bor from  the  world  and  for  its  sake ;  and  they  who  are  in 
the  love  of  self  love  the  neighbor  from  self  and  for  the  sake 
of  self. 


No.  412.] 


CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


597 


IV.  Man  collectively,  or  a  smaller  and  a  greater 
Society,  and  the  Man  into  whose  composition 
Societies  enter,  or  one's  Country,  is  the 
Neighbor  that  is  to  be  loved. 

412.  They  who  do  not  know  what  the  neighbor  is  in  the 
genuine  sense,  suppose  that  man  individually  only  is  the 
neighbor,  and  that  to  confer  benefits  upon  him  is  to  love 
the  neighbor.  But  the  neighbor  and  love  to  him  extend 
further,  for  they  ascend  as  men  are  multiplied.  Who  can- 
not understand  that  to  love  many  men  in  a  body  is  to  love 
the  neighbor  more  than  to  love  one  individual  of  the  body  ? 
Wherefore  a  smaller  or  a  greater  society  is  the  neighbor 
because  it  is  man  collectively.  From  this  it  follows  that 
he  who  loves  a  society  loves  those  of  whom  the  society 
consists ;  therefore  he  who  wishes  well  and  does  good  to  a 
society,  consults  the  good  of  the  individuals  in  it.  A  society 
is  like  one  man  ;  and  those  who  enter  into  it  compose  as  it 
were  one  body,  and  are  distinct  from  each  other  like  the 
members  in  one  body.  The  Lord,  and  from  Him  the 
angels,  when  they  look  down  upon  the  earth,  see  an  entire 
society  but  as  one  man,  and  its  form  from  the  qualities  of 
those  who  are  therein.  It  has  also  been  granted  me  to  see 
a  certain  society  in  heaven  altogether  as  one  man,  in  stature 
like  that  of  a  man  in  the  world.  That  love  toward  a  society 
is  a  fuller  love  to  the  neighbor  than  love  toward  a  separate 
or  individual  man,  shows  itself  in  this,  that  dignities  are  dis- 
pensed according  to  the  official  stations  over  societies,  and 
honors  are  attached  to  them  according  to  the  uses  they  per- 
form. For  there  are  in  the  world  higher  and  lower  offices, 
subordinated  according  to  their  more  or  less  universal  gov- 
ernment over  societies  ;  and  the  king  is  he  whose  govern- 
ment is  the  most  universal ;  and  each  one,  according  to  the 
extent  of  his  duties  together  with  the  goods  of  use  which 
he  promotes,  has  remuneration,  gl.>ry.  and  the  general  love- 


593        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 

But  the  rulers  of  the  present  age  can  perform  uses  and  con- 
sult the  good  of  society,  and  yet  not  love  the  neighbor;  just 
like  those  who  perform  uses  and  consult  the  good  of  others 
on  account  of  the  world  and  of  themselves,  for  the  sake  of 
appearances,  or  that  they  may  be  esteemed  worthy  to  be 
elevated  to  higher  dignities.  But  such  although  not  dis- 
cerned in  the  world  are  yet  discerned  in  heaven ;  wherefore 
those  who  have  promoted  uses  from  love  to  the  neighbor, 
are  also  placed  as  rulers  over  a  heavenly  society,  and  are 
there  in  splendor  and  honor ;  but  yet  they  do  not  set  the 
heart  on  these,  but  on  uses.  The  others,  however,  who 
have  done  uses  from  the  love  of  the  world  and  of  self,  are 
rejected. 

413.  The  difference  between  love  towards  the  neighbor 
and  the  exercise  of  it  toward  man  individually,  and  toward 
man  collectively  or  a  society,  is  like  that  between  the  re- 
spective duties  of  a  citizen,  a  magistrate,  and*  a  duke ;  and 
like  that  between  him  who  traded  with  two  talents,  and  him 
who  traded  with  five*  (Matt.  xxv.  14-31).  The  difference 
is  also  like  that  between  the  value  of  a  shekel  and  that  of 
a  talent ;  and  like  that  between  the  profit  from  the  fruit  of 
a  vine  and  of  a  vineyard,  or  of  an  olive-tree  and  of  an  olive- 
yard,  or  of  a  tree  and  of  an  orchard.  Moreover,  love  toward 
the  neighbor  ascends  more  and  more  interiorly  with  man ; 
and  as  it  ascends  he  loves  a  society  more  than  an  individ- 
ual man,  and  his  country  more  than  a  society.  Now  since 
charity  consists  in  wishing  well  and  thence  acting  well,  it 
follows  that  it  is  to  be  exercised  toward  a  society  almost  in 
the  same  manner  as  toward  an  individual  man ;  but  in  one 
way  toward  a  society  of  good  men,  and  in  another  toward  a 
society  of  wicked  men.  Toward  the  latter,  charity  is  to  be 
exercised  according  to  natural  equity;  toward  the  former, 
according  to  spiritual  equity.  But  of  these  two  kinds  of 
equity  something  will  be  seen  elsewhere. 

414.  One's  country  is  the  neighbor  more  than  a  society, 

*  The  Latin  bere  reads  decern,  ten. 


No.  415.]         CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


599 


because  it  consists  of  many  societies,  and  consequently  the 
love  toward  it  is  more  extended  and  higher ;  and  besides, 
to  love  one's  country  is  to  love  the  public  welfare.  A  man's 
country  is  the  neighbor,  because  it  is  like  a  parent ;  for 
there  he  was  born ;  it  has  nourished  and  still  nourishes 
him,  it  has  protected  and  still  protects  him  from  injur}'. 
Men  ought  to  do  good  to  their  country  from  love,  accord- 
ing to  its  necessities,  some  of  which  are  natural  and  some 
spiritual.  Natural  necessities  regard  civil  life  and  order, 
and  spiritual  necessities  regard  spiritual  life  and  order. 
That  one's  country  is  to  be  loved,  not  as  a  man  loves  him- 
self but  more  than  himself,  is  a  law  inscribed  on  the  human 
heart;  whence  has  been  promulgated  what  is  affirmed  by 
every  just  man,  that  if  ruin  threatens  one's  country  from 
an  enemy  or  any  other  source,  it  is  noble  to  die  for  it,  and 
glorious  for  a  soldier  to  shed  his  blood  for  it.  This  is  a 
common  saying,  because  one's  country  ought  to  be  loved 
so  much.  It  is  to  be  known  that  they  who  love  their  coun- 
try, and  do  good  to  it  from  good  will,  after  death  love  the 
Lord's  kingdom ;  for  this  is  their  country  there  ;  and  they 
who  love  the  Lord's  kingdom  love  the  Lord,  because  the 
Lord  is  the  All  in  all  of  His  kingdom. 

V.  The  Church  is  the  Neighbor  that  is  to  ee  loved 
in  a  higher  Degree  and  the  Lord's  Kingdom  in 
the  highest. 

415.  Since  man  was  born  for  eternal  life,  and  is  intro- 
duced into  it  by  the  church,  therefore  the  church  is  to  be 
loved  as  the  neighbor  in  a  higher  degree ;  for  it  teaches 
man  the  means  which  lead  to  eternal  life,  and  introduces 
him  into  it, — leads  to  it  by  the  truths  of  doctrine,  and  in- 
troduces by  the  goods  of  life.  It  is  not  meant  that  the 
priesthood  is  to  be  loved  in  a  higher  degree,  and  from  it 
the  church  ;  but  that  the  good  and  the  truth  of  the  church 
are  to  be  loved,  and  the  priesthood  for  their  sake ;  this 


600        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 

only  serves,  and  just  as  it  serves  is  to  be  honored.  The 
church  is  the  neighbor  that  is  to  be  loved  in  a  higher 
degree,  thus  even  above  one's  country,  for  the  further  rea- 
son that  man  is  initiated  by  his  country  into  civil  life,  but 
by  the  church  into  spiritual  life,  and  this  life  parts  man 
from  merely  animal  life.  Moreover,  civil  life  is  temporal, 
which  has  an  end,  and  then  it  is  as  if  it  had  not  been ;  but 
spiritual  life  is  eternal,  for  it  has  no  end ;  wherefore  of  the 
latter  may  be  predicated  being,  but  of  the  former,  non-being. 
Their  distinction  is  like  that  between  the  finite  and  the 
infinite,  between  which  there  is  no  ratio ;  for  the  eternal  is 
infinite  as  to  time. 

416.  The  Lord's  kingdom  is  the  neighbor  that  is  to  be 
loved  in  the  highest  degree,  because  by  the  Lord's  king- 
dom is  meant  the  church  throughout  the  world,  which  is 
called  the  communion  of  saints,  and  by  it  is  also  meant 
heaven.  Wherefore  he  who  loves  the  Lord's  kingdom, 
loves  all  in  the  whole  world  who  acknowledge  the  Lord 
and  have  faith  in  Him  and  charity  toward  the  neighbor, 
and  he  also  loves  all  in  heaven.  They  who  love  the  Lord's 
kingdom  love  the  Lord  above  all  things,  and  are  conse 
quently  in  love  to  God  more  than  others  ;  for  the  church  in 
the  heavens  and  in  the  earth  is  the  Body  of  the  Lord,  since 
they  are  in  the  Lord  and  the  Lord  in  them.  Love  toward 
the  Lord's  kingdom  is  therefore  love  toward  the  neighbor 
in  its  fulness ;  for  they  who  love  the  Lord's  kingdom  not 
only  love  the  Lord  above  all  things,  but  they  also  love  the 
neighbor  as  oneself;  for  love  to  the  Lord  is  a  universal 
love,  and  consequently  it  is  in  all  things  of  spiritual  life 
and  in  each  one  of  them,  and  is  also  in  all  things  and  in 
each  thing  pertaining  to  natural  life ;  for  this  love  has  its 
seat  in  the  highest  things  with  man,  and  the  highest  flow 
into  the  lower  and  vivify  them,  as  the  will  flows  into  all 
things  of  intention  and  the  action  that  is  from  it,  and  the 
understanding  into  all  things  of  thought  and  the  speech 
therefrom.    Wherefore  the  Lord  says,  Seek  ye  first  the 


No.  417.]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


kingdom  of  the  heavens  *  and  its  righteousness,  then  all 
things  will  be  added  unto  you  (Matt.  vi.  33).  That  the  king- 
dom of  the  heavens  is  the  Lord's  kingdom,  is  evident  from 
these  words  in  Daniel :  Behold  He  was  coming  as  the  Son 
of  Man,  with  the  clouds  of  the  heave?is ;  and  there  was  given 
Him  dominion^  glory,  and  a  kingdom  ;  and  all  peoples,  nations, 
and  tongues  shall  worship  Him.  His  do?ni?iion  is  an  ever- 
lasting  dominion  which  shall  not  pass  away,  and  His  kingdom 
that  which  shall  not  be  destroyed  (vii.  13,  14). 

VI.  To  love  the  Neighbor,  viewed  in  itself,  is  not 
to  love  the  person,  but  the  good  that  is  in 
the  Person. 

417.  Who  does  not  know  that  a  man  is  not  man  from 
the  human  face  and  the  human  body,  but  from  the  wisdom 
of  his  understanding  and  the  goodness  of  his  will  ?  The 
quality  of  these  as  it  rises  makes  him  the  more  a  man. 
When  born,  a  man  is  more  a  brute  than  any  animal,  but 
he  becomes  man  by  instruction  of  various  kinds,  by  the 
reception  of  which  his  mind  is  formed ;  and  from  the  mind 
and  according  to  it,  a  man  is  man.  There  are  beasts  whose 
faces  resemble  man's ;  but  they  enjoy  no  faculty  of  under- 
standing, or  of  doing  any  thing  from  the  understanding,  but 
they  act  from  the  instinct  which  their  natural  love  excites. 
The  distinction  is  that  a  beast  sounds  forth  the  affections 
of  its  love,  but  a  man  speaks  them  when  brought  into 
thought ;  again,  a  beast  with  its  face  downward  looks  upon 
the  ground,  while  man  with  the  face  raised  beholds  the 
heaven  around  him.  From  which  the  conclusion  may  be 
drawn  that  a  man  is  man  so  far  as  he  speaks  from  sound 
reason  and  looks  to  his  abode  in  heaven  ;  while  he  is  not 
man  so  far  as  he  speaks  from  perverted  reason,  and  looks 
only  to  his  abode  in  the  world.  Yet  even  such  are  men  ; 
not  actually,  however,  but  potentially  ;  for  every  man  enjoys 
*  The  original  Greek  has  God. 


602        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII 


the  power  of  understanding  truths  and  of  willing  goods ; 
but  so  far  as  he  is  not  willing  to  do  goods  and  understand 
truths,  he  can  in  externals  counterfeit  a  man,  and  ape 
him. 

418.  Good  is  the  neighbor  because  good  is  of  the  will, 
and  the  will  is  the  esse  of  man's  life.  The  truth  of  the 
understanding  is  also  the  neighbor,  but  only  so  far  as  it 
proceeds  from  the  good  of  the  will ;  for  the  good  of  the 
will  forms  itself  in  the  understanding,  and  there  presents 
itself  to  be  seen  in  the  light  of  reason.  That  good  is  the 
neighbor  is  evident  from  all  experience.  Who  loves  a  per- 
son except  from  the  quality  of  his  will  and  understanding, 
that  is,  from  what  is  good  and  just  in  him  ?  As  for  ex- 
ample, who  loves  a  king,  a  prince,  a  duke,  a  governor,  a 
consul,  any  magistrate,  or  any  judge,  except  for  the  [justice 
and]  judgment  from  which  *  they  act  and  speak  ?  Who 
loves  a  primate,  a  minister  of  the  church,  or  a  canon,  ex- 
cept for  learning,  integrity  of  life,  and  zeal  for  the  safety 
of  souls  ?  Who  loves  the  general  of  an  army  or  any  officer 
under  him,  except  for  bravery  united  with  prudence  ?  Who 
loves  a  merchant  except  for  honesty  ?  Who  loves  a  work- 
man and  a  servant  except  for  faithfulness  ?  Yes,  who  loves 
a  tree  but  for  its  fruit,  the  soil  but  for  its  fertility,  a  stone 
but  for  its  preciousness  ?'  and  so  on.  And  what  is  remark- 
able, not  only  does  an  upright  man  love  what  is  good  and 
just  in  another,  but  a  man  who  is  not  upright  does  so  too, 
because  with  him  he  is  in  no  fear  of  losing  reputation, 
honor,  or  wealth.  But  the  love  of  good  with  one  who  is 
not  upright,  is  not  love  of  the  neighbor ;  for  he  does  not 
love  another  interiorly  except  so  far  as  he  is  of  service  to 
him.  But  to  love  the  good  in  another  from  good  in  oneself 
is  genuine  love  toward  the  neighbor ;  for  then  the  goods 
kiss  each  other  and  join  with  each  other. 

419.  The  man  who  loves  good  because  it  is  good  and 

*  In  the  Latin  tin's  word  is  plural.  The  words  within  brackets 
have  therefore  been  introduced. 


No.  410.]         CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  603 

truth  because  it  is  truth,  loves  the  neighbor  eminently, 
because  he  loves  the  Lord  Who  is  Good  itself  and  Truth 
itself.  The  love  of  good  and  thence  of  truth,  and  so  of 
the  neighbor,  is  from  no  other  source.  Thus  is  formed 
love  towards  the  neighbor  from  a  heavenly  origin.  Whether 
it  is  said  use  or  good,  it  is  the  same  ;  wherefore,  to  perform 
uses  is  to  do  goods ;  and  according  to  the  quantity  and 
the  quality  of  the  use  in  goods,  so  far  in  quantity  and 
in  quality  the  goods  are  goods. 

VII.  Charity  and  Good  Works  are  two  distinct  things, 

LIKE  WILLING  WELL  AND  DOING  WELL. 

420.  With  every  man  there  is  an  internal  and  an  ex- 
ternal. His  internal  is  what  is  called  the  internal  man, 
and  his  external  what  is  called  the  external  man.  But  he 
who  knows  not  what  the  internal  man  is  and  what  the  exter- 
nal, may  believe  that  it  is  the  internal  man  which  thinks 
and  wills,  and  the  external  which  speaks  and  acts.  These 
latter  indeed  pertain  to  the  external  man,  and  the  former 
to  the  internal ;  but  yet  they  do  not  essentially  make  the 
external  and  the  internal  man.  In  common  perception, 
indeed,  man's  mind  is  the  internal  man ;  but  the  mind  is 
itself  divided  into  two  regions ;  one  region  which  is  the 
higher  and  more  internal  is  spiritual,  and  the  other  which 
is  the  lower  and  more  external  is  natural.  The  spiritual 
mind  looks  principally  to  the  spiritual  world,  and  has  for 
objects  the  things  that  are  there,  whether  they  be  such  as 
are  in  heaven  or  as  are  in  hell  ;  for  both  are  in  the  spiritual 
world.  But  the  natural  mind  looks  principally  to  the  nat- 
ural world,  and  has  for  its  objects  the  things  that  are  there, 
whether  they  be  good  or  evil.  All  man's  action  and  speech 
proceeds  from  the  lower  region  of  the  mind  directly,  and 
indirectly  from  its  higher  region  ;  inasmuch  as  the  lower 
region  of  the  mind  is  nearer  to  the  senses  of  the  body,  and 
the  higher  region  is  more  remote  from  them.    There  is  this 


604        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  [Chap.  VII 

division  of  the  mind  with  man,  because  he  was  created  so 
as  to  be  spiritual  and  at  the  same  time  natural,  and  thus  a 
man  and  not  a  beast.  Hence  it  is  manifest  that  the  man 
who  primarily  regards  the  world  and  himself,  is  an  external 
man,  because  he  is  natural  not  only  in  body  but  also  in 
mind ;  while  the  man  who  primarily  regards  the  things  of 
heaven  and  the  church,  is  an  internal  man,  because  he  is 
spiritual  both  in  mind  and  body.  He  is  spiritual  in  body 
also,  because  his  actions  and  words  proceed  from  the 
higher  mind  which  is  spiritual,  through  the  lower  which  is 
natural.  For  it  is  known  that  effects  proceed  from  the 
body,  and  the  causes  which  produce  them  from  the  mind ; 
also  that  the  cause  is  the  all  in  the  effect.  That  the  human 
mind  is  so  divided  is  plainly  manifest  from  a  man's  being 
able  to  act  the  part  of  a  dissembler,  a  flatterer,  a  hypocrite, 
and  a  player ;  and  that  he  can  assent  to  what  another  says 
and  yet  laugh  at  it.  This  he  does  from  the  higher  mind  ; 
but  that,  from  the  lower. 

421.  From  this  it  may  be  seen  how  it  is  to  be  under- 
stood that  charity  and  good  works  are  distinct,  like  willing 
well  and  doing  well ;  that  is  to  say,  they  are  formally  dis- 
tinct like  the  mind  which  thinks  and  wills  and  the  body  by 
which  the  mind  speaks  and  acts;  while  they  are  essentially 
distinct  because  the  mind  itself  is  distinct,  its  interior  re- 
gion being  spiritual  and  the  exterior  natural,  as  said  above. 
Wherefore  if  works  proceed  from  the  spiritual  mind  they 
proceed  from  its  good  will  which  is  charity ;  but  if  from 
the  natural  mind,  they  proceed  from  a  good  will  which  is 
not  charity ;  although  it  may  appear  like  charity  in  the  ex- 
ternal form,  still  it  is  not  charity  in  the  internal  form ;  and 
charity  only  in  the  external  form  indeed  presents  the  look 
of  charity,  but  does  not  possess  its  essence.  This  may  be 
illustrated  by  a  comparison  with  seeds  in  the  ground. 
From  every  seed  is  brought  forth  a  plant,  useful  or  useless 
according  to  the  nature  of  the  seed.  So  likewise  with 
spiritual  seed,  which  is  the  truth  of  the  church  from  the 


No.  422.]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  605 

Word.  From  this  is  formed  doctrine,  useful  if  from  gen- 
uine truths,  useless  if  from  truths  falsified.  The  case  is 
similar  with  charity  from  good  will,  whether  the  good  will 
is  for  the  sake  of  self  and  the  world,  or  for  the  sake  of  the 
neighbor  in  a  restricted  or  a  broad  sense.  If  for  the  sake 
of  self  and  the  world,  it  is  a  spurious  charity ;  but  if  for 
the  sake  of  the  neighbor,  it  is  genuine  charity.  But  of  this, 
more  may  be  seen  in  the  chapter  concerning  Faith,  espe- 
cially in  the  article  where  it  is  shown,  That  charity  is  to 
will  well,  and  good  works  are  to  do  well  from  willing  well 
(n.  374)  :  and  That  cha?'ity  and  faith  are  only  mental  and 
perishable  things  imless  they  are  determined  to  works  and  co- 
exist in  them,  whe?i  possible  (n.  375,  376). 

VIII.  Charity  itself  is  to  act  justly  and  faithfully 
in  the  Office,  Business,  and  Work  in  which 
any  one  is,  and  with  whomsoever  he  has  any 
Intercourse. 

422.  Charity  itself  is  to  act  justly  and  faithfully  in  the 
office,  business,  and  work  in  which  any  one  is,  because 
all  things  which  a  man  so  does  are  of  use  to  society ;  and 
use  is  good  ;  and  good,  in  a  sense  abstracted  from  persons, 
is  the  neighbor.  (That  not  only  an  individual  man,  but  also 
a  smaller  society,  and  one's  country  itself,  is  the  neighbor, 
was  shown  above.)  For  example :  A  king  who  sets  his 
subjects  an  example  of  well-doing,  as  he  wishes  them  to 
live  according  to  the  laws  of  justice,  rewards  those  who  do 
so,  regards  every  one  according  to  his  merit,  defends  them 
against  injuries  and  invasions,  acts  as  the  father  of  the 
kingdom,  and  consults  the  general  prosperity  of  his  people  ; 
charity  is  in  his  heart,  and  his  deeds  are  good  works.  The 
priest  who  teaches  truths  from  the  Word,  and  by  them 
leads  to  the  good  of  life  and  so  to  heaven,  because  he  con- 
sults the  good  of  the  souls  of  the  men  of  his  church  is 
eminently  in  the  exercise  of  charity.     The  judge  who 


606        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII 

judges  according  to  justice  and  law,  and  not  for  reward, 
friendship,  and  relationship,  consults  the  good  of  society 
and  of  men  individually ;  of  society,  because  it  is  thereby 
kept  in  obedience  to  law  and  in  the  fear  of  transgressing 
it ;  and  of  the  individual,  because  justice  triumphs  over 
injustice.  The  merchant,  if  he  acts  from  sincerity  and  not 
from  fraud,  consults  the  good  of  the  neighbor  with  whom 
he  has  business.  So,  too,  a  workman  and  an  artist,  if  he 
does  his  work  uprightly  and  honestly,  and  not  fraudulently 
and  deceitfully.  It  is  the  same  with  all  others ;  as  with 
shipmasters  and  sailors,  and  with  farmers  and  servants. 

423.  This  is  charity  itself  because  charity  may  be  de- 
fined as  doing  good  to  the  neighbor,  daily  and  continually ; 
and  not  only  to  the  neighbor  individually,  but  also  collec- 
tively ;  and  this  can  be  done  only  by  means  of  what  is  good 
and  just  in  the  office,  business,  and  work  in  which  any  one 
is,  and  in  his  relations  with  those  with  whom  he  has  any 
dealings ;  for  this  he  does  daily ;  and  when  he  is  not  doing 
it,  it  still  has  its  seat  in  his  mind  continually,  and  he  has  it 
in  thought  and  intention.  The  man  who  thus  practises 
charity,  becomes  charity  in  form,  more  and  more ;  for  jus- 
tice and  faithfulness  form  his  mind,  and  their  exercises 
form  his  body ;  and  little  by  little,  from  his  form,  he  wills 
and  thinks  only  such  things  as  are  of  charity.  Such  be- 
come at  length  like  those  of  whom  it  is  said  in  the  Word, 
that  they  have  the  law  written  on  their  hearts.  Moreover 
they  do  not  place  merit  in  their  works,  because  they  do  not 
think  of  merit  but  of  duty,  that  it  is  becoming  for  a  citizen 
to  do  so.  But  a  man  can  by  no  means  from  himself  act 
from  spiritual  justice  and  faithfulness ;  for  every  man  in- 
herits from  his  parents  an  inclination  to  do  what  is  good 
and  just  for  the  sake  of  himself  and  the  world,  and  no  man 
inclination  to  do  it  for  the  sake  of  what  is  good  and  just. 
Wherefore  only  he  who  worships  the  Lord  and  acts  from 
the  Lord  while  acting  out  of  himself,  attains  to  spiritual 
charity,  and  becomes  imbued  with  it  by  its  exercises. 


No.  425.]         CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


607 


424.  There  are  many  who  act  justly  and  faithfully  in 
their  occupation,  and  although  they  thus  promote  works 
of  charity  still  do  not  possess  any  charity  in  themselves. 
But  these  are  they  in  whom  the  love  of  self  and  the  world 
predominates,  and  not  the  love  of  heaven ;  and  if  per- 
chance this  latter  love  is  present,  it  is  beneath  the  former 
like  a  servant  under  his  master,  and  like  a  common  soldier 
under  his  officer,  and  is  like  a  doorkeeper  standing  at  the 
door. 

IX.  The  Benefactions  of  Charity  are,  giving  to  the 
Poor  and  relieving  the  Needy  ;  but  with  Pru- 
dence. 

425.  A  distinction  is  to  be  made  between  the  offices  of 
charity  and  its  benefactions.  By  the  offices  of  charity  are 
meant  the  exercises  of  it  which  proceed  immediately  from 
charity  itself ;  and  these,  as  has  just  been  shown,  belong 
primarily  to  one's  occupation.  But  by  benefactions  are 
meant  those  deeds  of  help  that  are  performed  outside  of 
one's  occupation.  They  are  called  benefactions,  because 
the  doing  of  them  is  with  man's  liberty  and  at  his  pleasure ; 
and  when  done,  they  are  regarded  by  the  recipient  simply 
as  benefactions  j  and  they  are  dispensed  according  to  the 
reasons  and  the  intentions  which  the  benefactor  has  in 
mind.  It  is  the  common  belief  that  charity  is  only  to  give 
to  the  poor,  to  relieve  the  needy,  to  care  for  widows  and 
orphans,  and  to  contribute  to  the  building  of  hospitals, 
infirmaries,  asylums,  orphans'  homes,  and  especially  tem- 
ples, and  to  their  decorations  and  revenues.  But  many  of 
these  things  are  not  the  proper  constituents  of  charity,  but 
are  things  extraneous  to  it.  They  who  place  charity  itself 
in  these  benefactions,  cannot  but  place  merit  in  these 
works  ;  and  although  they  profess  with  the  mouth  that  they 
do  not  wish  them  to  be  regarded  as  meritorious,  still  a  be- 
lief in  their  merit  lurks  within.  This  is  very  manifest  in 
them  after  death.    Then  they  enumerate  their  works,  and 


608        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 

demand  salvation  as  a  reward.  But  inquiry  is  then  made 
as  to  the  origin  of  the  works,  and  thus  of  what  quality  they 
are ;  and  if  it  is  found  that  they  proceeded  from  pride,  or  a 
hunting  after  fame,  from  bare  munificence,  friendship, 
merely  natural  inclination,  or  from  hypocrisy,  they  are 
then  judged  from  that  origin ;  for  the  quality  of  the  origin 
is  in  the  works.  But  genuine  charity  proceeds  from  those 
who  are  imbued  with  it  from  justice  and  judgment  in  the 
works  which  they  do  without  expectation  of  reward  as  an 
end,  according  to  the  Lord's  words  in  Luke  (xiv.  12-14). 
They  also  call  such  things  as  have  been  mentioned  above 
benefactions,  as  also  debts,  although  they  are  of  charity. 

426.  It  is  known  that  some  who  have  performed  those 
beneficent  acts  which  to  the  world  present  the  image  of 
charity,  have  the  opinion  and  belief  that  they  have  prac- 
tised the  works  of  charity,  and  they  regard  them  as  many 
in  popedom  regard  indulgences,  that  on  account  of  them 
they  are  purified  from  sins,  and  as  regenerate  are  to  be 
gifted  with  heaven ;  and  yet  they  do  not  regard  as  sins, 
adultery,  hatred,  revenge,  fraud,  and,  in  general,  the  lusts 
of  the  flesh,  in  which  they  indulge  at  pleasure.  But  what 
are  those  good  works  then  but  painted  pictures  of  angels 
in  the  company  of  devils,  or  boxes  made  of  lapis  lazuli 
with  hydras  in  them  ?  But  it  is  quite  otherwise  if  these 
benefactions  are  made  by  those  who  shun  the  evils  above 
mentioned  as  hateful  to  charity.  But  in  truth  those  bene- 
factions are  advantageous  in  many  ways,  especially  giving 
to  the  poor  and  to  beggars ;  for  thereby  boys  and  girls, 
servants  and  maids,  and  in  general  all  simple-minded  per- 
sons, are  initiated  into  charity,  for  they  are  its  externals, 
whereby  such  are  trained  to  the  duties  of  charity;  for  they 
are  the  rudiments  of  it,  and  are  then  like  unripe  fruits. 
But  with  those  who  are  afterward  perfected  by  just  cogni- 
tions respecting  charity  and  faith,  they  become  like  ripe 
fruit ;  and  then  they  regard  those  former  works  done  from 
simplicity  of  heart  onlv  as  what  was  due  from  them. 


No.  428.]         CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


609 


427.  Such  benefactions  are  at  this  day  believed  to  be 
the  proper  deeds  of  charity  that  are  meant  in  the  Word  by 
good  works,  because  charity  is  often  described  in  the 
Word  as  giving  to  the  poor,  helping  the  needy,  and  caring 
for  widows  and  orphans.  But  it  has  been  hitherto  un- 
known that  the  Word  in  the  letter  mentions  only  such 
things  as  are  the  externals,  yes,  such  as  are  the  most  exter- 
nal things  of  worship,  and  that  spiritual  things  which  are 
internal  are  meant  by  them  \  as  may  be  seen  above,  in  the 
chapter  concerning  the  Sacred  Scripture  (n.  193-209). 
From  which  it  is  manifest,  that  by  those  called  poor,  needy, 
widows,  and  orphans,  these  are  not  there  meant,  but  they 
who  are  such  spiritually.  That  by  the  poor  are  meant 
those  who  are  not  in  cognitions  of  truth  and  good,  may  be 
seen  in  the  "Apocalypse  Revealed"  (n.  209);  also  that 
widows  mean  those  who  are  without  truths  and  still  desire 
them  (n.  764) ;  and  so  on. 

428.  They  who  from  birth  are  compassionate,  and  do 
not  make  their  natural  mercifulness  spiritual  by  exercising 
it  from  genuine  charity,  believe  that  it  is  charity  to  give  to 
any  poor  person,  and  to  relieve  any  one  who  is  in  want ; 
and  they  do  not  first  make  inquiry  whether  the  poor  and 
needy  person  is  good  or  bad ;  for  they  say  that  this  is  not 
necessary,  since  God  looks  only  at  the  aid  and  the  alms. 
But  after  death  these  are  well  discerned,  and  are  separated 
from  those  who  have  performed  the  benefactions  of  charity 
prudently ;  for  they  who  have  performed  them  from  that 
blind  idea  of  charity,  then  do  good  to  bad  and  good  alike  j 
and  by  means  of  what  is  done  for  the»  the  wicked  do 
evils,  and  thereby  injure  the  good ;  wherefore  those  bene- 
factors also  are  a  cause  of  injur)-  to  the  good.  For  to  per- 
form a  beneficent  act  to  an  evil-doer,  is  like  giving  bread 
to  the  devil,  which  he  turns  into  poison ;  for  all  bread  is 
poison  in  the  devil's  hand,  or  if  it  is  not,  he  turns  it  into 
poison,  and  this  he  does  by  using  good  deeds  as  allure- 
ments to  evil.    And  it  is  like  handing  to  an  enemy  a  sword 

vol.  11.  9 


6lO       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 

with  which  he  may  kill  some  one.  And  it  is  like  giving  a 
shepherd's  crook  to  a  man-wolf  that  he  may  lead  the  sheep 
to  pasture ;  when  yet,  after  he  has  obtained  it,  he  drives 
the  sheep  from  the  pasture  to  a  desert,  and  there  he 
slaughters  them.  And  it  is  like  entrusting  the  government 
to  a  robber,  who  studies  and  watches  only  for  plunder ; 
according  to  the  richness  and  abundance  of  which,  he  dis- 
penses the  laws  and  executes  judgments. 

X.  There  are  Debts  of  Charity;  some  public,  some 

DOMESTIC,  AND  SOME  PRIVATE. 

429.  The  benefactions  of  charity  and  the  debts  of  charity 
are  distinct  from  each  other,  like  the  things  which  are  done 
from  free-will  and  those  which  are  done  from  necessity. 
But  still,  by  the  debts  of  charity  is  not  here  meant  what  is 
due  from  the  offices  in  a  kingdom  and  a  republic,  —  as 
from  a  minister  that  he  should  minister,  from  a  judge  that 
he  should  judge,  and  so  on,  —  but  what  is  due  from  every 
one,  in  whatever  office  he  is.  Such  duties  have  therefore  a 
different  origin  and  flow  from  another  will,  and  are  there- 
fore done  from  charity  by  those  who  are  in  charity,  and,  on 
the  other  hand,  from  no  charity  by  those  who  are  in  no 
charity. 

430.  The  public  dues  of charity  are  especially  tribute  and 
taxes,  which  ought  not  to  be  confounded  with  what  is  due 
from  office.  They  who  are  spiritual  pay  these  with  one 
disposition  of  heart,  and  they  who  are  merely  natural  with 
another.  The  spiritual  pay  them  from  good  will,  because 
they  are  collected  for  the  preservation  of  their  country,  and 
for  its  protection  and  that  of  the  church,  also  for  the  ad- 
ministration of  government  by  officials  and  rulers,  to  whom 
salaries  and  stipends  are  to  be  paid  from  the  public  treasury. 
Wherefore  they  to  whom  their  country  and  also  the  church 
are  the  neighbor,  pay  them  with  a  spontaneous  and  favorable 
will,  and  regard  it  as  iniquitous  to  deceive  and  to  prevent 


No.  431.]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  6ll 

their  collection.  But  they  to  whom  their  country  and  the 
church  are  not  the  neighbor,  pay  them  with  a  reluctant  and 
repugnant  will,  and  at  every  opportunity  they  defraud  and 
pilfer ;  for  with  them  their  own  house  and  their  own  flesh 
are  the  neighbor. 

431.  The  household  dues  of  charity  are  those  of  a  husband 
toward  his  wife  and  'of  a  wife  toward  her  husband,  of  a 
father  and  a  mother  toward  their  children  and  of  children 
toward  their  father  and  mother,  also  those  of  a  master  and 
a  mistress  toward  their  servants  of  either  sex  and  of  the 
servants  toward  them.  These  debts  because  they  relate 
to  the  bringing  up  and  the  management  of  the  household, 
are  so  numerous  that  if  recounted  they  would  fill  a  volume. 
To  meet  these  debts  every  one  is  moved  by  a  love  different 
from  that  which  moves  him  to  meet  what  is  due  from  his 
occupation  j  to  those  of  a  husband  toward  his  wife  and  of 
a  wife  toward  her  husband,  they  are  moved  by  conjugial 
love  and  according  to  it ;  of  a  father  and  a  mother  toward 
their  children  by  the  love  implanted  in  every  one,  called 
parental  love  ;  and  of  children  toward  their  parents,  by  and 
according  to  another  love  which  closely  conjoins  itself  with 
obedience  from  its  being  due.  But  what  is  due  from  a  mas- 
ter and  a  mistress  to  their  servants,  male  and  female,  has 
its  derivation  from  the  love  of  reigning,  and  this  is  accord- 
ing to  the  state  of  each  one's  mind.  But  conjugial  love 
and  love  toward  children,  with  what  is  due  from  them  and 
its  practice,  do  not  produce  love  towards  the  neighbor  like 
the  practice  of  what  is  due  in  one's  employment,  for  the 
love  called  parental  love  exists  equally  with  the  bad  and 
the  good,  and  is  sometimes  stronger  with  the  wicked ;  and 
it  also  exists  in  beasts  and  birds,  in  which  no  charity  can  be 
formed.  That  it  is  with  bears,  tigers,  and  serpents  as  much 
as  with  sheep  and  goats,  and  with  owls  as  much  as  with  doves, 
is  known.  As  to  what  particularly  regards  the  things  which 
parents  owe  their  children  :  with  those  who  are  in  charity 
these  are  intrinsically  different  from  what  they  are  with 


6l2        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 

those  who  are  not  in  charity,  but  outwardly  they  appear 
alike.  With  those  who  are  in  charity,  that  love  is  con- 
joined with  love  towards  the  neighbor  and  with  love  to 
God ;  for  by  them  the  children  are  loved  according  to  their 
morals,  virtues,  endeavors,  and  qualifications  for  serving 
the  public.  But  with  those  who  are  not  in  charity,  there  is 
no  conjunction  of  charity  with  the  love  called  parental  love ; 
so  that  many  of  them  can  love  wicked,  immoral,  and  crafty 
children,  more  than  those  who  are  good,  moral,  and  pru- 
dent ;  thus  those  who  are  useless  to  the  public  more  than 
those  who  are  useful. 

432.  The  private  dues  of  charity  are  also  numerous,  such 
as  the  payment  of  wages  to  workmen,  the  payment  of  inter- 
est, the  fulfilment  of  contracts,  the  guarding  of  securities, 
and  other  things  like  these,  some  of  which  are  debts  by 
statute  law,  some  by  civil  common  law,  and  some  by  moral 
law.  These  also  are  discharged  by  those  who  are  in  charity 
with  a  different  mind  from  that  with  those  who  are  not  in 
charity.  They  who  are  in  charity  perform  them  justly  and 
faithfully ;  for  it  is  a  precept  of  charity  that  every  one  should 
act  justly  and  faithfully  with  all  with  whom  he  is  in  any 
business  and  intercourse,  of  which  above  (n.  422-425).  But 

,  the  same  things  are  performed  very  differently  by  those  who 
are  not  in  charity. 

XI.  The  Diversions  of  Charity  are  Dinners,  Suppers, 
and  Social  Gatherings. 

433.  It  is  known  that  dinners  and  suppers  are  every- 
where customary,  and  are  given  for  various  purposes ;  also 
that  with  most  people  they  are  for  the  sake  of  friendship, 
relationship,  gladness,  and  for  the  sake  of  gain  and  recom- 
pense ;  also  that  they  are  means  for  corrupting  men  and 
drawing  them  over  to  a  party,  and  that  among  the  great 
they  are  also  for  the  sake  of  honor,  and  in  kings'  palaces 
for  the  sake  of  splendor.    But  the  dinners  and  suppers  of 


No.  434.J 


CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


613 


charity  are  among  those  only  who  are  in  mutual  love  from 
similar  faith.  With  the  Christians  of  the  primitive  church, 
the  dinners  and  suppers  were  for  no  other  end,  and  they 
were  called  Feasts,  being  instituted  that  they  might  be  glad 
from  the  heart  together  and  be  conjoined  with  one  another. 
Suppers  with  them  signified  consociations  and  conjunctions, 
in  the  first  state  of  the  establishment  of  the  church ;  for 
evening,  when  they  took  place,  signified  this  state  :  but  Din 
ners,  the  same  in  the  second  state,  when  the  church  was 
established;  for  morning  and  day  signified  this  state.  At 
table  they  conversed  on  various  subjects,  both  domestic 
and  civil,  but  especially  on  such  as  pertained  to  the  church ; 
and  because  they  were  feasts  of  charity,  on  whatever  sub- 
ject they  spoke,  charity  with  its  joy  and  gladness  was  in 
their  speech.  The  spiritual  sphere  which  reigned  in  those 
feasts  was  a  sphere  of  love  to  the  Lord  and  of  love  toward 
the  neighbor,  which  cheered  the  mind  [animus]  of  every 
one,  softened  the  tone  of  every  one's  words,  and  carried 
festivity  from  the  heart  to  all  the  senses.  For  there  ema- 
nates from  every  man  a  spiritual  sphere,  which  is  of  his 
love's  affection  and  the  thought  therefrom  ;  and  it  inte- 
riorly affects  his  associates,  especially  at  feasts ;  it  emanates 
through  the  face  as  well  as  by  the  respiration.  Inasmuch 
as  such  consociations  of  minds  [animus]  were  signified  by 
dinners  and  suppers,  or  by  feasts,  therefore  they  are  men- 
tioned in  the  Word ;  and  nothing  else  is  there  meant  by 
them  in  the  spiritual  sense ;  also  in  the  highest  sense  by 
the  paschal  supper  among  the  children  of  Israel,  and  also 
by  the  banquets  of  the  other  festivals  ;  as  also  by  their  eat- 
ing together  of  the  sacrifices  near  the  tabernacle.  Con- 
junction itself  was  then  represented  by  breaking  the  bread 
and  distributing  it,  and  by  drinking  from  the  same  cup  and 
handing  it  to  one  another. 

434.  As  to  Social  Gatherings  in  the  primitive  church, 
they  were  among  such  as  called  themselves  brethren  in 
Christ ;  they  were  therefore  assemblies  of  charity,  because 


614       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII 

there  was  spiritual  brotherhood.  They  were  also  a  con- 
solation in  the  adversities  of  the  church,  a  season  of  rejoic- 
ing in  its  increase,  and  also  a  recreation  of  the  soul  after 
study  and  labor,  and  at  the  same  time  gave  opportunity  for 
conversation  on  various  subjects ;  and  because  they  flowed 
from  spiritual  love  as  from  a  fountain,  they  were  rational 
and  moral  from  a  spiritual  origin.  There  are  at  this  day 
assemblies  of  friendship,  which  regard  as  their  end  the 
enjoyments  of  sociability,  the  exhilaration  of  the  mind  by 
conversation,  and  which  are  therefore  for  the  expansion 
of  the  mind  [animus],  and  the  liberation  of  imprisoned 
thoughts,  and  thus  for  warming  anew  the  sensuals  of  the 
body  and  perfecting  their  state.  But  there  are  as  yet  no 
gatherings  of  charity for  the  Lord  says,  In  the  consumma- 
tion of  the  age,  that  is,  in  the  end  of  the  church,  iniquity  will 
be  multiplied,  and  charity  will  grow  cold  (Matt.  xxiv.  12). 
This  is  because  the  church  had  not  yet  acknowledged  the 
Lord  God  the  Saviour  as  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth, 
and  gone  immediately  to  Him  from  Whom  alone  genuine 
charity  proceeds  and  flows  in.  But  the  social  gatherings 
where  a  friendship  emulating  charity  does  not  join  minds 
[animus]  together,  are  mere  pretences  of  friendship,  and 
deceptive  attestations  of  mutual  love,  seductive  insinua- 
tions into  favor,  and  sacrifices  offered  to  the  delights  of 
the  body,  especially  the  sensual,  whereby  other  people  are 
carried  away  like  ships  by  sails  and  favoring  currents, 
while  sycophants  and  hypocrites  stand  at  the  stern  and 
hold  the  helm. 

XII.  The  first  thing  of  Charity  is  to  put  away  Evils, 
and  the  second  is  to  do  goods  which  are  of 
Use  to  the  Neighbor. 

435.  In  the  doctrine  of  charity  this  holds  the  primary 
place,  that  the  first  thing  of  charity  is  not  to  do  evil  to  the 
neighbor ;  and  to  do  good  to  him  the  second  place.  This 


No.  435.]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  6l$ 

dogma  is  as  a  door  to.  the  doctrine  of  charity.  It  is  known 
that  evil  resides  in  every  man's  will  from  his  birth ;  and  as 
all  evil  regards  man,  both  far  and  near,  and  society  also, 
and  one's  country,  it  follows  that  hereditary  evil  is  evil 
against  the  neighbor  in  every  degree.  A  man  may  see 
from  reason  itself,  that  as  far  as  the  evil  resident  in  the 
will  is  not  removed,  the  good  which  he  does  is  impregnated 
with  that  evil ;  for  evil  then  is  inwardly  in  the  good,  like 
a  kernel  in  its  shell,  and  like  marrow  in  the  bone ;  where- 
fore although  the  good  that  is  done  by  such  a  man  appears 
as  good,  still  intrinsically  it  is  not  good ;  for  it  is  like  a 
fresh-looking  shell  containing  a  worm-eaten  kernel,  and 
like  a  white  almond  rotten  inside,  from  which  streaks  of 
rottenness  extend  even  to  the  surface.  To  will  evil  and  to 
do  good  are  in  themselves  opposites ;  for  evil  belongs  to 
hatred  against  the  neighbor,  and  good  belongs  to  love 
toward  the  neighbor ;  or  evil  is  the  neighbor's  enemy,  and 
good  is  his  friend.  The  two  cannot  exist  in  one  mind, 
that  is,  evil  in  the  internal  man  and  good  in  the  external ; 
if  they  do,  the  good  in  the  external  man  is  like  the  superfi- 
cial healing  of  a  wound,  within  which  there  is  putrid  mattei 
The  man  is  then  like  a  tree  with  a  decayed  root,  which  still 
produces  fruit  which  outwardly  looks  like  well-flavored  and 
useful  fruit,  but  is  inwardly  offensive  and  useless.  Such 
are  also  like  the  scoria:  left  [in  the  smelting  of  ores],  which 
being  polished  on  the  surface  and  beautifully  colored  are 
sold  as  precious  stones.  In  a  word,  they  are  like  the  eggs 
of  an  owl,  which  one  is  made  to  believe  to  be  the  eggs  of 
a  dove.  Man  ought  to  know  that  the  good  which  a  man 
does  with  the  body  proceeds  from  his  spirit,  or  from  the 
internal  man ;  the  internal  man  is  his  spirit  that  lives  after 
death  ;  wherefore  when  the  man  casts  off  the  body  which 
made  his  external  man,  then  all  that  there  is  of  him  is  in 
evils  and  has  enjoyment  in  them,  and  is  averse  to  good  as 
inimical  to  his  life.  That  a  man  cannot  do  good  that  in 
itself  is  good  before  evil  has  been  removed,  the  Lord 


6l6        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VL 


teaches  in  many  places  :  They  do  not  gather  the  grape  from 
thorns,  or  figs  from  thistles.  Neither  can  a  corrupt  tree  bring 
forth  good  fruit  (Matt,  vii*  16-18).  Woe  unto  you,  scribes 
and  Pharisees  ;  ye  make  clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  platter, 
but  the  insides  are  full  of  extortion  and  excess.  Thou  blind 
Pharisee,  clea?ise-  first  the  inside  of  the  cup  and  of  the  platter, 
that  the  outside  may  be  clean  also  (xxiii.  25,  26).  And  in  Isaiah : 
Wash  you  ;  put  away  the  evil  of  your  doings  ;  cease  to  do  evil ; 
learn  to  do  good ;  seek  Judgment.  Then  though  your  sifts  have 
been  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  white  as  snow ,  though  they  have 
been  red  as  purple,  they  shall  be  as  wool  (i.  16-18). 

436.  This  may  be  further  illustrated  by  the  following 
comparisons :  No  one  can  go  to  another  who  keeps  a 
leopard  and  a  panther  in  his  chamber  (living  safe  with 
them  himself  because  he  feeds  them),  unless  he  has  first 
removed  those  wild  beasts.  Who  that  has  been  invited  to 
the  table  of  a  king  and  queen  has  not  first  washed  his  face 
and  hands  before  coming  near  ?  Who  does  not  purify  the 
ores  by  fire,  and  separate  them  from  dross,  before  he  ob- 
tains the  pure  gold  and  silver  ?  Who  does  not  separate 
the  tares  from  the  wheat  before  he  takes  it  into  the  barn  ? 
Who  does  not  prepare  his  meat  by  cooking,  before  it  be- 
comes fit  to  eat  and  is  set  upon  the  table  ?  Who  does  not 
shake  off  the  worms  from .  the  leaves  of  a  tree  in  the  gar- 
den, that  the  leaves  may  not  be  devoured,  and  the  fruit 
thus  destroyed  ?  Who  loves  a  virgin  and  intends  marriage 
with  her  who  is  full  of  disease  and  covered  with  pimples 
and  blotches,  however  she  may  paint  her  face,  dress  splen- 
didly, and  study  to  bring  in  the  enticements  of  love  by  the 
charms  of  her  conversation  ?  Man  ought  to  purify  himself 
from  evils  [and  not  wait  for  the  Lord  to  do  this  immedi- 
ately ;  otherwise  he]  *  may  be  compared  to  a  servant  with 
face  and  clothes  befouled  with  soot  and  dung,  who  comes 
up  to  his  master  and  says,  "  Wash  me,  my  lord."  Would 
not  the  master  say  to  him,  "  You  foolish  servant,  what  are 
*  The  words  within  brackets  have  been  supplied  from  n.  331. 


No.  438.]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


617 


you  saying?  See;  there  are  water,  soap,  and  a  towel. 
Have  you  not  hands,  and  power  in  them  ?  Wash  your- 
self." And  the  Lord  God  will  say,  "  The  means  of  purifi- 
cation are  from  Me ;  and  it  is  from  Me  that  you  will  and 
that  you  are  able;  wherefore  use  these  My  gifts  and 
endowments  as  your  own,  and  you  will  be  purified." 

437.  It  is  believed  at  the  present  day  that  charity  is 
simply  to  do  good,  and  that  then  one  does  not  do  evil ; 
consequently,  that  the  first  thing  of  charity  is  to  do  good, 
and  the  second  not  to  do  evil ;  but  this  is  wholly  inverted ; 
the  first  thing  of  charity  is  to  put  away  evil,  and  its  second 
is  to  do  good ;  for  it  is  a  universal  law  in  the  spiritual 
world,  and  from  this  in  the  natural  world  also,  that  so  far 
as  one  does  not  will  evil  he  wills  good ;  thus  as  far  as 
he  turns  away  from  hell,  from  which  comes  up  all  evil,  so 
far  he  turns  toward  heaven,  from  which  comes  down  all 
good ;  consequently  also,  that  so  far  as  one  rejects  the 
devil,  he  is  accepted  by  the  Lord.  One  cannot  stand  with 
his  head  ever  turning  between  the  two,  and  pray  to  both 
at  once ;  for  of  them  the  Lord  says,  /  know  thy  works,  that 
thou  art  ?ieither  cold  nor  hot:  I  would  thou  wert  cold  or 
hot ;  but  because  thou  art  lukewarm,  and  neither  cold  nor  hot, 
I  will  spew  thee  out  of  My  mouth  (Apoc.  iii.  15,  16).  Who 
can  fly  about  with  his  troop  between  two  armies  and  favor 
them  both  ?  Who  can  be  in  evil  against  the  neighbor  and 
at  the  same  time  in  good  toward  him  ?  Does  not  evil  then 
hide  itself  in  the  good  ?  Although  the  evil  that  hides  itself 
does  not  appear  in  the  acts,  it  still  manifests  itself  in  many 
things  when  they  are  reflected  upon  rightly.  The  Lord 
says,  Aro  servant  can  serve  two  masters.  Ye  cannot  serve 
God  and  mammon  (Luke  xvi.  13). 

438.  But  no  one  is  able  to  purify  himself  from  evils  by 
his  own  power  and  his  own  strength,  and  yet  it  cannot  be 
clone  without  the  power  and  strength  of  man,  as  his  own. 
If  these  were  not  as  his  own,  no  one  could  fight  against 
the  flesh  and  its  lusts,  which  is  nevertheless  enjoined  upon 

9* 


6l8        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIL 


every  one ;  yes,  he  would  not  think  of  any  combat,  and  so 
would  let  the  mind  [animus]  run  loose  into  evils  of  every 
kind,  and  he  would  be  restrained  from  them  in  his  deeds 
only  by  the  laws  of  justice  established  in  the  world,  and 
their  penalties  ;  and  thus  he  would  be  inwardly  like  a  tiger, 
a  leopard,  and  a  serpent,  that  do  not  reflect  upon  the  cruel 
enjoyments  of  their  loves.  From  this  it  is  plain  that  be- 
cause man,  above  the  wild  beasts,  is  rational,  he  ought  to 
resist  evils  from  the  power  and  the  strength  given  him  by 
the  Lord,  which  in  every  sense  appear  to  him  as  his  own; 
and  this  appearance  has  been  given  by  the  Lord  to  every 
man  for  the  sake  of  regeneration,  imputation,  conjunction, 
and  salvation. 

XIII.  In  the  Exercises  of  Charity  Man  does  noi 
place  Merit  in  Works  while  he  believes 
that  all  good  is  from  the  lord. 

439.  It  is  hurtful  to  place  merit  in  works  that  are  done 
for  the  sake  of  salvation ;  for  in  this  are  hidden  evils  of 
which  he  who  does  so  knows  nothing ;  there  is  hidden  a 
denial  of  God's  influx  and  operation  with  man ;  trust  in 
one's  own  power  in  matters  of  salvation ;  faith  in  oneself 
and  not  in  God  ;  justification  of  oneself ;  saving  by  one's  own 
strength ;  making  Divine  grace  and  mercy  to  be  nought ; 
rejection  of  reformation  and  regeneration  by  Divine  means ; 
especially,  derogation  from  the  merit  and  righteousness  of 
the  Lord  God  the  Saviour,  which  such  claim  for  them 
selves ;  besides  a  continual  looking  to  reward,  which  they 
regard  as  the  first  and  last  end;  the  sinking  and  extinc- 
tion of  love  to  the  Lord  and  love  towards  the  neighbor ; 
a  total  ignorance  and  incapacity  for  the  perception  of  the 
enjoyment  of  heavenly  love  (which  enjoyment  is  without 
merit),  there  being  only  a  sense  of  the  love  of  self.  For 
they  who  put  reward  in  the  first  place  and  salvation  in  the 
second,  and  thus  [seek]  the  latter  for  the  sake  of  the 


No.  440.]         CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  619 

former,  invert  order,  and  immerse  the  interior  desires  of 
their  mind  in  their  proprium  [ownhood],  and  in  the  body 
defile  them  with  the  evils  of  their  flesh.  It  is  from  this 
that  the  good  of  merit  appears  to  the  angels  as  rust,  and 
good  that  is  not  of  merit  as  purple.  That  good  is  not  to 
be  done  for  reward  as  the  end  is  taught  by  the  Lord  in 
Luke  :  If  ye  do  good  to  them  who  do  good  to  you,  what  thank 
have  ye  ?  Rather,  love  ye  your  enemies,  and  do  good,  and 
lend,  hoping  for  nothing  again;  then  your  reward  shall  be 
great,  a?id  ye  shall  be  sons  of  the  Highest ;  for  He  is  kind 
unto  the  unthankful  and  the  evil  (vi.  33-35).  And  in  John 
it  is  taught  that  man  cannot  do  good  that  in  itself  is  good, 
except  from  the  Lord  :  Abide  in  Me  and  I  in  you.  As  the 
branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself  except  it  abide  in  the  vine, 
no  more  can-ye  except  ye  abide  in  Me ;  for  without  Me  ye  can 
do  nothing  (xv.  4,  5).  And  elsewhere,  A  man  can  take 
nothing,  except  it  be  given  hi?n  from  heaven  (hi.  27). 

440.  But  to  think  that  men  come  into  heaven,  and  that 
good  is  to  be  done  for  that,  is  not  to  regard  reward  as  the 
end,  and  to  place  merit  in  works  ;  for  they,  too,  think  that, 
who  love  the  neighbor  as  themselves  and  God  above  all 
things ;  for  they  so  think  from  faith  in  the  Lord's  words, 
that  their  reward  shall  be  great  hi  heaven  (Matt.  v.  11,  12  ; 
vi.  1 ;  x.  41,  42  ;  Luke  vi.  23,  35  ;  xiv.  12-14;  John  iv.  36): 
That  they  who  have  done  good  shall  possess  as  an  inheritance 
a  kingclom  prepared  from  the  foundation  of  the  world  (Matt, 
xxv.  34)  :  That  to  every  one  it  is  given  according  to  his  works 
(Matt.  xvi.  27;  John  v.  29;  Apoc.  xiv.  13;  xx.  12,  13, 
Jer.  xxv.  14;  xxxii.  19;  Hos.  iv.  9  ;  Zech.  i.  6;  and  else- 
where). These  do  not  trust  to  reward  on  account  of  their 
merit,  but  they  are  in  the  faith  of  the  promise  from  grace. 
With  them  the  enjoyment  in  doing  good  to  the  neighbor  is 
a  reward.  The  angels  in  heaven  have  this  enjoyment,  and 
it  is  a  spiritual  enjoyment  which  is  eternal,  and  immensely 
exceeds  every  natural  enjoyment.  They  who  are  in  this 
enjoyment  do  not  wish  to  hear  of  merit,  for  they  love  to  do, 


620        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 


and  they  perceive  that  they  are  favored  in  the  doing  \  and 
they  are  sorry  if  it  is  believed  that  their  doing  is  for  the 
sake  of  a  return.  They  are  like  those  who  do  good  to 
friends  for  the  sake  of  friendship,  to  the  brother  for  the 
sake  of  brotherhood,  to  wife  and  children  for  the  sake  of 
wife  and  children,  to  their  country  for  their  country's  sake, 
thus  from  friendship  and  love.  They  who  do  acts  of  kind- 
ness also  say  and  give  assurance  that  they  do  them  not  for 
their  own  sake,  but  for  theirs. 

441.  It  is  quite  otherwise  with  those  who  in  their  works 
regard  reward  as  the  end  itself.  Such  are  like  those  who 
form  friendships  for  the  sake  of  profit,  also  make  presents, 
perform  services,  profess  love  as  from  the  heart ;  but  when 
they  do  not  obtain  what  they  have  hoped  for,  they  turn 
away,  renounce  their  friendship,  and  devote  themselves  to 
the  enemies  of  him  for  whom  they  professed  love,  and  to 
those  who  hate  him.  They  are  also  like  nurses  who  suckle 
infants  merely  for  wages,  and  in  presence  of  the  parents 
kiss  and  fondle  them,  but  as  soon  as  they  are  not  fed  with 
delicacies  and  rewarded  just  as  they  wish,  turn  against  the 
infants,  treat  them  harshly,  and  beat  them,  laughing  at 
their  cries.  They  are  also  like  those  who  regard  their 
country  from  the  love  of  self  and  the  world,  and  say  that 
they  are  willing  to  spend  their  property  and  their  lives  for 
it,  and  yet  if  they  do  not  attain  honors  and  riches  as  re- 
wards, speak  ill  of  their  country  and  join  its  enemies. 
They  are  also  like  shepherds  who  feed  the  sheep  merely 
for  hire,  and,  if  they  do  not  receive  it  at  the  time  they 
choose,  drive  the  sheep  with  their  staff  from  the  pasture 
into  the  desert.  Like  these  are  the  priests  who  discharge 
the  duties  of  their  ministry  solely  for  the  sake  of  the 
emoluments  attached  to  them  j  that  they  care  little  for  the 
salvation  of  the  souls  over  whom  they  have  been  placed  as 
leaders,  is  plain.  It  is  the  same  with  magistrates  who  look 
only  to  the  dignity  of  their  office  and  to  its  fees  j  when 
they  do  good  it  is  not  for  the  sake  of  the  public  good,  but 


No.  442.] 


CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


621 


for  the  sake  of  the  enjoyment  from  the  love  of  self  and  the 
world,  which  they  breathe-in  as  the  only  good.  It  is  simi- 
lar with  all  others ;  for  the  end  in  view  carries  every  point, 
and  the  mediate  causes  pertaining  to  the  function  are  re- 
nounced if  they  do  not  promote  the  end.  It  is  the  same 
with  those  who  demand  reward  because  of  their  merit  in 
matters  of  salvation ;  after  death  they  loftily  demand 
heaven,  but  after  they  are  found  to  possess  nothing  of  love 
to  God,  and  nothing  of  love  toward  the  neighbor,  they  are 
sent  back  to  those  who  may  instruct  them  concerning 
charity  and  faith  j  if  they  repudiate  their  doctrines,  they 
are  dismissed  to  their  like,  among  whom  are  some  who  are 
angry  with  God  because  they  do  not  obtain  rewards,  and 
who  call  faith  a  thing  of  reasoning.  These  are  they  who 
in  the  Word  are  meant  by  hirelings,  to  whom  were  assigned 
services  of  the  lowest  kind  in  the  outer  courts  of  the  tem- 
ple.   At  a  distance  they  seem  to  be  splitting  wood. 

442.  It  is  to  be  well  known  that  charity  and  faith  in 
the  Lord  are  closely  conjoined ;  consequently,  as  is  faith 
such  is  charity.  That  the  Lord,  charity,  and  faith  make 
one,  like  life,  will,  and  understanding,  and  that  if  they  are 
divided  each  perishes  like  a  pearl  reduced  to  powder,  may 
be  seen  above,  n.  362,  363  ;  and  that  charity  and  faith  are 
together  in  good  works,  n.  373-377.  From  which  it  follows 
that  as  faith  is,  such  is  charity,  and  that  works  are  such  as 
faith  and  charity  together  are.  Now  if  there  is  the  faith 
that  all  the  good  which  a  man  does  as  from  himself  is  of 
the  Lord,  man  is  then  the  instrumental  cause  of  the  good, 
and  the  Lord  the  principal  cause  ;  which  two  causes  appear 
as  one  to  man,  when  yet  the  principal  cause  is  the  all  in  all 
of  the  instrumental  cause.  It  follows  from  this,  that  if  ;i 
man  believes  that  all  good  which  is  in  itself  good  is  from 
the  Lord,  he  does  not  place  merit  in  works  ;  and  in  the 
degree  in  which  this  faith  is  perfecting  in  man,  the  fantasy 
concerning  merit  is  taken  away  from  him  by  the  Lord. 
In  this  state  man  fulfils  the  exercises  of  charity  abun- 


622        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 

dantly,  without  a  fear  of  merit,  and  at  length  he  perceives 
the  spiritual  enjoyment  in  charity,  and  then  he  begins  to 
be  averse  to  merit  as  injurious  to  his  life.  The  merit  is 
easily  washed  away  by  the  Lord  with  those  who  are  imbued 
with  charity  by  acting  justly  and  faithfully  in  the  works 
business,  and  office  in  which  they  are,  and  toward  all  with 
whom  they  have  any  dealings,  concerning  whom  see  above 
(n.  422-424).  But  merit  is  taken  away  with  difficulty  from 
those  who  believe  that  charity  is  acquired  by  giving  alms 
and  relieving  the  needy  \  for  while  they  do  these  works, 
in  the  mind,  at  first  openly  and  afterward  tacitly,  they 
wish  for  reward  and  claim  merit. 

XIV.  Moral  Life  when  it  is  at  the  same  time  Spirit- 
ual, is  Charity. 

443.  Every  man  learns  from  parents  and  teachers  to  live 
morally,  that  is,  to  fulfil  the  duties  of  citizenship  and  to  per- 
form the  offices  of  honorable  life  (which  have  relation  to 
the  various  virtues,  which  are  the  essentials  of  honorable 
life),  and  to  produce  them  in  its  formalities  which  are  called 
proprieties  \  and  as  he  advances  in  years,  he  learns  to  add 
to  these  what  belo'ngs  to  reason,  and  thereby  to  perfect  the 
morals  of  life.  For  moral  life  in  boys  even  to  early  youth, 
is  natural,  and  becomes  more  and  more  rational  afterward. 
He  who  reflects  well  can  see  that  moral  life  is  the  same  as 
the  life  of  charity;  and  that  this  is  to  act  well  with  the 
neighbor,  and  so  to  regulate  the  life  that  it  shall  not  be 
contaminated  with  evils,  follows  from  what  was  shown 
above  (n.  435-438).  But  yet  in  life's  first  period,  moral 
life  is  the  life  of  charity  in  outermosts  j  that  is,  is  merely  its 
outer  and  foremost  part,  not  the  interior.  For  there  are 
four  periods  of  life  through  which  man  passes  from  infancy 
to  old  age  j  the  first  is  the  period  in  which  he  acts  from 
others,  according  to  instructions \  the  second  is  that  in  which 
he  acts  from  himself,  while  the  understanding  is  the  moder- 


No.  444.]         CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


623 


ator ;  the  third  is  that  in  which  the  will  acts  upon  the  under- 
standing and  the  understanding  modifies  the  will ;  the  fourth 
is  that  in  which  he  acts  from  what  has  been  confirmed  and 
from  purpose.  But  these  periods  of  life  are  the  periods  of 
the  life  of  man's  spirit,  and  not  likewise  of  his  body ;  for 
the  body  can  act  morally  and  speak  rationally,  and  his 
spirit  still  will  and  think  the  contrary.  That  such  is  the 
natural  man  is  clearly  manifest  from  pretenders,  flatterers, 
liars,  and  hypocrites ;  that  they  possess  a  double  mind,  or 
that  their  mind  is  divided  into  two  minds  that  are  not  in 
accord,  is  evident.  It  is  otherwise  with  those  who  will  well 
and  think  rationally,  and  consequently  act  well  and  talk 
rationally.  These  are  meant  in  the  Word  by  the  simple  in 
spirit ;  they  are  called  simple,  because  they  are  not  double- 
minded.  From  this  it  may  be  seen  what  is  properly  meant 
by  the  external  and  the  internal  man ;  also  that  no  one, 
from  the  morality  of  the  external  man  can  form  a  conclu- 
sion as  to  the  morality  of  the  internal,  inasmuch  as  this 
may  be  turned  the  opposite  way,  and  may  hide  itself  as  a 
tortoise  hides  its  head  within  its  shell,  or  as  a  serpent  hides 
its  head  in  its  coil.  For  such  a  so-called  moral  man  is  like 
a  robber  in  a  city  and  in  a  forest,  acting  the  moral  man  in 
the  city,  but  the  plunderer  in  the  forest.  'It  is  quite  other- 
wise with  those  who  are  moral  interiorly  or  as  to  the  spirit, 
which  they  become  through  regeneration  by  the  Lord. 
These  are  meant  by  the  spiritual  moral. 

444.  Moral  life,  when  at  the  same  time  spiritual,  is  the 
life  of  charity,  because  the  practices  of  moral  life  and  of 
charity  are  the  same,  for  charity  is  to  will  well  to  the  neigh- 
bor, and  from  good  will  to  act  well  with  him  ;  and  this  is 
of  moral  life  also.  The  spiritual  law  is  this  law  of  the 
Lord  :  All  things  whatsoever  yc  would  that  men  should  do  to 
you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them  ;  this  is  the  law  and  the  prophets 
(Matt.  viL  12).  This  same  law  is  the  universal  law  of 
moral  life.  But  to  recount  all  the  works  of  charity  and 
compare  them  with  those  of  moral  life,  would  fill  many 


624        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 

pages  \  let  but  six  precepts  of  the  second  table  of  the  law 
of  the  decalogue  serve  for  illustration.  That  these  are 
precepts  of  moral  life  is  manifest  to  every  one ;  and  that 
they  also  comprise  all  things  that  pertain  to  love  towards 
the  neighbor,  may  be  seen  above  (n.  329-331).  That 
charity  fulfils  them  all,  is  evident  from  the  following  in 
Paul :  Love  one  another  ;  for  he  that  loveth  another  hath  ful- 
filled the  law :  for  this,  Thoic  shall  not  commit  adultery,  thou 
shall  not  kill,  thou  shall  not  steal,  thou  shalt  not  bear  false 
witness,  thou  shalt  not  covet ;  and  if  there  be  any  other  com- 
mandment it  is  comprehended  in  this  saying,  namely,  Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself  Charity  doeth  no  evil  to  the 
neighbor  ;  charity  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law  (Rom.  xiii.  8-10). 
He  who  thinks  from  the  external  man  only  cannot  but  won- 
der that  the  seven  precepts  of  the  second  table  were  promul- 
gated by  Jehovah  on  mount  Sinai  with  so  great  a  miracle, 
when  yet  these  same  precepts,  in  all  the  kingdoms  on  earth, 
consequently  also  in  Egypt  whence  the  children  of  Israel 
had  lately  come,  were  the  precepts  of  the  law  of  civil  jus- 
tice, for  no  kingdom  continues  to  exist  without  them.  But 
they  were  promulgated  by  Jehovah,  and  were,  moreover, 
written  on  tables  of  stone  by  His  finger,  that  they  might  be 
not  only  the  precepts  of  civil  society  and  thus  of  natural 
moral  life,  but  also  the  precepts  of  heavenly  society  and 
thus  of  spiritual  moral  life  ;  so  that  to  do  contrary  to  them 
was  not  merely  to  act  against  men,  but  against  God  also. 

445.  Viewing  moral  life  in  its  essence,  it  may  be  seen 
that  it  is  a  life  according  to  human  laws  and  at  the  same 
time  according  to  the  Divine  laws ;  wherefore  he  who  lives 
according  to  those  two  as  one  law,  is  a  truly  moral  man, 
and  his  life  is  charity.  Any  one,  if  he  will,  can  from  ex- 
ternal moral  life  comprehend  the  quality  of  charity.  Only 
transcribe  external  moral  life  such  as  there  is  in  civil  con- 
sociation into  the  internal  man,  so  that  in  the  will  and  the 
thought  of  the  internal  man  [the  life]  may  be  similar  and 
conformable  to  the  acts  in  the  external,  and  you  will  see 
charity  in  its  own  type. 


No.  447-]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


625 


XV.  The  Friendship  of  Love  contracted  with  a  man 
without  regard  to  his  quality  as  to  the 
Spirit,  is  detrimental  after  Death. 

446.  By  the  friendship  of  love  is  meant  interior  friend- 
ship, which  is  such  that  not  only  is  one's  external  man 
loved,  but  also  his  internal,  and  this  without  scrutiny  into 
his  quality  as  to  the  internal  or  spirit,  that  is,  as  to  the 
affections  of  the  mind,  whether  they  are  from  love  toward 
the  neighbor  and  from  love  to  God,  and  thus  adapted  to 
consociation  with  the  angels  of  heaven,  or  whether  they  are 
from  a  love  opposed  to  the  neighbor  and  from  a  love  op- 
posed to  God,  and  thus  adapted  to  consociation  with 
devils.  Such  friendship  is  contracted  by  many,  from  vari- 
ous causes  and  for  various  ends.  It  is  distinct  from  exter- 
nal friendship,  which  is  only  of  the  person,  and  which 
exists  for  the  sake  of  various  enjoyments  of  the  body  and 
the  senses,  and  for  the  sake  of  dealings  of  various  kinds. 
Friendship  of  this  kind  may  be  formed  with  any  one,  even 
with  the  clown  who  jokes  at  the  table  of  a  duke.  This  is 
called  friendship,  simply;  but  the  former  is  called  the 
friendship  of  love,  for  friendship  is  natural  conjunction,  but 
love  is  spiritual  conjunction. 

447.  That  the  friendship  of  love  is  detrimental  after 
death,  may  be  evident  from  the  state  of  heaven,  from  the 
state  of  hell,  and  from  the  state  of  man's  spirit  with  rela- 
tion to  them.  As  to  the  state  of  heaven  :  it  is  divided  into 
innumerable  societies  according  to  all  the  varieties  of  the 
affections  of  good  j  while  hell,  on  the  other  hand,  is  divided 
into  societies  according  to  all  the  varieties  of  the  affections 
of  love  of  evil ;  and  man  after  death,  who  is  then  a  spirit, 
according  to  his  life  in  the  world  is  at  once  assigned  to  the 
society  where  his  reigning  love  is,  to  some  heavenly  society 
if  love  to  God  and  toward  the  neighbor  made  the  head  of 
his  loves;  and  to  some  infernal  society  if  the  love  of  self 


626 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 


and  the  world  made  the  head  of  his  loves.  Immediately 
after  his  entrance  into  the  spiritual  world  (which  takes 
place  by  death  and  the  rejection  of  the  material  body  to  the 
sepulchre),  man  is  for  some  time  preparing  for  his  society 
to  which  he  has  been  assigned ;  and  the  preparation  is 
made  by  the  rejection  of  the  loves  which  are  not  in  concord 
with  his  principal  love.  Therefore  one  is  then  separated 
from  another,  friend  from  friend,  dependant  from  patron, 
also  parent  from  children,  and  brother  from  brother,  and 
each  one  of  them  is  joined  to  his  like,  with  whom  he  is  to 
live  the  life  of  a  common  lot  and  properly  his  own,  to 
eternity.  But  in  the  first  part  of  the  time  of  preparation, 
they  come  together,  and  converse  in  a  friendly  way  as  in 
the  world,  but  they  are  gradually  parted,  and  this  is  so  done 
that  they  are  not  sensible  of  it. 

448.  But  those  who  in  the  world  contracted  with  each 
other  the  friendships  of  love,  cannot  like  others  be  sepa- 
rated according  to  order,  and  assigned  to  the  society  cor- 
respondent with  their  life ;  for  they  are  bound  together 
interiorly  as  to  the  spirit,  nor  can  they  be  severed,  because 
they  are  like  branches  ingrafted  into  branches.  Therefore 
if  one  as  to  his  interiors  is  in  heaven,  and  the  other  as  to 
his  in  hell,  they  remain  fast  to  each  other,  much  like  a 
sheep  tied  to  a  wolf,  or  a  goose  to  a  fox,  or  a  dove  to  a 
hawk ;  and  he  whose  interiors  are  in  hell  inspires  the  in- 
fernal things  belonging  to  him  into  the  one  whose  interiors 
are  in  heaven.  For  among  the  things  that  are  well  known 
in  heaven  is  also  this,  that  evils  may  be  inspired  into  the 
good,  but  not  goods  into  the  evil ;  this  is  because  every 
one  is  by  birth  in  evils.  Consequently  when  the  good  are 
thus  joined  fast  to  the  evil  their  interiors  are  closed,  and 
both  are  thrust  down  into  hell ;  and  one  who  is  good  suffers 
hard  things  there,  but  after  a  lapse  of  time  is  taken  out, 
and  then  first  begins  preparation  for  heaven.  It  has  been 
granted  me  to  see  cases  of  such  binding,  particularly 
between  brothers  and  relatives,  and  also  between  patrons 


No.  450.]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  627 

and  their  dependants,  and  of  many  with  flatterers,  —  these 
having  contrary  affections  and  diverse  genius  ;  and  I  have 
seen  some  like  kids  with  leopards,  and  kissing  each  other, 
and  swearing  to  their  former  friendship ;  and  I  then  per- 
ceived that  the  good  were  absorbing  the  enjoyments  of  the 
evil,  holding  each  other  by  the  hand,  and  together  entering 
into  caves  where  crowds  of  the  wicked  were  seen  in  their 
hideous  forms,  though  to  themselves,  from  the  illusion  of 
fantasy,  they  seemed  in  lovely  forms.  But  after  a  while  I 
heard  from  the  good  mournful  cries  of  fear,  as  if  on  account 
of  snares,  and  from  the  wicked  I  heard  rejoicings  like  those 
of  enemies  over  spoils ;  beside  other  sad  scenes.  I  have 
heard  that  the  good,  when  taken  out,  were  afterward  pre- 
pared for  heaven  by  the  means  of  reformation,  but  with 
greater  difficulty  than  others. 

449.  It  is  wholly  different  with  those  who  love  the 
good  in  another,  that  is,  who  love  the  justice,  judgment, 
sincerity,  benevolence  from  charity,  and  especially  with 
those  who  love  the  faith  and  the  love  to  the  Lord.  These, 
because  they  love  what  is  within  a  man  apart  from  the 
things  which  are  outside  of  him,  if  they  do  not  observe  the 
same  things  in  the  person  after  death,  immediately  with- 
draw from  the  friendship,  and  are  associated  by  the  Lord 
with  those  who  are  in  similar  good.  It  may  be  said  that 
no  one  can  explore  the  interiors  of  the  mind  of  those  with 
whom  he  associates  or  deals.  But  this  is  not  necessary; 
only  let  him  guard  against  a  friendship  of  love,  with  any 
one.  External  friendship  for  the  sake  of  various  uses  is 
harmless. 

XVI.  There  is  a  spurious  Charity,  a  hypocritical 
Charity,  and  a  dead  Charity. 

450.  There  is  no  genuine,  that  is,  living  charity,  but  that 
which  makes  one  with  faith,  and  unless  they  both  look  to 
the  Lord  conjointly ;  for  these  three,  the  Lord,  charity,  and 
faith  are  the  three  essentials  of  salvation,  and  when  they 


623        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII 

make  one,  charity  is  charity  and  faith  is  faith  •  and  the 
Lord  is  in  them,  and  they  are  in  the  Lord,  as  may  be  seen 
above  (n.  363-367,  and  n.  368-372).  But,  however,  when 
these  three  are  not  conjoined,  charity  is  either  spurious, 
or  hypocritical,  or  dead.  There  have  been  different  here- 
sies in  Christendom  since  the  foundation  of  the  Christian 
Church,  and  there  are  also  such  at  the  present  day,  in 
each  of  which  these  three  essentials  (which  are,  God,  char- 
ity, and  faith)  have  been  and  are  acknowledged;  for  with- 
out these  three  there  is  not  religion.  In  regard  to  charity 
in  particular,  it  may  be  adjoined  to  any  heretical  faith,  as 
that  of  the  Socinians,  of  the  Enthusiasts,  of  the  Jews,  yes, 
of  idolaters;  and  they  may  all  believe  it  to  be  charity, 
since  it  appears  like  it  in  the  external  form ;  but  still  char- 
ity changes  its  quality  according  to  the  faith  to  which  it  is 
joined  or  with  which  it  is  conjoined,  as  may  be  seen  in  the 
chapter  concerning  Faith. 

451.  All  charity  that  is  not  conjoined  with  faith  in  one 
God  in  Whom  there  is  a  Divine  Trinity,  is  spurious  ;  as 
the  charity  of  the  church  of  the  present  day,  the  faith  of 
which  is  in  three  persons  of  the  same  Divinity  in  succes- 
sive order,  in  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit ; 
and  because  in  three  persons  each  of  whom  is  a  God  sub- 
sistent  by  himself,  it  is  therefore  a  faith  in  three  Gods ;  to 
which  faith  charity  may  be  adjoined,  as  has  also  been  clone 
by  the  supporters  of  that  faith,  but  it  can  never  be  conjoined 
with  it ;  and  the  charity  that  is  merely  adjoined  to  faith  is 
simply  natural,  not  spiritual,  wherefore  it  is  spurious  char- 
ity. So  also  with  the  charity  of  many  other  heresies,  as 
that  of  those  who  deny  the  Divine  Trinity,  and  so  approach 
the  Father  alone,  or  the  Holy  Spirit  alone,  or  both,  pass- 
ing by  God  the  Saviour ;  with  their  faith  charity  cannot  be 
conjoined  ;  and  if  conjoined  or  adjoined,  it  is  spurious. 
It  is  called  spurious,  because  it  is  like  the  offspring  of  an 
illegitimate  bed,  or  as  the  son  of  Hagar  by  Abraham  who 
was  cast  out  of  the  house  (Gen.  xxi.  10).    Such  charity  is 


No.  452.J        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  629 

like  fruit  on  a  tree  where  it  has  not  grown  but  has  been 
fastened  with  the  needle ;  and  it  is  like  a  carriage  to  which 
the  horses  are  fastened  only  by  the  reins  in  the  driver's 
hands,  and  when  they  run  they  drag  the  driver  from  the 
seat  and  leave  the  carriage  behind. 

452.  But  hypocritical  charity  is  with  those  who  in 
temples  and  in  private  dwellings  humble  themselves  almost 
to  the  dust  before  God,  devoutly  pour  forth  long  prayers, 
present  a  holy  expression  of  countenance,  kiss  images  of 
the  cross  and  the  bones  of  the  dead,  now  bend  the  knee 
at  sepulchres,  and  there  with  the  mouth  mutter  words  of 
holy  veneration  for  God,  and  yet  in  heart  think  of  being 
worshipped  themselves  and  look  forward  to  being  adored 
as  divinities.  Such  are  like  those  whom  the  Lord  describes 
in  these  words  :  When  thou  doest  alms,  do  not  sound  a  trum- 
pet before  thee,  as  the  hypocrites  do  in  the  synagogues  and  in 
the  streets,  that  they  may  have  glory  of  men.  And  when  thou 
prayest,  thoii  shalt  ?iot  be  as  the  hypocrites  are  ;  for  they  love 
to  pray  standing  i?i  the  synagogues  and  in  the  comers  of  the 
streets,  that  they  may  be  seen  of  me?i  (Matt.  vi.  2,  5).  Woe 
unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites  /  for  ye  shut  up 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  against  me?i  ;  for  ye  neither  go  i?i  your- 
selves, neither  suffer  ye  them  that  are  e?itering  to  go  in.  Woe 
unto  you,  hypocrites  I  for  ye  compass  sea  and  land  to  make 
one  proselyte ;  and  when  he  is  made,  ye  make  him  twofold 
more  the  child  of  hell  than  yourselves.  Woe  unto  you,  hypo- 
crites /  for  ye  make  clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  of  theplattrr, 
but  withifi  they  are  full' of  extortion  and  excess  (Matt,  xxiii. 
13,  15,  25).  Well  hath  Esaias  prophesied  of  you  hypocrites, 
as  it  is  written,  This  people  honorcth  Me  with  their  lips,  but 
their  heart  is  far  from  Me  (Mark  vii.  6).  Woe  unto  you, 
hypocrites  /  for  ye  are  as  graves  which  appear  not,  so  that 
the  ?nrn  that  walk  over  them  are  not  a7vare  of  them  (Luke 
xi.  44);  and  elsewhere.  They  are  like  flesh  without  blood, 
like  ravens  and  parrots  taught  to  say  words  from  a  psalm, 
and  like  birds  taught  to  sing  the  tune  of  a  sacred  hymn ; 


630        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 


and  the  sound  of  their  speech  is  like  that  of  a  bird-catcher's 
whistle. 

453.  But  dead  charity  is  with  those  who  have  a  dead  faith, 
since  the  charity  is  such  as  the  faith  is  ;  that  they  make  one 
was  shown  in  the  chapter  concerning  Faith.  That  faith 
is  dead  with  those  who  are  without  works,  is  evident  from 
the  Epistle  of  James  (ii.  17,  20).  Moreover,  they  have 
dead  faith  who  do  not  believe  in  God,  but  in  men  living 
and  dead,  and  who  worship  idols  as  in  themselves  holy,  as 
the  gentiles  formerly  did.  The  offerings  of  those  who  are 
in  this  faith,  which  for  the  sake  of  salvation  they  make  to 
miraculous  images  as  they  call  them,  and  count  among  the 
works  of  charity,  are  on  a  level  with  the  gold  and  silver 
placed  in  the  urns  and  monuments  of  the  dead,  yes,  like 
the  bits  of  meat  given  to  Cerberus,  and  the  fee  paid  to 
Charon  for  ferriage  across  to  the  Elysian  fields.  But  the 
charity  of  those  who  believe  that  there  is  no  God,  but  in- 
stead of  Him  Nature,  is  neither  spurious,  hypocritical,  nor 
dead,  but  is  no  charity  at  all,  because  it  is  not  adjoined  to 
any  faith ;  for  it  cannot  be  called  charity,  since  the  quality 
of  the  charity  is  predicated  from  the  faith.  Their  charity 
when  viewed  from  heaven,  is  like  bread  made  of  ashes,  or 
cake  of  fishes'  scales,  and  fruit  of  wax. 

XVII.  The  Friendship  of  Love  among  the  Evil  is 
intestine  Hatred  of  each  other. 

454.  It  was  shown  above  that  every  man  has  an  internal 
and  an  external,  and  that  his  internal  is  called  the  internal 
man,  and  his  external  the  external  man.  To  which  it  must 
be  added,  that  the  internal  man  is  in  the  spiritual  world, 
and  the  external  in  the  natural  world.  Man  was  so  created 
that  he  might  be  associated  with  spirits  and  angels  in  their 
world,  and  thereby  think  analytically,  and  after  death  be 
transferred  from  his  own  world  to  another.  By  the  spirit- 
ual world  arc  meant  both  heaven  and  hell.    Since  the  inter- 


No  455.]         CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  63 1 

nal  man  is  in  company  with  spirits  and  angels  in  their 
world,  and  the  external  man  with  men,  it  is  manifest  that 
man  can  be  consociated  with  spirits  of  hell,  and  also  with 
angels  of  heaven.  By  this  faculty  and  power  man  is  dis- 
tinguished from  beasts.  Man  is  in  himself  such  as  he  is 
as  to  his  internal  man,  but  not  such  as  he  is  as  to  the 
external  j  for  the  internal  man  is  his  spirit  which  acts  by 
the  external.  The  material  body,  with  which  his  spirit  is 
clothed  in  the  natural  world,  is  an  accessory  for  the  sake 
of  the  processes  of  procreation  and  for  the  sake  of  the  for- 
mation of  the  internal  man;  for  this  latter  is  formed  in  the 
natural  body,  as  a  tree  in  the  ground,  and  as  seed  in  fruit. 
More  concerning  the  internal  and  the  external  man  may  be 
seen  above  (n.  401). 

455.  But  of  what  quality  a  wicked  man  is  as  to  his  in- 
ternal man,  and  of  what  quality  is  the  good  man  as  to  his, 
may  be  seen  from  the  following  brief  description  of  hell 
and  heaven ;  for  with  the  wicked  the  internal  is  conjoined 
with  devils  in  hell,  and  with  the  good  it  is  conjoined  with 
angels  in  heaven.  Hell  from  its  loves  is  in  the  enjoyments 
of  all  evils ;  that  is,  is  in  the  enjoyments  from  hatred, 
revenge,  and  murder,  in  those  from  plundering  and  theft, 
in  those  from  railing  and  blasphemy,  in  those  from  the 
denial  of  God  and  the  profanation  of  the  Word.  Those 
enjoyments  lurk  in  the  lusts,  upon  which  man  does  not 
reflect ;  these  blaze  in  the  enjoyments,  like  lighted  torches  ; 
the  enjoyments  are  what  are  meant  in  the  Word  by  infernal 
fire.  But  the  enjoyments  of  heaven  are  those  of  love 
toward  the  neighbor  and  of  love  to  God.  Since  the  enjoy- 
ments of  hell  are  opposite  to  the  enjoyments  of  heaven, 
there  is  a  great  interspace  between  them,  into  which  flow 
the  delights  of  heaven  from  above  and  those  of  hell  from 
beneath.  Man  is  in  the  middle  of  this  interspace  while  he 
lives  in  the  world,  in  order  that  he  may  be  in  equilibrium, 
and  so  in  a  free  state  to  turn  to  heaven  or  to  hell.  It  is 
this  interspace  that  is  meant  by  the  great  gulf  fixed  be- 


632        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 


tween  those  who  are  in  heaven  and  those  who  are  in  hell 
(Luke  xvi.  26).  From  this  it  may  be  evident  what  is  the 
quality  of  the  friendship  of  love  among  the  wicked. — that 
as  to  the  external  man  it  is  full  of  gesture,  affected,  and 
putting  on  the  semblance  of  morality,  for  the  end  of 
spreading  its  nets  and  searching  for  opportunity  to  gratify 
the  enjoyments  of  its  loves,  from  which  their  internal  man 
is  on  fire.  Nothing  but  fear  of  the  law,  and  consequently 
for  their  reputation  and  life,  withholds  them  and  prevents 
their  acts.  Their  friendship  is  therefore  like  a  spider  in 
sugar,  a  viper  in  bread,  a  young  crocodile  in  a  cake  of  honey, 
and  a  snake  in  the  grass.  Such  is  the  friendship  of  the 
wicked  for  anyone;  but  among  those  confirmed  in  evil,  such 
as  thieves,  robbers,  and  pirates,  it  is  of  a  familiar  character 
so  long  as  they  are  with  one  mind  bent  on  plunder ;  for  then 
they  embrace  each  other  as  brothers,  enjoy  themselves  with 
feasting,  singing,  and  dancing,  and  conspire  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  others ;  yet  each  one  within  himself  regards  his 
companion  as  one  enemy  regards  another ;  this,  too,  the 
cunning  robber  sees  in  his  fellow,  and  fears  it.  It  is  plain 
from  this  that  among  such  is  no  friendship,  but  intestine 
hatred. 

Any  man  who  has  not  openly  connected  himself  with 
malefactors  and  committed  robberies,  but  has  led  a  civil 
moral  life  for  the  sake  of  various  uses  as  ends,  and  yet  has 
not  curbed  the  lusts  residing  in  the  internal  man,  may  be- 
lieve that  his  friendship  is  not  like  this ;  but,  from  many 
examples  in  the  spiritual  world,  it  has  been  given  me  to 
know  with  certainty  that  it  is  such,  in  various  degrees,  with 
all  who  have  rejected  faith,  and  scorned  the  holy  things  of 
the  church,  regarding  them  as  nothing  to  them  but  only  for 
the  common  herd.  With  some  of  them  the  enjoyments  of 
infernal  love  have  lain  hidden  like  fire  in  heated  logs  that 
are  covered  with  bark  j  with  some  like  coals  under  ashes  ; 
with  some  like  little  torches  of  wax,  that  blaze  as  soon  as 
fire  is  applied  to  them  ;  and  with  others  in  other  ways. 


No.  456.]       CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


633 


Such  is  every  man  who  has  rejected  from  his  heart  the 
things  of  religion.  Their  internal  man  is  in  hell ;  and  as 
long  as  they  live  in  the  WQrld  (and  then  they  are  ignorant 
of  this  because  of  the  semblance  of  morality  in  their  ex- 
ternals), they  do  not  acknowledge  as  neighbor  any  but 
themselves  and  their  children ;  they  regard  others  either 
from  contempt  (and  then  they  are  like  cats  lying  in  wait 
for  birds  in  their  nests),  or  from  hatred  (and  then  they  are 
like  wolves  when  they  see  dogs  that  they  may  devour). 
These  things  have  been  presented  that  it  may  be  known  of 
what  quality  charity  is,  from  seeing  its  opposite. 

XVIII.  The  Conjunction  of  Love  to  God  and  Love 

TOWARD  THE  NEIGHBOR. 

456.  It  is  known  that  the  Law  promulgated  from  mount 
Sinai  was  written  upon  two  tables ;  that  one  of  these  is  con- 
cerning God,  and  the  other  concerning  men  \  that  in  the 
hand  of  Moses  they  were  one  table,  on  the  right  side  of 
which  was  written  what  is  concerning  God,  and  on  the  left 
side  what  is  concerning  men  ;  and  that  when  so  presented 
to  the  eyes  of  men,  the  writing  of  both  parts  was  seen  at 
once ;  thus  one  part  was  in  view  of  the  other,  like  Jehovah 
speaking  with  Moses  and  Moses  with  Jehovah,  face  to  face, 
as  it  is  written.  This  was  done  in  order  that  the  tables  so 
united  should  represent  the  conjunction  of  God  with  men, 
and  the  reciprocal  conjunction  of  men  with  God ;  for  which 
reason  the  Law  written  on  them  was  called  the  Covenant 
and  the  Testimony,  covenant  signifying  conjunction,  and 
testimony,  life  according  to  the  compact.  From  these  two 
tables  thus  united  may  be  seen  the  conjunction  of  love  to 
God  and  love  toward  the  neighbor.  The  first  table  in- 
volves all  things  pertaining  to  love  to  God,  which  arc, 
primarily,  that  man  ought  to  acknowledge  one  God,  the 
Divinity  of  His  Human,  and  the  holiness  of  the  Word, 
and  that  He  is  to  be  worshipped  by  means  of  holy  things 
vol.  11.  10 


634        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 

that  proceed  from  Him.  That  this  table  involves  these 
things  is  evident  from  the  commentary,  in  the  fifth  chapter, 
on  the  commandments  of  the  decalogue.  The  second  table 
involves  all  things  that  pertain  to  love  toward  the  neighbor  \ 
its  first  five  commandments,  all  things  pertaining  to  the 
deed,  which  are  called  works ;  and  the  last  two,  all  things 
that  belong  to  the  will,  thus  to  charity  in  its  origin ;  for  in 
these  it  is  said,  lliou  shalt  not  covet ;  and  when  a  man  does 
not  covet  the  things  that  are  the  neighbor's,  then  he  wishes 
well  to  him.  That  the  Ten  Commandments  contain  all 
things  which  are  of  love  to  God  and  of  love  toward  the 
neighbor,  may  be  seen  above  (n.  329-331)  ;  where  it  is  also 
shown  that  there  is  a  conjunction  of  the  two  tables  with 
those  who  are  in  charity. 

457.  It  is  otherwise  with  those  who  are  only  in  the  wor- 
ship of  God  and  not  at  the  same  time  in  good  works  from 
charity;  such  are  like  those  who  break  a  covenant.  Again 
it  is  different  with  those  who  divide  God  into  three,  and 
worship  each  one  separately.  And  again  it  is  different  with 
those  who  do  not  go  to  God  in  His  Human ;  these  are  they 
who  do  not  enter  by  the  Door,  but  climb  up  some  other  way 
(John  x.  1,  9).  It  is  still  different  with  those  who  from  con- 
firmation deny  the  Lord's  Divinity.  With  those  of  these 
classes  there  is  not  conjunction  with  God,  and  consequently 
there  is  not  the  saving  work  (salvatio) ;  their  charity  is  noth- 
ing but  spurious  charity ;  and  this  does  not  join  together  by 
the  face,  but  by  the  side,  or  the  back.  How  conjunction  is 
effected  shall  also  be  told  in  a  few  words.  With  every  man, 
God  flows-in  with  an  acknowledgment  of  Himself,  into  the 
cognitions  concerning  Him ;  and  at  the  same  time  He 
flows-in  with  His  love  toward  men.  The  man  who  receives 
the  former  only  and  not  the  latter,  receives  that  influx  in 
the  understanding  and  not  in  the  will ;  and  he  remains  in 
cognitions  with  no  interior  acknowledgment  of  God,  and 
his  state  is  like  that  of  a  garden  in  winter.  But  the  man 
who  receives  both  the  former  and  the  latter,  receives  the 


No.  458.]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


635 


influx  in  the  will,  and  from  the  will  in  the  understanding, 
thus  in  the  whole  mind ;  and  he  has  an  interior  acknowl- 
edgment of  God,  which  vivifies  in  him  the  cognitions  con- 
cerning God ;  his  state  is  like  that  of  a  garden  in  the 
spring-time.  Conjunction  is  effected  by  charity  because 
God  loves  every  man;  and  because  He  cannot  do  good  to 
him  immediately,  but  mediately  by  men,  He  therefore  in- 
spires them  with  His  own  love,  as  He  inspires  parents  with 
love  for  their  children ;  and  the  man  who  receives  it  is  con- 
joined with  God,  and  loves  the  neighbor  from  the  love  of 
God  \  with  him  the  love  of  God  is  inwardly  in  the  love  of 
man  toward  the  neighbor,  and  it  produces  in  him  the  will 
and  the  power.  And  as  man  does  nothing  good  without 
the  appearance  to  him  that  the  ability,  the  willing,  and  the 
doing  are  of  himself,  this  therefore  has  been  given  him  ; 
and  when  he  does  good  from  freedom  as  of  himself,  it  is 
imputed  to  him,  and  is  accepted  as  something  reciprocal, 
by  which  conjunction  is  effected.  This  is  like  the  active 
and  the  passive,  and  the  co-operation  of  the  latter,  which  is 
effected  from  the  active  in  the  passive  j  it  is  also  like  will 
in  actions,  and  like  thought  in  speech,  and  the  operation  of 
the  soul  from  the  inmost  into  both ;  it  is  also  like  effort  in 
motion  j  and  also  like  what  is  prolific  in  a  seed,  which  from 
within  acts  in  the  juices  by  which  the  tree  grows  even  to 
fruit,  and  by  fruit  produces  new  seed  j  and  it  is  like  light  in 
precious  stones,  which  is  reflected  according  to  the  texture 
of  the  parts  j  whence  come  various  colors  as  if  they  belonged 
to  the  stones,  whereas  they  are  of  the  light. 

458.  It  is  manifest  from  this  whence  comes  the  conjunc- 
tion of  love  to  God  and  love  toward  the  neighbor,  and  of 
what  quality  it  is,  —  that  there  is  an  influx  of  God's  love 
toward  men,  and  that  the  reception  of  this  by  man  and 
co-operation  in  him  is  love  toward  the  neighbor.  In  brief, 
there  is  conjunction  according  to  this  Word  of  the  Lord : 
At  that  day  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  in  My  Father,  and  ye  in 
Me,  and  I  in  you  (John  xiv.  20).    Also  according  to  this: 


636        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 


He  that  hath  My  commandments  and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that 
loveth  Me,  and  I  will  love  him,  and  will  manifest  Myself  unto 
him;  and  will  ?7iake  an  abode  with  him  (John  xiv.  21-23). 
The  Lord's  commandments  all  relate  to  love  to  the  neigh- 
bor, being  in  the  sum  not  to  do  evil  to  him,  but  to  do  him 
good.  That  they  who  do  so,  love  God,  and  that  God  loves 
them,  is  in  accordance  with  those  words  of  the  Lord.  As 
those  two  loves  are  so  conjoined,  John  says,  He  that  keepeth 
the  commandments  of  Jesus  Christ,  abideth  in  Him,  and  He 
in  him.  Also :  If  a  man  say,  I  love  God,  but  hateth  his 
brother,  he  is  a  liar;  for  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother  whom 
he  seeth,  how  can  he  love  God  Whom  he  hath  not  seen  1  And 
this  commandment  have  we  from  Him,  That  he  who  loveth 
God  loveth  his  brother  also  (1  John  iii.  24;  iv.  20,  21). 

459.  To  this  will  be  added  these  Relations.  First: 
I  saw  at  a  distance  five  gymnasia,  each  encompassed  by  a 
different  light,  the  first  by  a  flame-like  light,  the  second  by 
a  yellow,  the  third  by  a  clear-white  light,  the  fourth  by  a 
light  intermediate  between  that  of  noon  and  evening,  the 
fifth  was  indistinct,  for  it  stood  as  it  were  in  the  evening 
shadow.  And  on  the  roads  I  saw  some  on  horses,  some 
in  carriages,  and  some  walking,  also  some  running  and 
hastening  toward  the  first  gymnasium  which  was  covered 
with  the  flamy  light.  When  I  saw  this  I  was  seized  with  a 
strong  desire  that  impelled  me  to  go  thither  and  hear  what 
was  there  under  discussion  j  I  therefore  quickly  got  ready, 
joined  company  with  those  hastening  to  the  first  gymna- 
sium, and  entered  it  with  them.  And  lo,  there  was  a  large 
assembly,  part  of  which  moved  off  to  the  right  and  a  part 
to  the  left,  to  take  seats  on  benches  near  the  walls.  Before 
me  I  saw  a  low  pulpit  in  which  stood  one  who  filled  the 
office  of  president ;  he  had  a  staff  in  his  hand,  a  cap  on 
his  head,  and  a  robe  tinted  with  the  flamy  light  of  the 
gymnasium.  After  the  people  had  here  assembled,  he 
raised  his  voice  and  said,  "  Brethren,  you  will  to-day  dis- 
cuss the  question,  What  is  charity  1    Each  one  of  you  can 


No.  459.]         CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  637 

know  that  in  its  essence  charity  is  spiritual,  and  in  its 
exercises  natural."  Then  one  from  the  first  bench  on  the 
left,  on  which  sat  those  who  were  reputed  wise,  arose , 
and  beginning  to  speak  he  said,  "  It  is  my  opinion  that 
morality  inspired  by  faith  is  charity."  And  he  confirmed  it 
in  this  way :  "  Who  does  not  know  that  charity  follows 
faith  as  a  maid  in  attendance  follows  the  steps  of  her 
mistress  ?  and  that  the  man  who  has  faith  acts  according 
to  the  law,  and  thus  exercises  charity,  so  spontaneously 
that  he  does  not  know  that  it  is  the  law  and  charity  accord- 
ing to  which  he  is  living ;  for  if  he  were  to  do  so  knowingly, 
and  at  the  same  time  were  to  think  of  being  saved  on  ac- 
count of  so  doing,  he  would  pollute  holy  faith  with  his 
proprium  \ownhood\  and  so  would  impair  its  efficacy.  Is 
not  this  according  to  the  dogma  of  those  with  whom  we 
are  connected  ?  "  (And  he  looked  at  those  who  were 
seated  beside  him,  among  whom  there  were  Canons,  and 
they  expressed  their  assent.)  "  But  what  is  spontaneous 
charity  but  morality,  into  which  every  one  is  initiated  from 
infancy,  which  is  therefore  in  itself  natural,  but  becomes 
spiritual  when  inspired  by  faith  ?  Who  knows  from  the 
moral  life  of  men  which  of  them  have  faith,  or  do  not  have 
it  ?  for  every  one  lives  morally.  But  God  alone  Who  gives 
faith  and  seals  it,  recognizes  and  distinguishes.  I  there- 
fore assert  that  charity  is  morality  inspired  by  faith  J  and 
that  this  morality,  owing  to  the  faith  in  its  bosom,  is  sav- 
ing, while  all  other  morality  brings  no  salvation,  because 
it  is  meritorious.  Thus  all  those  who  commingle  charity 
and  faith,  that  is  to  say,  who  conjoin  them  from  within 
instead  of  adjoining  them  from  without,  lose  their  oil ;  for 
to  commingle  and  conjoin  them  would  be  like  putting  into 
the  carriage  with  a  primate  the  servant  that  stands  behind, 
or  like  introducing  the  porter  into  the  dining  hill  to  sit  at 
table  with  a  nobleman."  After  this  one  rose  up  from  the 
first  bench  on  the  right,  and  spoke  as  follows :  "  My 
opinion  is  that  piety  inspired  by  piteousness  is  charity,  and  I 


638        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII 


confirm  it  by  this,  that  nothing  else  can  propitiate  God 
more  than  piety  out  of  a  humble  heart ;  and  piety  prays 
continually  that  God  may  give  faith  and  charity ;  and  the 
Lord  says,  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you  (Matt.  vii.  7) ; 
and  because  these  both  are  given,  they  both  are  in  it.  I 
say  that  piety  inspired  by  piteousness  is  charity,  as  all 
devout  piety  is  piteous ;  for  piety  moves  man's  heart  so 
that  he  groans,  and  what  is  this  but  piteousness  ?  This 
does  indeed  retire  after  prayer,  but  still  it  comes  back  with 
the  return  of  prayer ;  and  when  it  comes  again  piety  is  in 
it,  and  is  thus  in  charity.  Our  priests  ascribe  all  things 
that  promote  salvation  to  faith,  and  nothing  to  charity. 
What  then  remains  but  piety  praying  piteously  for  both? 
When  I  was  reading  the  Word,  I  was  not  able  to  see  but 
that  faith  and  charity  were  the  two  means  of  salvation  ;  but 
when  I  consulted  the  ministers  of  the  church,  I  heard  that 
faith  was  the  only  means,  and  that  charity  was  nothing. 
And  then  it  seemed  to  me  that  I  was  on  the  sea,  in  a  ship 
that  was  drifting  between  two  rocks ;  and  when  I  feared 
that  it  would  be  broken  to  pieces,  I  betook  myself  to  a 
boat  and  set  sail.  My  boat  is  piety.  And,  moreover,  piety 
is  profitable  for  all  things."  After  him  arose  one  from 
the  second  bench  on  the  right,  and  spoke  as  follows  :  "  It 
is  my  opinion  that  charity  is  to  do  good  to  every  one,  virtuous 
and  vicious  alike;  and  I  confirm  it  in  this  way:  What  is 
charity  but  goodness  of  heart  ?  and  a  good  heart  wishes 
good  to  all,  alike  to  the  virtuous  and  the  vicious.  And  the 
Lord  has  said  that  good  is  to  be  done  even  to  enemies. 
If,  therefore,  you  withhold  charity  from  any  one,  does  not 
charity  on  that  side  become  null,  and  so  like  a  man  who 
has  lost  one  foot,  and  goes  hopping  on  the  other  ?  A  vicious 
man  is  a  man  equally  with  a  virtuous  one ;  and  charity 
regards  a  man  as  a  man ;  if  he  is  vicious,  what  is  that  to 
me  ?  It  is  with  charity  as  with  the  heat  of  the  sun  :  this 
vivifies  beasts,  both  fierce  and  gentle,  wolves  as  well  as 
sheep ;  and  it  causes  trees  to  grow,  both  bad  and  good,  the 


No.  459-1         CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


639 


thorn  as  well  as  the  vine."  Having  said  this,  he  took  in 
his  hand  a  fresh  grape  and  added,  "  It  is  with  charity  as 
with  this  grape ;  if  you  divide  it,  all  that  is  within  runs 
out."  He  divided  it,  and  the  contents  ran  out.  After  this 
address  another  arose  from  the  second  bench  on  the  left, 
and  said  :  "  It  is  my  opinion  that  charity  is  i?i  every  way  to 
serve  oneys  relatives  and  frie?ids,  which  I  confirm  thus  :  Who 
does  not  know  that  charity  begins  with  oneself  ?  for  every 
one  is  neighbor  to  himself.  Wherefore  charity  passes  on 
from  oneself  through  the  grades  of  nearness,  first  to 
brothers  and  sisters,  and  from  them  to  kinsmen  and  con- 
nections ;  and  so  the  progression  of  charity  is  self-limited. 
They  who  are  beyond  its  limits  are  strangers,  and  strangers 
are  not  acknowledged  interiorly ;  thus  they  are  estranged 
from  the  internal  man.  But  nature  joins  those  together 
who  are  related  by  blood  and  birth ;  and  habit,  which  is  a 
second  nature,  conjoins  friends ;  and  so  they  become  the 
neighbor.  Charity  also  unites  another  to  itself  from  within, 
and  so  from  without ;  and  they  who  are  not  united  from 
within  ought  to  be  called  companions  only.  Do  not  all 
birds  recognize  their  own  kindred,  not  by  the  plumage  but 
by  the  sounds  they  make,  and  when  they  are  near  by  the 
sphere  of  life  exhaled  from  their  bodies  ?  This  affection 
of  relationship,  and  conjunction  from  it,  in  the  birds  is 
called  instinct ;  but  there  is  the  same  in  men,  which,  since 
it  is  for  those  of  their  family  and  those  that  are  their  own, 
is  truly  an  instinct  of  human  nature.  What  gives  homo- 
geneity but  blood  ?  This  a  man's  mind  which  is  also  his 
spirit  feels,  and  as  it  were  smells.  In  this  homogeneity 
and  its  sympathy  consists  the  essence  of  charity.  But 
heterogeneity,  on  the  contrary,  from  which  also  comes 
antipathy,  is,  as  it  were,  not  blood,  and  therefore  not  char- 
ity. And  as  habit  is  a  second  nature,  and  this  also  makes 
homogeneity,  it  follows  that  it  is  also  charity  to  do  good 
to  friends.  Any  one  coming  from  the  sea  into  some  port, 
and  finding  himself  in  a  foreign  land,  the  language  and 


64O        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII 


customs  of  whose  inhabitants  he  is  unacquainted  with,  is 
out  of  himself,  as  it  were,  and  feels  none  of  the  enjoyment 
of  love  towards  them.  But  if  he  finds  himself  in  his  own 
native  land,  the  language  and  customs  of  whose  inhab- 
itants he  is  acquainted  with,  he  is  within  himself,  as  it 
wei  2  and  then  feels  enjoyment  from  love,  which  is  also 
the  enjoyment  of  charity."  Then  from  the  third  bench  on 
the  right  another  one  arose,  and  speaking  with  a  loud 
voice  said,  "  It  is  my  opinion  that  charity  is  giving  alms  to 
the  poor,  and  rendering  assistance  to  the  needy.  This  is  cer- 
tainly charity,  for  the  Divine  Word  so  teaches,  and  its 
declaration  admits  no  contradiction.  What  is  the  giving 
to  the  rich  and  to  the  possessors  of  abundance  but  vain- 
glory, in  which  there  is  not  chanty,  but  a  looking  to  a  gift 
in  return  ;  and  in  this  there  can  be  no  genuine  affection  of 
love  toward  the  neighbor,  but  a  spurious  affection,  which 
avails  on  earth  but  not  in  the  heavens.  Therefore  want 
and  indigence  ought  to  be  relieved,  because  into  this  the 
idea  of  repayment  does  not  come.  In  the  city  where  I 
dwelt,  and  where  I  knew  who  were  virtuous  and  who  were 
not,  I  observed  that  all  the  virtuous,  on  seeing  a  poor  per- 
son in  the  street,  would  stop  and  give  alms ;  while  all  the 
vicious,  on  seeing  a  poor  man  at  their  side,  would  pass  him 
by  as  if  they  were  blind  to  the  sight  of  him  and  deaf  to  his 
voice.  And  who  does  not  know  that  the  virtuous  have 
charity  and  that  the  vicious  have  not  ?  He  who  gives  to 
the  poor  and  relieves  the  needy,  is  like  a  shepherd  who 
leads  the  hungry  and  thirsty  sheep  to  pasture  and  to 
water;  while  he  who  gives  only  to  those  who  aie  iich 
and  who  abound  in  wealth,  is  like  one  who  takes  care 
of  those  who  share  the  Divine  power  [deastros],  or  presses 
food  and  drink  on  those  who  are  intoxicated."  After  him 
arose  another  from  the  third  bench  on  the  left,  and  said : 
"  It  is  my  opinion  that  charity  is  to  build  hospitals,  infirm- 
aries, orphans'  homes,  and  asylums,  and  to  support  them  by 
gifts.    I  confirm  it  by  this,  that  such  benefactions  and  such 


No.  459.]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  64 1 

aids  are  public,  and  are  many  leagues  beyond  private  aid ; 
thereby  charity  becomes  richer,  and  replete  with  goods,  the 
goods  being  manifold  in  their  number  j  and  the  reward 
that  is  hoped  for,  from  the  promises  of  the  Word,  becomes 
more  abounding ;  for  as  one  ploughs  the  ground  and  sows, 
so  he  reaps.  Is  not  this  giving  to  the  poor  and  relieving 
the  needy  in  an  eminent  degree  ?  Who  does  not  therefrom 
obtain  glory  from  the  world,  and  at  the  same  times  praises 
in  the  humble  voice  of  gratitude  from  those  whom  he  has 
cherished  ?  Does  not  this  lift  up  the  heart,  and  with  it  the 
affection  that  is  called  charity,  even  to  its  highest  eleva- 
tion ?  The  rich,  who  do  not  walk  the  streets  but  ride, 
cannot  take  notice  of  those  who  sit  at  the  sides  of  the 
streets  by  the  walls  of  the  houses,  and  hand  them  pennies ; 
but  they  make  their  contributions  to  such  things  as  are  of 
service  to  many  at  once.  But  fet  those  do  otherwise  who 
are  less  great  than  they,  and  who  walk  the  streets,  without 
such  stores  of  wealth."  Hearing  this,  another  one  on  the 
same  bench  suddenly  drowned  the  voice  of  the  speaker 
with  his  louder  tones,  and  said  :  "  Let  not  the  rich,  how- 
ever, prefer  the  excellence  and  munificence  of  their  charity 
to  the  pittance  which  one  poor  man  gives  to  another;  for 
we  know  that  every  one  in  what  he  does,  does  what  is 
fitting  to  the  dignity  of  his  personal  position;  a  king, 
a  governor,  a  captain,  and  a  yeoman  of  the  guard,  each 
what  is  worthy  of  his  own  position.  For  charity,  viewed 
in  itself,  is  not  estimated  by  the  excellence  of  the  person 
and  consequently  of  the  gift,  but  by  the  fulness  of  the 
affection  which  makes  it ;  so  that  the  menial  giving  one 
penny  may  give  from  a  larger  charity  than  the  great  man 
who  gives  or  bequeaths  a  treasure ;  which  is  also  accord- 
ing to  these  words :  Jesus  saw  the  rich  men  casting  their 
gifts  into  the  treasury;  He  saw  also  a  certain  poor Widow 
casting  in  thither  two  mites ;  and  He  said,  Of  a  truth  I  say 
unto  you  that  this  poor  widow  hath  cast  in  mote  than  they 
all  (Xuke  xxi.  1-3)."  After  these  arose  one  from  the  fourth 

10* 


642         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  VII. 

bench  on  the  left,  and  said  :  "  It  is  my  opinion  that  charity 
is  to  endow  temples,  and  to  do  good  to  their  ministers ;  which 
I  confirm  by  this,  that  he  who  does  such  things  is  revolv- 
ing in  his  mind  what  is  holy,  and  acts  from  what  is  holy  in 
the  mind,  and  further,  that  this  sanctifies  his  gifts.  Char- 
ity demands  this,  because  it  in  itself  is  holy.  Is  not  all 
worship  in  churches  holy?  For  the  Lord  says,  Where 
two  or  tJwee  are  gathered  together  in  My  name,  there  am 
I  i?i  the  midst  of  them ;  and  the  priests,  His  servants, 
minister  in  the  worship.  I  therefore  conclude  that  the 
gifts  which  are  bestowed  upon  ministers  and  upon  temples 
aie  superior  to  those  dispensed  to  other  people  and  for 
other  purposes.  And  besides,  to  the  minister  is  given  the 
power  to  bless,  whereby  he  also  sanctifies  the  gifts ;  and 
afterward  there  is  nothing  that  expands  and  gladdens  the 
mind  more  than  to  see  one^  gifts  as  so  many  sanctuaries." 
Afterwards  arose  one  from  the  fourth  bench  on  the  right, 
and  spoke  as  follows  :  "  It  is  my  opinion  that  the  old  Chris- 
tian  brotherhood  is  charity ;  and  I  confirm  it  by  this,  that 
every  church  which  worships  the  true  God  begins  from 
charity,  as  did  the  Christian  church  of  old.  Because  char- 
ity unites  minds  and  makes  one  of  many,  those  belonging 
to  it  called  themselves  brethren,  but  brethren  in  Jesus 
Christ  their  God.  But  because  they  were  then  surrounded 
by  the  barbarous  of  the  nations  whom  they  feared,  they 
made  a  community  in  property :  in  which,  being  together 
and  of  one  mind,  they  were  glad  ;  and  in  their  social  gather- 
ings, every  day,  they  discoursed  about  the  Lord  God  their 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and  at  their  dinners  and  suppers  about 
charity :  hence  their  brotherhood.  But  after  their  times, 
when  schisms  began  to  spring  up,  and  at  last  the  abomi- 
nable Arian  heresy,  which  with  many  took  away  the  idea  of 
the  Divinity  of  the  Lord's  Human,  charity  decayed  and 
brotherhood  was  dissolved.  It  is  true  that  all  who  wor- 
ship the  Lord  in  truth,  and  keep  His  precepts,  are  brethren 
(Matt,  xxiii.  8),  but  brethren  in  spirit.    But  as  at  this  day 


No.  459-]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  643 

no  one  is  known  as  to  his  quality  in  the  spirit,  it  is  un- 
necessary for  men  to  call  each  other  brethren.  The  broth- 
erhood of  faith  alone,  and  still  less  that  of  faith  in  any 
other  God  than  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour,  is  not  brother- 
hood, because  charity  which  makes  brotherhood  is  not  in 
it.  I  therefore  conclude  that  the  old  Christian  brotherhood 
was  charity.  But  that  was,  and  is  not ;  yet  I  prophesy  that 
it  is  coming."  When  he  said  this,  a  flamy  light  made  its 
appearance  through  the  window  on  the  east,  and  tinged 
his  cheeks ;  at  the  sight  of  which  the  assembly  were 
amazed.  At  last  there  arose  one  from  the  fifth  bench  on 
the  left,  and  asked  permission  to  add  his  contribution  to 
the  remarks  of  the  last  speaker  \  and  when  leave  was 
given,  he  said,  "  It  is  my  opinion  that  charity  is  to  forgive 
every  o?ie  his  trespasses.  This  opinion  I  have  drawn  from  a 
customary  remark  of  those  who  approach  the  Holy  Supper, 
for  some  then  say  to  their  friends,  Forgive  me  what  I  have 
done  amiss ;  thinking  that  so  they  have  fulfilled  all  the 
duties  of  charity.  But  I  have  thought  within  myself  that 
this  is  but  a  painted  picture  of  charity,  and  not  the  real 
form  of  its  essence ;  for  both  those  who  do  not  forgive,  and 
those  who  do  not  follow  charity  with  any  effort,  say  this ; 
and  such  are  not  among  those  of  the  Prayer  which  the 
Lord  Himself  taught,  Father  forgive  us  our  trespasses  as 
we  forgive  those  who  trespass  agai?ist  us.  For  trespasses 
are  like  ulcers,  within  which,  if  they  are  not  opened  and 
healed,  matter  collects,  which  infects  the  neighboring  parts, 
and  creeping  about  like  a  serpent  turns  the  blood  every- 
where into  matter.  It  is  similar  with  trespasses  against 
the  neighbor  j  unless  they  are  removed  by  repentance,  and 
by  1  life  according  to  the  Lord's  precepts,  they  remain  and 
are  filled  with  food ;  and  those  who  without  repentance, 
merely  pray  to  God  to  forgive  their  sins,  are  like  the  in- 
habitants of  a  city  who,  being  infected  with  contagious 
disease,  go  to  the  chief  magistrate  and  say,  '  Sir,  heal  us.' 
To  whom  the  magistrate  would  say,  1  How  can  I  heal  you  ? 


644        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 


Go  to  a  physician,  find  out  what  medicines  you  need,  get 
them  from  an  apothecary  and  take  them,  and  your  health 
will  be  restored.'  And  the  Lord  will  say  to  those  who 
make  supplication  for  the  forgiveness  of  sins  without  actual 
repentance,  '  Open  the  Word  and  read  that  which  I  have 
spoken  in  Isaiah  :  Ah,  sinful  nation,  lade?i  with  iniquity ; 
wherefore  when  ye  spread  forth  your  hands,  I  hide  Mine  eyes 
fro?n  you  ;  yea,  whe?t  ye  make  many  prayers,  I  do  not  hear. 
Wash  you  ;  put  away  the  evil  of  your  doings  from  before 
Mine  eyes  ;  cease  to  do  evil;  learn  to  do  well ;  and  then  shall 
your  sins  be  removed  and  forgiven  (i.  4,  15-18)."'  After 
all  this  was  finished,  I  extended  my  hand,  and  asked  that 
I  might  be  permitted,  although  a  stranger,  to  present  my 
opinion  also.  The  president  proposed  my  request ;  and 
when  consent  was  given,  I  spoke  as  follows :  "  It  is  my 
opinion  that  charity  is  to  act  from  the  love  of  justice  with 
judgment,  in  every  work  and  office,  but  from  love  from  no 
other  source  than  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour.  All  that  I 
have  heard  from  those  sitting  upon  the  benches,  both  on 
the  right  and  on  the  left,  are  eminent  examples  of  charity ; 
but  as  the  president  of  this  assembly  remarked  at  first, 
charity  is.  spiritual  in  its  origin,  and  natural  as  it  turns  into 
its  channels  (///  sua  derivatione) ;  and  natural  charity,  if  it 
is  inwardly  spiritual,  appears  to  the  angels  transparent  like 
a  diamond ;  but  if  it  is  not  inwardly  spiritual,  and  there- 
fore is  merely  natural,  it  appears  to  the  angels  like  a  pearl 
that  looks  like  the  eye  of  a  cooked  fish.  It  is  not  for  me 
to  say  whether  the  eminent  examples  of  charity  which  you 
have  presented  in  order  are  inspired  by  spiritual  charity 
or  not;  but  it  is  for  me  to  say  here  what  the  spiritual 
must  be,  which  ought  to  be  in  them,  that  they  may  be 
natural  forms  of  spiritual  charity.  The  spiritual  itself, 
belonging  to  them,  is  that  they  be  done  from  the  love  of 
justice,  with  judgment ;  that  is  to  say,  that  in  the  exercises 
of  charity  man  should  see  clearly  whether  he  acts  from 
justice,  and  lie  sees  this  from  judgment.    For  a  man  may 


No.  459-] 


CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


645 


by  deeds  of  beneficence  do  evil ;  and  by  what  seem  like 
evii  deeds  he  may  do  good.  For  example  :  he  who  gives  a 
needy  robber  money  to  buy  himself  a  sword,  does  evil  by 
the  benefaction,  although  the  robber  does  not  say  what  he 
shall  do  when  begging  for  the  money ;  or  if  he  rescues  the 
>bber  from  prison,  and  shows  him  the  way  to  the  forest, 
:*nd  says  within  himself,  'It  is  not  my  fault  that  he  com- 
mits robbery ;  I  have  given  succor  to  the  maaj  Take  also 
as  another  example,  one  who  feeds  an  idler,  and  keeps  him 
from  being  driven  to  labor,  and  says  to  hiim  1  Go  into  a 
chamber  in  my  house,  and  lie  in  bed  j  why  should  you 
weary  yourself  ? '  Such  a  one  favors  laziness.  And  again, 
take  one  who  promotes  relatives  and  friends  with  dishonest 
inclinations,  to  offices  in  which  they  can  plot  many  kinds 
of  mischief.  Who  cannot  see  that  such  works  of  charity 
are  not  from  any  love  of  justice  together  with  judgment  ? 
On  the  other  hand  also,  a  man  by  what  seem  like  evil 
deeds  may  do  good.  To  illustrate,  take  a  judge  who  ac- 
quits a  criminal  because  he  sheds  tears,  and  pours  out 
words  of  piety,  and  prays  that  he  will  forgive  him  because 
he  is  his  neighbor ;  now  the  judge  performs  a  work  of 
charity  when  he  decrees  the  man's  punishment  according 
to  law ;  for  in  this  way  he  guards  against  his  doing  further 
evil  and  being  a  pest  to  society,  which  is  the  neighbor  in  a 
higher  degree,  and  against  the  scandal  of  an  unjust  judg- 
ment. Who  does  not  know  also  that  it  results  in  good  to 
servants  if  they  are  chastised  by  their-  masters,  and  to 
children  when  chastised  by  their  parents,  on  account  of 
wrong-doing?  It  is  similar  with  those  in  hell,  all  of  whom 
have  the  love  of  doing  evil ;  for  they  are  kept  shut  up  in 
prison,  and  are  punished  when  they  do  evil,  which  the 
Lord  permits  for  the  sake  of  amendment.  This  is  so 
because  the  Lord  is  Justice  itself,  and  does  whatever  He 
does  from  Judgment  itself.  From  these  examples  it  may 
be  clearly  seen  whence  it  is,  that,  as  before  stated,  spiritual 
charity  is  carried  into  effect  from  the  love  of  justice,  with 


646        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIL 

judgment,  but  from  love  from  no  other  source  than  the 
Lord  God  the  Saviour.  This  is  because  all  the  good  of 
charity  is  from  the  Lord ;  for  He  says,  He  that  abideth  in 
Me,  and  I  in  him,  the  sa??ie  bringeth  forth  much  fruit ;  for 
without  Me  ye  can  do  nothing  (John  xv.  5) ;  also  that  He 
hath  all  power  i?i  heaven  and  in  earth  (Matt,  xxviii.  18). 
And  all  love  of  justice,  with  judgment,  is  from  no  other 
source  than  the  God  of  heaven,  Who  is  Justice  itself,  and 
from  Whom  man  has  all  his  judgment  (Jer.  xxiii.  5  ;  xxxiii. 
15).  From  which  comes  the  conclusion  that  all  that  has 
been  said  concerning  charity,  from  the  benches  on  the 
right  and  the  left,  as  being  morality  inspired  by  faith, 
piety  inspired  by  piteousness,  as  doing  good  alike  to  the 
virtuous  and  the  vicious,  serving  one's  relatives  and  friends 
in  every  way,  giving  to  the  poor  and  rendering  assistance  to 
the  needy,  building  infirmaries  and  supporting  them  by  gifts, 
endowing  temples  and  doing  good  to  their  ministers,  as  be- 
ing the  old  Christian  brotherhood,  and  as  forgiving  every  one 
his  trespasses  ;  — ■  all  these  are  excellent  examples  of  char- 
ity when  they  are  done  from  the  love  of  justice,  with  judg- 
ment ;  otherwise,  they  are  not  charity,  but  are  merely  like 
brooks  separated  from  their  fountain,  and  like  branches 
torn  from  their  tree ;  because  genuine  charity  is  to  believe 
in  the  Lord,  and  to  act  justly  and  rightly  in  every  work 
and  office.  He,  therefore,  who  from  the  Lord  loves  jus- 
tice, and  practises  it  with  judgment,  is  charity  in  its  image 
and  likeness."  After  these  remarks  there  was  silence,  such 
as  there  is  with  those  who  from  their  internal  man,  but  not 
as  yet  in  the  external,  see  and  acknowledge  that  something 
is  true ;  I  noticed  this  from  their  faces.  But  I  was  then 
suddenly  withdrawn  from  their  sight,  for  from  the  spirit  I 
re-entered  my  material  body ;  for  the  natural  man,  because 
he  is  clothed  with  a  material  body,  does  not  appear  to  any 
spiritual  man,  that  is,  to  a  spirit  or  an  angel,  nor  do  they 
appear  to  him. 

460.  Second  Relation.    Once  when  I  looked  arouinc1 


tfo.  460.]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  647 

m  the  spiritual  world,  I  heard  something  like  the  gnashing 
of  teeth,  and  also  a  kind  of  knocking,  and  mingled  with 
them  something  grating ;  and  I  asked  what  they  were.  The 
angels  who  were  with  me  said,  "  They  are  schools,  which 
are  called  by  us  debating  clubs,  where  disputations  are  car- 
ried on.  Their  disputations  are  heard  thus  at  a  distance, 
but  when  near,  they  are  only  heard  as  .disputations."  I 
drew  near,  and  saw  small  houses  constructed  of  reeds  plas- 
tered together  with  mud.  I  wanted  to  look  in  through  a 
window  (for  there  was  no  admittance  by  the  door,  because 
light  would  thus  flow-in  out  of  heaven  and  cause  confusion), 
but  there  was  no  window.  However,  one  was  made  sud- 
denly just  then  on  the  right  side,  and  then  I  heard  them 
complaining  that  they  were  in  darkness.  But  presently  a 
window  was  made  on  the  left  side,  that  on  the  right  being 
closed  up  ;  and  then  the  darkness  was  gradually  dissipated, 
and  they  seemed  to  themselves  to  be  in  their  proper  [sua] 
light :  and  after  this  it  was  granted  me  to  enter  by  the  door, 
and  to  hear.  There  was  a  table  in  the  midst,  and  benches 
round  about ;  yet  to  me  they  all  seemed  to  be  standing  upon 
the  benches,  and  to  be  disputing  sharply  with  one  another 
about  Faith  and  Charity,  —  on  the  one  part,  that  Faith  was 
the  essential  of  the  church,  on  the  other,  Charity.  They 
who  made  faith  the  essential  said,  "  Do  we  not  act  with 
God  by  faith,  and  by  charity  with  man  ?  Is  not  faith  there- 
fore heavenly,  and  charity  earthly  ?  Are  we  not  saved  by 
heavenly  things,  and  not  by  earthly  things  ?  Again,  can- 
not God  give  faith  out  of  heaven  because  it  is  heavenly  \ 
and  is  not  man  to  gain  charity  for  himself,  because  it  is 
earthly  ?  And  what  a  man  gains  for  himself  is  not  of  the 
church,  and  therefore  does  not  save.  And  so  can  any  cne 
be  justified  before  God  by  the  works  which  are  called  of 
charity?  Believe  us  that  we  are  not  only  justified  but  also 
sanctified  by  faith  alone,  if  the  faith  is  not  defiled  by  the 
things  of  merit  which  are  from  the  works  of  charity."  But 
they  who  made  Charity  the  essential  of  the  church,  sharply 


648        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 


refuted  these  things ;  saying  that  "  Charity  saves,  and  not 
faith.  Does  not  God  hold  all  men  dear,  and  will  good  to 
all  ?  How  can  God  do  this  good,  except  through  men  ? 
Does  God  give  us  only  to  speak  with  men  the  things  of 
faith,  and  does  He  not  give  us  to  do  to  men  the  things  of 
charily  ?  Do  you  not  see  that  you  said  absurdly  of  charity 
that  it  is  earthly  I  Charity  is  heavenly ;  and,  because  you 
do  not  do  the  good  of  charity,  your  faith  is  earthly.  How 
do  you  receive  your  faith,  except  as  a  stock  or  a  stone? 
You  say,  by  the  hearing  of  the  Word.  But  how  can  the 
Word  operate  when  merely  heard  ?  and  how  upon  a  stock  or 
a  stone  ?  You,  perchance,  are  quickened,  yourselves  being 
wholly  unconscious  of  it.  But  what  is  the  quickening,  ex- 
cept that  you  are  able  to  say  that  faith  alone  justifies  and 
saves  ?  Yet  what  faith  is,  and  what  saving  faith,  you  do 
not  know."  But  one  then  arose,  who  was  called  a  Syncre- 
tist  by  the  angel  who  was  speaking  with  me.  He  took  off 
his  square  cap,  and  laid  it  on  the  table ;  but  hastily  put  it 
on  again,  because  he  was  bald.  He  said,  "  Hearken :  you 
all  are  in  error.  It  is  true  that  faith  is  spiritual,  and  charity 
moral ;  but  still  they  are  conjoined  ;  and  they  are  conjoined 
by  the  Word,  and  then  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  by  the  effect 
which  indeed  may  be  called  obedience,  but  in  this  obedi- 
ence man  has  no  part ;  because  when  faith  is  brought  in, 
man  knows  no  more  than  a  statue.  I  have  long  meditated 
upon  these  things,  and  I  have  at  length  found  that  a  man 
may  receive  from  God  a  faith  which  is  spiritual,  but  that  he 
cannot  be  moved  by  God  to  a  charity  which  is  spiritual  any 
more  than  a  stock."  At  these  remarks  they  who  were  in 
faith  alone  applauded,  but  they  who  were  in  charity  hissed. 
And  from  their  indignation  these  latter  said,  "Listen,  friend : 
you  do  not  know  that  there  is  a  moral  life  which  is  spiritual, 
and  that  there  is  a  moral  life  merely  natural,  —  a  moral  life 
which  is  spiritual  with  those  who  do  good  from  God  and 
still  as  of  themselves,  and  a  moral  life  merely  natural  with 
those  who  do  good  from  hell  and  still  as  of  themselves." 


No.  461.]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  649 


It  was  said  that  the  disputation  was  heard  as  the  gnash- 
ing of  teeth,  and  as  a  knocking,  with  which  was  intermingled 
something  grating.  The  disputation  that  sounded  like  the 
gnashing  of  teeth  was  from  those  who  made  faith  the  one 
only  essential  of  the  church  j  the  knocking  was  from  those 
who  made  charity  the  one  only  essential  of  the  church ; 
and  the  grating  intermixed  was  from  the  Syncretist.  Their 
tones  sounded  so  at  a  distance,  because  they  were  all  given 
to  disputation  in  the  world,  and  did  not  shun  any  evil,  and 
therefore  did  no  good  that  was  from  a  spiritual  source. 
And  they  were  wholly  ignorant,  also,  that  the  all  of  faith  is 
truth,  and  the  all  of  charity,  good ;  and  that  truth  without 
good  is  not  truth  in  spirit,  and  that  good  without  truth  is 
not  good  in  spirit ;  and  that  so  the  one  makes  the  other. 

461.  Third  Relation.  I  was  once  carried  away  in 
spirit  to  the  southern  quarter  of  the  spiritual  world,  and 
into  a  certain  paradise  there ;  and  I  saw  that  this  paradise 
excelled  all  that  I  had  before  surveyed.  This  was  because 
a  garden  signifies  intelligence,  and  all  who  are  mighty  in 
intelligence  beyond  others  are  conveyed  to  the  south.  The 
garden  of  Eden  in  which  was  Adam  with  his  wife,  signifies 
only  this ;  that  they  were  expelled  from  it  therefore  signi- 
fies that  they  were  driven  from  intelligence,  and  thus  from 
integrity  of  life  also.  While  I  was  walking  in  this  southern 
paradise,  I  saw  some  persons  sitting  under  a  laurel,  eat- 
ing figs.  I  went  to  them  and  asked  them  for  some 
figs,  which  they  gave  me  ;  and  lo,  in  my  hand  the  figs  be- 
came grapes !  As  I  marvelled  at  this,  an  angelic  spirit 
who  stood  near  me  said,  "  The  figs  became  grapes  in  your 
hand,  for  figs  from  correspondence  signify  the  goods  of 
charity  and  hence  of  faith  in  the  natural  or  external  man, 
while  grapes  signify  the  goods  of  charity  r.nd  hence  of  faith 
in  the  spiritual  or  internal  man  ;  and  because  you  love 
spiritual  things,  this  has  happened  to  you.  For  in  our 
world  all  things  come  to  pass,  and  exist,  and  are  changed 
also,  according  to  correspondences."   Then  instantly  there 


6$0        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 

came  over  me  the  desire  to  know  how  man  can  do  good 
from  God,  and  yet  altogether  as  from  himself.  I  therefore 
asked  those  who  were  eating  figs  how  they  comprehended 
this.  They  said  that  they  could  comprehend  it  only  in 
this  way,  that  God  works  this  inwardly  in  man  and  through 
him  when  man  does  not  know  it  j  since  if  man  were  con- 
scious of  it,  and  so  should  do,  he  would  do  only  apparent 
good  which  inwardly  is  evil.  "  For  all  that  proceeds  from 
man  proceeds  from  his  proprium  \ownhood\  and  this  by 
birth  is  evil ;  then  how  can  good  from  God  and  evil  from 
man  be  conjoined  and  so  go  forth  conjointly  into  act  ? 
And  man's  proprium  in  matters  pertaining  to  salvation  is 
continually  thinking  about  merit ;  and  so  far  as  it  does  this, 
it  derogates  from  the  Lord  His  merit,  which  is  the  height 
of  injustice  and  impiety.  In  a  word,  if  the  good  which  God 
works  in  man  were  to  flow  into  man's  willing  and  thence 
into  his  doing,  the  good  would  assuredly  be  defiled  and 
also  profaned,  which,  however,  God  in  no  wise  permits. 
Man  can  indeed  think  that  the  good  which  he  does  is  from 
God,  and  may  call  it  God's  through  him,  but  still  we  do  not 
comprehend  that  it  is  so."  But  I  then  opened  my  mind 
and  said :  "  You  do  not  comprehend,  because  you  think 
from  the  appearance ;  and  thought  from  confirmed  appear- 
ance is  fallacy.  To  you  there  is  appearance,  and  fallacy 
from  it,  because  you  believe  that  all  things  which  a  man 
wills  and  thinks,  and  which  he  thence  does  and  says,  are 
in  himself  and  consequently  from  himself,  when  yet  there 
is  nothing  of  them  in  him  except  the  state  for  receiving 
what  flows  in.  Man  is  not  life  in  himself,  but  an  organ 
receptive  of  life.  The  Lord  is  Life  in  Himself,  as  He  also 
says  in  John  :  As  the  Father  hath  life  in  Himself,  so  hath  He 
given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  Himself  (v.  26  ;  besides  other 
passages,  as  John  xi.  25  ;  xiv.  6,  19).  There  are  two  things 
which  make  life,  namely,  Love  and  Wisdom  ;  or  what  is  the 
same,  the  Good  of  love  and  the  Truth  of  wisdom.  These 
flow-in  from  God,  and  are  received  by  man  as  if  they  were 


No.  461.]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


65 I 


his ;  and  because  they  are  felt  thus,  they  also  proceed  from 
man  as  his.  That  they  are  thus  felt  by  man,  is  of  the  Lord's 
giving,  that  that  which  flows -in  may  affect  man,  and  so  be 
received  and  remain.  But  as  all  evil  flows-in  also,  not  from 
God  but  from  hell,  and  as  this  is  received  with  enjoyment 
because  man  has  been  born  such  an  organ,  therefore  good 
is  received  from  God  only  in  proportion  as  evil  is  removed 
by  man  as  by  himself,  which  is  done  by  repentance  and  at 
the  same  time  by  faith  in  the  Lord.  That  love  and  wisdom, 
charity  and  faith,  or,  speaking  more  generally,  the  good  of 
love  and  of  charity  and  the  truth  of  wisdom  and  of  faith, 
flow-in,  and  that  the  things  which  flow-in  appear  in  man 
altogether  as  his,  and  therefore  proceed  from  him  as  his,  is 
very  evident  from  sight,  hearing,  smell,  taste,  and  touch  j 
all  things  which  are  felt  in  the  organs  of  those  senses  flow- 
in  from  without,  and  are  felt  in  them.  It  is  the  same  in 
the  organs  of  the  internal  senses,  with  the  sole  difference 
that  spiritual  things  which  are  not  apparent  flow  into  these, 
but  natural  things  which  are  apparent  flow  into  the  former. 
In  a  word,  man  is  an  organ  receptive  of  life  from  God  ;  con- 
sequently he  is  a  recipient  of  good  so  far  as  he  desists  from 
evil.  The  power  to  desist  from  evil  the  Lord  gives  to  every 
man,  because  He  gives  him  to  will  and  to  understand ;  and 
whatever  man  does  from  the  will  according  to  the  under- 
standing, or,  what  is  the  same  thing,  from  freedom  of  will 
according  to  the  reason  of  the  understanding,  is  permanent ; 
through  it  the  Lord  induces  on  man  a  state  of  conjunction 
with  Himself,  and  in  this  state  He  reforms,  regenerates,  and 
saves  him.  The  life  which  flows-in  is  life  proceeding  from 
the  Lord,  which  life  is  also  called  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  in 
the  Word  the  Holy  Spirit,  of  which  also  it  is  said  that  it 
enlightens  and  vivifies  man,  and  even  that  it  operates  in 
him.  Jint  this  life  is  varied  and  modified  according  to  the 
organization  induced  by  love.  You  may  also  know  that  all 
the  good  of  love  and  charity  and  all  the  truth  of  wisdom 
and  faith  flow-in,  and  are  not  in  the  man,  from  this,  —  that 


6$2        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 

whoever  thinks  that  there  is  any  such  thing  in  man  from 
creation,  cannot  but  think  at  last  that  God  infused  Himself 
into  man,  and  so  that  men  were  partly  gods ;  and  yet  they 
who  think  so  from  faith,  become  devils,  and  to  us  smell  like 
corpses.  Moreover  what  is  man's  action  but  the  mind  act- 
ing? For  what  the  mind  wills  and  thinks,  this  it  does  and 
says  by  its  organ  the  body ;  wherefore,  when  the  mind  is 
led  by  the  Lord,  action  and  speech  are  also  led  by  Him ; 
and  these  are  led  by  Him  when  man  believes  in  Him.  If 
this  were  not  so,  tell,  if  you  can,  why  the  Lord  in  thousands 
of  places  in  His  Word  has  commanded  that  a  man  must 
love  his  neighbor,  work  out  the  goods  of  charity,  bear  fruit 
like  a  tree,  and  do  His  commandments,  and  all  this  that  he 
may  be  saved ;  also  why  He  said  that  man  would  be  judged 
according  to  his  deeds  or  works,  he  who  does  goods  to 
heaven  and  life,  and  he  who  does  evils  to  hell  and  death. 
How  could  the  Lord  say  such  things  if  every  thing  that  pro- 
ceeds from  man  were  meritorious  and  thence  evil  ?  You 
may  know  therefore  that  if  the  mind  is  charity,  the  action 
is  charity  also ;  but  if  the  mind  is  faith  alone,  which  is  also 
faith  separated  from  spiritual  charity,  the  action  also  is  that 
faith."  Hearing  this,  they  who  sat  under  the  laurel  said, 
"We  comprehend  that  you  have  spoken  justly;  but  still 
we  do  not  comprehend."  I  answered  them,  "  That  I  have 
spoken  justly,  you  comprehend  from  the  general  perception 
which  a  man  has  from  the  influx  of  light  from  heaven  wlfen 
he  hears  any  truth ;  but  you  do  not  comprehend  from  your 
own  perception,  which  is  what  a  man  has  from  the  influx  of 
light  from  the  world.  These  two  perceptions,  namely,  the 
internal  and  the  external,  or  the  spiritual  and  the  natural, 
make  one  with  the  wise.  You  also  can  make  them  one,  if 
you  look  to  the  Lord  and  remove  evils."  As  they  under- 
stood these  things  also,  I  plucked  some  branchlets  from  a 
vine,  and  handed  them  to  them,  saying,  "  Do  you  believe 
that  this  is  of  me  or  of  the  Lord  ?  "  And  they  said  that  it 
was  from  me  but  of  the  Lord.    And  lo,  those  branchlets 


No.  462.]         CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


653 


put  forth  grapes  in  their  hands  !  But  as  I  withdrew,  I  saw 
a  cedar  table,  upon  which  was  a  book,  under  a  green  olive- 
tree  whose  trunk  was  entwined  with  a  vine.  I  looked,  and 
behold,  it  was  a  book  written  by  me,  called  "  Arcana  Coe- 
lestia."  And  I  said  that  it  was  fully  shown  in  that  book 
that  man  is  an  organ  recipient  of  life,  and  that  he  is  no*" 
life ;  also  that  life  cannot  be  created,  and  so  created  be  in 
man,  any  more  than  light  [can  be  created  and  be]  in  the 
eye. 

462.  Fourth  Relation.  I  looked  forth  to  the  sea- 
shore in  the  spiritual  world,  and  saw  a  magnificent  dock. 
I  drew  near,  and  looked  into  it,  and  behold  there  were 
vessels  there  large  and  small,  and  merchandise  in  them  of 
every  kind  ;  and  sitting  on  the  benches  were  boys  and 
girls,  distributing  it  to  those  who  wished.  And  they  said, 
"  We  are  waiting  to  see  our  beautiful  tortoises  which  veiy 
soon  will  rise  up  out  of  the  sea  to  us."  And  behold,  I  saw 
tortoises  great  and  small,  on  the  shells  and  scales  of  which 
young  tortoises  were  sitting,  looking  toward  the  islands 
around.  The  father  tortoises  had  two  heads ;  a  large  one 
covered  over  with  a  shell  similar  to  the  shell  of  their  body, 
whence  they  had  a  reddish  glow  \  and  a  small  one,  such  as 
tortoises  have,  which  they  were  able  to  draw  back  into  the 
forepart  of  their  bodies,  and  also  to  insert  in  some  unseen 
way  in  the  larger  head.  But  I  kept  my  eyes  on  the  great 
reddish  head,  and  I  saw  that  it  had  a  face  like  a  man's, 
and  talked  with  the  boys  and  girls  on  the  seats,  and  licked 
their  hands.  And  the  boys  and  girls  then  patted  them, 
and  gave  them  food  and  dainties,  and  also  costly  things, 
as  pure  silk  for  garments,  thyine  wood  for  tablets,  purple 
for  decorations,  and  scarlet  for  paints.  Seeing  these  tilings, 
I  desired  to  know  what  they  represented,  as  I  knew  that 
all  the  things  that  appear  in  the  spiritual  world  are  corre- 
spondences, and  represent  the  spiritual  things  which  are  of 
affection  and  thence  of  thought.  And  they  then  spoke 
with  me  out  of  heaven  and  said,  "  You  know  yourself  what 


654        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 

the  dock  represents,  also  what  the  vessels,  and  the  boys 
and  girls  that  are  on  them.  But  you  do  not  know  what  the 
tortoises  represent."  And  they  said,  "  The  tortoises  repre- 
sent those  of  the  clergy  there  who  altogether  separate  faith 
from  charity  and  its  good  works,  affirming  in  themselves 
that  there  is  evidently  no  conjunction  between  them,  but 
that  the  Holy  Spirit,  through  faith  in  God  the  Father  for 
the  sake  of  the  Son's  merit,  enters  into  man,  and  purifies 
his  interiors  even  to  his  own  will,  out  of  which  they  make  a 
sort  of  oval  plane ;  and  they  say  that  when  the  operation 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  approaches  this  plane,  it  turns  itself 
around  it,  on  the  left  of  it,  and  does  not  touch  it  at  all ; 
and  thus  that  the  interior  or  higher  part  of  a  man's  nature 
is  for  God,  and  the  exterior  or  lower  is  for  man ;  and 
that  so  nothing  which  the  man  does,  whether  good  or 
evil,  appears  before  God  :  not  the  good,  because  this  is 
meritorious ;  and  not  the  evil,  because  this  is  evil ;  since  if 
they  were  to  appear  before  God,  the  man  would  perish  by 
either  of  them.  And  this  being  so,  they  say  that  man  is  at 
liberty  to  will,  think,  speak,  and  do  whatever  he  pleases, 
provided  he  is  careful  before  the  world."  I  inquired 
whether  they  also  assert  that  it  is  allowable  to  think  of 
God  as  not  omnipotent  and  omniscient.  It  was  answered 
from  heaven  [that  they  say]  that  this  also  is  allowable  for 
them ;  because  God,  in  him  who  has  obtained  faith  and 
has  been  purified  and  justified  through  it,  does  not  look  at 
any  thing  of  his  thought  and  will ;  and  that  he  still  retains 
in  the  inner  bosom  or  higher  region  of  his  mind  or  nature, 
the  faith  which  he  had  received  in  its  act,  it  being  some- 
times possible  for  the  act  of  faith  to  return,  man  knowing 
nothing  of  it.  "  These  are  the  things  represented  by  the 
small  head,  which  they  draw  into  the  forepart  of  the  body, 
and  also  insert  in  the  great  head  when  they  talk  with  the 
laity.  For  they  do  not  speak  with  them  from  the  small 
head,  but  the  large  one,  which  in  front  appears  as  if  pro- 
vided with  a  human  face ;  and  they  speak  with  them  from 


\To.  462.] 


CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


655 


the  Word,  concerning  love,  charity,  good  works,  the 'pre- 
cepts of  the  decalogue,  repentance ;  and  they  select  from 
the  Word  almost  all  the  things  that  are  there  on  these 
subjects.  But  they  then  insert  the  small  head  into  the 
large  one,  and  from  it  they  understand  inwardly  in  them- 
selves that  all  those  things  are  not  to  be  done  for  the  sake 
of  God  and  of  salvation,  but  only  for  the  sake  of  public 
and  private  good.  But  as  they  speak  concerning  these 
things  from  the  Word,  especially  concerning  the  Gospel, 
the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  salvation,  in  a  pleas- 
ing and  elegant  manner,  they  therefore  appear  before  their 
hearers  as  handsome  men,  and  the  wisest  in  all  the  world. 
And  you  saw  that  costly  and  precious  things  were  there- 
fore given  them  by  the  boys  and  girls  that  sat  upon  the 
benches  in  the  vessels.  These,  therefore,  are  they  whom 
you  saw  represented  as  tortoises.  In  your  world  they  are 
little  distinguished  from  others,  —  only  by  this,  that  they 
believe  themselves  to  be  wiser  than  all,  and  laugh  at  others, 
even  at  those  who  are  in  similar  doctrine  as  to  faith  but 
who  are  not  in  those  secrets.  They  carry  with  them  on 
their  clothing  a  certain  little  mark  by  which  they  make 
themselves  to  be  recognized  by  others."  He  who  was 
talking  to  me  said,  "  I  shall  not  tell  you  what  their  senti- 
ments are  respecting  other  matters  of  faith,  such  as  elec- 
tion, free  will,  baptism,  the  Holy  Supper,  which  are  such 
that  they  do  not  divulge  them  ;  but  we  in  heaven  know. 
But  as  they  are  such  in  the  world,  and  as  one  is  not  at 
liberty  after  death  to  speak  otherwise  than  as  he  thinks, 
therefore  because  they  cannot  then  do  otherwise  than 
speak  from  the  insanity  of  their  thoughts,  they  are  re- 
garded as  insane,  and  are  cast  out  of  the  societies,  and  are 
at  length  let  down  into  the  pit  of  the  abyss  spoken  of  in 
the  Apocalypse  (ix.  2),  and  become  corporeal  spirits,  and 
appear  like  the  mummies  of  the  Egyptians.  For  a  callous- 
ness is  induced  on  the  interiors  of  their  minds,  because  in 
the  world  also  they  interposed  a  barrier.    The  infernal 


656       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGI  N.    [Chap.  VII 

society  made  up  of  them  borders  on  the  infernal  society 
from  the  Machiavelians,  and  they  pass  everywhere  from 
one  to  the  other,  and  call  themselves  companions ;  but 
chey  go  back,  because  there  is  a  separating  difference  in 
this,  that  there  was  with  them  some  religious  system  con- 
cerning the  act  of  justification  through  faith,  but  none 
among  the  Machiavelians." 

After  I  saw  them  cast  out  of  the  societies,  and  gathered 
together  to  be  cast  down,  I  saw  a  vessel  in  the  air  flying 
with  seven  sails,  and  therein  officers  and  sailors  clothed  in 
purple  dress,  having  magnificent  laurels  upon  their  hats, 
crying,  "  Lo,  we  are  in  heaven ;  we  are  the  purple-robed 
doctors,  and  crowned  above  all,  because  we  are  the  chief 
of  the  wise  from  all  the  clergy  in  Europe."  I  wondered 
what  this  was,  and  was  told  that  these  were  images  of  the 
pride,  and  the  ideal  thoughts  called  fantasies,  from  those 
who  were  before  seen  as  tortoises,  and  now  as  insane  per- 
sons cast  out  of  the  societies  and  gathered  together  into 
one  body  •  and  they  were  standing  together,  in  one  place. 
And  I  was  then  desirous  of  speaking  with  them,  and  I 
came  to  the  place  where  they  were  standing,  and  saluted 
them,  and  said,  "  You  are  they  who  have  separated  men's 
internals  from  their  externals,  and  the  operation  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  as  in  faith  from  its  co-operation  with  man  out- 
side of  faith,  and  so  you  hav.e  separated  God  from  man. 
Have  you  not  thus  removed  not  only  charity  itself  and  its 
works,  from  faith,  like  many  other  doctors  of  the  clergy, 
but  also  faith  itself  as  to  its  manifestation  before  God, 
from  man  ?  But  tell  me,  I  pray,  whether  you  wish  that  I 
should  speak  with  you  on  this  matter  from  reason,  or  from 
the  Sacred  Scripture."  They  said,  "  Speak  first  from  rea- 
son "  And  I  spoke  as  follows :  "  How  can  the  internal 
and  the  external  in  a  man  be  separated  ?  Who  does  not 
see,  or  cannot  see,  from  common  perception  that  all  of 
man's  interiors  go  forth  and  are  continued  into  his  ex- 
teriors, and  even  into  the  outermosts,  in  order  to  work  out 


No.  462.]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS. 


657 


their  effects  and  accomplish  their  works?  Are  not  inter- 
nals for  the  sake  of  externals,  that  they  may  terminate  in 
them,  and  subsist  in  them,  and  so  exist,  hardly  otherwise 
than  as  a  column  does  upon  its  base  ?  You  can  see  that 
if  there  were  not  a  continuation,  and  so  conjunction,  the 
outermosts  would  be  dissolved,  and  would  pass  away  like 
bubbles  in  the  air.  Who  can  deny  that  the  interior  opera- 
tions of  God  with  man  are  myriads  of  myriads,  of  which 
man  knows  nothing  ?  And  what  matters  it  for  him  to  know 
them,  provided  he  knows  the  outermosts,  in  which,  with 
his  thought  and  his  will,  he  is  together  with  God  ?  But 
this  shall  be  illustrated  by  an  example.  Does  a  man  know 
the  interior  operations  of  his  speech  ?  as  how  the  lungs 
draw  in  the  air,  and  with  it  nil  the  vesicles,  the  bronchial 
tubes,  and  the  lobes  ?  how  they  send  out  the  air  into  the 
trachea,  and  there  turn  it  into  sound  ?  how  that  sound  is 
modified  in  the  glottis  with  the  aid  of  the  larynx  ?  and  how 
the  tongue  then  articulates,  and  the  lips  complete  the 
articulation,  so  that  it  may  become  speech  ?  Are  not  all 
those  interior  operations,  of  which  man  knows  nothing,  for 
the  sake  of  the  outermost,  that  man  may  be  able  to  speak  ? 
Remove  or  separate  one  of  those  internals  from  its  con- 
tinuity with  the  outermosts,  and  could  man  speak  any 
more  than  a  stock  ?  Take  another  example :  The  two 
hands  are  the  ultimates  of  man.  Are  there  not  interiors, 
which  are  continued  thither?  They  are  from  the  head 
through  the  neck,  also  through  the  breast,  the  shoulders, 
the  arms,  and  the  forearms ;  and  there  are  the  innumerable 
muscular  textures,  the  unnumbered  battalions  of  moving 
fibres,  the  numberless  companies  of  nerves  and  blood- 
vessels, and  the  many  hinge-like  joints  of  the  bones,  to- 
gether with  their  ligaments  and  membranes.  Does  man 
know  any  thing  of  these  ?  And  yet  the  working  of  his 
hands  is  from  them,  one  and  all.  Suppose  that  those  in- 
teriors were  to  turn  back  near  the  elbow,  to  the  left  or  the 
right,  and  did  not  enter  the  hand  by  a  continuous  course, 

VOL.  II.  I  I 


658        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VII. 


would  not  the  hand  decay  from  the  fore-arm,  and  rot  like 
something  torn  off  and  without  life  ?  Indeed,  if  you  are 
willing  to  believe  it,  it  would  be  with  the  hand  as  with  the 
body  if  the  man  were  beheaded.  It  would  be  wholly  like 
this  with  the  human  mind  and  with  its  two  lives,  the  will 
and  the  understanding,  if  the  Divine  operations  which  are 
of  faith  and  charity  were  to  leave  off  in  the  midst  of  the 
way,  and  not  pass  by  a  continual  course  even  to  man. 
Clearly  man  would  then  be  not  merely  a  brute,  but  a  rot- 
ten stick.  All  this  is  according  to  reason.  Now  if  you 
are  willing  to  hear  it,  the  same  things  are  also  according 
to  the  Sacred  Scripture.  Does  not  the  Lord  say,  Abide  in 
Me,  and  I  i?i  you  ;  I  am  the  Vine,  ye  are  the  branches.  He 
that  abideth  in  Me  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth 
much  fruit  ?  (John  xv.  4,  5.)  Are  not  fruits  the  good  works 
which  the  Lord  does  by  the  man,  and  which  the  man  does 
out  of  himself  from  the  Lord  ?  The  Lord  also  says  that 
He  stands  at  the  door  and  knocks,  a?id  that  He  enters  to  him 
that  opens,  and  sups  with  him,  and  he  with  Him  (Apoc.  iii. 
20).  Does  not  the  Lord  give  the  pounds  and  the  talents,  that 
man  may  trade  with  them,  and  get  gain  ;  and  as  he  gains,  give 
him  eternal  life?  (Matt.  xxv.  14-34 ;  Luke  xix.  13-26.)  Does 
He  not  say  also  that  He  gives  reward  to  every  o?ie  according  to 
his  labor  in  His  vineyard?  (Matt.  xx.  1-17.)  These  are  but 
a  few  passages,  however ;  pages  might  be  filled  from  the 
Word  concerning  this,  that  man  ought  to  bear  fruit  as  a 
tree,  to  do  according  to  the  commandments,  to  love  God 
and  the  neighbor,  and  so  forth.  But  I  know  that  your  own 
intelligence  cannot  have  [this  truth],  such  as  it  is  in  itself, 
in  common  with  what  is  from  the  Word ;  for  although  you 
say  such  things,  still  your  ideas  pervert  them.  And  you 
cannot  do  otherwise,  because  you  remove  from  man  all  the 
things  of  God  as  regards  communication  and  thence  con- 
junction ;  what  then  remains,  except  all  the  things  of  wor- 
ship too  ?  "  They  were  afterwards  seen  by  me  in  the  ligfc 
of  heaven,  which  discloses  and  makes  manifest  what  IL 


No.  462.]        CHARITY  AND  GOOD  WORKS.  659 


quality  of  each  one  is ;  and  then  they  were  not  seen  as 
before  in  a  ship  in  the  air  as  it  were  in  heaven,  and  clothed 
therein  in  purple,  their  heads  crowned  with  laurel ;  but  in 
a  sandy  place,  in  garments  of  rags,  and  girt  about  the  loins 
with  network  (as  it  were  with  fishers'  nets),  through  which 
their  nakedness  appeared.  And  they  were  then  sent  down 
into  the  society  bordering  on  the  Machiavelians. 


THE 

TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


CHAPTER  EIGHTH. 

CONCERNING  FREE  WILL. 

463.  Before  coming  girded  to  the  work  of  delivering  the 
doctrinal  of  the  New  Church  concerning  Free  Will,  it  is 
necessary  to  premise  what  the  present  church  gives  forth 
on  that  subject  in  its  dogmatic  works  j  for  if  this  is  not 
done,  a  man  who  has  sound  sense  and  religion  may  believe 
that  it  is  not  worth  the  labor  to  write  any  thing  new  about 
it.  For  he  would  say  to  himself,  "  Who  does  not  know 
that  man  has  free  will  in  spiritual  things  ?  Otherwise,  why 
should  priests  preach  for  men  to  believe  in  God,  to  turn 
themselves  to  live  according  to  the  precepts  in  the  Word, 
to  fight  against  the  lusts  of  their  flesh,  and  to  make  them- 
selves new  creatures  ? "  and  so  on.  So  that  he  cannot  but 
think  within  himself  that  all  this  would  be  but  empty  words 
if  there  were  no  free  will  in  matters  of  salvation,  and  that 
to  deny  it  would  be  madness,  because  contrary  to  common 
sense.  But  yet  that  the  present  church  goes  the  other  vray, 
and  banishes  it  from  its  temples,  may  be  seen  from  the 
book  called  the  "Formula  Concordia?,"  which  the  Evangel- 
ical swear  to,  from  the  things  therein  which  now  follow. 
That  there  is  similar  doctrine  and  hence  faith  respecting 
free  will,  with  the  Reformed,  thus  the  same  throughout  the 
whole  Christian  world,  and  so  in  Germany,  Sweden,  Den- 
mark, England,  and  Holland,  is  evident  from  their  dogmatic 


662      THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII. 


books.  The  extracts  that  follow,  then,  are  from  the  "  For- 
mula Concordise,"  the  Leipsic  edition  of  1756. 

464.  I.  "  The  doctors  of  the  Augsburg  Confession  assert, 
that  owing  to  the  fall  of  our  first  parents,  man  is  so  thor- 
oughly corrupt  that  in  spiritual  matters,  which  regard  our 
conversion  and  salvation,  he  is  blind  by  nature,  that  he 
neither  understands  nor  can  understand  the  Word  of  God 
when  preached,  but  esteems  it  as  a  foolish  thing,  and  never 
of  himself  draws  nigh  unto  God ;  but  rather  is  an  enemy  of 
God,  and  so  remains  until  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
through  the  Word  preached  and  heard,  out  of  pure  grace, 
without  any  co-operation  of  his  own,  he  is  converted,  gifted 
with  faith,  regenerated,  and  renewed"  (page  656). 

II.  "We  believe  that  in  spiritual  and  Divine  things,  the 
understanding,  heart,  and  will  of  the  man  who  has  not  been 
born  again,  are  wholly  unable,  by  his  own  natural  powers, 
to  understand,  believe,  embrace,  think,  will,  begin,  finish, 
act,  operate,  and  co-operate ;  but  as  to  good,  man  is  alto- 
gether corrupt  and  dead,  so  that  in  his  nature  since  the 
fall,  before  regeneration,  there  has  remained  not  even  a 
spark  of  spiritual  power  by  which  he  could  prepare  himself 
for  the  grace  of  God,  or  grasp  it  when  offered,  or  adapt 
himself  to  it,  and  by  himself  be  capable  of  holding  it ;  nor 
can  he  by  his  own  powers  contribute  any  thing  to  his  own 
conversion,  —  not  all,  nor  half,  nor  the  smallest  part,  —  nor 
act,  operate,  or  co-operate  from  himself,  or  as  if  from  him- 
self ;  but  he  is  the  servant  of  sin  and  the  slave  of  Satan, 
by  whom  he  is  moved.  So,  consequently,  his  natural  free 
will,  by  reason  of  his  powers  corrupted  and  his  nature  de- 
praved, is  active  and  effective  only  for  those  things  which 
are  displeasing  to  God  and  are  opposed  to  Him  "  (page 
6S6). 

III.  "In  civil  and  natural  affairs  man  is  industrious  and 
ingenious,  but  in  things  spiritual  and  Divine,  which  regard 
the  soul's  salvation,  he  is  like  a  stock,  or  a  stone,  or  the 
pillar  of  salt  into  which  Lot's  wife  was  turned,  which  have 


No.  464  ] 


FREE  WILL. 


663 


not  the  use  of  eyes  or  mouth  or  any  of  the  senses  "  (page 
661). 

IV.  "  Man,  however,  has  a  power  of  locomotion  which 
he  can  exercise  over  his  external  members,  he  can  hear  the 
Gospel,  and  in  some  measure  can  meditate  thereon  ;  but  yet 
in  his  secret  thoughts  he  despises  it  as  a  foolish  thing,  nor 
can  he  believe  ;  and  in  this  respect  he  is  worse  than  a  stock, 
unless  the  Holy  Spirit  is  efficacious  in  him,  enkindling  and 
operating  in  him  faith  and  other  virtues  approved  of  God, 
and  also  obedience  "  (page  662). 

V.  "  In  a  certain  sense  it  may  be  said  that  a  man  is  not 
a  stone  or  a  stock.  A  stone  and  a  stock  do  not  resist  and 
they  do  not  understand  or  feel  what  is  done  with  them,  as 
man  by  his  will  resists  God  until  he  has  been  converted  to 
Him  ;  it  still  is  true  that  before  conversion  man  is  a  rational 
creature  having  understanding,  but  not  in  Divine  things,  and 
a  will,  but  not  such  as  to  will  any  saving  good :  still,  how- 
ever, he  cannot  contribute  any  thing  to  his  conversion,  and 
in  this  respect  he  is  worse  than  a  stock  or  a  stone  "  (pages 
672,  673). 

VI.  "  The  whole  of  conversion  is  the  operation,  gift,  and 
work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  alone,  Who  effects  and  operates  it 
with  His  own  virtue  and  power,  through  the  Word,  in  the 
understanding,  heart  and  will  of  man  as  in  a  passive  sub- 
ject; where  the  man  does  not  act,  but  is  passive  only. 
Nevertheless  that  this  does  not  take  place  in  the  manner 
in  which  a  statue  is  formed  from  stone,  or  in  which  a  seal 
is  impressed  upon  wax,  for  the  wax  has  neither  knowledge 
nor  will  "  (page  6S1). 

VII.  "According  to  the  sayings  of  some  of  the  fathers 
and  of  doctors  of  later  days,  '  God  draws  only  the  willing} 
and  so  in  conversion  man's  will  does  something ;  but  these 
are  not  like  sound  words,  for  they  confirm  a  false  opinion 
concerning  the  powers  of  human  will  in  conversion  "  (page 

582). 

VJII.  In  the  external  matters  of  the  world,  which  are 


664       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII 


subject  to  reason,  there  is  still  left  to  man  some  portion 
of  understanding,  powers,  and  faculties ;  although  these 
wretched  remnants  are  exceedingly  feeble;  and  insignifi- 
cant as  they  are,  even  these  are  so  poisoned  and  contami- 
nated by  hereditary  disease  that  in  the  sight  of  God  they 
are  worthless  "  (page  641). 

IX.  "  In  conversion,  whereby  from  being  a  child  of  wrath 
he  becomes  a  child  of  grace,  man  does  not  co-operate  with 
the  Holy  Spirit,  since  man's  conversion  is  the  work  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  solely  and  exclusively"  (pages  219,  579  and 
following,  663  and  following;  Appendix,  p.  143).  "Never- 
theless the  man  who  is  born  anew,  through  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  can  co-operate,  although  much  infirmity 
still  accompanies  this  co-operation ;  and  he  works  well  so 
far  and  so  long  as  he  is  led,  ruled,  and  guided  by  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  but  yet  he  does  not  work  together  with  the  Holy 
Spirit  as  two  horses  together  draw  a  carriage"  (page  674). 

X.  "  Original  sin  is  not  some  wrong  which  is  perpetrated 
in  act,  but  it  is  inmostly  inherent,  fixed  in  man's  nature, 
substance,  and  essence ;  it  is  the  fountain  of  all  actual  sins, 
such  as  depraved  thoughts,  conversation,  and  evil  works  " 
(page  577).  "This  hereditary  disease,  by  which  the  whole 
nature  has  been  corrupted,  is  a  horrible  sin,  and  is  indeed 
the  beginning  and  head  of  all  sins,  from  which  as  a  root 
and  a  fountain  all  transgressions  proceed  "  (page  640). 

"  By  this  sin,  as  if  by  a  spiritual  leprosy,  even  throughout 
the  inmost  organism  and  the  heart's  deepest  recesses,  all  of 
man's  nature  is  in  the  sight  of  God  infected  and  corrupted; 
and  on  account  of  this  corruption  man's  person  is  by  God's 
law  accused  and  condemned  ;  so  that  we  are  by  nature  chil- 
dren of  wrath,  slaves  of  death  and  damnation,  unless  by 
the  benefit  of  Christ's  merit  we  are  delivered  and  preserved 
from  these  evils  "  (page  639).  "  Hence  there  is  a  total 
want  or  deprivation  of  the  original  righteousness  created 
with  man  in  Paradise,  or  of  the  image  of  God,  and  hence 
is  the  impotence,  inaptitude,  and  stupidity,  by  which  man 


No.  466.] 


FREE  WILL. 


has  been  wholly  unfitted  for  all  Divine  or  spiritual  things. 
In  the  place  of  the  lost  image  of  Gocl  in  man,  there  is  an 
inmost,  most  wicked,  deepest,  inscrutable,  and  inexpressible 
corruption  of  his  whole  nature,  and  of  all  his  powers, — 
especially  of  the  higher  and  chief  faculties  of  the  soul,  —  in 
mind,  understanding,  heart,  and  will "  (page  640). 

465.  These  are  the  precepts,  dogmas,  and  decrees  of  the 
present  church  respecting  man's  free  will  in  spiritual  and 
in  natural  things,  as  also  respecting  original  sin.  They 
have  been  presented  to  the  end  that  the  precepts,  dogmas, 
and  decrees  of  the  New  Church  on  these  subjects  may  be 
seen  more  clearly ;  for  from  the  two  formulas  so  placed 
side  by  side,  the  truth  appears  in  the  light :  as  is  done  in 
pictures,  in  which  an  ugly  face  is  placed  beside  a  handsome 
one ;  both  being  seen  at  once,  the  beauty  of  the  one  and 
the  ugliness  of  the  other  stand  out  clearly  before  the  eye. 
The  decrees  of  the  New  Church  are  these  which  follow. 

I.  That  two  Trees  were  placed  in  the  Garden  of 
Eden,  one  of  Life,  and  the  other  of  the  Knowl- 
edge of  Good  and  Evil,  signifies  that  Free  Will 
in  spiritual  things  was  given  to  Man. 

466.  It  has  been  believed  by  many  that  by  Adam  and 
Eve,  in  the  book  of  Moses,  are  not  meant  the  first  created 
human  beings,  and  in  proof  they  have  brought  forward 
arguments  respecting  Pre-adamites  drawn  from  the  compu- 
tations and  chronologies  in  some  Gentile  lands ;  and  also 
from  the  saying  of  Cain,  Adam's  first-born,  to  Jehovah  : 
/  shall  be  a  fugitive  and  a  vagabond  in  the  earth,  and  it 
shall  come  to  pass  that  every  one  that  findeth  me  shall  slay 
7)ic.  Therefor*  Jehovah  set  a  mark  upon  Cain,  lest  any 
finding  him  should  kill  him  (Gen.  iv.  14,  15)  ;  and  he  after- 
ward 7ve?it  out  from  the  face  of  Jehovah,  and  dwelt  in  the 
land  of  Nod,  and  he  buildcd  a  city  (iv.  16,  17).  From  this 
they  argue  that  the  earth  was  inhabited  before  the  time  of 

11* 


666      THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII 


Adam.  But  that  Adam  and  his  wife  mean  the  most  an- 
cient church  on  this  planet  has  been  demonstrated  by 
many  things  in  the  "  Arcana  Ccelestia  "  published  by  me 
at  London ;  and  in  the  same  work  it  is  also  shown  that 
the  garden  of  Eden  means  the  wisdom  of  the  men  of  that 
church ;  the  tree  of  life,  the  Lord  in  man  and  man  in  the 
Lord  ;  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  man  not 
in  the  Lord  but  in  his  proprium,  as  he  is  who  believes  that 
he  does  all  things,  even  good,  from  himself ;  and  that  eat- 
ing from  that  tree  means  the  appropriation  of  evil. 

467.  By  the  garden  of  Eden  in  the  Word  is  not  meant 
any  garden,  but  intelligence  j  and  by  tree  is  not  meant 
any  tree,  but  man.  That  the  garden  of  Eden  signifies 
intelligence  and  wisdom,  may  be  evident  from  the  following 
passages :  In  thine  intelligence  and  thy  wisdom  thou  hadst 
gotten  thee  riches ;  also  (which  follows  in  the  same  chapter), 
Full  of  wisdom,  thou  hast  been  in  Eden,  the  garden  of 
God  ;  every  precious  stone  was  thy  covering  (Ez.  xxviii.  4, 
12,  13).  These  things  are  said  of  the  prince  and  the  king 
of  Tyre,  of  whom  wisdom  is  predicated,  because  Tyre  in 
the  Word  signifies  the  church  as  to  cognitions  of  truth  and 
good,  by  which  is  wisdom  ;  the  precious  stones  which  were 
his  covering,  also  signify  cognitions  of  truth  and  good  ;  for 
the  prince  and  the  king  of  Tyre  were  not  in  the  garden 
of  Eden.  And  in  another  passage  in  Ezekiel :  Ashur  is  a 
cedar  in  Lebanon ;  the  cedars  in  the  garden  of  God  did 
not  hide  it;  nor  was  any  tree  in  the  garden  of  God 
equal  to  it  in  beauty;  all  the  trees  of  Eden  in  the  gar- 
den of  God  emulated  it  (xxxi.  3,  8,  9).  And  again :  To 
whom  art  thou  thus  become  like  in  glory  and  in  greatness 
among  the  trees  of  Eden  ?  (verse  18.)  This  is  said  con- 
cerning Ashur,  because  by  Ashur  in  the  Word  is  signified 
rationality  and  intelligence  therefrom.  In  Isaiah  :  Jeho- 
vah shall  comfort  Zion ;  He  will  turn  her  desert  into  Eden, 
and  her  wilderfiess  into  the  garden  of  Jehovah  (li.  3). 
Here  Zion  is  the  church,  while  Eden  and  the  garden  of 


No.  468.] 


FREE  WILL. 


667 


Jehovah  are  wisdom  and  intelligence.  In  the  Apocalypse : 
To  hi?n  that  ovc?'cometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life, 
which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God  (ii.  7).  In 
the  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and  on  either  side  of  the  river, 
there  will  be  the  tree  of  life  (xxii.  2).  From  these  pas- 
sages it  is  clearly  manifest  that  the  garden  of  Eden,  in 
which  Adam  is  said  to  have  been  placed,  means  intelli- 
gence and  wisdom,  because  similar  things  are  said  respect- 
ing Tyre,  Ashur,  and  Zion.  Also,  by  a  garden  is  signified 
intelligence' elsewhere  in  the  Word,  as  in  Isaiah  (lviii.  11  j 
lxi.  11),  Jeremiah  (xxxi.  12),  Amos  (ix.  14),  and  Numbers 
(xxiv.  6).  This  spiritual  meaning  of  garden  has  its  cause 
from  representations  in  the  spiritual  world ;  paradises  ap- 
pear there,  where  the  angels  are  in  intelligence  and  wis- 
dom j  the  intelligence  and  wisdom  themselves  which  they 
have  from  the  Lord,  present  such  things  around  them ; 
and  this  comes  from  correspondence,  for  all  things  existing 
in  the  spiritual  world  are  correspondences. 

468.  That  a  tree  signifies  man,  is  evident  from  the  fol- 
lowing passages  in  the  Word  :  All  the  trees  of  the  field  shall 
know  that  I,  Jehovah,  will  humble  the  high  tree,  will  exalt 
the  low  tree,  a?id  will  dry  up  the  green  tree,  and  will  make 
the  dry  tree  to  flourish  (Ez.  xvii.  24).  Blessed  is  the  man 
whose  delight  is  in  the  law  ;  he  shall  be  like  a  tree  planted 
by  the  rivers  of  waters,  that  bringetli  forth  his  fruit  in  his 
season  (Ps.  i.  1-3  ;  Jer.  xvii.  8).  Praise  Jehovah,  ye  fruit- 
ful trees  (Ps.  cxlviii.  9).  27ie  trees  of  Jehovah  are  full  (Ps. 
civ.  16).  77ie  axe  lieth  at  the  root  of  the  tree;  every  tree 
that  bearcth  not  good  fruit  shall  be  cut  down  (Matt.  iii.  10; 
vii.  16-21).  Either  make  the  tree  good  and  its  fruit  good,  or 
make  the  tree  corrupt  [and  its  fruit  corrupt}  ;  for  the  tree  is 
known  by  its  fruit  (Matt.  xii.  33  ;  Luke  vL  43,  44).  /  will 
kindle  a  fire,  whicli  shall  devour  every  green  tree  and  every 
dry  tree  (Ez.  xx.  47).  Because  a  tree  signifies  man,  it  was 
a  statute  that  the  fruit  of  a  tree  serviceable  for  food  in  the 
'and  of  Canaan  should  be  counted  as  uncircmncised  [for 


668       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIIL 


three  years]  (Lev.  xix.  23).  Because  an  olive-tree  signifies 
the  man  of  the  heavenly  [celestial"]  church,  it  is  said  of  the 
two  witnesses  who  prophesied  that  they  were  two  olive- 
trees,  standing  before  the  Lord*  of  the  whole  ea?ih  (Apoc.  xi. 
4;  so  too,  Zech.  iv.  3,  11-14).  And  in  David:  /  ain  a 
green  olive-tree  in  the  house  of  God  (Ps.  lii.  8).  And  in 
Jeremiah:  Jehovah  called  thy  name  a  green  olive-tree,  fair, 
with  fruit  (xi.  16)  ;  besides  other  passages,  not  here  pre- 
sented because  of  their  great  number. 

469.  At  this  day  any  one  who  is  interiorly  wise  may 
perceive  or  divine  that  what  is  written  of  Adam  and  his 
wife  involves  spiritual  things,  with  which  no  one  has  here- 
tofore been  acquainted  because  the  spiritual  sense  of  the 
Word  has  not  been  unfolded  until  now.  Who  cannot  see, 
without  close  examination,  that  Jehovah  had  not  placed 
two  trees  in  the  garden,  and  one  of  them  for  a  stumbling- 
block,  but  for  the  sake  of  some  spiritual  representation  ? 
And  that  they  were  cursed  because  they  both  ate  of  any  tree, 
and  that  the  curse  clings  to  every  man  coming  after  them, 
and  thus  that  the  whole  human  race  was  damned  for  the  fault 
of  one  man,  in  which  there  was  no  evil  of  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh,  and  no  iniquity  of  heart, —  does  this  square  with  Divine 
justice?  And,  first  of  all,  why  did  not  Jehovah  withhold 
him  from  eating  ?  as  He  was  present  and  saw  it.  And  why 
did  He  not  cast  the  serpent  down  into  the  lower  woi  Id 
(Orcus),  before  he  persuaded  them  ?  But,  my  friend,  God 
did  not  do  this,  because  He  would  thus  have  deprived  man 
of  free  will,  from  which,  nevertheless,  man  is  man,  and  not 
a  beast.  When  this  is  known,  it  is  very  evident  that  by 
those  two  trees,  one  for  life  and  the  other  for  death,  was 
represented  man's  free  will  in  spiritual  things.  Moreover 
hereditary  evil  is  not  from  that,  but  from  parents,  by  whom 
is  transmitted  to  their  children  an  inclination  towards  the 
evil  in  which  they  themselves  have  been.  That  this  is  so, 
is  seen  clearly  by  any  one  who  carefully  studies  the  man- 

*  The  Apocalynse  here  has  Cod.    Zechariah  has  f.oi  d. 


No.  470.] 


FREE  WILL. 


669 


ners,  dispositions  [animus],  and  faces  of  the  children,  yes, 
of  families,  from  a  common  father.  But  yet  it  depends  on 
each  one  of  a  family  to  choose  whether  he  will  accede  to 
[the  hereditary  inclination]  or  recede  from  it;  for  every 
one  is  left  to  his  own  free  will.  But  the  special  significa- 
tion of  the  tree  of  life,  and  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  cf 
good  and  evil,  was  fully  explained  in  a  Relation  above 
(n.  48),  which  may  be  seen. 

II.  Man  is  not  Life,  but  is  a  Receptacle  of  Life  from 

God. 

470.  It  is  commonly  believed  that  life  is  in  man,  his 
own, — so  that  he  is  not  merely  a  receptacle  of  life,  but 
is  also  Life.  That  this*  is  the  common  belief,  is  from  the 
appearance  j  for  man  lives,  that  is,  feels,  thinks,  speaks, 
and  acts,  altogether  as  from  himself.  Wherefore  the  state- 
ment that  man  is  a  receptacle  of  life,  and  is  not  life,  cannot 
but  seem  as  something  unheard  of,  or  as  a  paradox,  being 
opposed  to  sensual  thought  because  contrary  to  the  ap- 
pearance. The  cause  of  this  fallacious  belief  (that  man  is 
also  life,  consequently  that  life  was  created  in  man  and  for 
him,  and  afterward  generated  in  him  by  an  offshoot),  I 
have  deduced  from  appearance ;  but  the  cause  of  fallacy 
from  appearance  is,  that  most  men  are  at  the  present  day 
natural,  and  but  few  spiritual,  and  the  natural  man  judges 
from  appearances  and  the  fallacies  therefrom,  which  are 
diametrically  opposed  to  this  truth,  that  man  is  merely  a 
receptacle  of  life, — not  life.  That  man  is  not  life,  but  a 
receptacle  of  life  from  God,  is  evident  from  these  obvious 
proofs,  that  all  created  things  are  in  themselves  finite,  and 
that  man  because  he  is  finite  could  not  have  been  created 
except  from  finite  things.  Wherefore  it  is  said  in  the  book 
of  Creation,  that  Adam  was  made  from  the  earth  and  its 
dust,  from  which  he  was  also  named,  for  Adam  signifies 
the  earth's  soil  ;   and  every  man  actually  consists  only  of 


670       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII. 

such  things  as  are  in  the  earth,  and  from  the  earth  in  the 
atmospheres.  Those  things  which  are  in  the  atmospheres 
from  the  earth,  man  absorbs  by  the  lungs  and  by  the  pores 
of  the  whole  body,  and  the  grosser  constituents  he  absorbs 
by  means  of  food  made  up  of  earthy  substances.  But  as 
regards  man's  spirit,  that  also  is  created  from  finite  things. 
What  is  man's  spirit  but  a  receptacle  of  the  life  of  the 
mind  ?  The  finite  things  of  which  it  is,  are  spiritual  sub- 
stances, which  are  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  also  are 
orought  together  into  our  earth  and  stored  therein.  Un- 
less they  were  there  together  with  material  things,  no  seed 
could  be  impregnated  from,  the  inmosts,  and  then  in  a 
wonderful  manner  grow  up,  with  no  departure  from  the 
right  way,  from  the  first  shoot  even  to  fruit  and  to  new 
seed ;  nor  could  any  worms  be  procreated  from  the  effluvia 
from  the  earth  and  the  exhalations  from  vegetable  matter, 
with  which  the  atmospheres  are  impregnated.  Who  with 
reason  can  think  that  the  Infinite  can  create  any  thing  but 
what  is'finite?  and  that  man,  being  finite,  is  any  thing  but 
a  form  which  the  Infinite  can  vivify  from  the  life  in  itself  ? 
And  this  is  meant  by  these  words  :  Jehovah  God  formed 
man,  the  dust  of  the  earth,  and  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the 
breath  of  lives  (Gen.  ii.  7).  God,  because  He  is  infinite, 
is  Life  in  Himself  j  this  He  cannot  create,  and  so  tran- 
scribe into  man,  for  that  would  be  to  make  him  God.  [To 
hold]  that  this  was  done,  was  the  madness  of  the  serpent 
or  the  devil,  and  from  him  of  Eve  and  of  Adam ;  for  the 
serpent  said,  In  the  day  ye  eat  thereof,  your  eyes  shall  be 
opened,  and  ye  shall  be  as  God  (Gen.  iii.  5).  That  this  dire 
persuasion  that  God  transfused  and  transcribed  Himself 
into  man,  was  held  by  the  men  of  the  most  ancient  church 
at  its  end,  when  it  was  consummated,  I  have  heard  from 
their  own  mouth  ;  and  they,  on  account  of  that  horrible 
belief  that  so  they  were  gods,  lie  deeply  hidden  in  a  cavern, 
near  to  which  no  one  can  approach  without  being  seized 
by  an  inward  dizziness  that  causes  him  to  fall.    That  by 


No.  472-J 


FREE  WILL. 


67I 


Adam  and  his  wife  is  meant  and  described  the  most  an- 
cient church,  was  made  known  in  the  preceding  article. 

471.  Who  that  is  able  to  think  from  reason  raised  above 
the  sensuals  of  the  body,  cannot  see  that  life  is  not  creat- 
able  ?  For  what  is  Life  but  the  inmost  activity  of  the  Love 
and  Wisdom  which  are  in  God  and  are  God,  which  Life 
may  also  be  called  living  Force  itself  ?  He  who  sees  this 
can  also  see  that  this  life  cannot  be  transcribed  into  any 
man,  except  together  with  love  and  wisdom.  Who  denies, 
or  who  can  deny,  that  all  the  good  of  love  and  all  the  truth 
of  wisdom  are  solely  from  God  ?  and  that  so  far  as  a  man 
receives  them  from  God  he  lives  from  God,  and  is  said  to 
be  born  of  God,  that  is  regenerated?  And  on  the  other 
hand,  that  so  far  as  any  one  does  not  receive  love  and 
wisdom,  or  what  is  the  same,  charity  and  faith,  he  does  not 
receive  life  which  in  itself  is  life,  from  God,  but  from  hell  ? 
and  this  is  no  other  than  inverted  life  which  is  called 
spiritual  death. 

472.  From  the  foregoing  it  may  be  perceived  and  con- 
cluded that  the  things  which  follow  are  not  creatable, 
namely:  1.  The  infinite  is  not  creatable:  2.  Nor  are  love 
and  wisdom:  3.  And  therefore  life  is  not:  4.  Nor  are  heat 
and  light:  5.  Nor  indeed  is  activity  itself,  viewed  in  itself. 
But  it  may  be  perceived  and  concluded  that  organs  recep- 
tive of  these  are  creatable  and  have  been  created.  These 
things  may  be  illustrated  by  the  following  comparisons  : 
Light  is  not  creatable,  but  its  organ,  the  eye  ;  sound,  which 
is  the  activity  of  the  atmosphere,  is  not  creatable,  but  its 
organ,  the  ear ;  neither  is  heat,  which  is  the  primar)  active, 
for  the  reception  of  which  all  things  in  the  three  kingdoms 
of  nature  have  been  created,  which  according  to  reception 
do  not  act  but  are  acted  upon.  It  is  according  to  creation 
that  where  there  are  actives  there  are  also  passives,  and 
that  the  two  join  themselves  together  as  in  one.  If  actives 
were  creatable,  as  passives  are,  there  would  have  been  no 
need  of  the  sun  ami  heat  and  light  from  it,  but  all  created 


672       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  VIII 


things  would  subsist  without  them ;  whereas,  if  they  were 
removed,  the  created  universe  would  lapse  into  chaos. 
The  sun  of  this  world  consists  of  created  substances,  the 
activity  of  which  produces  fire.  These  things  are  presented 
for  the  sake  of  illustration.  It  would  be  the  same  with 
man,  if  spiritual  light  which  in  its  essence  is  wisdom,  and 
spiritual  heat  which  in  its  essence  is  love,  did  not  flow  into 
bim  and  were  not  received  by  him.  The  whole  man  is 
nothing  but  a  form  organized  to  receive  light  and  heat,  as 
well  from  the  natural  world  as  from  the  spiritual,  for  they 
correspond  to  each  other.  If  it  were  denied  that  man  is  a 
form  receptive  of  love  and  wisdom  from  God,  influx  would 
also  be  denied,  and  so  that  all  good  is  from  God  ;  conjunc- 
tion with  God  would  also  be  denied,  and  consequently, 
that  man  can  be  an  abode  and  a  temple  of  God. 

473.  But  that  man  does  not  know  this  from  any  light  of 
reason  is  because  fallacies  from  the  credited  appearances 
to  the  external  senses  of  the  body  cast  a  shade  on  that  light. 
Man  feels  not  otherwise  than  that  he  lives  from  his  life, 
because  an  instrumental  feels  the  principal  as  its  own 
[suits],  and  therefore  cannot  distinguish  between  them ;  for 
the  principal  and  the  instrumental  causes  act  together  as 
one  cause,  according  to  a  proposition  known  in  the  learned 
world.  The  principal  cause  is  life,  and  the  instrumental 
cause  is  man's  mind.  It  seems  as  if  beasts,  too,  possess 
life  created  in  them,  but  this  is  a  similar  fallacy ;  for  they 
are  organs  created  to  receive  light  and  heat  from  the 
natural  world  and  at  the  same  time  from  the  spiritual 
world  ;  for  every  species  is  a  form  of  some  natural  love, 
and  receives  light  and  heat  from  the  spiritual  world  medi- 
ately, through  heaven  and  hell,  the  gentle  ones  through 
heaven,  and  the  fierce  through  hell.  Man  alone  receives 
light  and  heat,  that  is,  wisdom  and  love,  immediately  from 
the  Lord.    This  is  the  difference. 

474.  That  the  Lord  is  Life  in  Himself,  thus  Life  itself, 
He  teaches  in  John  :  The  Word  was  with  God,  and  the 


No.  475  ] 


FREE  WILL. 


673 


Word  was  God ;  in  Him  was  Life,  and  the  Life  was  the 
light  of  men  (i.  1,  4).  Again :  As  the  Father  hath  Life  in 
Himself  so  hath  He  given  to  the  Son  to  have  Life  in  Himself 
(v.  26).  And  again :  /  am  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the 
Life  (xiv.  6).  And  again  :  He  that  followeth  Me  shall  have 
the  light  of  life  (viii.  12). 

III.  As  long  as  a  Man  lives  in  the  World,  he  is  kept 
in  the  middle  between  heaven  and  hell,  and 
there  in  spiritual  equilibrium,  which  is  free 
Will. 

475.  That  it  may  be  known  what  free  will  is,  and  of 
what  quality,  it  is  necessary  to  know  whence  it  is.    From  a 
recognition  of  its  origin,  especially,  it  becomes  well  known 
not  only  that  it  is,  but  also  what  it  is  in  quality.  Its 
origin  is  from  the  spiritual  world,  where  man's  mind  is 
kept  by  the  Lord.    The  mind  of  man  is  his  spirit  which 
lives  after  death  •  and  man's  spirit  is  constantly  in  com- 
pany with  its  like  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  by  means  of 
the  material  body  with  which  it  is  encompassed  it  is  with 
men  in  the  natural  world.    The  reason  why  man  does  not 
know  that  he  is  in  the  midst  of  spirits  as  to  his  mind,  is 
that  the  spirits  with  whom  he  is  in  company  in  the  spiritual 
world  think  and  speak  spiritually ;  but  man's  spirit,  so 
long  as  he  is  in  the  material  body,  thinks  and  speaks 
naturally ;  and  spiritual  thought  and  speech  can  neither  be 
understood  nor  perceived  by  a  natural  man,  nor  the  re- 
verse ;  and  it  is  from  this  that  they  cannot  be  seen.  But 
when  a  man's  spirit  is  in  society  with  spirits  in  their  world, 
he  is  then  also  in  spiritual  thought  and  speech  with  them, 
because  his  mind  is  interiorly  spiritual  but  exteriorly  natural, 
and  he  therefore  communicates  with  spirits  by  his  interiors 
but  with  men  by  his  exteriors.   By  that  communication  mar 
perceives  things,  and  thinks  of  them  analytically  ;  without  it 
he  would  not  think  anymore  or  any  otherwise  than  a  beast 


674      THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII. 


as  he  would  also  die  instantly  if  all  relations  with  spirits  were 
cut  off.  But  to  make  it  comprehensible  how  man  can  be  kept 
in  the  middle  between  heaven  and  hell,  and  thereby  in  spirit- 
ual equilibrium,  from  which  he  has  free  will,  a  few  words 
shall  be  said.  The  spiritual  world  consists  of  heaven  and 
hell ;  heaven  is  over  head,  and  hell  is  there  beneath  the 
feet,  —  not,  however,  in  the  centre  of  the  planet  inhabited 
by  men,  but  under  the  earths  of  the  spiritual  world,  which 
also  are  of  spiritual  origin,  and  therefore  not  in  extension 
but  in  its  appearance.  Between  heaven  and  hell  there  is  a 
great  interspace,  which  to  those  who  are  there  seems  like  a 
complete  orb.  Into  this  interspace,  from  hell  exhales  evil 
in  all  abundance ;  and  from  heaven,  on  the  other  hand, 
good  flows  in  thither,  also  in  all  abundance.  It  was  this 
interspace  of  which  Abraham  said  to  the  rich  man  in  hell, 
Between  us  and  you,  there  is  a  great  gulf  fixed,  so  that  they 
who  would  pass  from  hence  to  you  cannot,  neither  can  they 
pass  to  us  that  would  come  from  thence  (Luke  xvi.  26).  In 
the  midst  of  this  interspace  is  every  man  as  to  his  spirit, 
and  solely  for  this,  that  he  may  be  in  free  will.  This  inter- 
space, because  it  is  so  vast,  and  to  those  who  are  there 
appears  as  a  great  orb,  is  called  the  World  of  Spirits. 
It  is  also  full  of  spirits,  because  every  man  after  death  first 
comes  to  it,  and  is  there  prepared  either  for  heaven  or  for 
hell.  There  he  is  among  spirits,  in  company  with  them,  as 
he  was  among  men  in  the  former  world ;  nor  is  there  a 
purgatory  there  ;  that  is  a  fable  invented  by  the  Roman 
Catholics.  But  that  world  has  been  specially  treated  of  in 
the  Work  on  "  Heaven  and  Hell  "  (published  at  London  in 

1758,  n.  421-535)-  - 

476.  Every  man,  from  infancy  even  to  old  age,  is  chang- 
ing his  locality  or  situation  in  that  world.  While  an  infant, 
he  is  kept  in  the  eastern  quarter,  toward  its  northern  part; 
in  boyhood,  as  he  learns  the  first  lessons  of  religion,  he 
gradually  leaves  the  north  for  the  south  ;  in  adolescence,  as 
he  begins  to  think  from  his  own  mind,  he  is  borne  south- 


No.  477.] 


FREE  WILL. 


675 


ward ;  and  afterward,  when  he  judges  for  himself  and  be- 
comes his  own  master,  according  to  the  increase  in  such 
things  as  interiorly  regard  God  and  love  toward  the  neigh- 
bor, he  is  borne  into  the  south  and  to  the  east.  But  if  he 
favors  evil  and  imbibes  it,  he  keeps  on  toward  the  west. 
For  in  the  spiritual  world  all  have  their  abode  according  to 
the  quarters ;  in  the  East  dwell  those  who  are  in  good  from 
the  Lord,  for  the  Sun  is  there,  in  the  midst  of  which  the 
Lord  is  ;  in  the  North  dwell  those  who  are  in  ignorance  ;  in 
the  South,  those  who  are  in  intelligence ;  and  in  the  West, 
those  who  are  in  evil.  Man  himself  is  not  kept  as  to  the 
body  in  that  interspace  or  middle  region,  but  as  to  the  spirit ; 
and  as  the  spirit  changes  its  state,  by  drawing  near  to  good 
or  to  evil,  so  it  is  transferred  to  localities  or  situations  in 
this  quarter  or  that,  and  there  comes  into  company  with 
those  who  dwell  there.  But  it  is  to  be  known  that  the 
Lord  does  not  transfer  man  hither  or  thither,  but  man 
transfers  himself  in  different  ways.  If  he  chooses  good, 
he  then  together  with  the  Lord,  or  rather  the  Lord  together 
with  him,  transfers  his  spirit  toward  the  east.  But  if  man 
chooses  evil,  he  then  in  unity  with  the  devil,  or  rather  the 
devil  in  unity  with  him,  transfers  his  spirit  toward  the  west. 
It  is  to  be  observed  that  where  it  is  here  said  heaven,  the 
Lord  also  is  meant,  because  the  Lord  is  the  All  in  all  of 
heaven  ;  and  where  it  is  said  the  devil,  hell  is  meant,  be- 
cause all  who  are  there  are  devils. 

477.  Man  is  kept  in  this  great  interspace,  and  there  con- 
tinually in  the  midst  of  it,  solely  for  this,  that  he  may  be  in 
free  will  in  spiritual  things;  for  this  equilibrium  is  a  spirit- 
ual equilibrium,  because  it  is  between  heaven  and  hell,  thus 
between  good  and  evil.  All  who  are  in  that  great  inter- 
space are,  as  to  their  interiors,  conjoined  either  with  angels 
of  heaven  or  devils  of  hell,  but  at  this  day  either  with  the 
angels  of  Michael  or  with  the  angels  of  the  dragon.  After 
death  every  man  betakes  himself  to  his  own  in  that  inter- 
•pacc,  and  associates  himself  with  those  who  are  in  similar 


676       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII 

love ;  for  love  there  conjoins  eveiy  one  with  his  like,  causes 
him  freely  to  breathe  the  breath  of  his  life  {id  libere  respirct 
am'mam)  and  to  be  in  the  state  of  his  previous  life.  But 
the  externals  that  do  not  make  one  with  internals  are  then 
successively  put  off ;  which  being  done,  the  good  man  is 
raised  into  heaven,  and  the  wicked  man  betakes  himself 
to  hell,  each  to  those  with  whom  he  makes  one  as  to  the 
reigning  love. 

478.  But  this  spiritual  equilibrium,  which  is  free  will, 
may  be  illustrated  by  examples  of  natural  equilibrium.  It 
is  like  the  equilibrium  of  a  man  bound  about  the  body  or  at 
the  arms,  between  two  men  of  equal  strength,  one  of  whom 
draws  the  man  who  is  between  them  to  the  right,  and  the 
other  to  the  left :  then  the  man  in  the  middle  can  freely 
turn  this  way  or  that,  as  if  not  acted  upon  by  any  force ; 
and  if  he  turns  toward  the  right,  he  draws  the  one  on  his 
left  forcibly  toward  him,  even  so  that  the  man  falls  to  the 
ground.  It  would  be  the  same  if  any  man,  however  peace- 
able, were  bound  between  three  men  on  his  right  and  the 
same  number  on  his  left,  of  equal  power ;  it  would  be  the 
same  if  he  were  bound  between  camels  or  horses.  Spirit- 
ual equilibrium,  which  is  free  will,  may  be  compared  to  a 
balance,  in  each  scale  of  which  are  placed  equal  weights  ; 
if  but  a  little  be  added  to  the  scale  of  one  side,  the  tongue 
at  the  axis  above  begins  to  vibrate.  It  is  similar  with  a 
lever,  or  with  a  great  beam  on  its  supporting  roller.  The 
things  which  are  within  man  are  one  and  all  in  such  equilib- 
rium, —  as  the  heart,  the  lungs,  the  stomach,  the  liver,  the 
pancreas,  the  spleen,  the  intestines,  and  all  others ;  hence 
it  is  that  each  one  can  discharge  its  functions  in  perfect 
quiet.  So  with  all  the  muscles :  without  such  an  equilib- 
rium with  them,  all  action  and  reaction  would  cease,  and 
man  would  no  longer  act  as  man.  Since,  therefore,  all 
things  in  the  body  are  in  such  equilibrium,  all  things  in  the 
brain  also  are  so  too,  consequently  all  things  that  are  in 
the  mind  there,  which  have  relation  to  the  will  and  under- 


No.  479.] 


FREE  WILL. 


677 


standing.  Beasts,  birds,  fishes,  and  insects  also  have  free- 
dom, but  they  are  carried  along  by  the  senses  of  their  body, 
appetite  and  pleasure  prompting  them.  Man  would  not 
be  unlike  them  if  he  had  freedom  in  doing,  like  his  free- 
dom in  thinking ;  he  also  would  be  carried  along  only  by 
the  senses  of  the  body,  lust  and  pleasure  prompting  him. 
It  is  otherwise  with  him  who  drinks-in  the  spiritual  things 
of  the  church,  and  curbs  his  free  will  by  their  means.  He 
is  then  led  by  the  Lord  away  from  lusts  and  evil  pleasures 
and  the  connate  avidity  for  them,  and  has  an  affection  for 
good,  and  is  averse  to  evil.  He  is  then  transferred  by  the 
Lord  nearer  to  the  east  and  at  the  same  time  to  the  south 
in  the  spiritual  world,  and  is  intromitted  into  heavenly  free- 
dom, which  is  freedom  indeed. 

IV.  From  the  Permission  of  Evil,  in  which  permis- 
sion EVERY  ONE'S  INTERNAL  MAN  IS,  IT  IS  CLEARLY 
MANIFEST  THAT  MAN  HAS  FREE  WlLL  IN  SPIRITUAL 
THINGS. 

479.  That  man  has  free  will  in  spiritual  things  is  to  be 
confirmed  first  from  things  general  and  afterward  by  par- 
ticulars which  everyone  will  acknowledge  at  the  first  hear- 
ing. The  generals  are  :  1.  That  the  wisest  of  mankind, 
Adam  and  his  wife,  suffered  themselves  to  be  seduced  by 
a  serpent.  2.  And  their  first  son  Cain  killed  his  brother 
Abel,  and  Jehovah  God  did  not  withhold  them,  by  speak- 
ing with  them,  but  only  after  the  deeds  by  cursing  them. 
3.  That  the  Israelitish  nation  worshipped  a  golden  calf 
in  the  desert,  when  yet  Jehovah  saw  this  from  mount 
Sinai  and  did  not  take  precautions  against  it.  4.  That 
David  numbered  the  people,  and  therefore  a  plague  was 
sent  upon  them,  by  which  so  many  thousands  of  men  per- 
ished ;  and  that  God,  not  before  but  after  the  deed,  sent  Gad 
the  prophet  to  him  and  denounced  punishment.  5.  That 
Solomon  was  permitted  to  establish  idolatrous  worship. 


6yS       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  VIII. 

6.  And  many  kings  after  him  were  permitted  to  profane 
the  temple  and  the  holy  things  of  the  church ;  and  finally, 
that  nation  was  permitted  to  crucify  the  Lord.  7.  That 
Mohammed  was  permitted  to  establish  a  religious  system 
in  many  respects  not  conformable  to  the  Sacred  Scripture. 
8.  That  the  Christian  religion  is  divided  into  many  sects, 
and  each  into  heresies.  9.  That  there  are  so  many  impious 
persons  in  Christendom,  and  also  glorying  in  their  impie 
ties,  as  also  plots  and  craft,  even  against  the  pious,  just, 
and  sincere.  10.  That  injustice  sometimes  triumphs  over 
justice  in  the  courts  and  in  business.  11.  That  even  im- 
pious persons  are  exalted  to  honors,  and  become  great  men 
and  leaders.  12.  That  wars  are  permitted,  and  in  them 
the  slaughter  of  so  many  men,  and  the  plundering  of  so 
many  cities,  nations,  and  families.  And  so  on.  Can  any 
one  deduce  such  things  from  any  other  source  than  the 
free  will  with  every  man  ?  The  permission  known  in  all 
the  world,  has  no  other  origin.  That  the  laws  of  permis- 
sion are  also  laws  of  the  Divine  Providence,  may  be  seen 
in  the  work  concerning  the  "  Divine  Providence  "  printed 
at  Amsterdam  in  1764,  n.  234-274,  where  the  things  that 
have  been  introduced  above  are  also  explained. 

480.  The  particulars  which  show  that  there  is  free  will 
in  spiritual  things  as  much  as  in  natural,  are  innumerable. 
Let  any  one  take  counsel  of  himself,  if  he  chooses,  whether 
he  cannot  seventy  times  in  a  day,  or  three  hundred  times 
within  a  week,  think  of  God,  of  the  Lord,  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  of  the  Divine  things  which  are  called  the  spiritual  things 
of  the  church ;  whether  he  has  then  a  sense  of  any  thing  as 
forced,  if  he  is  moved  to  this  from  any  pleasure,  or  indeed 
from  any  lust,  and  this  whether  he  has  faith  or  does  not 
have  it.  Examine  also,  in  whatever  state  you  may  be, 
whether  you  can  think  any  thing  without  free  will,  in  your 
conversation,  in  your  prayers  to  God,  in  preaching,  and 
even  in  listening.  Does  not  free  will  carry  every  point  in 
all  these  ?    Yes,  [see]  that  without  free  will,  and  this  in 


No.  481.] 


FREE  WILL. 


679 


every  particular  and  in  the  most  minute  particulars  sever- 
ally, you  would  no  more  breathe  than  a  statue ;  for  respira- 
tion follows  thought,  and  hence  speech,  in  every  step.  I  say, 
no  more  than  a  statue,  and  [not]  no  more  than  a  beast ;  for  a 
beast  breathes  from  natural  free  will,  but  man  from  free  will 
in  natural  things  and  at  the  same  time  in  spiritual ;  for  man 
is  not  born  like  a  beast ;  a  beast  is  born,  with  all  the  ideas 
that  wait  on  its  natural  love  at  every  step,  —  into  those 
things  that  pertain  to  nutrition  and  proliflcation ;  but  a 
man  is  born  destitute  of  connate  ideas,  and  only  into  the 
faculty  for  knowing,  understanding,  and  being  wise,  and 
into  the  inclination  to  love  himself  and  the  world,  and  also 
the  neighbor  and  God  \  it  is  therefore  said  that  if  he  were 
deprived  of  free  will  in  the  several  things  which  he  wills 
and  thinks,  he  would  no  more  breathe  than  a  statue,  and 
:t  is  not  said  that  he  would  no  more  breathe  than  a  beast. 

481.  That  man  has  free  will  in  natural  things  is  not 
denied  j  but  this  he  has  from  his  free  will  in  spiritua. 
things ;  for  the  Lord  flows-in  with  every  man  from  above 
or  within,  with  Divine  good  and  Divine  truth,  as  before 
shown  j  and  thereby  breathes  into  man  life  distinct  from 
that  of  beasts  j  and  it  is  His  gift  that  man  is  able  and  will- 
ing to  receive  the  Divine  good  and  truth  and  to  act  from 
them,  —  and  this  He  never  takes  away  from  any  one.  Hence 
it  follows  that  it  is  the  Lord's  constant  will  that  man  should 
receive  truth  and  do  good,  and  so  become  spiritual,  for 
which  he  was  born  \  and  to  become  spiritual  without  free 
will  in  spiritual  things  is  as  impossible  as  it  is  to  thrust  a 
camel  through  the  eye  of  a  sewing-needle,  or  to  touch  a 
star  in  the  heavens  with  the  hand.  That  ability  to  under- 
stand truth  and  to  will  it  is  given  to  every  man,  and  to  the 
devils  also,  and  is  in  no  wise  taken  away,  has  been  shown 
me  by  living  experience.  One  of  those  who  were  in  hell 
was  once  brought  up  into  the  world  of  spirits ;  and  being 
there  questioned  by  angels  from  heaven  as  to  whether  he 
could  understand  the  things  which  they  were  speaking  with 


680       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII. 

him  (they  were  Divine  spiritual  things),  he  replied  that  he 
did  understand ;  and  having  been  asked  why  he  did  not 
receive  such  things  he  said  that  he  did  not  love  them,  and 
was  therefore  not  willing.  Again  he  was  told  that  he  could 
wish  to.  He  wondered  at  this,  and  said  that  he  could  not. 
Wherefore  the  angels  inspired  his  understanding  with  the 
glory  of  fame  with  its  pleasantness;  receiving  which,  he 
also  willed  those  things  and  even  loved  them.  But  pres- 
ently he  was  sent  back  into  the  former  state,  in  which  he 
was  a  plunderer,  an  adulterer,  and  an  abuser  of  the  neigh- 
bor ;  and  then  because  he  did  not  will,  he  no  longer  under- 
stood those  things.  From  this  it  is  manifest  that  man  is 
man  from  having  free  will  in  spiritual  things,  and  that  with- 
out it  man  would  be  a  stock,  a  stone,  or  the  statue  Lot's 
wife. 

482.  That  man  would  have  no  free  will  in  civil,  moral, 
and  natural  things,  if  he  had  none  in  spiritual  things,  is 
evident  from  this,  that  spiritual  things,  which  are  called 
theological,  have  their  seat  in  the  highest  region  of  man's 
mind,  like  the  soul  in  the  body.  They  have  their  seat 
there,  because  the  door  is  there  by  which  the  Lord  enters 
to  man.  Beneath  them  are  civil,  moral,  and  natural  things, 
which  in  man  receive  all  their  life  from  the  spiritual  things 
which  are  seated  above  them.  And  since  life  flows-in  from 
the  Lord  from  the  highest  things,  and  man's  life  is  to  be 
able  to  think,  to  will,  and  hence  to  speak  and  to  do,  freely, 
it  follows  that  free  will  in  political  and  natural  things  is 
from  this  and  no  other  origin.  From  this  spiritual  free- 
dom, man  has  a  perception  of  what  is  good  and  true,  just 
and  right,  in  civil  matters,  which  perception  is  under- 
standing itself  in  its  essence.  Man's  free  will  in  spiritual 
things  is  comparatively  like  the  air  in  the  lungs,  which  is 
inhaled,  retained,  and  expelled,  in  accordance  with  all  the 
changes  of  his  thought ;  and  without  it  he  would  be  in  a 
worse  condition  than  one  laboring  under  a  nightmare,  an- 
gina, or  asthma.    And  it  is  like  the  blood  in  the  heart,  at 


No.  483  ] 


FREE  WILL. 


the  first  deficiency  of  which,  the  heart  would  first  palpitate, 
and  then  after  convulsive  action  cease  to  beat  at  all.  It 
also  might  be  likened  to  a  body  in  motion,  which  is  borne 
along  while  there  is  effort  remaining,  and  effort  ar^l  motion 
cease  at  one  and  the  same  time.  So  also  is  it  with  the 
freedom  of  determination  in  which  man's  will  is ;  both 
together,  the  freedom  of  determination  and  the  will,  in 
man  may  be  called  living  effort;  for  when  will  ceases, 
action  ceases,  and  when  freedom  of  determination  ceases, 
will  ceases.  If  man  were  deprived  of  spiritual  freedom,  it 
would  be  comparatively  as  if  the  wheels  were  taken  from 
machinery,  the  fans  from  windmills,  or  the  sails  from  ships. 
Yes,  it  would  be  as  with  one  who  breathes  his  last  in  dying ; 
for  the  life  of  man's  spirit  consists  in  his  free  will  in  spirit- 
ual things.  The  angels  lament  when  they  but  hear  it  said 
that  at  this  day  many  ministers  of  the  church  deny  that 
there  is  this  free  will ;  and  they  call  the  denial  of  it  madness 
on  madness. 

V.  Without  Free  Will  in  spiritual  things,  the  Word 
would  be  of  no  use,  and  consequently  the 
Church  would  be  nothing. 

483.  It  is  well  known  throughout  the  Christian  world 
that  the  Word  is  the  law  in  the  broad  sense,  or  the  book 
of  the  laws  according  to  which  man  is  to  live  that  he  may 
obtain  eternal  life ;  and  what  is  more  frequently  stated 
therein  than  that  man  is  to  do  good  and  not  evil,  and  that 
he  is  to  believe  in  God  and  not  in  idols?  And  it  is  full  of 
commands  and  exhortations  to  those  things,  of  blessings 
and  promises  of  reward  for  those  who  do  them,  and  of 
curses  and  threats  for  those  who  do  them  not.  For  what 
would  all  this  be,  if  man  had  no  free  will  in  spiritual  things, 
that  is,  in  such  things  as  concern  salvation  and  eternal  life  ? 
Would  they  not  be  vain  words,  and  serviceable  for  no  use  ? 
And  if  a  man  were  to  persist  in  the  idea  that  he  has  no 


682      THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII. 


power  and  no  liberty  in  spiritual  things,  and  thus  apart 
from  any  power  of  the  will  in  them,  would  the  Sacred 
Scripture  then  appear  to  him  otherwise  than  as  blank 
paper  without  a  syllable  upon  it,  or  as  paper  on  which  the 
whole  inkstand  has  been  emptied,  or  as  strokes  or  points 
merely,  without  letters,  and  thus  as  an  empty  volume  ? 
There  ought  to  be  no  #need  of  confirming  this  from  the 
Word;  but  as  the  churches  have  at  this  day  made  them- 
selves profound  upon  the  emptiness  of  the  mind  in  spiritual 
things,  and  to  prove  it  have  brought  forward  from  the  Word 
some  passages  to  which  they  have  given  a  false  interpreta- 
tion, it  is  well  to  present  some  that  command  man  to  do 
and  to  believe.  Such  are  the  following :  The  kingdom  of 
God  shall  be  taken  f  rom  you,  and  given  to  a  nation  bringing 
*forth  the  fruits  thereof  (Matt.  xxi.  43).  Bring  forth  there- 
fore fruits  worthy  of  repentance ;  now  also  the  axe  is  laid 
unto  the  root  of  the  tree;  every  tree  therefore  which  bringeth 
not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down,  and  cast  into  the  fire  (Luke 
iii.  8,  9).  Jesus  said,  Why  call  ye  Me  Lord,  Lord,  and  do 
not  the  things  which  L  say  ?  Whosoever  comet h  to  Me,  and 
heareth  My  sayings,  and  docth  them,  is  like  a  man  who  built 
a  house  upon  a  rock  ;  but  he  that  heareth  a?id  doeth  not,  is  like 
a  ?Jian  that  without  a  foundation  built  a  house  upon  the  earth 
(vi.  46-49).  Jesus  said,  My  mother  and  My  brethren  are 
these  7vho  hear  the  Word  of  God  and  do  it  (ym.  21).  We 
know  that  God  heareth  ?iot  sinners,  but  if  any  one  worshippcth 
God,  and  doeth  His  will,  him  He  heareth  (John  ix.  31).  If 
ye  know  these  things,  happy  are  ye  if  ye  do  them  (xiii.  17). 
He  that  hath  My  command?nents  and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is 
that  loveth  Me ;  and  I  will  love  him  (xiv.  21).  He?'ein  is  My 
Father  glorified,  that  ye  bear  much  fruit  (xv.  8).  Ye  are  My 
friends  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command  you.  I  have  chosen 
you,  that  ye  should  bring  forth  fruit  and  that  your  fruit 
should  remain  (xv.  14,  16).  Make  the  tree  good ;  the  tree  is 
known  by  the  fruit  (Matt.  xii.  33).  Bring  forth  fruits  worthy 
of  repentance  (iii.  8).    He  that  received  seed  into  the  good 


No.  484.] 


FREE  WILL. 


683 


ground  is  he  that  heareth  the  Word  and  bea?'eth  fruit  (xiii.  23). 
He  that  reapeth  receiveth  wages,  and  gathereth  fruit  unto  life 
eternal  (John  iv.  36).  Wash  you,  make  you  clean,  put  away 
the  evil  of  your  doings,  learn  to  do  good  (Isa.  i.  16,  17).  The 
Son  of  Man  shall  come  hi  the  glory  of  His  Father,  and  then 
He  shall  reward  every  one  according  to  his  deeds  (Matt.  xvi.  27). 
And  shall  come  forth,  they  that  have  done  good,  unto  the  resur- 
rection of  life  (John  v.  29).  Their  works  do  follow  them 
(Apoc.  xiv.  13).  Behold  I  co?ne  quickly  ;  and  My  reward  is 
zvith  Me,  to  give  to  every  one  according  to  his  work  (Apoc. 
xxii.  12).  Jehovah  Whose  eyes  are  ope?i,  to  give  every  o?ie 
according  to  his  ways  [Jer.  xxxii.  19],  according  to  our  doings 
hath  He  dealt  with  us  (Zech.  i,  6).  The  Lord  also  teaches 
the  same  in  the  parables,  many  of  which  imply  that  they 
who  do  good  are  accepted  and  they  who  do  evil  are  re- 
jected j  as  in  the  parable  of  the  laborers  in  the  vineyard 
(Matt.  xxi.  33-44);  of  the  talents  and  the  pounds  with 
which  they  were  to  trade  (Matt.  xxv.  14-30;  Luke  xix. 
13-25),  So,  too,  of  Faith:  Jesus  said,  Whosoever  believeth 
in  Me  shall  ?iever  die ;  yet  shall  he  live  (John  xi.  25,  26). 
This  is  the  Father's  will,  that  every  one  who  believeth  in  the 
Son  may  have  eternal  life  (vi.  40 ;  also  verse  47).  He  that 
believeth  in  the  Son  hath  eternal  life  ;  but  he  that  believeth  not 
the  Son  shall  not  see  life ;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on 
him  (iii.  36).  God  so  loved  the  world  that  He  gave  His  Only- 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  Him  should  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life  (iii.  15,  16).  And  further:  7'hou  shalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  fro?n  all  thy  heart,  and  in  all  thy  soul, 
and  in  alt  thy  mind ;  and  thou  shalt  love  the  neighbor  as  thy- 
self. On  these  two  commandments  hang  the  Laiu  and  the 
Trophcts  (xxii.  37-40).  But  these  are  only  a  very  few  of 
such  passages  from  the  Word,  and  they  are  like  a  few  cups 
of  water  from  the  sea. 

4S4.  Who  does  not  see  the  emptiness  (I  am  not  willing 
to  say  the  folly)  in  the  passages  quoted  above  (n.  464),  from 
the  ecclesiastical  work  entitled  "  Formula  Concordiae,1'  after 


684      THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII 

reading  them  and  then  reading  passages  from  various  parts 
of  the  Word  ?  Would  he  not  think  to  himself,  If  it  were  as 
is  there  taught,  that  man  has  no  free  will  in  spiritual  things, 
what  would  religion  be,  which  is  to  do  good,  but  an  idle 
word  ?  And  what  is  the  church  without  religion  but  as  the 
bark  about  a  stick  of  wood,  which  is  fit  for  no  other  use 
than  to  be  burned  ?  And  furthermore,  he  would  think,  If 
there  is  no  church,  because  there  is  no  religion,  then  what 
are  heaven  and  hell  but  the  fables  of  the  ministers  and  prel- 
ates of  the  church  to  catch  the  people,  and  elevate  them- 
selves to  higher  honors  ?  Hence  that  detestable  saying,  on 
the  lips  of  many,  Who  can  do  good  of  himself  ?  and,  who 
can  acquire  faith  of  himself  ?  And  so  they  neglect  those 
things,  and  live  like  pagans. 

But,  my  friend,  shun  evil,  and  do  good,  and  believe  in 
the  Lord  from  all  your  heart  and  in  all  your  soul,  and  the 
Lord  will  love  you,  and  will  give  love  to  do  with  and  faith 
to  believe  with ;  and  then  from  love  you  will  do  good,  and 
from  faith,  which  is  trust,  you  will  believe;  and. if  you 
persevere  in  this  way,  there  will  take  place  a  reciprocal 
conjunction,  and  this  perpetual,  which  is  salvation  itself 
and  eternal  life.  If  man,  from  the  strength  given  him, 
were  not  to  do  good,  and  from  his  mind  believe  in  the 
Lord,  what  would  he  be  but  a  wilderness  and  a  desert, 
and  wholly  like  dry  ground  which  receives  no  rain,  but 
repels  it?  or  like  a  sandy  plain  where  there  are  sheep 
without  pasture  ?  And  he  would  be  like  a  dried-up  foun- 
tain, or  like  stagnant  water  therein,  the  course  being  ob- 
structed ;  or  like  one  having  a  mansion  where  there  is 
neither  harvest  nor  water-supply;  where,  unless  he  fled 
from  the  place  immediately,  and  sought  a  habitable  abode 
elsewhere,  he  would  perish  with  hunger  or  thirst. 


No.  4S6.J 


FREE  WILL. 


685 


VI.  Without  Free  Will  in  spiritual  things  there 
would  be  nothing  pertaining  to  man  by  which 
in  his  turn  he  could  conjoin  himself  with  thf 
Lord;  and  consequently  there  would  be  no 
Imputation,  but  mere  Predestination,  which  is 
detestable. 

485.  That  without  free  will  in  spiritual  things  there 
would  be  neither  charity  nor  faith  with  any  man,  still  less 
a  conjunction  of  the  two,  was  fully  shown  in  the  chapter 
on  Faith.  From  this  it  follows  that  without  free  will  in 
spiritual  things  there  would  not  be  any  thing  pertaining  to 
man  by  which  the  Lord  could  conjoin  Himself  with  him  ; 
and  yet,  without  reciprocal  conjunction  there  can  be  no 
reformation  and  regeneration,  and  consequently  no  salva- 
tion. That  without  a  reciprocal  conjunction  of  man  with 
the  Lord  and  of  the  Lord  with  man  there  would  be  no 
imputation,  is  a  consequence  that  cannot  be  gainsaid. 
The  consequences  that  result  from  confirming  the  belief 
that  there  is  no  imputation  of  good  and  evil,  on  the  ground 
that  man  is  without  free  will  in  spiritual  things,  are  numer- 
ous ;  and  those  enormities  are  to  be  laid  open  in  the  last 
part  of  this  work,  where  it  will  treat  of  the  heresies,  para- 
doxes and  contradictions  flowing  from  the  faith  of  the  pres- 
ent day  as  to  the  imputation  of  the  merit  and  righteousness 
of  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour. 

486.  Predestination  is  an  offspring  of  the  faith  of  the 
church  of  the  present  day,  for  it  is  born  from  a  belief  in 
man's  absolute  impotence  and  his  having  no  power  of 
determination  in  spiritual  things,  —  from  believing  this, 
and  also  that  man's  conversion  is  as  a  turning  where  there 
is  no  life,  that  he  is  like  a  stock,  and  that  afterward 
he  has  no  conscious  knowledge  whether  he  is  a  stock  vivi- 
fied by  grace  or  not  j  for  it  is  said  that  election  is  of  the 
mere  grace*  of  God,  4o  the  exclusion  of  man's  action, 
whether  from  the  powers  of  his  nature  or  of  reason  ;  and 


686      THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII. 

that  it  takes  place  where  and  when  God  wills,  thus  from 
His  good  pleasure.  The  works  which  follow  faith  as 
evidences,  to  the  reflective  eye  are  similar  to  the  works 
of  the  flesh,  and  the  Spirit  which  operates  them  does  not 
manifest  their  origin,  but  makes  them  to  be  of  grace  or 
good  pleasure,  like  the  faith  itself.  From  this  it  is  plain 
that  the  dogma  of  the  present  church  respecting  predesti- 
nation, sprang  from  that  faith,  as  a  shoot  from  its  seed ; 
and  I  may  say  that  it  has  flowed  out  of  it  as  an  almost 
inevitable  result ;  this  was  reached  first  among  the  Predes- 
tinarians,  then  by  Godoschalcus,  afterward  by  Calvin  and 
his  followers,  and  was  at  length  firmly  established  by  the 
Synod  of  Dort,  and  carried  forth  therefrom  into  their 
church  as  the  palladium  of  religion,  —  rather  as  the  head 
of  Gorgo  or  Medusa  graven  on  the  shield  of  Pallas,  —  by 
the  Supra-  and  Infra-Lapsarians.  But  what  more  per- 
nicious thing  could  have  been  devised,  or  what  could  have 
been  believed  concerning  God  more  cruel,  than  that  some 
of  the  human  race  have  been  damned  by  predestination  ? 
For  it  would  be  a  cruel  creed,  that  the  Lord,  Who  is  Love 
itself  and  Mercy  itself,  wills  that  a  multitude  of  men 
should  be  born  for  hell,  or  that  myriads  of  myriads  should 
be  born  doomed,  that  is,  born  devils  and  satans  \  and  that 
from  His  Divine  Wisdom,  which  is  infinite,  He  did  not  pro- 
I  vide  and  does  not  provide  that  those  who  live  well  and  ac- 
knowledge God  should  not  be  cast  into  eternal  fire  and 
tormenti  He  is  still  the  Lord,  the  Creator  and  Saviour  of 
all,  and  He  alone  leads  all  and  wills  not  the  death  of  any. 
What,  therefore,  can  be  believed  or  thought  of  that  is 
more  shocking  than  that  whole  nations  and  peoples  should, 
under  His  auspices  and  oversight,  be  handed  over  to  the 
devil,  by  predestination,  to  glut  his  appetite  ?  But  this  is 
an  offspring  of  the  faith  of  the  church  of  the  present  day ; 
but  the  faith  of  the  New  Church  abhors  it  as  a  monster. 

487.  Inasmuch  as  I  thought  that  such  a  crazy  thing 
never  could  have  been  sanctioned  by  any  Christian,  still 


No.  487.  J 


FREE  WILL. 


687 


less  declared  and  publicly  proclaimed  (which  nevertheless 
was  done  by  so  many  chosen  from  among  the  clergy  at 
the  Synod  of  Dort,  in  Holland,  and  it  was  afterward  ele- 
gantly written  out  and  given  to  the  public),  therefore,  to 
prevent  my  doubting  it,  some  of  those  who  took  part  in 
the  decrees  of  that  Synod  were  called  to  me.  When  they 
were  seen  standing  near  me,  I  said,  "  Who  from  any 
sound  reason  can  come  to  the  conclusion  that  there  is 
predestination?  Must  there  not  necessarily  flow  from  it 
cruel  ideas  of  God,  and  shameful  ideas  concerning  religion  ? 
When  one  has  engraved  predestination  on  his  heart  by 
confirmations,  must  he  not  necessarily  think  of  all  things 
that  pertain  to  the  church  as  being  vain  things,  and  so  too 
of  the  W7ord?  Must  he  not  think  of  God  as  a  tyrant,  for 
having  predestined  to  hell  so  many  myriads  of  men  ?  "  At 
these  remarks  they  looked  at  me  with  a  satanic  expression 
of  countenance,  and  said,  "We  were  among  those  chosen 
to  form  the  Synod  of  Dort,  and  we  then  confirmed  our- 
selves, and  have  since  done  so  still  more,  «in  many  things 
concerning  God,  the  Word,  and  Religion,  which  we  have 
not  dared  to  make  public  j  but  when  we  have  spoken  and 
taught  about  it,  we  have  woven  and  twisted  a  web  of 
threads  of  various  colors,  and  over  it  we  have  strewed 
feathers  borrowed  from  the  wings  of  peacocks."  But  as 
they  now  wished  to  do  the  same,  the  angels,  by  power 
given  them  by  the  Lord,  closed  the  externals  of  the  mind, 
and  opened  its  internals  with  them,  and  they  were  com- 
pelled to  speak  from  the  internals.  And  then  they  said, 
"  Our  faith,  which  we  have  formed  from  conclusions  that 
follow  one  from  another,  has  been  and  still  is  this : 
1.  There  is  no  Word  of  Jehovah  God,  but  some  windy 
thing  breathed  forth  from  the  mouth  of  the  prophets. 
This  has  been  our  thought  because  the  Word  predestines 
all  to  heaven,  and  teaches  that  only  man  is  in  fault  if  he 
does  not  walk  in  the  ways  that  lead  to  it.  2.  There  is 
religion,  because  it  is  necessary ;  but  it  is  like  a  strong 


688       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIIL 

wind  that  brings  a  fragrant  odor  for  the  common  herd  ;  it 
ought  therefore  to  be  taught  by  ministers  both  small  and 
great,  and  this  from  the  Word,  because  the  Word  has  been 
received.  This  has  been  our  thought,  because  where  there 
is  predestination,  there  religion  is  nothing.  3.  The  civil 
laws  of  justice  are  religion ;  but  predestination  is  not 
according  to  the  life  from  these  laws,  but  purely  from  the 
good  pleasure  of  God,  as  with  a  being  whose  power  is 
absolute  at  the  mere  sight  of  the  face.  4.  All  things 
taught  by  the  church  are  to  be  exploded  as  vanity  and 
rejected  as  rubbish,  except  that  God  is.  5.  The  spiritual 
things,  which  are  cried  up,  are  no  more  than  the  ethereal 
things  beneath  the  Sun,  which  if  they  penetrate  deeply 
into  a  man  bring  upon  him  vertigo  and  stupor,  and  make 
him  a  hateful  monster  in  the  sight  of  God."  6.  Being 
asked  about  faith,  from  which  they  deduced  predestination, 
as  to  whether  they  believed  it  to  be  spiritual,  they  said 
that  it  was  effected  according  to  predestination  j  but  that 
while  it  is  given,  men  are  like  stocks ;  that  they  are  indeed 
vivified  from  being  such,  but  not  spiritually.  After  these 
horrible  sayings,  they  wished  to  go  away.  But  I  said  to 
them,  "  Stay  a  little  longer,  and  I  will  read  to  you  from 
Isaiah ; "  and  I  read  as  follows :  Rejoice  not  thou,  whole 
Philistia,  because  the  rod  that  smote  thee  is  broken ;  for  out 
of  the  serpent" s  root  hath  gone  forth  a  basilisk,  whose  fruit 
shall  be  a  fiery  flying  serpent  (xiv.  29).  And  I  explained 
it  by  the  spiritual  sense ;  that  Philistia  means  the  church 
separated  from  charity ;  that  the  basilisk  which  has  gone 
forth  out  of  the  serpent's  root,  means  its  doctrine  of  three 
gods,  and  of  imputative  faith  applied  to  each  singly  j  and 
that  its  fruit,  which  is  a  fiery  flying  serpent  means  no  im- 
putation of  good  and  evil,  but  immediate  mercy  whether 
man  has  lived  well  or  ill.  Having  heard  this  they  said, 
"This  may  be  so;  but  from  that  volume  which  you  call 
the  Holy  Word,  select  something  on  predestination." 
And  I  opened  it,  and  in  the  same  prophet  I  met  with  this 


No.  489.] 


FREE  WILL. 


689 


passage  which  was  appropriate  :  They  laid  asp's  eggs,  and 
wove  the  spider's  web  ;  he  that  eateth  of  their  eggs  dieth,  and 
when  one  presseth  it  out,  a  viper  is  hatched  (lix.  5).  When 
they  heard  this  they  did  not  endure  the  explanation  :  but 
some  of  those  who  had  been  called  to  me  (there  were  five) 
hurried  away  into  a  cave,  round  about  which  appeared  a 
dusky  burning ;  a  sign  that  they  had  neither  faith  nor 
charity.  It  is  manifest  from  this  that  the  decree  of  that 
synod  respecting  predestination  is  not  only  an  insane  but 
also  a  cruel  heresy  j  it  is  therefore  to  be  eradicated" from 
the  brain,  so  that  not  even  a  single  stroke  of  it  shall  be  left. 

488.  The  horrible  creed  that  God  predestines  men  to 
hell,  may  be  compared  to  the  horrible  cruelty  of  fathers 
among  certain  barbarous  nations,  who  throw  their  suck- 
lings and  infants  into  the  streets ;  and  to  that  of  some  in 
war,  who  cast  those  who  are  slain  into  the  forests  to  be 
devoured  by  huge  beasts.  It  may  also  be  compared  to  the 
cruelty  of  a  tyrant  who  divides  a  people  subject  to  him  into 
companies,  and  gives  some  of  the  companies  to  the  execu- 
tioner, some  he  casts  into  the  depths  of  the  sea,  and  some 
into  the  fire.  It  may  also  be  compared  to  the  madness  of 
some  wild  beasts  which  devour  their  own  young ;  also  to 
the  mad  fury  of  dogs  which  fly  at  their  own  likenesses  seen 
in  a  mirror. 

VII.  If  there  were  no  Free  Will  in  spiritual  things, 
God  would  be  the  Cause  of  Evil,  and  so  there 

WOULD  BE  NO  IMPUTATION. 

489.  That  God  is  the  cause  of  evil  comes  by  sequence 
from  the  faith  of  this  day,  which  was  first  hatched  by  those 
who  held  council  in  the  town  of  Nice.  There  was  devised 
and  produced  the  still  persistent  heresy,  that  there  have 
been  three  Divine  persons  from  eternity,  and  each  one  a 
God  by  himself.  This  egg  being  hatched,  the  followers  of 
this  faith  could  not  but  approach  each  person  separately  is 


69O      THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII. 


God.  They  seized  upon  faith  as  imputing  the  merit  or 
righteousness  of  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour ;  and  that  no 
man  might  share  merit  with  the  Lord,  they  took  away  from 
man  all  free  will  in  spiritual  things,  and  they  attributed  to 
him  absolute  impotence  as  to  that  faith.  And  as  they  de- 
duced every  thing  spiritual  pertaining  to  the  church  from 
that  faith,  they  asserted  that  there  was  similar  impotence 
in  relation  to  every  thing  that  the  church  teaches  concern- 
ing salvation.  Hence  sprung  dreadful  heresies,  one  after 
another,  based  upon  that  faith  and  man's  impotence  in 
spiritual  things,  and  also  that  most  pernicious  heresy  of 
predestination,  which  was  treated  of  in  the  preceding  arti- 
cle; all  of  which  imply  that  God  is  the  cause  of  evil,  or 
that  God  created  both  good  and  evil.  But,  my  friend,  put 
faith  in  no  council,  but  in  the  Lord's  Word  which  is  above 
councils.  What  have  not  Roman  Catholic  councils  brought 
forth  ?  or  that  of  Dort,  whence  was  drawn  forth  that  terri- 
ble viper,  predestination  ?  The  thought  may  occur  that  the 
free  will  given  to  man  in  spiritual  things  was  the  mediate 
cause  of  evil ;  consequently,  that  if  such  free  will  had  not 
been  given  him,  he  could  not  have  transgressed.  But,  my 
friend,  pause  here  and  consider  whether  any  man  could 
have  been  created  so  as  to  be  a  man  without  free  will  in 
spiritual  things ;  if  he  were  deprived  of  that,  he  would  be 
no  longer  a  man  but  only  a  statue.  What  is  the  free  will 
but  that  he  can  will  and  do  and  can  think  and  speak  to  all 
appearance  as  of  himself  ?  Since  this  was  given  to  man 
that  he  might  live  a  man,  therefore  two  trees  were  placed 
in  the  garden  of  Eden,  the  tree  of  life  and  the  tree  of  the 
knowledge  of  good  and  evil ;  and  this  signifies  that  from 
the  freedom  given  him  man  can  eat  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree 
of  life,  and  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good 
and  evil. 

490.  That  every  thing  which  God  created  was  good,  is 
manifest  from  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis,  where  it  is  said 
(verses  10,  12,  18,  21,  and  25),  God  saw  that  it  was  good; 


No.  490.J 


FREE  WILL. 


691 


and  finally  (in  verse  31),  that  God  saw  every  thing  that  He 
had  ?nade,  and  behold  it  was  very  good;  also  from  man's 
primeval  state  in  paradise.  But  that  evil  had  its  rise  from 
man  is  plain  from  Adam's  state  that  followed  or  which  was 
after  the  fall,  —  that  he  was  expelled  from  paradise.  It  is 
evident  from  this  that  unless  free  will  in  spiritual  things 
had  been  given  to  man,  God  Himself,  and  not  man,  would 
have  been  the  cause  of  evil,  and  thus  that  God  must  have 
created  both  good  and  evil ;  but  to  think  that  He  created 
evil  also,  is  horrible  beyond  expression.  That  God  did  not 
create  evil  because  He  gave  man  free  will  in  spiritual  things, 
and  that  He  in  no  wise  inspires  any  evil  into  man,  is  because 
He  is  Good  itself,  and  in  good  God  is  omnipresent,  contin- 
ually urging  and  importuning  to  be  received  ;  and  if  He  is 
not  received  still  He  does  not  withdraw,  for  if  He  were  to 
withdraw,  man  would  instantly  die,  yes,  would  lapse  into 
nothingness ;  for  man  has  life  from  God,  and  the  subsistence 
of  all  the  things  of  which  he  consists  is  from  God.  God 
did  not  create  evil,  but  it  was  introduced  by  man,  because 
man  turns  into  evil  the  good  which  is  continually  flowing 
in  from  God,  by  turning  himself  away  from  God  and  toward 
himself;  and  when  this  is  done,  the  enjoyment  of  good 
remains,  and  then  becomes  the  enjoyment  of  evil ;  for 
without  the  enjoyment's  remaining,  as  it  were  similar,  man 
would  not  live,  for  enjoyment  makes  the  life  of  his  love. 
But  still  these  enjoyments  are  diametrically  opposite  to 
each  other ;  however,  man  does  not  know  this  so  long  as 
he  lives  in  the  world;  but  he  is  to  know  this,  and  is  also  to 
perceive  it  manifestly,  after  death  ;  for  then  the  enjoyment 
of  the  love  of  good  is  turned  into  heavenly  blessedness, 
while  the  enjoyment  of  the  love  of  evil  is  turned  into  in- 
fernal horror.  From  what  has  been  presented  it  is  evident 
that  every  man  has  been  predestined  to  heaven,  and  no  one 
to  hell7but  that  a  man  gives  himself  over  to  lieTrbyTrTe" 
aSuse  of  his  free  will  in  spiritual  tilings,  whereby  he  em- 
braces such  things  as  exhale  from  hell.     For,  as  before 


692       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII. 

said,  every  man  is  kept  in  the  midst,  between  heaven  and 
hell,  so  as  to  be  in  equilibrium  between  good  and  evil,  and 
consequently  in  free  will  in  spiritual  things. 

491.  That  God  has  imparted  freedom  not  only  to  man 
but  also  to  every  beast,  yes,  and  an  analogue  of  it  to  things 
inanimate  (enabling  each  to  receive  it  according  to  its 
nature),  as  also  that  He  provides  good  for  them  all,  but 
that  the  objects  turn  it  into  evil,  may  be  illustrated  by  com- 
parisons :  The  atmosphere  gives  to  every  man  means  of 
breathing,  in  like  manner  to  every  beast,  tame  or  wild,  also 
to  every  bird,  to  the  owl  and  the  dove  alike ;  and  it  also 
gives  means  for  flying ;  and  yet  the  atmosphere  is  not  the 
cause  that  what  it  gives  is  received  by  creatures  of  con- 
trary genius  and  nature.  The  ocean  gives  within  itself  an 
abode,  and  also  offers  nourishment  to  every  fish  ;  but  it  is 
not  the  cause  that  one  devours  another  there,  and  that  the 
crocodile  turns  its  food  into  poison  with  which  it  kills  man. 
The  sun  provides  heat  and  light  for  all  things  ;  but  objects, 
which  are  the  various  vegetable  productions  of  the  earth, 
receive  them  diversely,  a  good  tree  and  a  good  shrub  in 
one  way  and  the  thorn  and  thistle  in  another,  or  the  harm- 
less herb  in  one  way  and  the  poisonous  in  another.  The 
rain  falls  from  the  higher  region  of  the  atmosphere  upon 
all  parts  of  the  earth,  and  the  earth  supplies  water  there- 
from to  every  shrub,  herb  and  grass,  and  each  one  of  them 
takes  to  itself  according  to  its  need.  This  is  what  is  called 
an  analogue  of  free  will,  because  they  freely  drink  those 
things  in  by  their  little  mouths,  pores,  and  ducts,  which 
stand  open  in  the  warm  season ;  the  earth  merely  supplies 
fluids  and  elementary  substances,  and  the  shrubs  appro- 
priate them  with  something  like  thirst  and  hunger.  It  is 
s:miiar  with  men,  as  with  every  one  the  Lord  flows-in  with 
spiritual  heat  which  in  its  essence  is  the  good  of  love,  and 
with  spiritual  light  which  in  its  essence  is  the  truth  of  wis- 
dom ;  but  man  receives  them  according  to  the  way  in  which 
he  turns,  whether  toward  God  or  toward  himself.  There- 


No.  493.] 


FREE  WILL. 


693 


fore  where  the  Lord  teaches  concerning  love  toward  the 
neighbor,  He  says,  That  ye  may  be  the  children  of  your 
Father,  Who  maketh  the  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  o?i  the  good, 
and  sendeth  rain  011  the  just  and  on  the  unjust  (Matt.  v.  45)  ; 
and  elsewhere  He  says  that  He  willeth  the  salvation  of  all. 

492.  To  what  has  been  said,  I  will  add  this  Relation: 
T  have  several  times  heard  words  made  to  descend  from 
heaven  concerning  the  good  of  charity,  which  passed 
through  the  world  of  spirits  and  penetrated  into  hell,  even 
to  its  depths ;  and  those  words  in  their  progress  were 
turned  into  such  things  as  were  clearly  opposed  to  the 
good  of  charity,  and  at  length  into  those  which  were  of 
hatred  towards  the  neighbor ;  indicating  that  every  thing 
which  proceeds  from  the  Lord  is  good,  and  is  turned  into 
evil  by  the  spirits  in  hell.  The  same  was  done  with  certain 
truths  of  faith,  which  in  their  progress  were  turned  into 
falsities  opposite  to  the  truths.  For  the  recipient  form 
itself  turns  what  enters  into  it  into  what  is  concordant 
with  itself. 

VIII.  Every  Spiritual  thing  of  the  Church  that 
enters  in  Freedom,  and  is  received  from 
Freedom,  remains  ;  but  not  the  reverse. 

493.  That  which  is  received  by  man  from  freedom  re- 
mains with  him,  because  freedom  is  of  his  will ;  and 
because  it  is  of  the  will  it  is  also  of  his  love  ;  for  it  has 
been  shown  elsewhere  that  the  will  is  the  receptacle  of 
love.  That  all  which  is  of  the  love  is  free,  and  that  it  also 
is  of  the  will,  every  one  understands  when  it  is  said,  "  I 
will  this  because  I  love  it ; "  and  also  the  converse,  "  Because 
I  love  this  I  also  will  it.''  But  man's  will  is  two-fold,  in- 
terior and  exterior,  or  of  the  internal  and  of  the  external 
man  ;  therefore  a  knave  may  act  and  talk  before  the  world 
in  one  way,  and  in  another  with  his  familiar  friends  ; 
before  the  world  lie  acts  and  talks  from  the  will  of  his  ex- 


694       the  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII. 

ternal  man,  and  with  his  familiar  friends  from  the  will  of 
die  internal ;  but  the  will  of  the  internal,  where  one's 
signing  love  is,  is  the  will  that  is  here  meant.  From 
'hese  few  observations  it  is  evident  that  the  interior 
will  is  the  man  himself,  for  the  esse  and  the  essence 
of  his  life  are  there  ;  the  understanding  is  its  form,  by 
which  the  will  renders  its  love  visible.  All  that  a  man 
loves  and  that  he  wills  from  love  is  free ;  for  whatever 
proceeds  from  the  love  of  the  internal  will  is  his  life's 
enjoyment ;  and  because  the  same  is  the  esse  of  his  life, 
it  is  also  his  proprium  [ownhood]  ;  and  from  this  cause, 
whatever  is  received  from  the  freedom  of  this  will  remains, 
for  it  adds  itself  to  the  proprium.  The  contrary  is  the 
case  if  any  thing  is  brought-in  in  a  state  of  non-freedom ; 
this  is  not  thus  received.    But  of  this  in  what  follows. 

494.  But  it  must  be  well  known  that  the  spiritual  things 
of  the  Word  and  the  church,  which  a  man  imbibes  from 
love  and  which  his  understanding  confirms,  remain  in  him, 
but  not  so  civil  and  political  things ;  because  spiritual 
things  ascend  into  the  highest  region  of  the  mind  and  take 
form  there.  This  is  because  the  Lord's  entrance  into  man 
with  Divine  goods  and  truths  is  there,  and  this  region  is 
as  a  temple  in  which  He  is.  But  things  civil  and  political, 
because  they  belong  to  the  world,  occupy  lower  regions  of 
the  mind,  and  some  of  them  are  there  like  little  buildings 
outside  of  the  temple,  and  some  like  porches  through  which 
there  is  entrance.  Another  reason  why  the  spiritual  things 
of  the  church  dwell  in  the  highest  region  of  the  mind,  is  be- 
cause they  are  proper  to  the  soul  and  regard  its  eternal 
life,  and  the  soul  is  in  things  highest,  and  its  nourishment 
is  from  no  other  than  spiritual  food.  Wherefore  the  Lord 
calls  Himself  Bread,  for  He  says,  /  am  the  living  Bread 
which  came  do7vn  from  heaven ;  if  any  man  eat  of  this 
Bread,  he  shali  live  for  ever  (John  vi.  51).  In  that  region 
also  resides  man's  love  which  makes  his  blessedness  after 
death;  his  freewill  in  spiritual  things  also  has  its  chief 


No.  495.] 


FREE  WILL. 


695 


seat  there,  and  from  this  descends  all  the  freedom  that 
man  has  in  natural  things,  and  because  the  origin  of  this 
is  there,  this  is  shared  with  all  the  forms  of  free  will  in 
natural  things ;  and  by  means  of  those,  the  love  that  reigns 
in  things  highest  assumes  whatever  is  conducive  to  its  ends. 
There  is  communication  like  that  between  the  fountain- 
spring  and  the  waters  that  flow  from  it,  and  like  that 
between  the  prolific  principle  itself  of  a  seed  with  the  parts 
of  the  tree,  one  and  all,  especially  with  the  fruit,  in  which 
it  renews  itself.  But  if  any  denies  that  there  is  free  will 
In  spiritual  things,  and  therefore  rejects  that,  he  makes 
another  fountain  for  himself,  and  there  opens  the  course, 
and  changes  spiritual  freedom  into  merely  natural  and  at 
length  into  infernal  freedom.  This  freedom,  too,  becomes 
like  the  prolific  principle  of  a  seed,  passing  freely  through 
trunk  and  branches  into  the  fruits,  which  owing  to  their 
origin  are  inwardly  rotten. 

495.  All  the  freedom  that  is  from  the  Lord  is  freedom 
indeed,  but  that  which  is  from  hell  and  is  with  man  there- 
from, is  bondage.  Yet  spiritual  freedom  necessarily  seems 
like  bondage  to  him  who  is  in  infernal  freedom,  because 
they  are  opposites.  Nevertheless,  all  who  are  in  spiritual 
freedom  not  only  know  but  also  perceive  that  infernal 
freedom  is  bondage  ;  the  angels  therefore  turn  with  aver- 
sion from  it  as  a  cadaverous  stench,  while  the  internals 
draw  it  in  like  an  aromatic  odor.  It  is  known  from  the 
Lord's  Word  that  worship  from  freedom  is  truly  worship, 
and  that  what  is  spontaneous  is  pleasing  to  the  Lord  , 
wherefore  it  is  said  in  David,  /  will  freely  sacrifice  to  God, 
(Ps.  liv.  6).  Again,  The  willing  ones  of  the  people  are  gath- 
ered together,  the  people  of  the  God  of  Abraham  (xlvii.  9). 
Therefore  there  were  free-will  offerings  in  sacrifice  among 
the  children  of  Israel ;  their  sacred  worship  consisted 
chiefly  in  sacrifices  ;  and  because  of  God's  being  well 
pleased  with  what  is  spontaneous,  it  was  commanded  that 
every  man  whose  heart  impelled  him,  and  every  one  whose 


696       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  VIII 

willing  spirit  moved  hijn,  should  bring  a?i  offering  to  Jehovah 
for  the  work  of  the  tabernacle  (Ex.  xxxv.  5,  21,  29).  And 
the  Lord  says,  If  ye  contitiue  in  My  Word,  then  are  ye  My 
disciples  indeed ;  and  ye  shall  know  the  truth,  a?id  the  truth 
shall  make  you  free.  If  the  Son  therefo?-e  shall  make  you 
free,  ye  shall  be  free  indeed ;  but  whosoever  committeth  sin 
is  the  serva?it  of  sin  (John  viii.  31-36). 

496.  That  which  a  man  receives  from  freedom  remains, 
because  his  will  *  takes  it  to  itself  and  appropriates  it,  and 
because  it  enters  into  his  love,  and  the  love  acknowledges 
it  as  its  own,  and  forms  itself  by  means  of  it.  But  this 
shall  be  illustrated  by  comparisons  \  but  as  these  are  taken 
from  natural  things,  heat  will  stand  in  place  of  love.  It  is 
well  known  that  by  means  of  heat,  and  according  to  its 
degree  the  ways  of  entrance  are  opened  in  every  plant, 
and  that  as  they  are  opened  the  plant  intrinsically  returns 
into  the  form  of  its  nature,  spontaneously  receives  its 
nutriment  and  retains  what  is  suitable,  and  grows.  It  is 
similar  with  a  beast;  all  that  is  selected  and  eaten  from 
the  love  of  nutrition  which  is  called  appetite,  adds  itself  to 
its  body,  and  so  remains.  That  which  is  suitable  con- 
tinually adds  itself  to  the  body,  because  all  things  that 
compose  the  body  are  perpetually  renewed.  This  is  known 
to  be  so,  but  by  few.  And  with  beasts,  too,  heat  opens  all 
things  of  the  body,  and  causes  their  natural  love  to  act 
freely.  It  is  from  this  that  in  spring  and  summer  they 
enter  and  return  into  the  instinct  of  prolification  and  of 
rearing  their  young,  which  is  done  from  the  utmost  free- 
dom, because  this  belongs  to  the  reigning  love  implanted 
in  them  by  creation  for  the  sake  of  preserving  the  uni- 
verse in  the  state  created.  The  freedom  of  love  may  be 
illustrated  by  the  freedom  induced  by  heat,  because  love 
produces  heat,  as  is  evident  from  its  effects,  as  that  man  is 
enkindled,  grows  warm,  and  is  inflamed,  as  love  is  exalted 
to  zeal,  or  to  a  blaze  of  anger.  The  heat  of  the  blood  or 
the  vital  heat  of  men,  and  in  general  of  animals,  is  from 


No.  497-] 


FREE  WILL. 


697 


no  other  source.  It  is  from  this  correspondence  that  the 
bodily  parts  are  by  heat  adapted  to  receive  freely  those 
things  to  which  the  love  aspires.  In  such  equilibrium  and 
consequent  freedom  are  all  things  that  are  within  man. 
In  such  freedom  the  heart  propels  its  blood  upward  and 
downward  alike,  the  mesentery  gives  forth  its  chyle,  the 
liver  does  its  work  for  the  blood,  the  kidneys  their  work 
of  secretion,  the  glands  theirs  in  straining,  and  so  on  ;  if 
its  equilibrium  were  to  suffer,  the  member  would  sicken, 
and  would  labor  under  paralysis  or  loss  of  strength  ;  equi- 
librium and  freedom  here  are  one.  There  is  no  substance 
in  the  created  universe  which  does  not  tend  to  equilibrium, 
in  order  that  it  may  be  in  freedom. 

IX.  Man's  Will  and  Understanding  are  in  this  Free- 
dom {Libero  Arbitrid) ;  but  in  both  Worlds,  the 
spiritual  and  the  natural,  the  doing  of  evil 
is  restrained  by  Laws,  inasmuch  as  otherwise 
Society  would  perish  on  both  sides. 

497.  Every  man  may  know  that  he  has  free  will  in 
spiritual  things  from  the  mere  observation  of  his  own" 
thought.  Cannot  any  one  from  freedom  think  of  God, 
the  Trinity,  charity  and  the  neighbor,  faith  and  its  opera- 
tion, of  the  Word  and  all  those  things  that  are  from  it, 
and,  after  he  has  studied  theology,  of  the  particulars 
thereof  ?  And  who  cannot  think,  and  even  draw  conclu- 
sions, teach,  and  write,  in  accordance  with  those  things* 
and  against  them  ?  If  man  were  deprived  of  this  freedom 
for  a  single  moment,  would  not  his  thinking  cease,  his 
tongue  become  dumb,  and  his  hand  powerless?  Where- 
fore, my  friend,  if  you  choose  you  can  from  merely  observ- 
ing your  own  thought  reject  and  execrate  that  absurd  and 
hurtful  heresy,  which  at  this  day  has  induced  in  Christen- 
dom a  lethargy  upon  heavenly  doctrine  concerning  charity 
and  faith  and  salvation  therefrom,  and  concerning  eternal 


698       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII 

life.  The  reasons  why  this  freedom  {liberum  arbitriiun) 
resides  in  man's  will  and  understanding  are  the  following : 
1.  Those  two  faculties  are  first  to  be  instructed  and  re- 
formed, and  by  means  of  them  the  two  faculties  of  the 
external  man  which  make  him  speak  and  act.  2.  Those 
two  faculties  of  the  internal  man  constitute  his  spirit  which 
lives  after  death,  and  which  is  under  no  other  than  Divine 
law;  and  of  this  the  primary  thing  is  that  man  should 
think  of  the  law,  do  it,  and  obey  it,  from  himself  although 
from  the  Lord.  3.  Man  as  to  his  spirit  is  in  the  midst 
between  heaven  and  hell,  thus  between  good  and  evil,  and 
hence  in  equilibrium  ;  from  this  he  has  free  will  in  spiritual 
things  \  concerning  which  equilibrium  see  above  (n.  475 
and  the  numbers  following  it) ;  but  as  long  as  he  lives  in 
the  world  he  is  as  to  his  spirit  in  equilibrium  between 
heaven  and  the  world,  and  then  he  hardly  knows  that  so 
far  as  he  withdraws  from  heaven  and  draws  near  to  the 
world  he  draws  near  to  hell ;  man  knows  this  and  yet  does 
not  know  it,  in  order  that  in  this,  too,  he  may  be  in  free- 
dom and  may  be  reformed.  4.  These  two,  the  will  and 
the  understanding,  are  the  two  receptacles  of  the  Lord, 
the  will  the  receptacle  of  love  and  charity,  the  under- 
standing the  receptacle  of  wisdom  and  faith  ;  and  each 
of  these  is  wrought  by  the  Lord  while  man  is  in  full 
freedom,  that  there  may  be  mutual  and  reciprocal  con- 
junction, through  which  is  salvation.  5.  All  the  judgment 
that  is  effected  with  man  after  death  is  effected  accord- 
ing to  the  use  that  he  has  made  of  free  will  in  spiritual 
things. 

498.  Hence  comes  the  conclusion  that  free  will  itself, 
in  spiritual  things,  resides  in  man's  soul  in  all  perfection , 
and  from  that,  as  the  vein  of  the  spring  opens  into  a 
fountain,  it  flows  into  his  mind,  into  its  two  parts  which  are 
the  will  and  the  understanding,  and  through  these  into 
the  senses  of  the  body,  and  into  speech  and  actions.  For 
with  man  there  are  three  degrees  of  life,  the  soul,  the 


No.  498.] 


FREE  WILL. 


699 


mind,  and  the  sensual  body ;  all  that  is  in  a  higher  degree,  is 
in  perfection  above  that  which  is  in  a  lower  degree.  It  is 
this  freedom  of  man,  through  which,  in  which,  and  with 
which  the  Lord  is  present  in  him ;  and  He  urges  the 
reception  of  Himself  without  ceasing ;  but  He  in  no  wise 
removes  and  takes  away  freedom,  since,  as  said  above,  all 
that  is  done  by  man  in  spiritual  things  which  is  not  from 
freedom  is  not  permanent ;  and  it  may  therefore  be  said 
that  it  is  this  freedom  of  man  in  which  the  Lord  dwells 
with  him,  in  his  soul.  But  that  the  doing  of  evil,  in  both 
the  spiritual  and  the  natural  world,  is  restrained  by  laws, 
since  otherwise  society  would  nowhere  continue  to  exist, 
is  manifest  without  explanation.  But  yet  it  shall  be  illus- 
trated that  without  those  external  bonds  not  only  would 
society  cease  to  exist,  but  the  whole  human  race  also 
would  perish.  For  man  is  as  a  prey  to  two  loves,  the  love 
of  ruling  over  all  and  the  love  of  possessing  the  wealth  of 
all.  These  loves,  if  uncurbed,  rush  omvard  to  infinity. 
The  hereditary  evils  into  which  man  is  born  have  arisen 
principally  from  these  two  loves  ;  nor  was  that  of  Adam 
any  other  than  his  desire  to  become  as  God,  which  evil 
the  serpent  infused  into  him,  as  we  read  ;  wherefore  in  the 
curse  pronounced  upon  him  it  is  said,  that  the  earth  should 
bring  forth  the  thorn  and  the  thistle  to  him  (Gen.  iii.  5,  18), 
by  which  are  meant  all  evil  and  the  falsity  from  it.  Every 
one  who  has  given  himself  up  to  those  loves,  regards  him- 
self alone  as  the  only  one,  in  whom  and  for  whom  all  others 
have  their  being.  Such  have  no  pity,  no  fear  of  God,  no 
love  of  the  neighbor;  and  hence  there  are  in  them  un- 
mercifulness,  inhumanity,  and  cruelty,  and  an  infernal  lust 
and  greed  for  plundering  and  robbing,  and  craft  and  cun- 
ning in  working  out  their  purposes.  Such  things  are  not 
innate  in  the  beasts  of  the  earth  ;  they  do  not  slaughter 
and  devour  each  other  from  other  love  than  to  satisfy 
their  hunger  and  to  defend  themselves ;  wherefore  a 
wicked  man,  viewed  with  reference  to  those  loves,  is  more 


700       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII. 


inhuman,  fiercer,  and  worse  than  any  beast.  That  man  is 
such  inwardly,  is  manifest  in  seditious  disturbances  where 
the  bonds  of  law  have  been  loosed  •  and  also  in  massacres 
and  pillaging,  when  the  signal  is  given  of  freedom  to  turn 
their  fury  on  the  vanquished  and  besieged ;  scarcely  one 
desists  until  the  drum  is  heard  as  a  signal  that  they  must 
stop.  From  this  it  is  plain  that  if  no  fear  of  legal  penal- 
ties restrained  men,  not  only  society  but  the  whole  human 
race  would  be  destroyed.  But  all  these  evils  are  removed 
solely  by  the  true  use  of  free  will  in  spiritual  things,  which 
is,  to  direct  the  mind  to  reflection  upon  the  state  of  the 
life  after  death. 

499.  But  this  shall  be  further  illustrated  by  comparisons, 
as  follows :  Without  some  sort  of  free  will  in  all  created 
things,  both  animate  and  inanimate,  there  could  not  have 
been  accomplished  any  creation.  For  without  free  will  in 
natural  things,  in  the  case  of  beasts,  there  would  be  no 
choice  of  food  conducive  to  their  nourishment,  and  no  prop- 
agation and  preservation  of  offspring ;  thus  there  would 
be  no  beast.  If  the  fishes  of  the  sea  and  the  shell-fish  at 
its  bottom  had  not  such  freedom,  there  would  be  no  fish 
and  no  shell-fish.  In  like  manner,  unless  such  freedom 
were  in  every  little  insect,  there  would  be  no  silk-worm  to 
yield  silk,  no  bee  to  furnish  honey  and  wax,  no  butterfly 
to  sport  with  its  consort  in  the  air,  to  feed  on  the  juices  of 
flowers,  and  to  represent  the  happy  state  of  man  in  the 
heavenly  aura  after  he  has  shed  his  exuvice,  like  the  worm. 
Unless  there  were  something  analogous  to  free  will  in  the 
soil  of  the  earth,  in  the  seed  sown  in  it,  in  all  parts  of  the 
tree  that  has  grown  out  of  it,  and  in  its  fruit,  and  again  in 
the  new  seed,  there  would  be  nothing  of  the  vegetable 
kingdom.  If  there  were  not  something  analogous  to  free 
will  in  every  metal,  and  in  every  stone  both  precious  and 
common,  there  would  not  be  any  metal,  or  stone,  or  even 
<i  grain  of  sand ;  for  this  freely  absorbs  the  ether,  exhales 
A'hat  is  natural  to  itself,  throws  off  what  is  worn-out,  and 


No.  500.] 


FREE  WILL. 


701 


restores  itself  with  what  is  new  .  hence  there  is  a  magnetic 
sphere  about  the  magnet,  an  iron  sphere  about  iron,  cop- 
pery about  copper,  silver  about  silver,  golden  about  gold, 
stony  about  stone,  nitrous  about  nitre,  sulphurous  about 
sulphur,  and  a  different  sphere  about  every  particle  of  the 
dust  of  the  earth.  And  from  this  sphere  the  inmost  of 
every  seed  is  impregnated,  and  what  is  prolific  vegetates  ; 
for  without  such  exhalation  from  every  little  particle  of 
the  dust  of  the  earth,  there  would  be  no  beginning  of 
germination,  and  hence  no  continuance  of  it.  How  could 
the  earth,  except  by  what  is  exhaled  from  it,  penetrate 
with  dust  and  water  to  the  inmost  centre  of  a  grain  sown 
in  it,  as  into  a  grain  of  musiard  seed,  which  is  less  than  all 
seeds,  but  when  it  is  grown  is  greater  than  the  herbs,  and 
becometh  a  great  treel  (Matt.  xiii.  32  ;  Mark  iv.  30-32.) 
Since  freedom  has  been  thus  implanted  in  all  created 
subjects,  to  each  according  to  its  nature,  why  should  not 
free  will  have  been  implanted  in  man  according  to  his 
nature,  which  is,  for  him  to  be  spiritual  ?  Hence  it  is 
that  free  will  in  spiritual  things  is  given  him  from  the 
womb  even  to  the  close  of  his  life  in  the  world,  and  after- 
ward to  eternity. 

X.  If  men  had  not  Free  Will  in  spiritual  things, 

ALL  IN  THE  WHOLE  WORLD  MIGHT  HAVE  RE  EN  LED 
IN  A  SINGLE  DAY  TO  RELIEVE  IN  THE  LORD ;  BUT 
THIS  CANNOT  BE  DONE  FOR  THE  REASON  THAT  WHAT 
IS  NOT  RECEIVED  BY  MAN  FROM  FREE  Wll  L  DOES 
NOT  REMAIN. 

500.  That  God,  apart  from  the  free  will  given  to  man  in 
spiritual  things,  could  in  a  single  day  lead  all  to  believe  in 
Him,  follows  as  a  truth  from  the  I  >i\  ine  omnipotence  when 
not  understood.  They  who  do  not  understand  the  Divine 
omnipotence,  may  suppose  either  that  there  is  no  order, 
or  that  God  can  act  contrary  to  order  as  well  as  according 


7<D2       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chm.  VIII. 

to  it;  when  yet  no  creation  was  possible  without  order. 
The  primary  thing  of  order  is  for  man  to  be  an  image  of 
God,  consequently,  for  him  to  be  perfecting  in  love  and 
wisdom,  and  so  to  become  that  image  more  and  more. 
God  is  continually  working  this  in  man  j  but  in  the  ab- 
sence of  the  free  will  in  spiritual  things  by  which  man  can 
turn  to  God  and  conjoin  himself  with  Him  in  his  turn,  this 
would  be  in  vain,  because  it  would  be  an  impossibility. 
For  there  is  Order,  from  which  and  according  to  which 
the  whole  world  has  been  created,  with  the  things  belong- 
ing to  it,  one  and  all ;  and  because  all  the  work  of  creation 
has  been  done  from  this,  therefore  God  is  called  Order 
itself ;  and  so  it  is  the  same  whether  you  say,  to  do  con- 
trary to  Divine  order,  or  to  do  contrary  to  God.  Indeed, 
God  Himself  cannot  do  contrary  to  His  own  Divine  order, 
for  this  would  be  to  do  contrary  to  Himself.  Wherefore 
He  leads  every  man  according  to  that  which  is  Himself,  — 
the  wandering  and  the  backsliding  into  it,  and  the  resist- 
ing to  it.  If  man  could  have  been  created  without  free 
will  in  spiritual  things,  then  what  would  be  more  easy  for 
an  omnipotent  God  than  to  lead  all  in  the  whole  world  to 
believe  in  the  Lord  ?  Could  He  not  have  brought  about 
this  faith  with  every  one,  both  immediately  and  mediately? 
immediately  by  His  absolute  power,  and  its  irresistible 
operation,  which  is  continual  for  man's  salvation  j  or 
mediately,  by  means  of  torments  brought  upon  his  con- 
science, by  mortal  convulsions  of  the  body,  and  grievous 
threats  of  death,  if  he  did  not  receive  it?  and  moreover, 
by  the  opening  of  hell,  and  thus  by  the  presence  of  devils 
holding  frightful  torches  in  their  hands ;  or  by  calling 
forth  therefrom  the  dead  whom  they  had  known,  in  the 
form  of  fearful  spectres  ?  But  to  this  the  reply  is  in  the 
words  of  Abraham  to  the  rich  man  in  hell  :  If  they  hear 
not  Moses  and  the  propliets,  neither  will  they  be  persuaded 
though  one  rose  from  the  dead  (Luke  xvi.  31). 

501.  It  is  asked  at  the  present  day,  why  miracles  do  not 


No.  5oi.] 


FREE  WILL. 


703 


take  place  as  formerly ;  for  it  is  believed  that  if  they  were 
to  take  place,  every  one  would  make  a  hearty  acknowledg- 
ment. For  miracles  are  not  now  wrought  as  formerly,  for 
the  reason  that  they  compel,  and  they  take  away  free  will 
in  spiritual  things,  and  from  being  spiritual  they  make  man 
natural.  Every  one  in  the  Christian  world,  since  the  Com- 
ing of  the  Lord,  can  become  spiritual,  and  he  becomes 
spiritual  solely  from  the  Lord  through  the  Word ;  and  the 
capacity  for  this  would  perish  if  man  were  led  to  believe 
through  miracles ;  since  they,  as  before  said  are  compulsory 
and  deprive  him  of  free  will  in  spiritual  things;  and  every 
thing  that  is  compelled  in  such  matters  betakes  itself  into 
the  natural  man,  and  shuts  up  the  spiritual  as  with  a  door 
(the  spiritual  being  truly  the  internal  man),  and  deprives 
this  of  all  power  to  see  any  truth  in  light ;  wherefore  he 
would  afterwards  reason  about  spiritual  things  from  the 
natural  man  alone,  that  sees  every  thing  truly  spiritual 
inversely.  But  miracles  were  wrought  before  the  Coming 
of  the  Lord,  because  those  of  the  church  were  then  natural 
men  to  whom  the  spiritual  things  which  belong  to  the  in- 
ternal church  could  not  be  opened  ;  for  if  opened,  they 
would  have  profaned  them.  And  all  their  worship  there- 
fore consisted  in  rituals  which  represented  and  signified 
the  internals  of  the  church  ;  and  they  could  not  be  brought 
to  observe  those  rituals  properly  except  by  miracles.  And 
that  even  by  miracles  they  could  not  (because  there  was 
a  spiritual  internal  in  those  representatives),  is  manifest 
from  the  children  of  Israel  in  the  desert,  who,  although 
they  saw  so  many  miracles  in  Egypt,  and  afterward  that 
greatest  of  miracles  upon  mount  Sinai,  still  after  Moses 
had  been  absent  a  month,  danced  around  the  golden  calf, 
and  shouted  that  it  had  led  them  out  of  Egypt.  Similar 
things  were  done  by  them  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  although 
they  saw  the  eminent  miracles  wrought  by  Elijah  and 
Elisha,  and  at  last  the  truly  Divine  miracles  wrought  by 
the  Lord.    Miracles  are  »not  wrought  at  the  present  day, 


704      THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII. 


especially  for  the  reason  that  the  church  has  taken  from 
man  all  free  will ;  and  it  has  done  this  by  decreeing  that 
man  can  contribute  nothing  toward  the  acquisition  of  faith, 
or  to  conversion,  or  in  general  to  salvation,  as  may  be  seen 
above  (n.  464).  The  man  who  believes  this  becomes  more 
and  more  natural ;  and  the  natural  man,  as  said  above, 
looks  at  every  thing  spiritual  inversely,  and  hence  thinks 
against  it.  The  higher  region  of  the  man's  mind,  where 
free  will  in  spiritual  things  primarily  resides,  would  be 
closed  up ;  and  the  spiritual  things  which  have  been  as  it 
were  confirmed  by  miracles,  would  occupy  the  lower  region 
of  the  mind,  which  is  merely  natural,  while  falsities  respect- 
ing faith,  conversion,  and  salvation  would  thus  remain 
above  this  region.  Hence  it  would  come  to  oass  that 
satans  would  dwell  above,  and  angels  below,  like  vultures 
over  hens.  Consequently  after  a  little  while  the  satans 
would  break  down  the  barrier,  and  rush  forth  with  fury 
upon  the  spiritual  things  which  hold  a  place  below  them, 
and  would  not  only  deny  them,  but  would  also  blaspheme 
and  profane  them.  The  latter  state  of  the  man  would 
thereby  become  far  worse  than  the  former. 

502.  The  man  who  through  falsities  concerning  the  spirit- 
ual things  of  the  church  has  become  natural,  cannot  think 
of  the  Divine  Omnipotence  but  as  being  above  order,  and 
thus  as  apart  from  order ;  from  which  he  would  fall  into 
the  following  ravings :  Why  the  Coming  of  the  Lord  into 
the  world,  and  why  redemption  in  that  way,  when  God 
from  His  omnipotence  could  have  effected  the  same  from 
heaven  as  was  effected  on  earth  ?  Why  might  He  not  by 
redemption  have  saved  the  whole  race  without  an  excep- 
tion ?  And  why  has  the  devil  since  been  able  to  prevail 
over  the  Redeemer  in  man  ?  Why  is  there  a  hell  ?  Could 
not  God  blot  it  out,  and  cannot  He  blot  it  out,  by  His 
omnipotence,  or  deliver  all  from  it  and  make  them  angels 
of  heaven?  Why  a  last  judgment?  Cannot  God  transfer 
all  the  goats  from  His  left  to  the  right,  and  make  them 


No.  503.] 


FREE  WILL. 


70S 


sheep  ?  Why  did  He  cast  down  the  angels  of  the  dragon 
and  the  dragon  himself  from  heaven,  and  not  change  them 
into  angels  of  Michael  ?  Why  does  He  not  to  all  of  these 
give  faith,  and  impute  His  Son's  righteousness,  and  so 
remit  their  sins,  justify,  and  sanctify  them  ?  Why  does  He 
not  cause  the  beasts  of  the  earth,  the  birds  of  the  air,  and 
the  fishes  of  the  sea  to  talk,  give  them  intelligence,  and 
introduce  them  into  heaven  together  with  men  ?  Why  had 
He  not  made,  or  why  does  He  not  yet  make  the  whole 
world  a  paradise,  with  no  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good 
and  evil,  and  with  no  serpent,  and  where  all  the  hills  would 
flow  with  generous  wine  and  produce  both  native  gold  and 
silver,  so  that  all  might  live  therein  with  jubilee  and  song, 
and  thus  in  perpetual  festivity  and  joy,  as  images  of  God? 
Would  not  these  things  be  worthy  of  an  omnipotent  God  ? 
And  other  things  like  these.  But,  my  friend,  this  is  all  idle 
talk.  The  Divine  omnipotence  is  not  without  order  \  God 
Himself  is  Order;  and  all  things  were  created  from  order, 
in  order,  and  for  order,  because  they  were  created  from 
God.  There  is  an  order  into  which  man  was  made,  and 
this  is  that  his  blessing  or  his  curse  must  depend  on  his 
free  will  in  spiritual  things.  For,  as  said  above,  a  man 
without  free  will  cguld  not  be  created,  nor  even  the  beast, 
the  bird,  and  the  fish.  But  beasts  are  in  natural  free  will 
only;  while  man  is  in  natural  and  at  the  same  time  in 
spiritual  free  will. 

503.  To  the  foregoing  shall  be  added  these  Relations. 
1 'irst  :  I  heard  that  an  assembly  was  called  together,  in 
which  they  were  to  deliberate  on  man's  free  will  in  spiritual 
things.  This  was  in  the  spiritual  world.  There  were 
present  learned  men  from  every  quarter,  who  had  thought 
on  that  subject  in  the  world  in  which  they  lived  before  ; 
and  many  of  those  who  had  been  members  of  general 
and  smaller  councils,  before  that  of  Nice  and  later.  They 
were  assembled  in  a  certain  circular  temple,  similar  to 
that  at  Rome  called  the  Pantheon  (which  had  formerly 
vol.  11.  13 


Jo6      THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION     [Chap.  VIII. 


been  consecrated  to  the  worship  of  all  the  gods,  and  was 
afterward  dedicated  by  the  papal  chair  to  the  worship  of 
all  the  holy  martyrs).  In  this  temple  near  its  walls,  also 
there  were  what  seemed  like  altars ;  but  there  were  low 
benches  near  each  of  them,  upon  which  those  who  were 
assembled  took  their  places,  resting  their  elbows  on  the 
altars,  as  upon  so  many  tables.  No  president  was  ap- 
pointed to  act  as  primate  among  them  ;  but  each  one,  as 
the  desire  seized  him,  rushed  forth  into  their  midst,  poured 
out  what  he  had  at  heart,  and  made  public  his  opinion  ; 
and,  what  I  wondered  at,  all  who  were  in  the  assembly 
were  loaded  with  proofs  of  man's  utter  impotence  in 
spiritual  things ;  so  they  ridiculed  the  idea  of  free  will  in 
those  things.  When  they  were  assembled,  behold,  sud- 
denly one  rushed  forth  into  the  midst,  and  with  a  loud 
voice  he  thus  poured  forth  his  breath :  "  Man  has  no  more 
free  will  in  spiritual  things  than  Lot's  wife  had  after  she 
was  turned  into  a  pillar  of  salt ;  for  if  man  had  any  more 
free  will  than  that,  it  is  plain  that  he  might  from  himself  lay 
claim  to  that  faith  to  which  our  church  holds,  and  of  which  it 
teaches  that  God  the  Father  bestows  it  gratuitously,  of  entire 
freedom  and  good  pleasure,  to  whom  He  will  and  when 
He  will.  This  good  pleasure  and  that  gratuitousness 
God  would  by  no  means  have,  if  man  from  any  freedom 
or  good  pleasure  could  also  claim  faith  for  himself ;  and  so 
our  faith,  which  is  a  star  that  shines  before  us  clay  and 
night,  would  be  dissipated  like  a  falling  star  to  air." 
After  him  another  rushed  from  his  bench  and  said,  "  Man 
has  no  more  free  will  in  spiritual  things  than  a  beast,  nay, 
than  a  dog ;  for  if  he  had,  he  would  do  good  of  himself, 
when  yet  all  good  is  from  God,  and  man  cannot  take  to 
himself  any  tiling  that  is  not  given  him  from  heaven." 
After  him  one  sprang  from  his  seat,  and  in  the  middle  space 
he  raised  his  voice  and  said,  "Man  has  no  more  free  will 
in  spiritual  things,  even  in  discerning  them,  than  a  bird  of 
night  has  in  the  daytime,  nay,  than  a  chick  still  hidden  in 


N  o.  503  ] 


FREE  WILL. 


707 


the  shell ;  he  is  in  all  those  things  as  blind  as  a  n*ole  j  for 
if  he  had  been  lynx-eyed  in  his  quick  sight  into  the  things 
of  faith,  salvation,  and  eternal  life,  he  would  have  believed 
that  he  could  regenerate  and  save  himself,  and  he  would 
also  endeavor  to  do  so,  and  thus  would  profane  his 
thoughts  and  deeds  with  merit  on  merit."  Again  another 
ran  out  into  the  middle  space,  and  made  his  speech : 
"The  man  who  imagines  that  he,  living  after  the  fall  of 
Adam,  has  ability  to  will  and  understand  any  thing  in 
spiritual  matters  is  insane,  and  becomes  a  maniac,  inas- 
much as  he  would  then  believe  himself  to  be  a  subordinate 
deity  or  divinity,  possessing  a  share  of  the  Divine  power 
in  his  own  right."  After  him  another  hastened  panting  to 
the  centre,  carrying  under  his  arm  a  book  called  "  Formula 
Concordia,1,"  to  the  orthodoxy  of  which  (as  he  called  it) 
the  Evangelical  [ministry]  now  swear.  He  opened  the 
book  and  from  it  read  the  following  :  "  That  man  is  utterly 
corrupt  and  dead  to  good,  so  that  since  the  fall  there  does 
not  remain  or  abide  in  man's  nature,  before  regeneration, 
even  a  spark  of  spiritual  strength  by  which  he  is  capable 
of  becoming  prepared  for  the  grace  of  God  or  of  appre- 
hending it  when  offered,  or  of  retaining  it,  from  and  by 
himself ;  nor  can  he  from  himself,  in  things  spiritual, 
understand,  believe,  embrace,  think,  will,  begin,  carry  out, 
act,  operate,  co-operate,  or  apply  or  accommodate  himself 
to  grace,  or  do  any  thing  towards  conversion,  wholly,  or  by 
halves,  or  in  the  smallest  measure.  And  that,  in  spiritual 
tilings  which  respect  the  salvation  [sa/t/s]  of  the  soul,  he  is 
1  ke  the  statue  or  salt,  Lot's  wife,  and  like  a  stock  or  a  stone 
without  life,  which  has  no  use  of  eyes,  mouth,  or  any  of  the 
senses.  That  still  he  has  the  power  of  moving  from  place 
to  place,  or  can  direct  his  external  members,  go  to  public 
meetings,  and  hear  the  Word  and  the  Gospel."  (In  the 
edition  that  I  have,  this  is  found  on  pages  656,  658,  661, 
662,  663,  671,  672,  673.)  After  this  they  all  crowded  to- 
gether, and  together  they  exclaimed,  "This  is  truly  ortho- 


708       THE  TRUE.  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII. 

dox."  Jf  stood  near  and  listened  intently  to  all  that  had 
been  said.  And  because  I  grew  warm  in  my  spirit,  I 
asked  with  a  loud  voice,  "  If  you  make  man  in  spiritual 
things  a  pillar  of  salt,  a  beast,  blind,  and  insane,  what  then 
are  the  things  of  your  theology  ?  Are  they  not  one  and 
all  spiritual  ? "  To  this,  after  some  silence  they  replied, 
"  In  our  whole  system  of  theology  there  is  nothing  spiritual 
whatever  which  reason  comprehends.  Only  our  faith  is 
spiritual  there ;  but  we  keep  that  strictly  shut  up,  that  no 
one  may  look  into  it;  and  we  have  taken  care  that  no 
spiritual  ray  should  go  forth  from  it  and  appear  to  the 
understanding ;  and  besides,  man  does  not  contribute  a 
particle  to  it  from  any  will  of  his  own.  Charity  also  we 
have  removed  from  all  that  is  spiritual,  and  have  made  it 
merely  moral ;  so  also  the  decalogue.  Respecting  justifi- 
cation, the  remission  of  sins,  regeneration,  and  thence 
salvation,  we  give  forth  nothing  spiritual ;  we  say  that 
they  are  wrought  by  faith,  but  how  we  are  wholly  ignorant. 
Instead  of  repentance,  we  have  taken  contrition ;  and  lest 
this  should  be  believed  to  be  spiritual,  we  have  removed 
it  from  faith,  even  as  to  any  contact  with  it.  Respecting 
redemption  we  have  adopted  none  but  purely  natural 
ideas,  which  are,  that  God  the  Father  included  the  whole 
human  race  in  a  sentence  of  damnation,  and  that  His  Son 
took  the  damnation  upon  Himself,  suffered  Himself  to  be 
hanged  on  a  cross,  and  so  He  moved  His  Father  to  com- 
passion ;  besides  other  things  like  these,  in  which  you  will 
find  nothing  spiritual,  but  what  is  merely  natural."  But 
then  with  the  warmth  that  was  previously  excited,  1  went 
on  to  say,  "  If  man  had  not  free  will  in  spiritual  things, 
what  would  he  then  be  but  a  brute  ?  Is  he  not  above 
brute  beasts  by  virtue  of  it  ?  Without  it,  what  is  the 
church  but  the  dusky  face  of  the  fuller  in  whose  eyes  is 
the  white  speck  ?  What  is  the  Word  without  it  but  an 
unmeaning  volume  ?  What  is  more  frequently  declared 
and  commanded  therein,  than  that  man  should  love  God, 


No.  504.] 


FREE  WILL. 


709 


and  should  love  the  neighbor,  and  also  that  he  should 
believe,  and  again,  that  he  has  life  and  salvation  according 
to  the  measure  in  which  he  loves  and  believes  ?  Is  there 
any  man  who  has  not  the  faculty  of  understanding  and 
doing  what  is  commanded  in  the  Word  and  in  the  deca- 
logue ?  How  could  God  have  given  such  precepts  and 
commandments  to  man,  unless  that  faculty  were  given 
him  ?  Tell  any  rustic,  the  way  to  whose  mind  has  not 
been  blocked  by  fallacies  in  the  things  of  theology,  that 
he  has  no  more  power  than  a  stock  or  a  stone  to  under- 
stand and  to  will  in  matters  of  faith  and  charity  and  hence 
of  salvation,  and  that  he  cannot  even  appiy  and  adapt 
himself  to  receive  them,  would  he  not  laugh  heartily,  and 
say,  'What  can  be  more  irrational  ?  What  then  have  I  to 
do  with  the  priest  and  his  preaching?  What  then  is  the 
temple  more  than  a  stable  ?  And  what  is  worship  more 
than  following  the  plough  ?  What  madness  to  speak  so  ! 
It  is  folly  upon  folly.  Who  denies  that  all  good  is  from 
God  ?  Has  it  not  been  given  to  man  to  do  good  out  of 
himself  from  God  ?  And  so  it  is  with  believing.'  "  Hear- 
ing this  they  all  cried  out,  "  We  have  spoken  from  things 
that  are  orthodox,  in  an  orthodox  way ;  but  you,  from 
things  that  are  rustic,  in  a  rustic  way."  But  then  suddenly 
the  lightning  came  down  from  heaven  ;  and  lest  it  should 
consume  them,  they  rushed  out  in  troops,  and  fled  away, 
each  to  his  own  home. 

504.  Sfxond  Relation.  I  was  in  the  interior  spiritual 
sight  in  which  the  angels  of  the  higher  heaven  are ;  but  I 
was  then  in  the  world  of  spirits.  And  I  saw  two  spirits  not 
far  from  me,  but  standing  apart  from  each  other ;  and  I 
perceived  that  one  of  them  loved  good  and  truth  and  was 
thereby  conjoined  with  heaven,  and  that  the  other  loved 
evil  and  falsity  and  was  thereby  conjoined  with  hell.  1 
approached,  and  called  them ;  and  from  their  tones  and 
their  replies  I  gathered  that  one  could  perceive  truths  like 
the  other,  could  acknowledge  them  when  perceived,  could 


710       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII 

thus  think  from  the  understanding,  could  also  determine 
things  belonging  to  the  understanding  as  he  pleased,  and 
things  belonging  to  the  will  as  he  chose ;  consequently  that 
the  two  were  in  similar  free  will  as  to  rational  things.  I 
observed,  moreover,  that  from  that  freedom  in  their  minds, 
there  appeared  a  lucidity,  from  the  first  sight  which  was 
that  of  perception  to  the  ultimate  sight  which  was  that  of 
the  eye.  But  when  he  who  loved  evil  and  falsity  was  in 
thought  while  left  to  himself,  I  noticed  that  smoke,  as  it 
were,  arose  from  hell,  and  extinguished  the  lucidity  which 
was  above  the  memory,  so  that  in  him  there  was  thick  dark- 
ness there,  like  that  of  midnight ;  and  also  that  the  smoke 
being  ignited  burned  like  a  flame  which  illuminated  the 
region  of  the  mind  below  the  memory,  and  consequently 
he  thought  enormous  falsities  from  the  evils  of  the  love  of 
self.  But  with -the  other,  who  loved  good  and  truth,  when 
he  was  left  to  himself,  I  saw,  as  it  were,  a  gentle  flame  flow- 
ing down  from  heaven,  which  illuminated  the  region  of  his 
mind  above  the  memory,  and  also  that  below  it  even  to  the 
eye  ;  also  that  the  light  \lumeii\  from  that  flame  shone  more 
and  more  according  to  his  perception  and  thought  of  truth 
from  the  love  of  good.  From  seeing  this  it  was  manifest 
to  me  that  every  man,  evil  as  well  as  good,  has  spiritual 
free  will,  but  that  hell  sometimes  extinguishes  it  with  the 
wicked,  and  that  heaven  exalts  and  enkindles  it  with  the 
•good.  Afterwards  I  conversed  with  both  of  them,  first  with 
him  who  loved  evil  and  falsity ;  and  when,  after  a  few  words 
concerning  his  lot,  I  mentioned  free  will,  he  grew  warm  and 
said,  "  Ah,  what  madness  it  is  to  believe  that  man  has  free 
will  in  spiritual  things  !  What  man  can  take  faith  to  him- 
self and  do  good  from  himself?  Do  not  the  priesthood 
teach  from  the  Word  at  the  present  day  that  no  one  can 
receive  any  thing  unless  it  be  given  him  from  heaven  ?  And 
the  Lord  Christ  said  to  His  disciples,  Without  Me  ye  can 
do  nothing.  And  I  add  to  this  that  no  one  can  move  foot 
or  hand  to  do  any  good,  or  the  tongue  to  speak  any  truth 


No.  504.] 


FREE  WILL. 


711 


from  good.  Therefore  the  church  by  hzr  wise  men  has 
concluded  that  man  can  no  more  will,  understand,  and 
think  any  thing  spiritual,  or  even  adapt  himself  to  the  will- 
ing, understanding,  and  thinking,  than  a  statue,  a  stock, 
and  a  stone ;  and  that  therefore  faith  is  inspired  by  God, 
Who  alone  has  most  free  and  unlimited  power,  and  of  His 
good  pleasure  j  and  this  faith>  without  any  labor  or  power 
of  ours,  under  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  produces 
all  that  the  unlearned  ascribe  to  man."  I  then  conversed 
with  the  other,  who  loved  good  and  truth  ;  and  when,  after 
a  few  words  concerning  his  lot,  I  mentioned  free  will,  he 
said,  "  What  madness  it  is  to  deny  man's  free  will  in  spirit- 
ual things  ?  Who  cannot  will  and  do  good  and  think  and 
speak  truth  out  of  himself  from  the  Word,  thus  from  the 
Lord  Who  is  the  Word  ?  For  He  said,  Make  the  fruit  good, 
and  Believe  in  the  Light,  and  also  Love  one  another,  and  Love 
God ;  and  again,  Whosoever  heareth  My  precepts  and  doeth 
them  loveth  Me,  and  I  will  love  him  ;  besides  thousands  of 
things  like  these,  throughout  the  Word.  What  then  would 
be  the  use  of  the  Word,  if  man  had  no  power  to  will  and 
think,  and  hence  to  do  and  say  what  is  there  commanded  ? 
Without  that  power  in  man,  what  would  religion  and  the 
church  be  but  like  a  wrecked^  vessel  lying  at  the  bottom  of 
the  sea,  the  master  standing  on  the  very  top  of  the  mast, 
and  crying,  '  I  cannot  do  any  thing,'  while  he  sees  the 
other  sailors  in  the  boats,  going  away  with  sails  spread  ? 
Was  there  not  given  to  Adam  the  freedom  of  eating  from 
the  tree  of  life,  and  the  freedom  of  eating  from  the  tree  of 
the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  ?  And  because  from  his 
freedom  he  ate  of  the  latter,  smoke  from  the  serpent,  that 
is  from  hell,  entered  his  mind,  on  account  of  which  he  was 
banished  from  paradise  and  cursed.  And  yet  he  did  not 
lose  free  will ;  for  we  read  that  the  way  to  the  tree  of  life 
was  guarded  by  a  cherub;  for  unless  this  had  been  done, 
he  would  have  been  able  still  to  wish  to  eat  of  it."  At 
these  remarks  the  other,  who  loved  evil  and  falsity,  said, 


7 12       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  VIII. 

"  What  I  have  heard,  I  leave  ;  what  I  advanced,  I  still  hold 
to.  But  who  does  not  know  that  only  God  is  alive  and  thus 
active,  and  that  man  of  himself  is  dead  and  thus  merely- 
passive  ?  How  can  one  who  is  such,  in  himself  dead  and 
merely  passive,  take  to  himself  any  thing  alive  and  active  ? " 
To  which  I  replied :  "  Man  is  an  organ  of  life,  and  God 
alone  is  Life ;  and  God  pours  His  life  into  the  organ  and 
every  thing  thereof,  as  the  sun  pours  its  heat  into  the  tree 
and  every  part  of  it.  It  is  also  God's  gift  that  man  should 
feel  that  life  in  him  as  his ;  and  God  wills  that  man  should 
feel  it  so,  in  order  that  he  may  as  from  himself  live  accord- 
ing to  the  laws  of  order  which  are  just  as  many  as  are  the 
truths  in  the  Word,  and  may  dispose  himself  for  the  recep- 
tion of  God's  love.  But  still  God  perpetually  holds  with 
His  finger  the  perpendicular  above  the  scales,  and  moder- 
ates the  free  will  of  man,  but  never  violates  it  by  com- 
pulsion. A  tree  cannot  receive  any  thing  which  the  heat 
of  the  sun  brings  to  it  through  its  roots,  unless  it  grows 
warm  and  heated  as  to  each  one  of  its  fibres ;  nor  can  the 
elements  rise  up  through  the  root,  unless  its  several  fibres 
give  out  heat  from  that  which  has  been  received,  and  so 
contribute  to  the  passage.  Man  does  likewise,  from  the 
heat  of  life  received  from  God.  But  unlike  a  tree,  he  feels 
the  heat  as  his  although  it  is  not  his ;  and  so  far  as  he 
believes  it  to  be  his  and  not  God's,  he  receives  the  light  of 
life,  yet  not  the  heat  of  love  from  God,  but  the  heat  of  love 
from  hell ;  and  this,  being  gross,  obstructs  and  closes  the 
purer  little  branches  of  the  organ,  as  impure  blood  does 
with  the  capillaries  of  the  body.  Thus  man  from  being 
spiritual  makes  himself  merely  natural.  Man's  free  will  is 
from  this,  that  he  feels  the  life  in  himself  as  his,  and  that 
God  leaves  him  so  to  feel  in  order  that  conjunction  may 
take  place,  which  cannot  be  unless  it  be  reciprocal ;  and 
reciprocal  conjunction  takes  place  while  man  from  freedom 
acts  altogether  as  from  himself.  If  God  had  not  left  this 
to  man,  he  would  not  be  man,  neither  would  he  have  eternal 


No.  505.] 


FREE  WILL. 


713 


life  j  for  reciprocal  conjunction  with  God  causes  man  to  be 
man  and  not  a  beast,  and  also  causes  that  after  death  he  lives 
for  ever.  Free  will  in  spiritual  things  effects  this."  After 
hearing  this,  that  evil  spirit  removed  to  a  distance ;  and 
then  I  saw  on  a  certain  tree  a  flying  serpent,  such  as  is 
called  the  fiery  serpent,  which  held  out  fruit  from  the  tree 
to  some  one.  And  then  in  the  spirit  I  drew  near  to  the 
place,  and  there,  instead  of  the  serpent,  was  seen  a  mon- 
strous man,  his  face  so  covered  with  beard  that  nothing  but 
his  nose  was  visible ;  and  instead  of  the  tree  there  was  a 
burning  brand,  near  which  he  stood  whose  mind  the  smoke 
had  entered  before,  and  who  afterward  rejected  free  will  in 
spiritual  things.  And  suddenly  similar  smoke  came  out  of 
the  brand  and  enveloped  them  both  j  and  as  they  were  thus 
taken  out  of  my  sight,  I  went  away.  But  the  other,  who 
loved  good  and  truth,  and  asserted  that  man  has  free  will 
in  spiritual  things,  accompanied  me  home. 

505.  Third  Relation.  I  once  heard  a  grating  sound 
like  that  of  two  millstones  grinding  on  each  other.  I  went 
in  the  direction  of  the  sound,  and  it  died  away ;  and  I  saw 
a  narrow  gate  leading  obliquely  downwards  to  a  kind  of 
vaulted  building,  in  which  were  several  chambers  contain- 
ing cells,  in  each  of  which  two  were  sitting,  who  were  col- 
lecting from  the  Word  passages  confirming  justification  by 
faith  alone.  The  one  was  collecting,  and  the  other  was 
writing,  and  this  by  turns.  I  went  up  to  one  cell,  which 
was  near  the  door,  and  asked,  "What  are  you  collecting 
and  writing  ?  "  They  said,  "  Concerning  the  Act  of  Justifi- 
cation, or  concerning,  Faith  in  act ;  which  is  faith  itself  justi- 
fying, vivifying,  and  saving,  and  is  the  chief  doctrine  of  the 
church  in  our  part  of  Christendom."  And  1  then  said  to 
him,  "Tell  me  some  sign  of  the  act,  when  that  faith  is 
brought  into  the  heart  and  into  the  soul  of  a  man."  lie 
answered,  "The  sign  of  the  act  is  in  the  moment  when  the 
man  is  overcome  with  distress  that  he  is  condemned,  and, 
while  in  that  state  of  contrition,  thinks  of  Christ  as  having 

»3» 


714       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII. 


taken  away  the  condemnation  of  the  law,  and  lays  hold  of 
this  merit  of  His  with  confidence ;  and  with  this  in  thought 
goes  to  God  the  Father,  and  prays."  Then  I  said,  "  Thus 
does  the  act  take  place,  and  this  is  the  moment;"  and  I 
asked,  "  How  shall  I  comprehend  what  is  said  of  this  act, 
that  nothing  of  the  man  concurs  in  it,  any  more  than  if  he 
were  a  post  or  a  stone  ?  and  that  a  man,  as  to  that  act,  can- 
not begin,  will,  understand,  think,  operate,  co-operate,  apply 
and  adapt  himself  thereto  ?  Tell  me  how  this  agrees  with 
what  you  have  said,  that  the  act  takes  place  when  the  man 
thinks  of  the  rightful  power  of  the  law,  of  his  condemnation 
as  taken  away  by  Christ,  of  the  confidence  with  which  he 
lays  hold  of  that  merit  of  His,  and  when  in  thought  con- 
cerning this  he  goes  to  God  the  Father  and  prays :  are  not 
all  these  things  done  by  man?"  But  he  said,  "They  are 
not  done  actively  by  the  man,  but  passively."  And  I  re- 
plied, "  How  can  one  think,  have  confidence,  and  pray,  pas- 
sively ?  Take  away  activity  and  co-operation  from  man  at 
that  time,  and  do  you  not  take  away  receptivity  also?  thus 
every  thing,  and  with  every  thing  the  act  itself?  What 
does  your  act  then  become  but  a  purely  ideal  thing,  which 
is  called  a  thing  of  reasoning?  I  hope  that  you  do  not 
believe  with  some  that  there  is  such  act  only  with  the  pre- 
destined, who  know  nothing  whatever  of  the  infusion  of 
faith  with  themselves.  These  can  cast  the  dice,  and  deter- 
mine in  that  way  whether  faith  has  been  infused  into  them 
or  not.  For  which  reason,  my  friend,  believe  that  as  to 
faith  and  charity  man  operates  out  of  himself  from  the 
Lord,  and  that  without  this  operation  your  act  of  faith  t 
which  you  have  called  the  chief  of  the  doctrines  of  the 
church  in  Christendom  is  nothing  but  the  statue,  Lot's 
wife,  tinkling  as  from  mere  salt,  when  scratched  by  the 
scribe's  pen  or  his  finger-nail  (Luke  xvii.  32).  I  have  said 
this,  because  as  to  that  act  you  make  yourselves  like 
statues."  When  I  said  this  he  seized  the  candlestick  with 
a  strong  grasp  to  throw  it  in  my  face ;  but  the  light  being 


No.  506.  J 


FREE  WILL. 


7*5 


then  suddenly  extinguished,  he  threw  it  against  the  forehead 
of  his  companion  ;  and  I  went  away  laughing. 

506.  Fourth  Relation.  Two  flocks  were  seen  in  the 
spiritual  world,  one  of  goats,  and  the  other  of  sheep.  I 
wondered  who  they  were ;  since  I  well  knew  that  the 
animals  seen  in  the  spiritual  world  are  not  animals,  but 
are  correspondences  of  the  affections  and  thence  of  the 
thoughts  of  those  who  are  there.  For  this  reason  I  drew 
nearer ;  and  as  I  approached  these  likenesses  of  animals 
disappeared,  and  in  place  of  them  men  were  seen ;  and  it 
was  made  manifest  that  they  who  made  up  the  flock  of 
goats  were  those  who  confirmed  themselves  in  the  doctrine 
of  justification  by  faith  alone,  and  that  they  who  made  up 
the  flock  of  sheep  were  those  who  believed  that  charity 
and  faith  are  one,  as  good  and  truth  are  one.  And  I  then 
spoke  with  those  who  were  seen  as  goats,  and  said,  "  Why 
are  you  thus  gathered  together  ? "  The  most  of  them 
were  of  the  clergy,  who  gloried  in  their  reputation  for 
learning,  because  they  knew  the  arcana  of  justification  by 
faith  alone.  They  said  that  they  were  assembled  to  sit 
as  a  council,  because  they  had  heard  that  [some  were 
teaching  that]  Paul's  saying  (Rom.  iii.  28)  that  a  man  is 
justified  by  faith  without  the  deeds  of  the  law.  was  not 
rightly  understood,  inasmuch  as  by  faith  there  he  did  not 
mean  the  faith  of  the  church  of  the  present  day,  which  is 
a  faith  in  three  Divine  persons  from  eternity,  but  faith  in 
the  Lord  God  the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ ;  also,  by  the  deeds 
of  the  law  he  did  not  mean  those  of  the  law  of  the  deca- 
logue, but  the  works  of  the  Mosaic  law  which  were  for 
the  Jews ;  and  that  thus  from  these  few  words,  by  a  wrong 
interpretation,  two  enormous  falsities  had  been  drawn  as 
conclusions,  namely,  that  Paul  meant  the  faith  of  the 
church  of  the  present  day  and  the  works  of  the  law  of  the 
decalogue  :  [saying  also]  that  it  is  clearly  evident  that 
Paul  did  not  mean  the  works  of  the  law  of  the  decalogue, 
but  those  of  the  Mosaic  law,  from  his  own  words  to  Peter, 


716      THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII 


whom  he  blamed  for  Judaizing  while  he  knew  that  no  man 
is  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law,  but  by  the  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ  (Gal.  ii.  14-16).  (By  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  is 
by  faith  in  Him  and  from  Him,  as  may  be  seen  above, 
n.  338.)  Also,  because  by  the  works  of  the  law  Paul 
meant  those  of  the  Mosaic  law,  he  therefore  distinguished 
between  the  law  of  faith  and  that  of  works,  and  between 
the  Jews  and  the  Gentiles,  or  the  circumcision  and  the  un- 
circumcision,  —  circumcision  signifying  Judaism,  as  it  does 
everywhere ;  and  moreover  he  closes  the  subject  with 
these  words :  Do  we  then  make  void  the  law  through  faith  1 
Not  so  :  but  we  establish  the  law.  All  these  things  he  says 
in  one  connection  (Rom.  hi.  27-31)  :  and  in  the  chapter 
which  precedes,  he  also  says,  Not  the  hearers  of  the  law 
shall  be  justified  by  God,  but  the  doers  of  the  law  shall  be 
justified  (Rom.  ii.  13) :  also  that  God  will  render  to  every 
man  according  to  his  deeds  (Rom.  ii.  6) :  and  further,  We 
must  all  appear  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ,  that  every 
one  may  receive  the  things  done  in  the  body,  whether  good 
or  bad  (2  Cor.  v.  10)  :  besides  other  things  in  his  writings. 
From  which  it  is  manifest  that  Paul  rejected  faith  without 
good  works  as  much  as  James  did  (Epistle,  chap.  ii.  17-26). 
That  Paul  meant  the  works  of  the  Mosaic  law  which  was 
for  the  Jews,  we  are  further  confirmed,  [they  say,]  by 
this,  that  all  the  statutes  for  the  Jews  are  called  the  law 
in  Moses,  thus  the  works  of  the  law,  as  we  see  from  these 
passages:  This  is  the  law  of  the  meat-offering  (Lev.  vi.  14). 
This  is  the  law  for  the  burnt-offering,  for  the  meat-offering, 
for  the  sacrifice  for  sin  and  guilt,  for  the  consecrations  (Lev. 
vii.  37).  This  is  the  law  of  the  beast  and  of  the  bird  (Lev.  xi. 
46,  47).  This  is  the  laiv  of  her  that  bringeth  forth,  for  a 
son  or  a  daughter  (Lev.  xii.  7).  This  is  the  law  of  leprosy 
(Lev.  xiii.  59  ;  xiv.  2,  32,  54,  57).  This  is  the  law  of  him 
lhat  hath  an  issue  (Lev.  xv.  32).  This  is  the  law  of  jealousy 
(Num.  v.  29,  30).  This  is  the  law  of  the  Nazarite  (Num. 
vi.  13,  21).    This  is  the  law  of  cleansing  (Num.  xix.  14). 


No.  506.] 


FREE  WILL. 


717 


This  is  the  law  concerning  the  red  heifer  (Num.  xix.  2).  The 
law  for  the  king  (Deut.  xvii.  15-19).  Indeed  the  whole 
book  of  Moses  is  called  the  Book  of  the  Law  (Deut.  xxxi. 
9,  11,  12,  26  ;  also  in  Luke  ii.  22  ;  xxiv.  44;  John  i.  45  ; 
vii.  22,  23  j  viii.  5).  To  this  they  have  also  added  that 
they  saw  in  Paul  that  the  law  of  the  decalogue  is  to  be 
lived,  and  that  it  is  fulfilled  by  charity  (Rom.  xiii.  8-1 1); 
and  that  he  also  says  that  there  are  the  three,  faith,  hope  and 
charity,  and  that  the  greatest  of  these  is  charity  (1  Cor.  xiii. 
13)  j  not  faith,  therefore.  They  said  that  because  of  this 
they  were  called  together.  But  lest  I  should  disturb 
them,  I  withdrew.  And  then  they  were  again  seen  in  the 
distance  as  goats,  and  sometimes  as  lying  down  and  some- 
times as  standing  j  but  they  turned  away  from  the  flock 
of  sheep.  They  appeared  to  be  lying  down  while  deliber- 
ating, and  standing  while  drawing  conclusions.  But  I 
kept  my  sight  fixed  on  their  horns,  and  wondered  that  the 
horns  on  their  foreheads  now  appeared  to  be  extended 
forward  and  upward,  now  curved  backward  toward  their 
bodies,  and  at  length  wholly  thrown  back.  And  then  they 
all  suddenly  turned  toward  the  flock  of  sheep,  but  they 
still  appeared  as  goats.  I  therefore  approached  them 
again,  and  asked,  "  What  now  ?  "  They  said  that  they  had 
concluded  that  faith  alone  produces  the  goods  of  charity 
as  a  tree  produces  fruit.  But  thunder  was  then  heard  and 
lightning  was  seen  overhead  j  and  very  soon  an  angel 
appeared,  standing  between  the  two  flocks  ;  and  he  cried 
out  to  the  flock  of  sheep,  "  Do  not  listen  to  them  ;  they 
have  not  receded  from  their  former  faith,  which  is,  that 
faith  alone  justifies  and  saves,  and  that  actual  charily  docs 
not  at  all.  Neither  is  faith  a  tree,  but  man  is  the  tree. 
But  repent,  and  look  to  the  Lord,  and  you  will  have 
faith.  Before  this  is  done,  the  faith  is  not  a  faith  in  which 
there  is  any  thing  living."  Then  the  goats,  their  horns 
turned  back,  wished  to  approach  the  sheep.  But  the  angel 
standing  between  them  divided  the  sheep  into  two  flocks  ; 


71 8       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII. 


and  he  said  to  those  on  the  left,  "  Join  the  goats,  but  I 
tell  you  that  a  wolf  is  coming  who  will  carry  them  off,  and 
you  with  them." 

But  after  the  two  flocks  of  sheep  were  separated,  and 
they  on  the  left  heard  the  threatening  words  of  the  angels, 
they  looked  at  each  other  and  said,  "  Let  us  converse  with 
our  former  associates."  And  then  the  left-hand  flock  spoke 
to  the  right,  saying,  "  Why  did  you  withdraw  from  our 
shepherds  ?  Are  not  faith  and  charity  one,  as  a  tree  and 
its  fruit  are  one  ?  for  the  tree  is  continued  into  the  fruit 
by  the  branches.  Tear  from  the  branch  any  thing  through 
which  the  tree  by  continuity  flows  into  the  fruit,  and  will 
not  the  fruit  perish,  and  together  with  it  all  the  seed  of 
any  tree  that  would  have  sprung  up  anew  ?  Ask  our 
priests  whether  it  is  not  so."  And  then  they  asked,  and 
[the  priests  *]  looked  around,  toward  the  others,  who 
were  winking  for  them  to  say  that  they  spoke  well.  And 
then  they  answered,  "  You  have  spoken  well ;  but  in  rela- 
tion to  the  continuation  of  faith  into  good  works,  like  that 
of  a  tree  into  the  fruit,  we  know  many  arcana,  but  this  is 
not  the  place  to  publish  them ;  in  the  chain  or  thread  of 
faith  and  charity  there  are  many  knots,  which  we  priests 
only  are  able  to  untie."  And  then  one  of  the  priests,  who 
was  among  the  sheep  on  the  right,  arose  and  said,  "  They 
have  answered  you  that  it  is  so,  but  they  have  answered 
their  own  that  it  is  not  so ;  for  they  think  differently.''' 
Wherefore  they  asked,  "  How  then  do  they  think  ?  Do  they 
think  as  they  teach  ? "  He  said,  "  No ;  they  think  that 
every  good  of  charity  which  is  called  a  good  work,  which 
is  done  by  a  man  for  the  sake  of  salvation  and  eternal  life 
is  not  good  in  its  smallest  part,  for  the  reason  that  the 
man  wishes  to  save  himself  by  work  that  is  from  himself, 
claiming  to  himself  the  righteousness  and  merit  of  the 
one  Saviour;  and  they  think  that  it  is  so  with  every  good 
work  in  which  a  man  is  sensible  of  his  own  will.  They 
*  Apoc.  Rev.,  n.  417,  has  scuerdoics,  the  priests. 


No.  506.] 


FREE  WILL. 


719 


therefore  assert  that  there  is  no  conjunction  whatever  be- 
tween faith  and  charity,  and  they  do  not  even  assert  that 
faith  is  retained  and  preserved  by  good  works."  But  they 
of  the  left  flock  said,  "  You  speak  lies  against  them.  Do 
they  not  openly  preach  charity  to  us,  and  the  works  of 
charity  which  they  call  works  of  faith  ? "  He  replied, 
"  You  do  not  understand  their  preaching.  A  clergyman 
only,  being  present,  attends  and  understands.  They  think 
of  moral  charity  only,  and  its  civil  and  political  goods,  and 
they  call  them  of  faith,  but  they  are  not  so  at  all ;  for  an 
atheist  can  do  them  in  a  like  manner  and  under  the  same 
form.  They  therefore  say  unanimously,  that  no  one  is 
saved  by  any  works,  but  by  faith  alone.  But  let  this  be 
illustrated  by  comparisons.  An  apple-tree  produces  ap- 
ples j  but  if  a  man  does  goods  for  the  sake  of  salvation 
as  that  tree  bears  apples  by  continuity,  then  those  apples 
are  inwardly  rotten  and  full  of  worms.  They  say  also  that 
a  vine  produces  grapes  j  but  if  a  man  were  to  do  spiritual 
goods  as  the  vine  bears  grapes,  he  would  produce  wild 
grapes."  But  they  then  asked,  M  What  kind  of  goods  of 
charity  or  works  have  they,  which  are  the  fruits  of  faith  ? " 
He  answered  that  "they  are  perhaps  not  conspicuous,  being 
somewhere  near  faith  ;  to  which,  however,  they  do  not 
cohere,  being  like  the  shadow  which  follows  after  a  man 
when  he  faces  the  sun,  which  shadow  he  does  not  notice 
unless  he  turns  around  :  indeed  I  may  say  that  they  are 
like  horses'  tails,  which  in  many  places  are  at  this  day  cut 
off,  for  people  say,  '  What  is  the  use  of  them  ?  They  are 
good  for  nothing ;  if  they  are  kept  by  the  horse  they  are 
easily  made  dirty.' "  Hearing  this,  one  of  the  flock  of 
sheep  on  the  left  said  indignantly,  "  There  is  certainly 
some  conjunction ;  otherwise,  how  can  they  be  called  the 
works  of  faith  ?  Perhaps  the  goods  of  charity  are  insinuated 
by  God  into  man's  voluntary  works  by  some  influx,  as  by 
some  affection,  aspiration,  inspiration,  incitation,  and  excita- 
tion of  the  will,  by  tacit  perception  in  the  thought,  and  thence 


720       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII. 


exhortation,  by  contrition  and  thus  conscience,  and  thence 
urging,  and  by  obedience  to  the  decalogue  and  the  Word  (as 
if  he  were  a  little  child,  or  as  if  he  were  a  wise  man),  or  by 
something  else  like  these  acting  as  a  medium.  Otherwise, 
how  can  they  be  called  fruits  of  faith  ?  "  To  this  the  priest 
replied,  "Not  so  •  and  if  they  say  that  it  takes  place  by  any 
such  means,  in  their  sermons  they  overload  it  with  words, 
from  which  comes  the  conclusion  that  it  is  not  from  faith. 
Still,  some  put  forth  such  things,  but  as  the  signs  of  faith, 
not  however  as  its  bonds  with  charity.  Some,  however,  have 
thought  out  a  conjunction  by  means  of  the  Word."  And 
then  they  said,  "  Is  there  not  a  conjunction  in  this  way, 
[that  a  man  does  voluntarily  according  to  the  Word  *]  ?  " 
But  he  answered,  "  They  do  not  think  this,  but  that  it  is 
only  by  the  hearing  of  the  Word ;  for  they  assert  that  all 
that  is  rational  and  all  that  is  voluntary  with  man  in  mat- 
ters of  faith  is  impure  and  meritorious,  inasmuch  as  man 
in  spiritual  things  can  no  more  understand,  will,  operate, 
and  co-operate,  than  a  post."  But  one,  when  he  heard  that 
man  is  believed  to  be  such  in  all  things  pertaining  to  faith 
and  salvation,  said  :  "  I  heard  a  certain  one  say,  '  I  have 
planted  a  vineyard ;  now  I  will  drink  wine  till  I  am  drunk.' 
But  another  asked  him,  1  Shall  you  drink  the  wine  from 
your  own  cup,  by  your  own  right  hand?'  And  he  said, 
4  No,  but  from  an  unseen  cup,  by  an  unseen  hand.'  And 
the  other  answered,  '  You  certainly  will  not  get  drunk, 
then.' "  Presently  the  same  man  said,  "  But  hear  me,  I 
pray :  I  say  to  you,  Drink  wine  from  the  Word  understood. 
Do  you  not  know  that  the  Lord  is  the  Word  ?  Is  not  the 
Word  from  the  Lord  ?  Is  He  not  thus  in  it  ?  If  then  you 
do  good  from  the  Word,  do  you  not  do  it  from  the  Lord? 
from  His  mouth  and  will  ?  And  if  you  then  look  to  the 
Lord,  He  will  also  lead  and  teach  you,  and  you  will  do 

*  The  words  within  brackets  have  been  supplied  from  the  "Apoc- 
alypse Revealed,"  n.  417.    The  Latin  there  reads,  "  quod  homo  vol' 

uttfarii facial  secundum  Verb  urn" 


No.  507.] 


FREE  WILL. 


721 


the  good  out  of  yourselves  from  the  Lord.  Who  that  does 
any  thing  from  a  king,  at  his  mouth  and  command,  can  say, 
"  This  I  do  from  my  own  mouth  or  command,  and  from  my 
own  will  ?  "  After  this  he  turned  to  the  clergy,  and  said, 
"  Ministers  of  God,  do  not  mislead  the  flock."  On  hearing 
these  things,  the  greater  part  of  the  flock  on  the  left  with- 
drew, and  united  with  the  flock  on  the  right.  Then  some 
of  the  clergy  said,  "  We  have  heard  what  we  never  heard 
before.  We  are  shepherds ;  we  will  not  leave  the  sheep." 
And  they  withdrew  together  with  them ;  and  they  said, 
"This  man  spoke  a  true  word;  who  that  acts  from  the 
Word,  and  thus  from  the  Lord,  His  mouth  and  will,  can 
say,  '  I  do  this  from  myself? '  Who  that  acts  from  a  king, 
from  his  mouth  and  will,  says,  1  This  I  do  from  myself  ? ' 
Now  we  see  the  Divine  Providence,  why  a  conjunction  of 
faith  and  good  works  has  not  been  found  that  has  been 
acknowledged  by  ecclesiastical  society.  It  could  not  be 
found,  because  it  could  not  be  given,  for  there  has  not 
been  faith  in  the  Lord  Who  is  the  Word,  and  consequently 
neither  has  there  been  faith  from  the  Word."  But  the  other 
priests,  who  were  of  the  flock  of  goats,  went  away,  waving 
their  hats  and  shouting,  "  Faith  alone,  Faith  alone,  it  will 
still  live." 

507.  Fifth  Relation.  I  was  in  conversation  with 
angels,  and  finally  spoke  of  the  lust  of  evil  in  which  every 
man  is  from  birth.  One  said,  referring  to  the  world  where 
he  then  was,  "They  who  are  in  lust  seem  to  us  angels  like 
the  foolish  j  but  those  very  ones  seem  to  themselves  like 
those  who  are  in  the  highest  degree  wise.  Therefore,  that 
they  may  be  drawn  forth  from  their  folly,  they  are  let  alter- 
nately into  it  and  into  the  rationality  which  with  them  is  in 
externals ;  and  in  this  latter  state  they  see,  acknowledge, 
and  confess  their  insaneness ;  but  still  they  long  to  return 
from  their  rational  into  their  insane  state,  and  they  also 
bring  themselves  into  it,  as  from  what  is  compulsory  and 
without  enjoyment  into  freedom  and  enjoyment.  Thus 


722      THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII. 


lust  and  not  intelligence  is  interiorly  agreeable  to  them. 
There  are  three  universal  loves  of  which  every  man  is  com- 
posed by  creation ;  the  love  of  the  neighbor,  which  is  also 
the  love  of  doing  uses  (this  love  is  spiritual) ;  the  love  of 
the  world,  which  is  also  the  love  of  possessing  wealth  (this 
love  is  material) ;  and  the  love  of  self,  which  is  also  the 
love  of  lording  it  over  others  (and  this  love  is  corpo- 
real). A  man  is  truly  man  while  the  love  of  the  neighbor 
or  the  love  of  doing  uses  makes  the  head,  and  the  love  of 
the  world  or  the  love  of  possessing  wealth  makes  the  chest 
and  abdomen,  and  the  love  of  self  or  the  love  of  ruling 
makes  the  feet  and  the  soles  of  the  feet.  But  if  the  love 
of  the  world  makes  the  head,  the  man  is  man  but  as  one 
who  is  hunchbacked ;  but  if  the  love  of  self  makes  the 
head,  he  is  not  like  a  man  standing  on  his  feet,  but  like 
one  standing  on  the  palms  of  his  hands  with  head  down 
and  the  hind  parts  up.  When  the  love  of  doing  uses  makes 
the  head,  and  the  two  other  loves  make  the  body  and  the 
feet  in  their  order,  the  man  appears  in  heaven  with  an 
angelic  face  and  a  beautiful  rainbow  about  his  head;  but 
if  the  love  of  the  world  or  of  wealth  makes  the  head,  he 
appears  from  heaven  with  a  face  pale  like  that  of  a  dead 
person,  with  a  yellow  circle  about  the  head ;  but  if  the  love 
of  self  or  of  lording  it  over  others  makes  the  head,  he  ap- 
pears from  heaven  with  a  face  of  a  fiery  duskiness,  with  a 
white  circle  about  the  head."  On  this  I  asked,  "  What  do 
the  circles  about  the  head  represent  ? "  They  answered, 
"  They  represent  intelligence.  The  white  circle  about  the 
head  with  the  face  of  a  fiery  duskiness,  represents  that  the 
intelligence  of  that  one  is  in  externals  or  round  about  him, 
while  insaneness  is  in  the  internals  or  in  him ;  and  further, 
the  man  who  is  such,  is  wise  when  in  the  body,  but  insane 
while  in  the  spirit;  and  no  man  is  wise  in  the  spirit  except 
from  the  Lord,  which  is  the  case  when  he  is  generated  and 
created  anew  by  Him."  After  this  was  said,  the  earth  was 
opened  toward  the  left,  and  through  the  opening  I  saw  a 


No.  507.] 


FREE  WILL. 


723 


devil  rising  up,  with  a  face  of  a  fiery  duskiness,  and  a  white 
circle  about  the  head.  I  asked,  "  Who  are  you  ? "  He 
said,  "  I  am  Lucifer,  the  son  of  the  morning  j  and  because 
I  made  myself  like  unto  the  Most  High,  I  was  cast  down, 
as  I  am  described  in  the  fourteenth  chapter  of  Isaiah." 
He  was  not  that  Lucifer,  however,  but  he  believed  that  he 
was.  And  I  said,  *  Since  you  were  cast  down,  how  can 
you  rise  again  out  of  hell  ? "  And  he  answered,  "  I  am  a 
devil  there,  but  here  I  am  an  angel  of  light.  Do  you  not 
«ee  my  head  girt  around  with  a  white  circlet?  You  shall 
j-lso  see  if  you  wish,  that  I  am  moral  among  the  moral,  and 
rational  among  the  rational,  yes,  spiritual  among  the  spirit- 
ual. I  have  also  been  able  to  preach."  I  asked,  u  How 
did  you  preach  ?  "  He  said,  "  Against  defrauders,  adulter- 
ers, and  all  infernal  loves ;  yes,  then  I  called  myself  who 
am  Lucifer,  a  devil ;  and  I  made  false  oath  against  myself 
as  such  ;  and  for  so  doing  I  was  borne  up  to  heaven  with 
praises.  It  is  from  this  that  I  have  been  called  the  son  of 
the  morning.  And,  what  was  astonishing  to  myself,  when 
I  was  in  the  pulpit  I  had  no  thought  that  I  was  not  speaking 
rightly  and  properly.  But  the  cause  of  this  was  disclosed 
to  me,  which  was  this :  I  was  in  externals,  and  these  were 
then  separated  from  my  internals.  But  although  this  was 
disclosed  to  me,  still  I  could  not  change,  because  I  exalted 
myself  above  the  Most  High  and  set  myself  against  Him." 
At  last  I  asked,  "  How  were  you  able  to  speak  thus,  when 
you  yourself  are  a  defrauder  and  an  adulterer  ?  "  He  re- 
plied, "  I  am  one  person  while  I  am  in  externals  or  in  the 
body,  and  another  while  I  am  in  internals  or  in  the  spirit. 
In  the  body  I  am  an  angel,  but  in  the  spirit  a  devil ;  for  in 
the  body  I  am  in  the  understanding,  but  in  the  spirit  I  am 
in  the  will  /  and  the  understanding  carries  me  upward,  but 
the  will  carries  me  downward.  And  while  I  am  in  the 
understanding,  a  white  circlet  encompasses  my  head  ;  but 
while  the  understanding  rholly  gives  itself  up  as  a  slave  to 
th(  will,  and  becomes  the  will's,  which  is  ultimately  our  lot, 


724       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII, 


then  the  circlet  grows  black  and  disappears  ;  and  when  this 
is  the  case,  I  am  able  no  longer  to  ascend  into  this  light." 
But  suddenly,  when  he  saw  the  angels  with  me,  he  became 
excited  in  face  and  in  voice,  and  he  became  black  even  as 
to  the  circlet  that  was  about  the  head,  and  he  slipped  down 
into  hell  through  the  opening  by  which  he  rose  up.  From 
what  they  had  seen  and  heard,  they  who  stood  near  came 
to  this  conclusion,  that  a  man  is  in  quality  such  as  his  will 
is,  and  not  such  as  his  understanding  is,  inasmuch  as  the 
will  easily  carries  over  the  understanding  to  its  side,  and 
enslaves  it.  I  then  asked  the  angels,  "Whence  have  devils 
rationality  ?  "  And  they  said,  "  It  is  from  the  glory  of  the 
love  of  self,  for  the  love  of  self  is  encompassed  with  a  glory; 
for  this  is  the  resplendence  of  its  fire ;  and  this  glory  uplifts 
the  understanding  almost  into  the  light  of  heaven ;  for  the 
understanding  in  every  man  is  capable  of  elevation  accord- 
ing to  cognitions,  but  not  the  will  except  by  a  life  according 
to  the  truths  of  the  church  and  of  reason.  Hence  it  is  that 
atheists  themselves  who  are  in  the  glory  of  fame  from  self- 
love,  and  thence  in  the  pride  of  their  own  intelligence, 
enjoy  a  loftier  rationality  than  many  others,  but  at  the  very 
time  when  they  are  in  the  thought  of  the  understanding; 
not  however  when  they  are  in  the  will's  love ;  and  the  love 
of  the  will  has  possession  of  the  internal  man,  but  the 
thought  of  the  understanding  possesses  the  external.  The 
angel  furthermore  told  the  cause  of  man's  being  composed 
of  the  three  loves,  namely,  the  love  of  use,  the  love  of  the 
world,  and  the  love  of  self ;  it  is,  that  he  may  think  from 
God,  though  altogether  as  of  himself.  He  said  that  what 
are  highest  in  man's  mind  are  turned  upward  toward  God ; 
what  are  mediate  therein,  outward  toward  the  world ;  and 
the  lowest  there,  downward  into  the  body;  and  because 
these  last  are  turned  downward,  a  man  thinks  wholly  as  of 
himself,  when  yet  he  thinks  from  God. 

508.  Sixth  Relation.  One  day  there  appeared  to  me 
a  magnificent  temple,  square  in  form,  the  roof  of  which 


No.  508.] 


FREE  WILL. 


725 


was  crown-shaped,  arched  above,  and  raised  round  about. 
Its  walls  were  continuous  windows  of  crystal,  its  gate  of 
the  substance  of  pearl.  Within,  on  the  south  side  and 
near  the  west,  was  a  pulpit,  on  which  at  the  right  lay  the 
open  Word,  enveloped  with  a  sphere  of  light,  the  splendor 
of  which  surrounded  and  illuminated  the  whole  pulpit. 
In  the  centre  of  the  temple  was  the  shrine,  before  which 
was  a  veil,  but  lifted  now,  where  stood  a  cherub  of  gold 
with  a  sword  in  hand,  that  turned  hither  and  thither. 
While  I  viewed  these  things  there  was  an  influx  to  me  in 
my  meditation,  of  what  they  each  signified :  That  temple 
signified  the  New  Church  ;  the  gate,  of  the  substance  of 
pearl,  entrance  into  it ;  the  windows  of  crystal,  the  truths 
which  enlightened  it ;  the  pulpit  signified  the  priesthood  and 
preaching ;  the  Word  open  upon  the  pulpit  and  illuminat- 
ing its  upper  part,  signified  the  internal  sense  of  the  Word 
revealed,  which  is  spiritual ;  the  shrine  in  the  centre  of  the 
temple,  signified  the  conjunction  of  that  church  with  the 
angelic  heaven ;  the  cherub  of  gold  therein,  the  W^ord  in 
the  sense  of  the  letter  ;  the  sword  vibrating  in  his  hand 
signified  that  this  sense  can  be  turned  hither  and  thither, 
provided  this  is  done  in  application  to  some  truth  j  that 
the  veil  before  the  cherub  had  been  lifted,  signified  that 
the  Word  was  now  laid  open.  Afterward,  when  I  drew 
nearer,  I  saw  this  writing  above  the  gate,  Nunc  licet 
(Now  it  is  lawful),  which  signified  that  it  is  now  lawful  to 
enter  intellectually  into  the  arcana  of  faith.  From  seeing 
this  writing,  it  came  into  my  thought  that  it  is  exceedingly 
dangerous  to  enter  with  the  understanding  into  dogmas  of 
faith  composed  from  one's  own  intelligence  and  thus  from 
falsities,  and  stilly  more  to  confirm  them  from  the  Word  ; 
the  understanding  is  thereby  closed  above,  and  gradually 
below  also,  to  such  an  extent  that  theological  matters  not 
only  cause  disgust,  but  they  are  also  obliterated  as  writing 
on  paper  by  worms,  and  the  wool  of  a  piece  of  cloth  by 
moths  ;  the  understanding  abiding  only  in  political  matters 


726       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  VIII. 

which  regard  a  man's  life  in  the  dominion  where  he  is,  in 
the  civil  matters  pertaining  to  his  employment,  and  the 
domestic  affairs  belonging  to  his  own  house.  And  in  all 
these  things  he  constantly  kisses  nature,  and  owing  to  the 
allurements  of  her  pleasures  he  loves  her  as  an  idolater 
loves  the  golden  image  in  his  bosom.  Now  as  the  dogmas 
of  the  Christian  churches  of  the  present  day  have  not 
been  composed  from  the  Word,  bat  from  men's  own  intel- 
ligence and  thus  from  falsities,  and  as  they  have  also  been 
confirmed  by  some  things  from  the  Word,  by  the  Lord's 
Divine  Providence  the  Word  has  been  taken  from  the  laity 
among  the  Roman  Catholics,  and  among  the  Protestants 
has  been  opened  but  still  has  been  closed  by  their  common 
declaration  that  the  understanding  is  to  be  kept  under 
obedience  to  their  faith.  But  in  the  New  .Church  the 
contrary  is  the  case ;  in  this  church  it  is  allowable  to 
enter  with  the  understanding  and  to  penetrate  into  all 
its  secrets,  and  also  to  confirm  them  by  the  Word.  This 
is  because  its  doctrinals  are  continuous  truths,  laid  open 
by  the  Lord  by  means  of  the  Word ;  and  confirmations 
of  those  truths  by  means  of  what  is  rational  cause  the 
understanding  to  be  opened  above  more  and  more,  and 
thus  to  be  elevated  into  the  light  in  which  the  angels 
of  heaven  are  ;  a*nd  that  light  in  its  essence  is  truth, 
and  in  this  light  the  acknowledgment  of  the  Lord  as  the 
God  of  heaven  and  earth  shines  in  its  glory.  This  is 
meant  by  the  writing  over  the  door  of  the  temple,  Nunc 
licet  ;  and  also  by  the  veil  of  the  shrine  before  the 
cherub  being  lifted.  For  it  is  a  Canon  of  the  New  Church 
that  falsities  close  the  understanding,  and  that  truths  open 
it.  After  this,  I  saw  above  the  head  one  like  an  infant, 
holding  a  paper  in  his  hand.  As  he  drew  near  to  me,  he 
increased  to  the  stature  of  a  man  of  the  average  size, 
lie  was  an  angel  from  the  third  heaven,  where  all  in  the 
distance  look  like  infants.  While  he  was  with  me,  he 
handed  me  the  paper  j  but  as  it  was  written  with  rounded 


No.  508.] 


FREE  WILL. 


727 


letters,  such  as  are  in  that  heaven,  I  returned  the  paper, 
and  begged  that  they  would  themselves  explain  the  mean- 
ing of  the  words  there  written,  in  terms  adapted  to  the 
ideas  of  my  thought.  And  he  replied,  "This  is  there 
written :  Enter  hereafter  into  the  mysteries  of  the 
Word  which  has  been  heretofore  shut  up;  for  its 
several  truths  are  so  many  mirrors  of  the  lord." 


CHAPTER  NINTH. 


CONCERNING  REPENTANCE. 

509.  After  the  treatises  on  Faith,  Charity,  and  Free 
Will,  next  in  connection  comes  Repentance,  since  true 
faith  and  genuine  charity  cannot  be  given  without  repent- 
ance, and  no  one  can  repent  without  free  will.  Repentance 
is  here  treated  of  for  the  further  reason  that  a  treatise  on 
Regeneration  follows  next,  and  no  one  can  be  regenerated 
before  the  more  grievous  evils  which  render  a  man  detest- 
able in  the  sight  of  God,  are  removed,  and  these  are  re- 
moved by  repentance.  What  is  an  unregenerate  man  but 
an  impenitent  one  ?  And  what  is  an  impenitent  man,  but 
like  one  who  is  in  a  state  of  lethargy,  and  knows  nothing 
of  sin,  and  therefore  cherishes  it  in  his  bosom,  and  kisses 
it  every  day,  as  an  adulterer  kisses  the  harlot  in  his  bed? 
But  that  it  may  be  known  what  Repentance  is,  and  what  it 
accomplishes,  the  treatise  concerning  it  is  to  be  divided  into 
articles. 

L   Repentance  is  the  first  of  the  Church  with 

MAN. 

510.  The  communion  called  the  church  consists  of  all 
those  in  whom  the  church  is;  and  the  church  with  man 
enters  him  while  regenerating,  and  every  one  is  regener- 
ated by  abstaining  from  the  evils  of  sin,  and  shunning 
them  as  one  would  avoid  infernal  hordes  who  sees  them 
with  torches  in  hand  making  ready  to  spring  upon  him  and 
cast  him  upon  a  burning  pile.  There  are  many  things 
which  prepare  one  for  the  church,  as  he  advances  in  the 
first  stages  of  life,  and  which  introduce  him  into  it;  but 


No.  510.J 


REPENTANCE. 


729 


acts  of  repentance  are  what  make  the  church  to  be  in  the 
man.  Acts  of  repentance  are  all  such  as  cause  a  man  not  to 
will  and  consequently  not  to  do  evils  which  are  sins  against 
God ;  for  before  this  is  done,  the  man  stands  outside  of 
regeneration  j  and  then,  if  any  thought  respecting  eternal 
salvation  creeps  in,  he  turns  toward  it,  but  presently  turns 
away  from  it;  for  it  enters  into  the  man  no  further  than  the 
ideas  of  his  thought,  and  it  goes  forth  thence  into  the  words 
of  his  speech,  and  also,  it  may  be,  into  some  gestures  con- 
formable to  the  speech.  But  when  such  thought  enters 
into  the  will,  it  is  then  in  the  man ;  for  the  will  is  the  man 
himself,  because  his  love  has  its  dwelling  there,  while 
thought  is  outside  of  the  man,  unless  it  proceeds  from  his 
will ;  when  this  is  the  case,  then  the  will  and  the  thought 
act  as  one,  and  both  together  make  the  man.  From  this  it 
follows  that,  for  repentance  to  be  repentance  and  to  be 
effective  in  man,  it  is  necessary  for  it  to  be  of  the  will  and 
thence  of  the  thought,  and  not  of  the  thought  alone,  con- 
sequently for  it  to  be  actual  and  not  of  the  lips  merely. 
That  repentance  is  the  first  of  the  church  is  very  manifest 
from  the  Word.  John  the  Baptist,  who  was  sent  before,  to 
prepare  men  for  the  church  which  the  Lord  was  about  to 
establish,  when  he  baptized,  at  the  same  time  preached 
repentance ;  therefore  his  baptism  was  called  the  baptism 
of  repentance,  because  baptism  signified  spiritual  washing, 
which  is  a  cleansing  from  sins.  John  did  this  in  the  Jordan, 
because  the  Jordan  signified  introduction  into  the  church, 
for  it  was  the  first  boundary  of  the  land  of  Canaan  where 
the  church  was.  The  Lord  Himself  also  preached  re 
pentance  for  the  remission  of  sins ;  whereby  lie'  taught 
that  repentance  is  the  first  of  the  church,  that  so  far  as 
man  repents  sins  with  him  are  removed,  and  that  so  far  as 
they  are  removed  they  are  remitted.  And  furthermore,  the 
Lord  commanded  the  twelve  apostles,  and  also  the  seventy 
whom  He  sent  forth,  to  preach  repentance.  From  which 
it  is  plain  that  the  first  of  the  church  is  repentance. 
vol.  n.  14 


730         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX. 


511.  That  the  church  is  not  in  man  until  after  sins  with 
him  are  removed,  any  one  can  conclude  from  reason,  and 
it  may  be  illustrated  by  the  following  comparisons :  Who 
can  introduce  sheep,  kids,  and  lambs  into  fields  or  woods 
where  there  are  all  kinds  of  wild  beasts,  before  he  has 
driven  these  out  ?  And  who  can  make  a  garden  of  a  piece 
of  ground  that  is  overgrown  with  thorns,  briers,  and  net- 
tles, before  he  has  rooted  out  those  noxious  weeds  ?  Who 
can  introduce  a  form  of  administering  justice  according  to 
judicial  law  into  a  city  held  by  hostile  forces,  and  establish 
citizenship,  before  he  has  expelled  the  enemy?  It  is  the 
same  with  the  evils  in  man ;  they  are  like  wild  beasts,  like 
briers  and  thorns,  and  like  hostile  forces ;  and  with  these 
the  church  cannot  have  an  abode  in  common  any  more 
than  a  man  can  dwell  in  a  cage  where  there  are  tigers  and 
leopards ;  or  lie  in  a  bed  with  poisonous  herbs  strewed 
upon  it  and  stuffed  into  the  pillows ;  or  sleep  at  night  in 
a  temple,  beneath  the  floor  of  which  are  sepulchres  con- 
taining, dead  bodies.  Would  not  ghosts  infest  him  there 
like  furies  ? 

II.  The  Contrition  which  at  this  day  is  said  to  pre- 
cede Faith,  and  to  be  followed  by  the  Consola- 
tion of  the  Gospel,  is  not  Repentance. 

512.  In  the  Reformed  Christian  world  they  tell  of  a 
species  of  anxiety,  grief,  and  terror,  which  they  call  Con- 
trition, and  which,  with  those  who  are  to  be  regenerated, 
precedes  their  faith  and  is  followed  by  the  consolation  of 
the  gospel.  They  say  that  this  contrition  in  them  arises 
from  a  fear  of  the  just  wrath  of  God,  and  hence  of  eternal 
damnation,  which  is  inherent  in  every  man  owing  to  Adam's 
sin  and  the  consequent  proclivity  of  man  to  evils ;  also  that 
without  that  contrition,  the  faith  that  imputes  to  man  the 
merit  and  righteousness  of  the  Lord  the  Saviour,  is  not 
bestowed  ;  and  that  they  who  have  obtained  this  faith  re- 


No.  514  ] 


REPENTANCE. 


731 


ceive  the  consolation  of  the  Gospel,  which  is,  that  they  are 
justified,  that  is,  that  they  are  renewed,  regenerated,  and 
sanctified,  without  any  co-operation  of  their  own ;  and  that 
they  are  transferred  from  damnation  to  eternal  blessedness, 
which  is  life  eternal.  But  respecting  this  contrition  these 
questions  are  to  be  considered:  1.  Is  it  repentance?  2.  Is 
it  of  any  moment?    3.  Is  there  any  such  thing? 

513.  Whether  that  contrition  is  repenta?ice  or  not,  may 
be  concluded  from  the  description  of  repentance  given 
hereafter,  where  it  is  shown  that  repentance  cannot  exist 
unless  man,  not  only  in  a  universal  way  but  also  in  par- 
ticulars taken  severally,  knows  that  he  is  a  sinner;  which 
no  one  can  know  unless  he  examines  himself,  and  sees  the 
evils  that  are  in  him,  and  condemns  himself  on  account  of 
them.  But  that  contrition  which  is  declared  necessary  to 
faith,  has  nothing  in  common  with  these  things  ;  for  it  is 
merely  the  thought,  and  thence  a  confession,  that  he  was 
born  into  Adam's  sin  and  into  a  proclivity  to  the  evils 
springing  therefrom  j  and  that  therefore  the  wrath  of  God 
is  upon  him,  and  therefore  merited  damnation,  doom,  and 
eternal  death.  From  which  it  is  plain  that  this  contrition 
is  not  repentance. 

514.  The  next  point  is,  Since  that  contrition  is  not 
repentance,  is  it  of  any  moment  1  It  is  said  to  con- 
tribute to  faith,  as  an  antecedent  to  a  consequent,  but 
yet  that  it  does  not  enter  into  it  and  conjoin  itself  with  it 
by  commingling  with  it.  But  what  is  the  faith  which 
follows,  but  that  God  the  Father  imputes  to  man  the 
righteousness  of  His  Son,  and  then  declares  him,  while 
not  conscious  of  any  sin,  righteous,  renewed,  and  holy, 
and  thus  clothes  him  in  a  robe  washed  and  made  white  in 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb  ?  And  when  man  walks  in  this 
robe,  what  then  are  the  evils  of  his  life,  but  like  sulphurous 
stones  thrown  into  the  depths  of  the  sea?  And  what  is 
then  the  sin  of  Adam  but  something  covered  over,  or 
removed,  or  carried  away  by  the  imputed  righteousness  of 


732         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX. 


Christ?  When  man,  owing  to  that  faith,  walks  in  the 
righteousness  and  at  the  same  time  in  the  innocence  of 
God  the  Saviour,  for  what  is  that  contrition  then  service- 
able but  to  make  him  confident  that  he  is  in  Abraham's 
bosom,  and  hence  to  look  upon  those  who  have  not  had 
this  contrition  before  faith  as  miserable  in  hell,  or  as  dead  ? 
For  it  is  said  that  there  is  not  a  living  faith  to  those  who 
lack  contrition.  It  may  therefore  be  said  that  if  they  [who 
have  had  such  contrition]  have  sunk  or  are  now  sinking  in 
damnable  evils,  they  pay  no  more  attention  to  them,  and 
are  no  more  sensible  of  them,  than  pigs  lying  in  the  mud 
in  the  gutters  of  the  street  are  sensible  of  the  stench.  It  is 
manifest  from  this  that  the  contrition,  not  being  repent- 
ance, is  not  any  thing. 

515.  The  third  point  to  be  considered  is,  Whether  there 
is  any  such  contrition  without  ?-epentance.  In  the  spiritual 
world  I  have  asked  many  who  have  confirmed  in  them- 
selves the  faith  imputative  of  the  merit  of  Christ,  whether 
they  had  any  contrition,  and  they  have  answered,  Why 
contrition,  when  from  childhood  we  have  believed  as  a 
certainty  that  Christ  by  His  passion  took  away  all  our 
sins  ?  Contrition  does  not  square  with  this  belief  j  for 
it  is  contrition  for  men  to  cast  themselves  into  hell,  and 
to  torture  the  conscience,  when  yet  they  know  that  they 
have  been  redeemed  and  so  delivered  from  hell,  and 
are  consequently  secure  from  harm.  To  this  they  added 
that  this  statute  of  contrition  was  wholly  a  fictitious 
thing,  held  in  the  place  of  the  repentance  so  often  men- 
tioned in  the  Word,  and  also  enjoined.  They  said  that 
with  the  simple,  who  know  but  little  about  the  Gospel, 
there  is,  perhaps,  some  emotion  of  mind  when  they  hear  or 
think  about  the  torments  in  hell.  They  also  said  that  the 
consolation  of  the  Gospel,  impressed  upon  them  from  ear- 
liest youth,  so  banished  contrition  that  in  heart  they  laughed 
at  it  when  mentioned;  and  that  hell  could  not  strike  them 
with  terror  any  more  than  the  fires  of  Vesuvius  and  of 


No.  516.] 


REPENTANCE. 


733 


^tna  could  terrify  those  who  dwell  at  Warsaw  and  Vienna, 
or  than  the  basilisks  and  vipers  in  the  deserts  of  Arabia, 
or  the  tigers  and  lions  in  the  forests  of  Tartan',  could 
terrify  those  who  live  in  safety,  tranquillity,  and  quiet  in 
some  city  of  Europe.  They  also  said  that  the  wrath  of 
God  excited  in  them  no  more  terror  and  contrition,  than 
the  wrath  of  the  king  of  Persia  could  excite  in  those  who 
live  in  Pennsylvania.  From  these  things,  and  also  from 
rational  inferences  from  their  declarations,  I  am  con 
vinced  that  contrition,  unless  it  is  repentance  such  as  is 
described  in  the  following  pages,  is  nothing  but  a  freak 
of  the  fancy.  The  Reformed  supported  contrition  instead 
of  repentance,  in  order  to  sever  themselves  from  the  Roman 
Catholics,  who  insist  upon  repentance  and  at  the  same 
time  charity;  and  when  they  afterward  confirmed  justifi- 
cation by  faith  alone,  they  alleged  as  their  reason,  that  by 
repentance,  as  by  charity,  something  of  man,  savoring  of 
merit,  entered  into  his  faith  and  blackened  it. 

III.  The  mere  oral  Confession  that  one  is  a  sinner, 
is  not  Repentance. 

516.  Concerning  this  oral  confession,  the  Reformed  who 
adhere  to  the  Augsburg  Confession  teach  as  follows  :  "  No 
man  can  ever  know  his  sins ;  wherefore  they  cannot  be 
enumerated  ;  they  are,  moreover,  interior  and  hidden,  and 
the  confession  would  therefore  be  false,  uncertain,  incom- 
plete, and  mutilated  ;  but  he  who  confesses  himself  to  be  all 
mere  sin,  includes  all  sins,  excludes  none,  and  forgets  none. 
But  still  the  enumeration  of  sins,  although  not  necessary, 
for  the  sake  of  tender  and  timid  consciences  is  not  to  be 
done  away  with  ;  but  this  is  only  a  childish  and  common 
form  of  confession  for  the  simpler  and  ruder  people  " 
("  Formula  Concordiae,"  pages  327,  33 1,  380).  But  this  con- 
fession was  held  by  the  Reformed  instead  of  actual  repent- 
ance, after  they  had  separated  from  the  Roman  Catholics, 


734         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX. 


because  it  is  based  upon  their  imputative  faith,  which 
alone,  without  charity  and  so  too  without  repentance,  works 
the  remission  of  sins  and  regenerates  man ;  and  also  upon 
this,  which  is  an  inseparable  appendage  to  that  faith,  that 
there  is  no  co-operation  on  man's  part  with  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  the  act  of  justification ;  also  upon  this,  that  no  man  has 
free  will  in  spiritual  things ;  and  again  upon  this,  that  all 
things  are  of  immediate  mercy,  and  nothing  whatever  of 
mercy  made  mediate  by  man  and  through  him. 

517.  Among  the  many  reasons  why  the  confession  of  the 
lips  that  one  is  a  sinner  is  not  repentance,  is  this,  that 
every  man,  an  impious  one  and  even  a  devil,  may  so  cry 
out,  and  this  with  external  devoutness,  when  he  thinks  of 
the  torments  in  hell  impending  or  through  which  he  is  then 
passing.  But  who  does  not  see  that  this  is  not  from  any 
internal  devotion,  and  consequently  that  it  is  imaginary 
and  therefore  of  the  lungs,  but  not  voluntary  from  within, 
and  therefore  not  of  the  heart  ?  For  an  impious  man  and 
a  devil  still  burn  inwardly  with  the  lusts  of  the  love  of 
doing  evil,  from  which  they  are  borne  on  as  windmills  are 
driven  by  strong  winds  ;  and  therefore  such  an  exclamation 
is  nothing  but  a  contrivance  to  cheat  God,  or  to  deceive 
the  simple,  and  for  the  sake  of  deliverance.  For  what  is 
easier  than  to  compel  the  lips  to  give  forth  the  cry,  and  the 
breath  of  the  mouth  to  adapt  itself  to  it,  to  turn  the  eyes 
upward,  and  raise  the  hands  ?  This  is  what  the  Lord  says 
in  Mark,  Well  hath  Esaias  prophesied  of  you,  hypocrites. 
This  people  honorcth  Me  with  their  lips,  but  their  heart  is  far 
from  Me  (vii.  6)  ;  and  in  Matthew,  Woe  unto  you,  Scribes 
and  Pharisees,  for  ye  make  clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  the 
platter,  but  within  they  are  full  of  extortion  and  excess.  Thou 
blind  Pharisee,  cleanse  first  the  inside  of  the  cup  a?id  the 
platter,  that  the  outside  also  may  be  made  clean  (xxiii.  25,  26)  ; 
and  more  in  the  same  chapter. 

518.  In  hypocritical  worship  like  this  are  they  who  have 
confirmed  in  themselves  the  faith  of  the  present  day,  that 


No.  518.] 


REPENTANCE. 


735 


the  Lord  by  the  passion  of  the  cross  took  away  all  the 
sins  of  the  world,  meaning  by  this  the  sins  of  every  one, 
provided  men  only  pray  according  to  the  formularies  about 
propitiation  and  mediation.  Some  of  them  can  with  loud 
voice  and  apparently  burning  zeal  pour  forth  from  the  pul- 
pit many  holy  things  about  repentance  and  charity,  while 
they  deem  each  of  these  useless  in  respect  to  salvation  ;  for 
they  mean  no  other  repentance  than  confession  with  the 
lips,  and  no  other  charity  than  that  belonging  to  public 
life  ;  but  they  do  this  for  the  favor  of  the  people.  These 
are  they  who  are  meant  by  these  words  of  the  Lord  :  Many 
will  say  to  Me  i?i  that  day,  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  prophe- 
sied by  Thy  name  ?  and  in  Thy  name  dofie  many  wonderful 
works  ?  And  then  will  I  profess  unto  them,  I  knoiv  you  not ; 
depa7-t  from  Me,  ye  that  wo?'k  iniquity  (Matt.  vii.  22,  23). 
In  the  spiritual  world  I  once  heard  one  praying  in  this 
way :  "  I  am  full  of  sores,  leprous,  unclean  from  my 
mother's  womb.  There  is  nothing  in  me  sound,  from  my 
head  to  the  sole  of  my  foot;  I  am  not  worthy  to  lift  up 
my  eyes  to  God ;  I  am  deserving  of  death  and  eternal 
damnation.  Have  mercy  upon  me  for  the  sake  of  Thy  Son ; 
purify  me  in  His  blood.  The  salvation  of  all  is  in  Thy 
good  pleasure.  I  implore  Thy  mercy.''  His  words  were 
heard  by  some  standing  near,  and  they  asked  him,  "  How 
do  you  know  that  you  are  such  ? "  He  replied,  "  I  know 
it,  because  I  have  heard  so."  But  he  was  then  sent  to 
angels  who  were  examiners,  before  whom  he  spoke  in  the 
same  way ;  and  they,  after  examination,  reported  that  he 
had  spoken  true  things  about  himself,  but  still  without 
knowing  a  single  evil  in  himself,  because  he  had  never 
examined  himself,  and  had  believed  that  after  oral  confes- 
sion evils  were  no  longer  evils  in  the  sight  of  God,  both 
because  God  turns  His  eyes  away  from  them,  and  because 
He  has  been  propitiated  ;  and  that  therefore  he  did  not 
come  to  a  sense  of  any  evil  and  turn  from  it,  although  he 
was  an  adulterer  from  purpose,  a  thief,  a  crafty  detractor, 


736  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  IX. 


and  burning  with  revenge  ;  and  that  he  was  such  in  will 
and  heart,  and  would  therefore  be  the  same  in  word  and 
deed  if  the  fear  of  the  law  and  of  the  loss  of  reputation  did 
not  i  ^strain  him.  After  he  was  found  to  be  such,  he  was 
judged,  and  sent  away  to  the  hypocrites  in  hell. 

519.  The  quality  of  such  may  be  illustrated  by  compar- 
isons. They  are  like  temples  where  only  the  spirits  of  the 
dragon,  and  those  who  are  meant  in  the  Apocalypse  by 
the  locusts,  are  congregated ;  and  they  are  like  the  pulpits 
therein,  where  the  Word  is  not,  because  it  is  put  beneath 
the  feet.  They  are  like  plastered  walls,  the  plaster  beauti- 
fully colored ;  within  which,  as  the  windows  are  open,  owls 
and  direful  birds  of  the  night  are  flying  about.  They  are 
like  whitened  sepulchres,  that  contain  dead  men's  bones. 
They  are  like  coins  made  of  the  lees  of  oil  or  dried  dung, 
and  overlaid  with  gold.  They  are  like  the  bark  and  the 
wood  that  surround  the  rotten  heart,  and  like  the  garments 
of  Aaron's  sons  on  a  leprous  body;  yes,  like  ulcers  con- 
taining foul  matter,  but  covered  over  with  a  thin  skin  and 
supposed  to  be  healed.  Who  does  not  know  that  a  holy 
external  and  a  profane  internal  do  not  accord  ?  Such  also 
fear  more  than  others  to  examine  themselves  ;  they  are 
therefore  no  more  sensible  of  the  vicious  things  within 
them,  than  of  the  pungent  and  ill-smelling  substances  in 
their  stomachs  and  bowels  before  they  are  cast  out  into 
the  draught.  But  it  is  to  be  kept  in  mind  that  those  who 
have  been  hitherto  spoken  of,  are  not  to  be  confounded 
with  those  who  do  well  and  believe  well,  nor  with  those 
who  repent  of  some  sins,  and  who,  while  in  worship  and 
still  more  while  in  spiritual  temptation,  speak  within  them- 
selves or  pray  from  an  oral  confession  like  that  of  the 
others.  For  that  general  confession  both  precedes  and 
follows  reformation  and  regeneration. 


No.  520.] 


REPENTANCE. 


737 


[V.  Man  is  eorn  to  Evils  of  every  kind;  and  unless 
by  Repentance  he  removes  them  in  part,  he 
remains  in  them  j  and  he  who  remains  in  them 
cannot  be  saved. 

520.  That  every  man  is  born  to  evils,  so  that  he  is  noth- 
ing but  evil  from  his  mother's  womb,  is  known  in  the 
church,  and  it  has  become  known  because  it  has  been 
handed  down  by  the  councils  and  by  the  prelates  of  the 
churches  that  the  sin  of  Adam  was  transmitted  to  all  his 
posterity  ;  and  that  for  this  one  thing  alone,  every  man 
after  him  was  damned  together  with  him  ;  and  that  it  is 
this  which  is  inherent  in  every  man  from  birth.  On  this 
assertion,  moreover,  are  based  other  things  which  the 
churches  teach,  as  that  the  washing  of  regeneration,  which 
is  called  baptism,  was  instituted  by  the  Lord  for  the  re- 
moval of  this  sin ;  also  that  it  was  the  cause  of  the  Lord's 
Coming,  and  that  faith  in  His  merit  is  the  means  whereby 
k  is  removed ;  besides  other  things  which  the  churches 
have  founded  upon  this  assertion.  But  that  there  is  no 
hereditary  evil  from  that  origin,  may  be  evident  from  what 
was  shown  above  (n.  466  and  subsequent  numbers),  that 
Adr.m  was  not  the  first  of  mankind,  but  that  by  Adam  and 
his  wife  is  representatively  described  the  first  church  on  this 
orb,  and  by  the  garden  of  Eden  its  wisdom,  by  the  tree  of 
life  its  looking  to  the  Lord  Who  was  to  come,  and  by  the 
tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  its  looking  to  self 
and  not  to  the  Lord.  That  this  church  is  representatively 
described  by  the  first  chapters  of  Genesis,  has  been  proved 
from  many  parallel  passages  from  the  Word,  in  the  "  Arcana 
Ccelestia "  published  at  London.  When  these  things  are 
understood  and  accepted,  the  opinion  hitherto  entertained, 
that  the  evil  innate  in  man  from  his  parents  is  from  that 
source,  falls  to  the  ground  ;  for  it  has  its  origin  not  from 
this  but  from  another  source.  That  the  tree  of  life  and 
the  tree  ot  the  knowledge  of  go  >d  and  evil  are  with  every 


738         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX 

man,  and  that  they  are  said  to  be  placed  in  a  garden, 
signified  man's  free  will  in  turning  to  the  Lord  and  in  turn- 
ing from  Him,  as  has  been  fully  shown  in  the  chapter 
concerning  Free  Will. 

521.  But,  my  friend,  hereditary  evil  is  from  no  other 
source  than  from  parents ;  not  indeed  the  evil  itself  which 
a  man  actually  commits,  but  the  inclination  to  it.  Every 
one  will  acknowledge  that  it  is  so,  if  he  joins  reason  to 
experience.  Who  does  not  know  that  children  are  born 
with  a  general  resemblance  to  their  parents  in  face,  in  man- 
ner, and  in  mind  [animus]  ?  and  even  grandchildren  and 
great-grandchildren  with  a  resemblance  to  grand-parents 
and  great-grandparents  ?  Also  that  by  many  persons  fami- 
lies are  thus  known  apart,  and  nations  also ;  as  Africans 
from  Europeans,  Neapolitans  from  Germans,  Englishmen 
from  Frenchmen,  and  so  on  ?  Who  does  not  recognize  a 
Jew  by  his  face,  eyes,  speech,  and  gestures  ?  And  if  you 
were  able  to  feel  the  sphere  of  life  flowing  out  from  the 
native  genius  of  every  one,  you  might  in  like  manner  be 
convinced  of  the  resemblance  of  minds  (both  animus  and 
mens).  From  this  it  follows  that  man  is  not  born  into  evils 
themselves,  but  only  into  an  inclination  to  evils ;  having, 
however,  a  greater  or  less  proclivity  for  particular  ones; 
wherefore  after  death  no  man  is  judged  from  any  heredi- 
tary evil,  but  from  the  actual  evils  which  he  has  himself 
committed.  This  is  also  evident  from  the  following  statute 
of  the  Lord  :  The  father  shall  not  die  because  of  the  son,  and 
the  son  shall  not  die  because  of  the  father  ;  every  one  shall  die 
for  his  own  sin  (Deut.  xxiv.  16).  This  was  made  certain  to 
me  in  the  spiritual  world,  from  those  who  die  in  infancy,  by 
their  having  only  an  inclination  to  evils  and  thus  willing 
them,  but  still  not  doing  them  j  for  they  are  educated  under 
the  Lord's  auspices,  and  saved.  The  inclination  and  pro- 
clivity to  evils  that  have  been  mentioned,  transmitted  from 
parents  to  their  children  and  posterity,  are  broken  only  by 
the  new  birth  from  the  Lord,  which  is  called  regeneration. 


No.  523.3 


REPENTANCE. 


739 


Without  this,  that  inclination  not  only  remains  uninter- 
rupted, but  also  increases  from  parents  that  succeed  each 
other,  and  becomes  more  prone  to  evils,  and  at  length  to 
evils  of  every  kind.  It  is  from  this  that  the  Jews  are  still 
images  of  their  father  Judah,  who  begat  three  branches  of 
them,  having  taken  a  Canaanitish  woman  to  wife,  and  com- 
mitting adultery  with  Tamar  his  daughter-in-law.  Where- 
fore this  hereditary  disposition,  in  process  of  time,  has 
increased  in  them  even  so  that  they  are  not  able  to  em- 
brace the  Christian  religion  from  faith  at  heart.  It  is  said 
that  they  are  not  able  to  do  so,  because  the  interior  will 
of  their  mind  is  adverse  thereto,  and  this  will  causes  the 
inability. 

522.  That  ever}-  evil,  unless  removed,  remains  with  man, 
and  that  man  cannot  be  saved  if  he  remains  in  his  evils, 
follows  of  itself.  That  no  evil  can  be  removed  except  by 
the  Lord,  and  with  those  who  believe  in  Him  and  love  the 
neighbor,  may  be  very  evident  from  things  that  have  been 
already  considered,  especially  from  these  in  the  chapter  on 
Faith  :  The  Lord,  charity,  and  faith  make  one,  like  life,  w///x 
and  understanding ;  and  if  they  are  divided,  each  perishes  like 
a  pearl  reduced  to  powder;  and  further,  The  Lord  is  Charity 
and  Faith  in  man,  and  man  is  charity  and  faith  in  the  Lord. 
But  it  is  asked,  How  can  man  enter  into  this  union  ?  The 
reply  is,  that  he  cannot  unless  by  repentance  he  removes 
his  evils  in  part.  It  is  said  that  man  must  remove  them, 
because  the  Lord  does  not  do  that  immediately  without 
man's  co-operation  ;  which  is  also  fully  shown  in  the  same 
chapter,  and  in  the  later  chapter  on  Free  Wile. 

523.  It  is  objected,  that  no  man  can  fulfil  the  law,  and 
that  he  has  the  less  ability  to  do  so,  since  he  who  trespasses 
against  one  precept  of  the  decalogue  trespasses  against  all. 
But  this  saying  does  not  mean  just  as  it  sounds  ;  for  it  is  to 
be  understood  in  this  manner,  that  he  who  from  purpose 
and  determination  acts  contrary  to  one  precept,  acts  con- 
trary to  the  rest ;  inasmuch  as  to  act  from  purpose  and 


740         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX. 


determination,  is  to  wholly  deny  that  it  is  sin,  and  if  it  is 
said  to  be  sin,  to  throw  that  aside  as  of  no  consequence  ; 
and  he  who  denies  and  rejects  sin  in  this  way,  thinks  noth- 
ing of  all  tha*  is  called  sin.  They  who  do  not  wish  to 
hear  any  thing  about  repentance  become  fixed  in  purpose 
of  this  kind ;  but  on  the  other  hand,  they  who  by  repent- 
ance have  removed  some  evils  that  are  sins  come  into  the 
purpose  of  believing  in  the  Lord  and  loving  the  neighbor ; 
these  latter  are  kept  by  the  Lord  in  the  purpose  to  abstain 
from  other  evils ;  wherefore,  if  they  commit  sin  from  igno- 
rance or  some  overpowering  lust,  this  is  not  imputed  to 
them,  because  they  did  not  intend  it,  nor  do  they  confirm 
it  in  themselves.  This  may  be  confirmed  by  what  follows  : 
In  the  spiritual  world  I  have  met  with  many  who  in  the 
natural  world  lived  like  others,  dressing  finely,  feasting 
delicately,  having  money  like  others  from  trading,  witness- 
ing plays,  joking  about  lovers  as  if  from  licentiousness,  and 
doing  other  such  things ;  and  yet  the  angels  charged  some 
with  these  things  as  evils  of  sin,  and  others  they  did  not 
charge  with  them  as  evils,  declaring  the  latter  innocent,  but 
the  former  guilty.  To  the  question,  "  Why  is  this,  when 
they  all  did  alike?"  they  replied  that  they  view  all  from 
their  purpose,  intention,  and  end,  and  distinguish  accord- 
ingly; and  that  therefore  they  excuse  or  condemn  those 
whom  the  2nd  excuses  or  condemns,  since  good  is  the  end 
with  all  in  heaven,  and  evil  is  the  end  with  all  in  hell. 

524.  But  these  things  shall  be  illustrated  by  comparisons. 
The  sins  retained  in  an  impenitent  man  may  be  compared 
to  various  diseases  in  him  •  unless  medicines  are  brought 
to  bear  on  them,  and  malignities  removed  thereby,  the  man 
dies.  They  may  be  compared  especially  with  the  disease 
called  gangrene,  which,  unless  healed  in  time,  spreads,  and 
causes  inevitable  death.  In  like  manner  to  imposthumes 
and  abscesses,  where  they  are  not  reached  and  opened ; 
for  from  them  empyemata  or  collections  of  pus  will  diffuse 
themselves  into  the  neighboring  parts,  from  these  into  ad- 


No.  525.] 


REPENTANCE. 


741 


joining  viscera,  and  finally  into  the  heart,  whence  comes 
death.  There  may  also  be  comparison  with  tigers,  leopards, 
lions,  wolves,  and  foxes,  which,  unless  kept  in  dens  or  bound 
with  chains  or  ropes,  would  attack  the  fiock  and  the  herd, 
the  fox  attacking  the  poultry,  and  kill  them  :  also  with  ven- 
omous serpents,  which  unless  held  tight  with  sticks,  or 
deprived  o^  their  teeth,  would  inflict  deadly  wounds  on  man. 
A  whole  flock  would  perish  if  left  in  fields  where  there  are 
poisonous  herbs,  instead  of  being  led  by  the  shepherd  to 
pastures  where  there  is  nothing  hurtful.  The  silk  worm 
also  would  perish,  and  thus  all  the  silk,  unless  other  worms 
were  shaken  from  the  leaves  of  its  tree.  Comparison  may 
also  be  made- with  corn  in  granaries  or  its  houses,  which 
would  be  rendered  musty  and  offensive  and  thus  useless,  if 
the  air  were  not  permitted  to  pass  freely  through  it  and 
remove  every  thing  that  would  do  harm.  If  a  fire  were  not 
extinguished  at  the  very  outset,  it  might  lay  waste  a  whole 
city  or  forest.  Brambles,  thistles,  and  briers  would  take 
full  possession  of  a  garden,  if  not  rooted  out.  Gardeners 
know  that  a  tree,  bad  from  the  seed  and  root,  brings  its  bad 
juices  into  the  wood  that  comes  from  a  good  tree  budded 
or  engrafted  upon  it,  and  that  the  bad  juices  coming  up  are 
turned  into  good,  and  produce  useful  fruit.  And  so  with 
man  by  the  removal  of  evil  by  means  of  repentance ;  for 
man  is  thereby  set  in  the  Lord,  as  a  branch  in  the  Vine, 
and  bears  good  fruit  (John  xv.  4-6). 

V.  Cognition  of  Sin,  and  the  Examination  of  some 
Sin  in  oneself,  begin  Repentance. 

525.  Cognition  of  sin  can  be  wanting  to  no  one  in  the 
Christian  world  ;  for  there  everyone  is  from  infancy  taught 
what  evil  is,  and  from  childhood  what  the  evil  of  sin  is. 
All  youths  learn  this  from  parents  and  teachers,  and  also 
from  the  decalogue,  [the  catechism  containing]  this  being 
the  first  book  that  is  put  into  the  hands  of  all  in  Christen 


742         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX. 


dom  ;  and  in  their  subsequent  progress  by  preaching  in 
the  temples  and  instruction  at  home,  and  in  fulness  from 
the  Word  ;  and  furthermore  from  the  civil  laws  of  justice, 
which  teach  things  like  those  taught  by  the  decalogue  and 
the  other  parts  of  the  Word.  For  the  evil  of  sin  is  no  other 
than  evil  against  the  neighbor ;  and  evil  against  the  neigh- 
bor is  also  evil  against  God,  which  is  sin.  But  tlje  cognition 
of  sin  effects  nothing  unless  a  man  examines  the  acts  of 
his  life,  and  sees  whether  secretly  or  openly  he  has  com- 
mitted any  such  thing.  Before  this  is  done,  that  is  all 
merely  knowledge  ;  and  then  what  the  preacher  presents  is 
mere  sound  going  in  at  the  left  ear  and  passing  out  at  the 
right,  and  finally  it  becomes  a  mere  matter  of  thought,  and 
something  devout  in  the  breathing,  and  with  many  imag- 
inative and  chimerical.  But  it  is  wholly  different  if  man, 
according  to  his  cognitions  of  what  sin  is,  examines  him- 
self, finds  something  in  himself,  and  says  to  himself,  "This 
evil  is  a  sin,"  and  abstains  from  it  for  fear  of  eternal  pun- 
ishment. Then  first  what  is  said  in  the  temples  by  the 
preachers,  in  instruction  and  in  prayer,  is  received  by  both 
ears,  is  introduced  into  the  heart,  and  from  a  pagan  the 
man  becomes  a  Christian. 

526.  Can  there  be  any  thing  better  known  in  the  Chris- 
tian world,  than  that  a  man  ought  to  examine  himself? 
For  everywhere,  in  the  empires  and  kingdoms  adhering  to 
the  Roman  Catholic  religion  and  in  those  adhering  to  the 
Evangelical,  before  approaching  the  Holy  Supper  they  are 
taught  and  admonished  that  a  man  must  examine  him- 
self, recognize  and  acknowledge  his  sins,  and  live  a  new  and 
a  different  life.  In  the  English  dominions  this  is  accom- 
panied with  fearful  threatenings,  where  in  the  address  that 
precedes  the  Communion  the  following  is  read  and  pro- 
claimed by  the  priest  from  the  altar:  "The  way  and 
means  "  to  become  a  worthy  partaker  of  the  Holy  Supper, 
"  is  first  to  examine  your  lives  and  conversations  by  the 
rule  of  God's  commandments ;  and  whereinsoever  ye  shall 


No.  527.] 


REPENTANCE. 


743 


perceive  yourselves  to  have  offended,  eithc;  L)  will,  word, 
or  deed,  there  to  bewail  your  own  sinfulness,  and  to  confess 
yourselves  to  Almighty  God,  with  full  purpose  of  amend- 
ment of  life.  And  if  ye  shall  perceive  your  offences  to  be 
such  as  are  not  only  against  God  but  also  against  your 
neighbor,  then  ye  shall  reconcile  yourselves  unto  him, 
being  ready  to  make  restitution  and  satisfaction,  according 
to  the  uttermost  of  your  powers,  for  all  injuries  .and  wrongs 
done  by  you  to  any  other,  and  being  likewise  ready  to  for- 
give others  that  have  offended  you,  as  ye  would  have 
forgiveness  of  your  offences  at  God's  hand  \  for  otherwise 
the  receiving  of  the  holy  communion  does  nothing  else  but 
increase  your  damnation.  Therefore  if  any  of  you  be  a 
blasphemer  of  God,  a  hinderer  or  slanderer  of  His  Word, 
an  adulterer,  or  be  in  malice  or  envy,  or  in  any  other 
grievous  crime,  repent  ye  of  your  sins,  or  else  come  not  to 
that  holy  table,  lest  after  the  taking  of  that  holy  sacrament, 
the  devil  enter  into  you  as  he  entered  into  Judas,  and  fill 
you  full  of  all  iniquity,  and  bring  you  to  destruction  both 
of  body  and  soul." 

527.  And  yet  there  are  some  who  cannot  examine  them- 
selves, such  as  infants,  boys  and  girls  before  they  arrive  at 
the  age  when  they  become  capable  of  looking  into  them- 
selves ;  also  the  simple-minded  who  are  not  capable  of  re- 
flection \  and  again,  all  those  who  have  no  fear  of  God  ;  and 
beside  these,  some  who  are  sick  in  mind  [animus]  and  body  ; 
and  furthermore,  those  who  (being  confirmed  from  the  doc- 
trine of  justification  by  faith  alone  as  imputative  of  Christ's 
merit)  have  persuaded  themselves  that  by  examination 
and  thence  repentance  something  of  the  man  would  enter, 
which  would  ruin  faith,  and  so  would  cast  out  and  banish 
salvation  from  its  one  and  only  home  [focus].  Mere  con- 
fession with  the  lips  serves  all  these  ;  and  that  this  is  not 
repentance  has  been  already  shown  in  this  chapter.  But 
they  who  know  what  sin  is,  and  still  more  they  who  know 
many  other  things  from  the  Word  and  teach  them,  and  who 


744 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX 


do  not  examine  themselves  and  consequently  see  no  sin  in 
themselves,  may  be  likened  to  those  who  scrape  up  wealth 
and  lay  it  up  in  chests  and  coffers,  making  no  further  use 
of  it  than  to  look  at  it  and  count  it;  also  to  those  who 
gather  into  their  treasuries  jewels  of  gold  and  silver  and 
shut  them  up  in  vaults,  solely  for  the  sake  of  being  opu- 
lent ;  such  are  like  the  trader  that  hid  his  talent  in  the 
earth,  and  like  him  who  hid  his  pound  in  a  napkin  (Matt, 
xxv.  25  ;  Luke  xix.  20).  They  are  also  like  the  hard  way- 
side and  stony  places  upon  which  the  seed  fell  (Matt.  xiii. 
4,  5) ;  also  like  fig-trees  full  of  leaves  but  bearing  no  fruit 
(Mark  xi.  13).  They  are  the  hearts  of  adamant,  that  do 
not  become  hearts  of  flesh  (Zech.  vii.  12).  They  are  like 
the  partridges  which  gather  and  bri?ig  not  forth  ;  they  get 
riches  but  not  with  judgment ;  they  leave  them  in  the  midst  of 
their  days,  and  at  their  end  become  fools  (Jer.  xvii.  11).  They 
are  like  the  five  virgins  who  had  lamps  but  no  oil  (Matt, 
xxv.  1-12).  They  who  acquire  from  the  Word  much  about 
charity  and  repentance,  and  who  know  its  precepts  in 
abundance,  and  do  not  live  according  to  them,  may  be 
compared  to  gluttons  who  stuff  bits  of  food  into  their 
mouths,  and  swallow  it  without  chewing  into  the  stomach, 
where  it  stays  undigested,  and  when  it  has  been  passed 
onward  it  vitiates  the  chyle,  and  brings  on  lingering  dis- 
eases, from  which  they  die  at  last  a  miserable  death.  Such 
persons  being  without  spiritual  heat,  however  much  light 
they  may  be  in,  may  be  called  winters,  frozen  grounds, 
arctic  climates,  yes,  fields  of  snow  and  ice. 

VI.  Actual  Repentance  is  to  examine  oneself,  to 
recognize  and  acknowledge  one's  slns,  to  make 
Supplication  to  the  Lord,  and  begin  a  new 
Life. 

528.  That  man  is  by  all  means  to  repent,  and  that  his 
salvation  depends  thereon,  is  evident  from  many  passages 


No.  529.] 


REPENTANCE. 


745 


and  plain  sayings  of  the  Lord  in  the  Word,  from  which 
the  following  shall  for  present  purposes  be  adduced  :  John 
preached  the  baptism  of  repentance  and  said,  Bring  forth 
fruits  worthy  of  repc?itance  (Luke  iii.  3,  8 ;  Mark  i.  4). 
Jesus  began  to  preach  and  to  say,  Repent  (Matt.  iv.  17). 
-Ynd  He  said,  because  The  kingdo7n  of  God  is  at  hand, 
Repent  ye  (Mark  i.  15).  Again  :  Except  ye  repe?it,ye  will  all 
perish  (Luke  xiii.  5).  Jesus  commanded  His  disciples  that 
repentance  a?id  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in  His 
name  to  all  nations  (Luke  xxiv.  47  ;  Mark  vi.  12).  Where- 
fore Peter  preached  repentance  and  baptism  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ  for  the  remission  of  sins  (Acts  ii.  38)  ;  and  he 
also  said,  Repent  ye  therefore,  and  turn,  that  your  sins  may 
be  blotted  out  (iii.  19).  Paul  preached  to  all  men  everywhere 
to  repent  (xvii.  30)  ;  he  also  declared  first  unto  them  of 
Damascus,  and  at  Jerusalem,  and  throughout  all  the  region 
of  Judea,  and  then  to  the  Gentiles,  that  they  should  repent  ana 
turn  to  God,  and  do  works  meet  for  repentance  (xxvi.  20). 
Again,  he  testified  to  the  Jews  and  to  the  Greeks,  repentance 
toivard  God  and  faith  toward  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  (xx. 
21).  The  Lord  said  to  the  church  at  Ephesus,  I  have  some- 
what  against  thee,  that  thou  hast  left  thy  first  charity. 
Repent,  or  else  I  will  remove  thy  candlestick  out  of  its  place, 
except  thou  repent  (Apoc.  ii.  2,  4,  5).  To  the  church  at 
Pergamos,  /  know  thy  works,  repent  (ii.  13,  16).  To  the 
church  in  Thyatira,  /  will  cast  her  into  affiiction,  if  she  docs 
not  repent  of  her  works  (Apoc.  ii.  22).  To  the  church  of 
the  Laodiceans,  I  know  thy  wvrks,  be  zealous,  therefore,  ana 
repent  (Apoc.  iii.  15,  19).  There  is  joy  in  heaven  over  one 
sinner  that  rcpenteth  (Luke  xv.  7)  ;  beside  other  passages. 
From  which  it  is  manifest  that  man  is  by  all  means  to 
repent;  but  the  quality  and  the  mode  of  the  repentance 
will  be  shown  in  what  follows. 

529.  Who  cannot  understand,  from  the  reason  given 
him,  that  it  is  not  repentance  for  one  merely  to  confess 
with  the  mouth  that  he  is  a  sinner,  and  to  recount  man) 


746 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  IX. 


things  respecting  it,  as  the  hypocrite  did  who  was  men- 
tioned above  (n.  518)  ?  For  what  is  easier  for  a  man  when 
he  is  in  distress  and  agony,  than  to  pour  out  the  breath,  and 
to  utter  sighs  and  groans  from  the  lungs  by  the  lips,  and 
also  to  beat  the  breast  and  make  himself  guilty  of  all  sins, 
when  yet  he  is  not  conscious  of  a  single  sin  in  himself  ? 
Do  the  diabolical  horde,  which  are  in  his  loves,  go  out 
together  with  the  sighs  ?  Do  they  not  rather  hiss  at  those 
things,  and  remain  in  him  as  before,  as  in  their  own  house  ? 
It  is  manifest  from  this  that  such  repentance  is  not  meant 
in  the  Word,  but  repentance  from  evil  works,  as  it  also 
says. 

530.  The  question  is,  therefore,  How  ought  man  to 
repent  ?  The  reply  is,  Actually ;  and  this  is,  for  one  to 
examine  himself,  recognize  and  acknowledge  his  sins,  make 
supplication  to  the  Lord,  and  begin  a  new  life.  That 
there  can  be  no  repentance  without  examination  was  shown 
in  the  preceding  article.  But  for  what  purpose  is  examina 
tion,  but  that  one  may  recognize  his  own  sins  ?  And  for 
what  is  this  cognition,  but  that  he  may  acknowledge  that 
they  are  in  him  ?  And  for  what  are  the  three,  but  that  he 
may  confess  them  before  the  Lord,  supplicate  aid,  and 
then  begin  a  new  life,  which  is  the  end  to  be  attained  ? 
This  is  actual  repentance.  That  man  ought  so  to  pro- 
ceed and  do,  every  one  may  know  (after  he  has  passed 
the  first  period  of  life  and  comes  under  his  own  control 
and  to  the  exercise  of  his  own  reason)  from  Baptism,  the 
washing  of  which  means  regeneration ;  for  in  Baptism  his 
sponsors  have  promised  for  him  that  he  will  reject  the 
devil  and  all  his  works;  in  like  manner  from  the  Holy 
Supper,  for  all  are  forewarned  to  repent  of  their  sins,  to 
turn  to  God,  and  to  enter  upon  a  new  life,  before  they  can 
come  to  it  worthily  ;  and  moreover  from  the  Decalogue  or 
Catechism  which  is  in  the  hands  of  all  Christians,  where  in 
six  of  its  precepts  nothing  is  commanded  but  that  they 
should  not  do  evils.    And  unless  these  are  removed  by 


No.  531.] 


REPENTANCE. 


747 


repentance,  man  cannot  love  the  neighbor,  and  still  less 
God;  when  nevertheless  on  those  two  commandments 
hang  the  law  and  the  prophets,  that  is,  the  Word,  con- 
sequently salvation.  Actual  repentance,  if  performed  at 
recurring  seasons,  as  often,  for  instance,  as  a  man  prepares 
for  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Supper,  if  he  afterwards 
abstains  from  one  sin  or  another  that  he  then  discovers  in 
himself,  is  sufficient  to  initiate  him  into  actuality  [in  repent- 
ance] ;  and  when  he  is  in  this,  he  is  on  the  way  to  heaven, 
for  from  being  natural  he  then  begins  to  become  spiritual, 
and  to  be  born  anew  from  the  Lord. 

531.  This  maybe  illustrated  by  the  following  compari- 
sons. Man  before  repentance  is  like  a  desert  where  there 
are  terrible  wild  beasts,  dragons,  owls  of  various  kinds, 
vipers,  and  poisonous  serpents,  where  in  the  thickets  are 
the  doleful  creatures,  the  ochim  and  the  iziim,  and  where 
satyrs  dance.  But  after  these  have  been  banished  by  the 
industry  and  labor  of  man,  the  desert  may  be  ploughed 
and  brought  into  fields  that  may  be  planted  ;  and  these 
may  be  sowed  first  with  oats,  beans,  and  flax,  and  after- 
ward with  barley  and  wheat.  It  may  also  be  compared 
to  the  wickedness  which  reigns  in  full  force  among  men  ; 
if  the  wicked  were  not  corrected  according  to  law,  and 
punished  by  stripes  or  death,  no  city  and  no,  kingdom 
could  stand.  Man  is  as  it  were  a  society  in  miniature. 
If  he  did  not  deal  with  himself  in  a  spiritual  manner  as 
the  wicked  in  a  great  society  are  dealt  with  in  a  natural 
manner,  he  would  be  castigated  and  punished  after  death, 
and  this  even  till  he  does  not  do  evil  for  fear  of  the  pen- 
alty, although  he  can  in  no  wise  be  brought  to  do  good 
from  the  love  of  good. 


;43 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX. 


VII.  True  Repentance  is,  to  examine  not  only  the 
Acts  of  one's  Life,  but  also  the  Intentions  of 
his  Will. 

532.  For  a  man  to  examine  not  only  the  acts  of  his 
life,  but  also  the  intentions  of  his  will,  is  true  repentance, 
because  the  understanding  and  the  will  make  the  acts ;  for 
man  speaks  from  thought,  and  acts  from  will ;  wherefore 
speech  is  thought  speaking,  and  action  is  will  acting.  And 
because  the  words  and  actions  are  from  them,  it  follows 
undoubtedly  that  will  and  thought  are  the  two  that  sin 
when  the  body  sins.  And  further,  a  man  can  repent  of 
evils  which  he  has  done  with  the  body,  and  still  think  and 
will  evil ;  but  this  is  like  cutting  off  the  trunk  of  a  bad 
tree  and  leaving  its  root  in  the  ground,  from  which  the 
same  bad  tree  grows  up  again  and  spreads  itself  around. 
But  when  the  root  is  torn  up  also,  it  is  different ;  and  this 
is  done  in  man  when  he  at  the  same  time  examines  the 
intentions  of  his  will  and  removes  the  evils  by  repentance. 
A  man  examines  the  intentions  of  his  will  while  he  exam- 
ines his  thoughts,  for  in  these  the  intentions  make  them- 
selves manifest  •  [to  find]  how  far,  while  thinking  of  them, 
he  wills  and  intends  revenge,  adulteries,  thefts,  false  wit- 
ness, and  the  desires  for  them,  and  also  blasphemy  against 
God,  the  holy  Word,  and  the  church,  and  so  on.  If  he 
still  directs  his  attention  to  this,  and  searches  to  find 
whether  he  would  do  such  things  if  the  fear  of  the  law 
and  for  reputation  did  not  hinder,  then  after  such  scru- 
tiny he  who  thinks  that  he  will  not  because  they  are  sins, 
repents  truly  and  interiorly ;  and  still  more  when  he  is  in 
the  enjoyment  from  those  evils  and  is  at  the  same  time  in 
freedom  to  do  them,  and  then  resists  and  abstains.  He 
who  practises  this  repeatedly,  perceives  the  enjoyments  of 
the  etils  when  they  return  as  not  enjoyable,  and  at  last  he 
condemns  them  to  hell.  This  is  what  is  meant  by  these 
words  of  the  Lord  :  He  that  willcth  to  find  his  life  shall  lose 


No.  533.] 


REPENTANCE. 


749 


tt ;  and  he  that  loseth  his  life  for  My  sake,  shall  find  if 
(Matt.  x.  39).  He  who  by  this  repentance  removes  the 
evils  of  his  will,  is  like  one  who  in  time  pulls  up  the  tares 
sown  in  his  field  by  the  devil,  so  that  the  seeds  implanted 
by  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour  find  a  clear  soil,  and  grow  to 
a  harvest  (Matt.  xiii.  25-30). 

533.  There  are  two  loves  which  have  long  been  enrooted 
in  the  human  race,  the  love  of  lording  over  all  and  the  love 
of  possessing  the  goods  of  all.  The  former  love,  if  free 
rein  is  given  it,  reaches  on  even  so  far  as  to  wish  to  be  the 
God  of  heaven ;  and  the  latter,  if  free  rein  is  given  it,  reaches 
on  even  so  far  as  to  wish  to  be  the  God  of  the  world.  To 
these  two  loves  are  subordinated  all  other  evil  loves,  of 
which  there  are  hosts ;  but  to  examine  these  two  is  exceed- 
ingly difficult,  because  they  reside  most  deeply  within,  and 
hide  themselves ;  for  they  are  like  vipers  concealed  in  a 
rock  full  of  holes  ;  these  retain  their  poison,  but  when  any 
one  lies  down  on  the  rock  they  give  their  deadly  stroke, 
and  then  draw  back.  They  are  also  like  the  sirens  of  the 
ancients,  who  allured  men  by  their  song,  and  by  that  means 
killed  them.  These  two  loves  also  array  themselves  in 
shining  robes  and  undergarments,  as  a  devil  by  magical 
tantasy  does  among  his  own,  or  among  those  whom  he 
wishes  to  delude.  But  it  is  to  be  well  known  that  these 
two  loves  may  bear  rule  with  those  in  humble  life  more 
than  with  the  great,  with  the  poor  more  than  with  the  rich, 
with  subjects  more  than  with  kings ;  for  kings  are  born 
to  dominion  and  wealth,  which  they  at  length  regard  only 
as  others  regard  their  households  and  possessions,  —  as 
one  in  civil  office,  a  director,  a  shipmaster,  or  even  a  poor 
farmer  regards  his.  It  is  different  with  kings  who  aspire  to 
dominion  over  the  kingdoms  of  others.  The  intentions  of 
the  will  are  to  be  examined,  because  the  love  has  its  seat 
in  the  will,  for  the  will  is  its  receptacle,  as  shown  above. 
From  thence  every  love  breathes  out  its  enjoyments  into 
the  perceptions  and  thoughts  of  the  understanding,  for 


750         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX. 


these  latter  do  not  act  at  all  from  themselves  but  from  the 
will,  for  they  favor  it,  consenting  to  and  confirming  every 
thing  that  is  of  its  love.  The  will  is  therefore  the  very 
house  in  which  the  man  dwells,  and  the  understanding  is 
the  hall  through  which  he  goes  out  and  in.  For  this  rea- 
son it  has  been  said  that  the  intentions  of  the  will  are  to 
be  examined ;  and  when  they  have  been  examined  and 
removed,  man  is  lifted  out  of  the  natural  will,  in  which 
hereditary  and  actual  evils  have  their  seat,  into  the  spirit- 
ual will,  through  which  the  Lord  reforms  and  regenerates 
the  natural,  and  by  means  of  this  what  is  sensual  and  volun- 
tary pertaining  to  the  body,  thus  the  whole  man. 

534.  They  who  do  not  examine  themselves,  by  compari- 
son, are  like  invalids  whose  blood  is  vitiated  from  the 
closing  of  the  smallest  vessels,  which  causes  atrophy, 
numbness  of  the  limbs,  and  painful  chronic  diseases  aris- 
ing from  a  thickening,  tenacity,  acridness,  and  acidity  of 
the  humors,  and  consequently  of  the  blood.  But,  on  the 
other  hand,  they  who  include  the  intentions  of  the  will  in 
their  examination  of  themselves,  by  comparison,  are  like 
those  who  have  been  cured  of  these  diseases,  and  who 
return  to  the  life  they  were  in  while  young.  They  who 
examine  themselves  aright,  are  like  ships  from  Ophir  laden 
with  gold,  silver,  and  precious  things  ;  but  before  they  have 
examined  themselves,  they  are  like  ships  loaded  with  filth, 
such  as  are  used  to  carry  away  the  mud  and  ordure  of  the 
streets.  They  who  examine  themselves  interiorly,  become 
like  mines,  all  the  walls  of  which  are  resplendent  with  ores  of 
precious  metal ;  but  before,  like  foul  bogs  in  which  are  snakes 
and  venomous  serpents  with  glittering  scales,  and  noxious 
insects  with  shining  wings.  They  who  do  not  examine 
themselves  are  like  the  dry  bones  in  the  valley;  but  after 
they  have  examined  themselves,  they  are  like  the  same 
bones  on  which  the  Lord  Jehovih  laid  sinews,  caused  flesh 
to  come  upon  them,  covered  them  with  skin,  and  put  breath 
in  them,  and  they  lived  (Ez.  xxxvii.  I-14). 


No.  535.] 


REPENTANCE. 


751 


VIII.  They  repent  also,  who  do  not  examine  them- 
selves,  BUT   YET  DESIST   FROM    EVILS  BECAUSE 

they  are  slns  j  and  they  repent  in  this 
way  who  from  religion  do  the  works  of 
Charity. 

535.  Since  actual  repentance  (which  is  to  examine  one- 
self, to  recognize  and  acknowledge  one's  sins,  to  make 
supplication  to  the  Lord,  and  begin  a  new  life)  is  in  the 
Reformed  Christian  world  exceedingly  difficult,  for  many 
reasons  that  will  be  given  in  the  last  article  of  this  chapter, 
therefore  an  easier  kind  of  repentance  will  be  here  pre- 
sented, which  is,  that  when  one  is  considering  evil  with  the 
mind  \animus\  and  is  intending  it,  he  should  say  to  himself, 
"I  am  thinking  of  this  and  intending  it;  but  because  it  is 
sin,  I  will  not  do  it."  By  this  means  the  temptation  in- 
jected from  hell  is  interrupted,  and  its  further  entrance 
prevented.  It  is  wonderful  that  any  one  can  find  fault 
with  another  who  is  intending  evil,  and  say,  "  Do  not  do 
that,  because  it  is  sin,"  and  yet  it  is  hard  for  him  to  say  so 
to  himself ;  this  is  because  the  latter  moves  the  will,  but 
the  other  only  the  thought  nearest  to  the  hearing.  Inquiry 
was  made  in  the  spiritual  world  who  could  practise  this 
second  kind  of  repentance ;  and  they  were  found  as  rare 
as  doves  in  a  vast  desert ;  and  some  said  that  they  could 
indeed  do  this,  but  that  they  were  not  able  to  examine 
themselves  and  confess  their  sins  before  God.  But  still, 
all  they  who  do  good  from  religion  avoid  actual  evils  ;  and 
yet  how  very  rarely  do  they  reflect  upon  the  interiors,  which 
are  of  the  wiU,  under  the  belief  that  they  are  not  in  evils 
because  they  are  in  good,  yes,  that  the  good  covers  the 
evil.  But,  my  friend,  the  primary  thing  in  charity  is  to 
shun  evils  ;  the  Word  teaches  this,  the  Decak)gue,  Baptism, 
the  Holy  Supper,  and  also  reason  ;  for  how  can  any  one 
flee  from  evils  and  banish  them  without  some  self-inspec- 
tion ?  and  how  can  good  become  good  unless  it  has  been 


752  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX. 

inwardly  purified  ?  I  know  that  all  pious  men,  and  also  all 
who  have  sound  reason  will  assent  to  this  while  they  read 
it,  and  will  see  that  it  is  genuine  truth ;  but  still  that  few 
will  act  accordingly. 

536.  But  yet,  all  who  do  good  from  religion,  not  Chris- 
tians only  but  also  pagans,  are  acceptable  to  the  Lord,  and 
after  death  are  adopted  ;  for  the  Lord  said,  "/was  an  hun- 
gered, and  ye  gave  Me  meat;  I  was  thirsty  and  ye  gave  Me 
drink  ;  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  [took  Me  in  ;  naked,  and  ye\ 
clothed  Me  ;  I  was  sick,  and  ye  visited  Me  ;  I  was  i?i  prison, 
and  ye  came  unto  Me :  and  He  said,  Inasmuch  as  ye  have 
done  it  unto  one  of  My  least  brethren^  ye  have  done  it  wito  Me, 
Come  ye  blessed,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world  (Matt.  xxv.  31,  and  subsequent 
verses).  To  this  I  will  add  the  following,  which  is  new : 
All  who  do  good  from  religion,  reject  after  death  the  doc- 
trine of  the  church  of  the  present  day  concerning  three 
Divine  persons  from  eternity,  and  also  its  faith  applied  to 
the  three  in  order,  and  they  turn  to  the  Lord  God  the 
Saviour,  and  accept  with  pleasure  what  belongs  to  the  New 
Church.  But  the  others,  who  have  not  practised  charity 
from  religion  are  hearts  of  adamant,  thus  hard  hearts. 
They  first  resort  to  three  Gods,  afterward  to  the  Father 
only,  and  at  last  to  none ;  they  look  upon  the  Lord  God 
the  Saviour  as  only  Mary's  son,  born  from  marriage  with 
Joseph,  and  not  as  the  Son  of  God;  then  they  discard. all 
the  goods  and  truths  of  the  New  Church,  and  presently 
join  the  spirits  of  the  dragon,  and  with  them  are  driven 
away  into  deserts  or  into  caverns  on  the  furthest  borders 
of  what  is  called  the  Christian  world  \  and  after  a  time, 
because  they  are  separate  from  the  New  Heaven,  they  rush 
into  crime,  and  are  therefore  sent  down  into  hell.  Such  is 
the  lot  of  those  who  do  not  perform  works  of  charity  from 
religion,  owing  to  the  belief  that  no  one  can  do  good  from 
himself,  except  what  is  meritorious  ;  and  consequently  they 
omit  those  works,  and  associate  themselves  with  the  goats, 


No.  537.J 


REPENTANCE. 


753 


who  are  the  damned,  and  are  cast  into  the  eternal  fire  pre- 
pared for  the  devil  and  his  angels,  because  they  have  not 
done  what  was  done  by  the  sheep  (Matt.  xxv.  41-46).  It 
is  not  there  said  that  they  did  evils,  but  that  they  did  not 
do  goods ;  and  they  who  do  npt  do  goods  from  religion  do 
evils,  since  No  man  can  serve  two  masters,  for  either  he  will 
hate  the  one  and  love  the  other,  or  else  he  will  hold  to  the  one 
and  neglect  the  other  (Matt.  vi.  24).  Jehovah  says  by  Isaiah, 
Wash  you,  make  you  clea7t,  put  away  the  evil  of  your  doings 
from  before  Mine  eyes  ;  cease  to  do  evil,  learn  to  do  good;  and 
then,  though  your  sins  have  been  as  scarlet,  they  shall  btcome 
white  as  snoiv  ;  though  they  have  been  red  as  purple,  they  shall 
be  as  wool  (i.  16-18)  :  and  to  Jeremiah,  Stand  in  the  gate  of 
the  house  of  Jehovah,  and  proclaim  there  this  word :  Thus 
said  Jehovah  Zebaoth,  the  God  of  Israel,  Amend  your  ways 
and  your  dohigs ;  trust  ye  not  i?i  lying  words,  saying,  The 
temple  of  Jehovah,  the  temple  of  Jehovah,  [the  temple  of  Jcho- 
vah~\  is  here  (that  is,  the  church).  Will  ye  steal,  micrder,  and 
swear  falsely,  and  come  a?id  stand  before  Me  in  this  house, 
which  is  called  by  My  Name,  and  say,  We  are  delivered,  while 
ye  do  all  these  abominations  ?  Is  this  house  become  a  den  of 
robbers  ?  Behold,  even  I  have  seen  it,  saith  Jehovah  (vii.  2-4, 
9-1 1). 

537.  It  is  to  be  known  that  they  who  do  good  from 
natural  goodness  only,  and  not  from  religion  at  the  same 
time,  are  not  accepted  after  death,  because  there  is  only 
natural  good  in  their  charity,  and  not  at  the  same  time 
spiritual  good  ;  and  it  is  the  spiritual  which  conjoins  the 
Lord  with  man,  not  the  natural  without  this.  Natural 
goodness  is  of  the  flesh  alone,  born  of  one's  parents  j  but 
spiritual  goodness  is  of  the  spirit,  being  born  anew  from 
the  Lord.  They  who  do  the  good  works  of  charity  from 
religion,  and  who  consequently  do  not  do  evils,  before  they 
have  accepted  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Church  concerning 
the  Lord,  may  be  likened  to  trees  that  bear  good  fruit, 
although  but  little,  and  also  to  trees  that  bear  excellent 
vol.  11.  15 


754         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX. 


small  fruit,  which  are  none  the  less  cared  for  in  gardens ; 
and  they  may  also  be  likened  to  olive-trees  and  fig-trees 
in  the  woods  ;  and  again  to  fragrant  herbs  and  balsamic 
shrubs  on  the  hills.  They  are  like  little  chapels  or  houses 
of  God,  where  pious  worship  is  held  ;  for  they  are  sheep 
on  the  right  hand,  and  rams  that  the  goats  assault  accord- 
ing to  Daniel  (viii.  2-14).  In  heaven  they  have  been 
clothed  with  garments  of  a  red  color ;  and  after  initiation 
into  the  goods  of  the  New  Church,  they  are  clothed  with 
garments  of  a  purple  color,  which  acquire  a  beautiful 
yellow  glow  as  they  receive  truths  also. 

IX.  Confession  ought  to  be  made  before  the  Lord 
God  the  Saviour,  and  then  Supplication  for 
aid  and  power  to  resist  evils. 

538.  The  Lord  God  the  Saviour  is  to  be  approached, 
because  He  is  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  Redeemer 
and  Saviour,  to  Whom  belong  omnipotence,  omniscience, 
omnipresence,  mercy  itself  and  justice  together ;  also  be- 
cause man  is  His  creature,  and  the  church  His  fold  ;  add, 
also,  that  many  times  in  the  New  Covenant  He  has  com- 
manded men  to  come  to  Him  and  worship  and  adore  Him. 
He  has  given  the  injunction  that  He  only  must  be  ap- 
proached by  these  words  in  John  :  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
you,  he  that  entereth  not  by  the  Door  into  the  sheep/old,  but 
climb  el h  up  some  other  way,  the  same  is  a  thief  and  a  robber  ; 
But  he  that  ente?-eth  in  by  the  Door  is  the  Shepherd  of  the 
sheep.  I  am  the  Door ;  by  Me  if  any  man  enter  in,  he  shall 
be  saved,  and  shall  find  pasture  ;  the  thief  C07?ieth  not  but  for 
to  steal,  and  to  kill,  and  to  destroy  ;  I  am  come  that  they  may 
have  life  and  abunda?ice ;  I  am  the  Good  Shepherd  (x.  1,  2, 
9-1 1).  That  man  ought  not  to  climb  up  some  other  way, 
means  that  he  is  not  to  [approach]  God  the  Father,  because 
He  is  invisible  and  therefore  unapproachable,  with  Whom 
there  cannot  be  conjunction;  for  which  reason  He  Himself 


No.  539-1 


REPENTANCE. 


755 


came  into  the  world,  and  made  Himself  visible  and  ap- 
proachable, with  Whom  there  can  be  conjunction ;  which 
was  solely  for  the  end  that  man  might  be  saved.  For  unless 
in  thought  God  is  approached  as  Man,  every  idea  of  God 
perishes,  falling  like  the  sight  directed  out  upon  the  uni- 
verse, that  is,  into  empty  nothingness,  or  into  nature,  or 
to  what  is  met  within  nature.  That  God  Himself,  Who 
from  eternity  is  One,  came  into  the  world,  is  clearly  evident 
from  the  nativity  of  the  Lord  the  Saviour,  in  that  He  was 
conceived  from  the  power  of  the  Highest  through  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  that  His  Human  was  born  therefrom,  of  the 
virgin  Mary ;  from  which  it  follows  that  His  Soul  was  the 
Divine  itself  which  is  called  the  Father  (for  God  is  indivis- 
ible) \  and  that  the  Human  born  therefrom  is  the  Human 
of  God  the  Father,  Which  is  called  the  Son  of  God  (Luke 
i.  32,  34,  35)  j  from  which  it  again  follows  that  when  the 
Lord  God  the  Saviour  is  approached,  God  the  Father  is 
approached  also  j  wherefore  to  Philip  asking  Flim  to  show 
them  the  Father,  He  replied,  He  that  secth  Me  sceth  t/it 
Father;  and  how  sayest  thou  then,  Show  us  the  Father? 
Believest  thou  not  that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in 
Me  ?  Believe  Me  that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father 
in  Me  (John  xiv.  6-1 1).  But  of  this  more  may  be  seen  in 
the  chapters  concerning  God,  the  Lord,  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  concerning  the  Trinity. 

539.  There  are  two  duties  incumbent  on  man,  to  be  done 
after  examination  ;  these  are  Supplication  and  Confession. 
The  Supplication  will  be  that  the  Lord  may  be  merciful, 
may  give  power  to  resist  the  evils  of  which  he  has  repented, 
and  supply  inclination  and  affection  for  doing  good,  since 
man  without  the  Lord  can  do  nothing  (John  xv.  5).  The  Con- 
fession will  be,  that  he  sees,  recognizes,  and  acknowledges 
his  evils,  and  finds  himself  to  be  a  miserable  sinner.  There 
is  no  need  of  enumerating  sins  before  the  Lord,  nor  of 
supplicating  for  their  remission.  The  enumeration  of  sins 
is  unnecessary  because  the  man  has  searched  them  out 


756         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX. 


and  seen  them  in  himself,  and  hence  they  are  present  to 
the  Lord  because  they  are  present  to  the  man.  Moreover 
the  Lord  led  him  in  the  examination,  and  laid  them  open, 
and  inspired  sorrow,  and  together  with  this  the  effort  to 
desist  from  them  and  begin  a  new  life.  It  is  not  a  duty  to 
make  supplication  before  the  Lord  concerning  the  remis- 
sion of  sins,  for  the  following  reasons  :  First,  because  sins 
are  not  abolished,  but  are  removed ;  and  they  are  removed 
as  the  man  afterward  desists  from  them  and  goes  on  in 
the  new  life  ;  for  there  are  innumerable  lusts  inherent, 
rolled  up  as  it  were,  in  every  evil,  and  they  cannot  be 
moved  away  in  a  moment,  but  successively,  as  the  man  suf- 
fers himself  to  be  reformed  and  regenerated.  The  second 
reason  is,  that  the  Lord,  because  He  is  Mercy  itself,  remits 
their  sins  to  all,  nor  does  He  impute  them  to  any  one  ;  for 
He  says,  They  know  not  what  they  do  ;  but  still,  the  sins 
have  not  therefore  been  taken  away.  For  to  Peter  asking 
how  often  he  "should  forgive  his  brother  his  trespasses, 
whether  he  should  do  so  seven  times,  the  Lord  said,  I  say 
not  unto  thee  until  seven  times,  but  until  seventy  times  seven 
(Matt,  xviii.  21,  22).  What  will  the  Lord  not  do  ?  But 
still  it  does  no  harm  for  one  burdened  in  conscience  to 
enumerate  his  sins  in  the  presence  of  a  minister  of  the 
church,  for  the  sake  of  absolution,  that  his  burden  may  be 
lightened  ;  because  he  is  thus  introduced  into  the  habit 
of  examining  himself,  and  of  reflecting  upon  the  evils  of 
each  day.  But  this  confession  is  natural  •  but  that  de- 
scribed above  is  spiritual. 

560.*  To  adore  some  vicar  on  earth,  or  to  invoke  some 
saint,  as  God,  is  of  no  more  avail  in  heaven  than  to  make 
supplication  to  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  or  to  ask  a  re- 
sponse of  a  diviner  and  credit  what  he  gives  forth,  which  is 
vain.  This  would  also  be  like  adoring  a  temple  and  not 
God  in  the  temple ;  it  would  be  like  supplicating  a  king's 

*  The  numbering  here  follows  the  original.  It  cannot  be  changed, 
because  of  future  references. 


No.  561.] 


REPENTANCE. 


757 


servant  who  carries  the  sceptre  and  the  crown  in  his  hand, 
for  the  honors  of  glory,  and  not  the  king  himself  j  and 
this  would  be  to  as  little  purpose  as  kissing  the  splendor 
of  purple,  glory,  light,  the  sun's  golden  rays,  and  a  mere 
name,  apart  from  their  subjects.  They  who  do  such  things 
may  take  to  themselves  these  words  in  John  :  We  abide  in 
the  truth,  in  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  the  true  God  a?id  Eternal 
Life.  Little  children,  keep  yourselves  from  idols  (1  Epistle 
v.  20,  21). 

X.  Actual  Repentance  is  an  easy  work  for  those 

WHO  HAVE  SOMETIMES  PRACTISED  IT )  BUT  IT  FINDS 
VERY  GREAT  RESISTANCE  IN  THOSE  WHO  HAVE  NOT. 

561.  Actual  repentance  is  to  examine  oneself,  to  recog- 
nize one's  sins,  to  make  confession  before  the  Lord,  and 
so  to  begin  a  new  life  ;  this  is  in  accordance  with  the 
description  of  it  in  what  has  gone  before.  In  the  Reformed 
Christian  world,  meaning  by  this  all  who  are  separate 
from  the  Roman  Catholic  church  and  also  all  those  at- 
tached to  this  church  who  have  not  practised  any  actual 
repentance,  with  both  of  these  classes,  it  finds  very  great 
resistance.  This  is  because  some  are  not  willing  and 
some  are  afraid  to  practise  it ;  and  this  disusage  makes  a 
man  old  in  his  habits,  induces  unwillingness,  and  at  length 
gains  the  consent  of  the  reasoning  intellect  [to  the  neglect], 
but  with  some  induces  sadness,  dread,  and  terror,  instead 
of  repentance.  Actual  repentance  finds  very  great  resist- 
ance in  the  Reformed  Christian  world,  primarily  because 
of  their  belief  that  repentance  and  charity  contribute  noth- 
ing to  salvation,  but  faith  alone,  from  the  imputation  of 
which  follow  the  remission  of  sins,  justification,  renewal, 
regeneration,  sanctification,  and  eternal  salvation, — to  the 
exclusion  of  man's  co-operating  from  himself  or  as  from 
himself,  which  their  dogmatic  writers  call  useless,  and  an 
obstacle  to  Christ's  merit,  and  repugnant  and  injurious  to 


758  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  IX. 

it.  And  this  is  implanted  in  the  minds  of  the  common 
people,  although  they  are  ignorant  of  the  mystical  things 
of  that  faith,  merely  by  these  sayings,  that  "faith  alone 
saves,"  and  "  Who  can  do  good  of  himself  ?  "  Hence  it 
is  that  with  the  Reformed  repentance  is  like  a  nest  of 
young  birds  deprived  of  the  parent  birds  that  have  been 
caught  and  killed  by  the  fowler.  To  this  may  be  added 
another  cause,  that  one  of  the  Reformed,  so-called,  as  to 
his  spirit,  is  among  no  others  in  the  spiritual  world  than 
those  like  himself,  who  introduce  such  things  into  the 
ideas  of  his  thoughts,  and  lead  him  away  from  his  step 
towards  self-inspection  and  self-examination. 

562.  I  have  asked  many  of  the  Reformed  in  the  spiritual 
world  why  they  did  not  practise  actual  repentance,  when 
it  was  enjoined  upon  them  both  in  the  Word  and  at  Bap- 
tism, as  also  before  the  Holy  Communion  in  all  their 
churches.  They  have  made  various  replies.  Some  said, 
that  contrition  is  enough,  with  the  oral  confession  that 
one  is  a  sinner.  Some  said  that  such  repentance,  taking 
place  while  man  is  operating  from  his  own  will,  does  not 
accord  with  the  faith  universally  accepted.  Some  said, 
"Who  can  examine  himself  when  he  knows  himself  to  be 
mere  sin  ?  This  would  be  like  casting  a  net  into  a  lake 
full  from  bottom  to  top  of  mud  containing  noxious  worms." 
Some  said,  "  Who  is  able  to  inspect  himself  so  deeply  as 
to  see  in  himself  Adam's  sin,  from  which  sprung  all  his 
actual  evils  ?  Are  not  these  latter,  together  with  it,  washed 
away  by  the  waters  of  Baptism,  and" wiped  off  and  covered 
by  the  merit  of  Christ  ?  Wrhat  is  repentance,  therefore, 
but  an  imposition,  which  sadly  disturbs  the  conscientious  ? 
Are  we  not  by  the  Gospel  under  grace,  and  not  under  the 
hard  law  of  that  repentance  ? "  And  so  on.  Some  said 
that  whenever  they  intend  to  examine  themselves,  dread 
and  terror  seize  them,  as  if  they  saw  a  monster  near  their 
bed  in  the  morning  twilight.  From  these  things  the  rea- 
sons are  made  plain,  why  actual  repentance  in  the  Re- 


No.  563  ] 


REPENTANCE. 


759 


formed  Christian  world  has  become  rusty,  as  it  were,  and 
is  discarded.  In  the  presence  of  these  persons  I  also 
asked  some  who  were  attached  to  the  Roman  Catholic 
religion  about  their  actual  confession  before  their  minis- 
ters, whether  it  was  made  with  resistance.  And  they 
replied  that  after  they  were  initiated  into  it,  they  did  not 
fear  to  recount  their  trespasses  to  a  confessor  who  was  not 
severe,  and  that  with  a  kind  of  pleasure  they  gathered 
them  together,  telling  the  lighter  ones  cheerfully,  but  the 
more  serious  somewhat  timidly;  also  that  according  to 
custom  they  freely  returned  every  year  to  their  appointed 
confession,  and,  after  receiving  absolution,  to  festivity; 
moreover,  that  they  look  upon  all  as  impure  who  are  not 
willing  to  disclose  the  defilements  of  their  hearts.  Hear- 
ing this,  the  Reformed  who  were  present  hastened  away, 
some  deriding  and  laughing,  some  astounded  and  yet  com- 
mending. Afterward  some  drew  near  who  belonged  to 
that  same  church,  but  who  lived  in  countries  where  there 
were  the  Reformed ;  and  who,  conforming  to  the  usage  there 
established,  did  not  make  a  special  confession,  like  their 
brethren  elsewhere,  but  only  a  general  confession  before 
the  one  who  held  the  keys  for  them.  They  said  that  they 
were  wholly  unable  to  search  themselves,  to  trace  out  and 
to  set  forth  their  actual  evils  and  the  secrets  of  their 
thoughts  ;  and  that  they  thus  felt  this  to  be  repugnant  and 
terrible,  as  if  they  were  wishing  to  cross  a  ditch  to  a  ram- 
part where  an  armed  soldier  stands  and  cries,  Keep  back. 
From  this  it  is  now  evident  that  actual  repentance  is  easy 
to  those  who  have  sometimes  practised  it,  but  it  finds  very 
great  resistance  in  those  who  have  not. 

563.  It  is  well  known  that  habit  makes  a  second  nature, 
and  that  therefore  what  is  difficult  for  one  is  easy  for  an- 
other; and  so  it  is  with  examining  oneself  and  making  con- 
fession of  the  results  of  the  examination.  What  is  easier 
for  a  hired  laborer,  a  porter,  or  a  farmer,  than  to  work  with 
his  hands  from  morning  till  evening?  while  on  the  othei 


y6o         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX. 


hand  a  gentleman  or  one  delicately  brought  up  could  not 
without  fatigue  and  sweat  do  the  same  work  for  half  an 
hour.  It  is  easy  for  a  footman,  with  a  staff  and  easy  shoes, 
to  tear  his  way  on  for  miles,  while  one  accustomed  to  ride 
can  hardly  run  slowly  from  one  street  to  another.  Every 
mechanic  who  is  devoted  to  his  work  goes  through  it  easily 
and  willingly,  and  when  he  leaves  it,  longs  to  return;  while 
another  who  is  acquainted  with  the  same  trade  but  who  is 
indolent  can  scarcely  be  driven  to  it.  So  with  every  one 
who- is  in  any  employment  or  pursuit.  To  one  diligent  in 
piety,  what  is  easier  than  to  pray  to  God  ?  and  to  one  who 
is  a  slave  to  impiety,  what  is  more  difficult?  and  vice  versd. 
What  priest  preaching  before  a  king  for  the  first  time  is  not 
timid  ?  while  after  he  has  become  established  in  the  office, 
he  goes  boldly  through.  What  is  easier  for  a  man,  an  angel, 
than  to  raise  the  eyes  toward  heaven  ?  and  for  a  man,  a 
devil,  than  to  cast  them  down  toward  hell  ?  But  if  the  lat- 
ter becomes  a  hypocrite,  he  too  can  look  up  to  heaven,  but 
with  the  heart  turned  away.  Every  one  becomes  imbued 
with  the  end  that  he  has  in  view,  and  the  habit  therefrom. 

XI.  One  who  has  never  practised  Repentance,  or 

HAS  NOT  LOOKED  INTO  AND  SEARCHED  HIMSELF, 
AT  LENGTH  DOES  NOT  KNOW  WHAT  DAMNABLE  EVIL 
IS,   AND  WHAT  SAVING  GOOD  IS. 

564.  Inasmuch  as  few  in  the  Reformed  Christian  world 
practise  repentance,  it  is  here  added,  that  he  who  has  not 
looked  into  and  searched  himself,  at  length  does  not  know 
what  damnable  evil  is,  and  what  saving  good  is ;  for  he  has 
not  a  religion  from  which  to  know  it :  for  the  evil  which  a 
man  does  not  see,  recognize,  and  acknowledge,  remains ; 
and  that  which  remains  becomes  more  and  more  enrooted, 
until  it  obstructs  the  interiors  of  his  mind ;  from  which  man 
becomes  first  natural,  then  sensual,  and  at  last  corporeal, 
and  neither  the  sensual  nor  the  corporeal  man  knows  any 


No.  564.] 


REPENTANCE. 


damnable  evil,  or  any  saving  good.'  He  becomes  like  a 
tree  growing  on  a  hard  rock,  which  spreads  its  roots  within 
the  crevices,  and  finally  withers  away  from  lack  of  moist- 
ure. Every  man  rightly  educated  is  rational  and  moral ; 
but  there  are  two  ways  to  rationality,  one  from  the  world, 
the  other  from  heaven.  He  who  has  become  rational  and 
moral  from  the  world,  but  not  from  heaven  also,  is  rational 
and  moral  in  word  and  gesture  only,  but  is  inwardly  a  beast, 
yes,  a  wild  beast,  because  he  acts  in  unity  with  those  who 
are  in  hell  where  all  are  such.  But  he  who  is  rational  and 
moral  from  heaven  also,  is  truly  rational  and  moral,  because 
he  is  so  at  once  in  spirit,  word,  and  body ;  the  spiritual  is 
in  these  two  latter  inwardly,  like  a  soul,  and  it  actuates  the 
natural,  sensual,  and  corporeal ;  he  also  acts  as  one  with 
those  who  are  in  heaven.  Wherefore  there  is  the  spiritual 
rational  and  moral  man,  and  also  the  merely  natural  rational 
and  moral  man ;  and  the  one  is  not  known  from  the  other 
in  the  world,  especially  if  one  by  practice  becomes  imbued 
with  hypocrisy;  but  they  are  known  apart  by  the  angels  in 
heaven  as  well  as  doves  from  owls,  and  as  sheep  from  tigers. 
The  merely  natural  man  can  see  evils  and  goods  in  others, 
and  can  also  rebuke  others  j  but  because  he  has  not  looked 
into  and  searched  himself,  he  sees  no  evil  in  himself :  and 
if  any  is  detected  by  another,  he  cloaks  it  by  means  of  his 
rationality  as  a  serpent  hides  its  head  in  the  dust,  and  sinks 
himself  in  it  as  a  hornet  buries  itself  in  dung.  The  enjoy- 
ment of  evil  effects  this,  which  encompasses  him  as  a  fog  does 
a  marsh,  absorbing  and  smothering  the  rays  of  light.  The 
enjoyment  in  hell  is  no  other.  This  is  exhaled  thence,  and 
flows  into  every  man,  but  into  the  soles  of  the  feet  and  into 
his  back  and  his  occiput.  But  if  it  is  received  by,  the  head 
in  the  forehead,  and  by  the  body  in  the  breast,  the  man  is 
made  a  slave  to  hell.  This  is  because  the  human  cere- 
brum is  devoted  to  the  understanding  and  wisdom  there, 
but  the  cerebellum  to  the  will  and  its  love ;  and  it  is  from 
this  that  there  are  two  brains.    But  that  infernal  enjoymeitf 

'5* 


762         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX. 


is  amended,  reformed,'  and  inverted  solely  by  the  rational 
and  moral  that  are  spiritual. 

565.  Now  follows  a  brief  description  of  the  merely  natu- 
ral rational  and  moral  man,  who  viewed  in  himself  is  sensual, 
and  if  he  goes  on,  becomes  corporeal  or  fleshly  j  but  the 
description  shall  be  given  in  a  sketch  with  its  divisions. 
The  sensual  is  the  ultimate  of  the  life  of  man's  mind,  ad- 
herent to  and  coherent  with  the  five  senses  of  his  body. 
He  is  called  a  sensual  man  who  judges  of  all  things  from 
Ihe  senses  of  the  body,  and  believes  nothing  but  what  he 
can  see  with  the  eyes  and  touch  with  the  hands,  saying 
that  this  is  something,  and  rejecting  every  thing  else.  His 
mind's  interiors,  which  see  from  the  light  of  heaven,  are 
closed  so  that  he  may  see  nothing  of  the  truth  which  is  of 
heaven  and  the  church.  Such  a  man  thinks  in  outermosts, 
and  not  interiorly  from  any  spiritual  light,  because  he  is  in 
^ross  natural  light  [lumen].  It  is  from  this  that  he  is  inte- 
riorly opposed  to  the  things  which  are  of  heaven  and  the 
church,  although  he  is  able  outwardly  to  speak  in  favor  of 
them,  and  earnestly  too,  in  proportion  to  his  hope  of  having 
power  and  wealth  by  means  of  them.  Men  of  learning  and 
tradition,  who  have  confirmed  themselves  deeply  in  falsi- 
ties, and  still  more  they  who  have  confirmed  themselves 
against  the  truths  of  the  Word,  are  sensual  more  than 
others.  Sensual  men  reason  acutely  and  skilfully,  because 
their  thought  is  so  near  to  speech  as  to  be  almost  in  it,  and, 
is  it  were  in  the  lips,  and  because  they  place  all  intelligence 
■n  the  speech  that  is  from  memory  merely ;  moreover  they 
can  dexterously  confirm  falsities,  and  after  confirming  them 
they  believe  them  to  be  truths ;  but  they  reason  and  con- 
firm from  ihe  fallacies  of  the  senses,  which  captivate  and 
persuade  the  common  people.  Sensual  men  are  more  cun- 
ning and  malicious  than  others.  The  avaricious,  adulterous, 
and  crafty,  are  especially  sensual,  although  to  the  world 
they  seem  to  be  men  of  talent.  The  interiors  of  their 
minds  are  foul  and  filthy;  they  communicate  by  them  with 


No.  566.] 


REPENTANCE. 


763 


the  hells ;  in  the  Word  they  are  called  the  dead.  They 
who  are  in  the  hells  are  sensual,  and  the  more  so,  the 
deeper  they  are  in  them ;  the  sphere  of  infernal  spirits 
conjoins  itself  with  man's  sensual,  behind  j  in  the  light  of 
heaven,  their  occiput  seems  hollow.  They  who  reasoned 
from  sensual  things  only,  were  called  by  the  ancients  ser- 
pents of  the  tree  of  knowledge.  Sensual  things  ought  to 
be  in  the  last  place,  and  not  the  first ;  and  with  a  wise  and 
intelligent  man  they  are  in  the  last  place,  and  are  made 
subject  to  things  interior;  but  in  one  who  is  not  wise,  they 
are  in  the  first  place  and  are  predominant.  When  things 
sensual  are  in  the  last  place,  a  way  is  opened  through  them 
to  the  understanding ;  and  truths  are  refined  by  the  mode 
of  drawing  them  forth.  Those  sensual  things  stand  out 
nearest  to  the  world,  admit  the  things  which  come  to 
them  from  the  world,  and  as  it  were  sift  them.  By  means 
of  sensual  things,  man  communicates  with  the  world  ;  and 
by  means  of  rational  things,  with  heaven.  Sensual  things 
supply  such  as  serve  the  interiors  of  the  mind.  There  are 
sensual  things  which  supply  the  intellectual  part,  and  those 
which  supply  the  voluntary  part.  Unless  the  thought  is 
raised  above  sensual  things,  man  has  little  wisdom ;  when 
man's  thought  is  raised  above  sensual  things  he  comes  into 
clearer  light  [lumen],  and  at  length  into  heavenly  light ;  and 
then  he  has  a  perception  of  such  things  as  flow  down  from 
heaven.  The  ultimate  of  the  understanding  is  what  belongs 
to  natural  knowledge  ;  the  ultimate  of  the  will  is  sensual 
enjoyment. 

566.  Man,  as  to  the  natural  man,  is  like  a  beast;  he 
adopts  a  beast's  image  by  the  life.  Therefore  in  the 
spiritual  world  there  appear  about  such  men  beasts  of 
every  kind,  which  are  correspondences  ;  for  man's  natural 
[part]  viewed  in  itself  is  merely  animal,  but  because  the 
spiritual  has  been  superadded,  he  can  become  a  man  ;  and 
if  he  docs  not  become  a  man  from  the  faculty  which  en- 
ables him  to  do  so,  he  can  counterfeit  one,  but  yet  he  is  a 


764         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX. 

talking  beast ;  for  he  talks  from  the  natural  rational,  but 
he  thinks  from  a  spiritual  madness,  and  he  acts  from  the 
natural  moral,  but  he  loves  from  a  spiritual  satyriasis. 
His  actions,  viewed  by  a  spiritual  rational  man,  differ  little 
from  the  dance  of  one  bitten  by  a  tarantula,  and  called 
St.  Vitus's  dance  or  the  dance  of  St.  Guy.  Who  does  not 
know  that  a  hypocrite  can  talk  about  God,  a  robber  about 
sincerity,  an  adulterer  about  chastity?  and  so  on.  But 
unless  man  were  endowed  with  ability  to  close  and  to  open 
the  door  between  his  thoughts  and  his  words,  and  between 
his  intentions  and  his  actions,  anoj  if  prudence  or  cunning 
were  not  the  doorkeeper,  he  would  rush  into  abominations 
and  cruelties  more  fiercely  than  any  wild  beast.  But  that 
door  is  opened  in  every  man  after  death,  and  then  he 
appears  such  as  he  has  been  ;  but  he  is  kept  under  re- 
straint by  punishments  and  custody  in  hell.  Therefore, 
kind  reader,  inspect  yourself,  and  find  out  one  or  another 
evil  that  is  in  you,  arid  from  religion  turn  it  away ;  if  you 
do  so  from  any  other  purpose  or  end,  you  turn  evils  away 
only  that  they  may  not  appear  to  the  world. 

567.  To  the  foregoing  shall  be  added  the  following 
Relations.  First  :  I  was  suddenly  seized  with  a  disease 
almost  deadly  ;  my  whole  head  was  weighed  down  heavily  ; 
a  pestilential  smoke  was  let  in  upon  me  from  the  Jerusalem 
which  is  called  Sodom  and  Egypt  (Apoc.  xi.  8)  ;  I  was 
half  dead  with  the  cruel  pain ;  I  expected  the  end.  I  lay 
in  my  bed  thus  for  three  days  and  a  half ;  my  spirit  was 
brought  into  that  condition,  and  from  it  my  body.  And 
then  I  heard  about  me  the  voices  of  some  who  said,  "  Be- 
hold he  who  preached  repentance  for  the  remission  of  sins, 
and  only  the  man  Christ,  lies  dead  in  the  street  of  our 
city."  And  they  asked  some  of  the  clergy  whether  that 
man  was  worthy  of  burial,  and  they  said  that  he  was  not ; 
"  let  him  lie,  let  him  be  looked  at ; "  and  they  were  going 
and  coming  and  mocking.  Of  a  truth  this  happened  to 
me  while  the  eleventh  chapter  of  the  Apocalypse  was  ex- 


No.  567.] 


REPENTANCE. 


765 


plained.  Harsh  speeches  were  then  heard  from  the  scof- 
fers, especially  these  :  "  How  can  repentance  be  performed 
without  faith  ?  How  can  Christ,  a  man,  be  adored  as  God  ? 
When  we  are  saved  of  free  grace,  without  any  merit  of  our 
own,  what  need  we  then  but  the  faith  alone  that  God  the 
Father  sent  the  Son  to  take  away  the  condemnation  of  the 
law,  impute  to  us  His  merit,  and  so  to  justify  us  before 
Him  and  give  us  absolution  from  our  sins  (the  priest  pro- 
claiming it),  and  then  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  work  all  good 
in  us  ?  Is  not  this  according  to  the  Scripture,  and  also 
according  to  reason  ? "  At  thisy  the  crowd  that  stood  by 
applauded.  I  heard  all  this,  but  could  make  no  answer, 
because  I  lay  almost  dead.  But  after  three  days  and  a  half 
my  spirit  recovered ;  and  as  to  the  spirit  I  went  forth  from 
the  broad  way  into  the  city,  and  said  again,  "  Repent,  and 
believe  in  Christ,  and  your  sins  will  be  remitted,  and  you 
will  be  saved  j  and  if  not,  you  will  perish.  Did  not  the 
Lord  Himself  preach  repentance  for  the  remission  of  sins, 
and  that  they  should  believe  in  Him  ?  Did  He  not  com- 
mand the  disciples  to  preach  the  same  ?  Does  not  full 
security  of  life  follow  the  dogma  of  your  faith  ?  "  But 
they  said,  "  What  nonsense  are  you  talking  ?  Has  not 
the  Son  made  satisfaction  ?  Does  not  the  Father  impute 
it,  and  justify  us  who  have  believed  this  ?  So  we  are  led 
by  the  spirit  of  grace.  What  then  is  sin  in  us  ?  What 
then  is  death  with  us  ?  Proclaimer  of  sin  and  repentance, 
do  you  comprehend  this  Gospel  ? "  But  then  a  voice 
came  forth  out  of  heaven,  saying,  "What  is  the  faith  of 
one  not  penitent  but  a  dead  faith  ?  The  end  has  come, 
the  end  has  come  upon  you,  secure,  blameless  in  your  own 
eyes,  justified  in  your  own  belief,  Satans ! "  And  ihe.i 
suddenly  a  cleft  was  opened  in  the  midst  of  the  city  ;  and 
it  widened,  and  house  after  house  fell,  and  they  were  swal- 
lowed up  ;  and  presently  water  boiled  up  from  the  broad 
gulf,  and  overflowed  the  waste. 

When  they  had  thus  sunk  clown,  and  seemed  to  be  over 


;66 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX. 


flowed,  I  was  desiring  to  know  their  lot  in  the  deep,  and 
it  was  said  to  me  from  heaven,  "  You  shall  see  and  hear." 
And  then  the  waters  disappeared  from  before  my  eyes, 
with  which  they  seemed  to  be  overflowed  because  waters  in 
the  spiritual  world  are  correspondences,  and  hence  appear 
around  those  who  are  in  falsities.  And  then  they  were 
seen  by  me  in  a  sandy  bottom,  where  heaps  of  stones  were 
piled,  among  which  they  were  running,  and  lamenting  that 
they  had  been  cast  out  of  their  great  city,  and  they  were 
shouting  and  crying  out,  "  Why  has  this  befallen  us  ?  Are  we 
not,  through  our  faith,  clean,  pure,  just,  and  holy?  Are  we 
not  cleansed,  purified,  justified,  and  sanctified  through  our 
faith  ?  "  And  others  exclaimed,  "  Are  we  not,  through  our 
faith,  made  such  as  to  appear,  be  seen,  and  reputed  before 
God  the  Father,  and  be  declared  before  the  angels,  as  clean, 
pure,  just,  and  holy  ?  Are  not  we  reconciled,  propitiated, 
expiated,  and  so  absolved,  washed,  and  cleansed  from  sins  ? 
Has  not  the  condemnation  of  the  law  been  taken  away  by 
Christ  ?  Why  then  have  we  together  been  cast  hither  as 
condemned  ?  In  our  great  city  we  heard  an  audacious 
proclaimer  of  sin  cry,  '  Believe  in  Ch?-ist,  and  repent.' 
Have  we  not  believed  in  Christ,  since  we  have  believed  in 
His  merit  ?  And  have  we  not  repented,  since  we  have 
confessed  that  we  are  sinners  ?  Why  then  has  this  befallen 
us  ?  "  But  a  voice  was  then  heard  speaking  to  them  from 
one  side,  "  Do  you  know  any  sin  in  which  you  are  ?  Have 
you  in  any  wise  examined  yourselves  ?  Have  you  there- 
fore shunned  any  evil  as  a  sin  against  God  ?  and  he  who 
does  not  shun  it  is  in  it.  Is  not  sin  the  devil  ?  Wherefore 
you  are  they  of  whom  the  Lord  says,  Then  shall  ye  begin  to 
say,  We  have  eaten  and  drunk  in  Thy  presence,  and  Thou  hast 
taught  in  our  streets.  But  He  shall  say,  I  tell  you,  I  know 
you  not  whence  ye  are  ;  depart  from  Me,  all  ye  workers  of 
iniquity  (Luke  xiii.  26,  27  ;  of  whom  Hp  also  speaks  in  Matt, 
vii.  22,  23).  Go,  therefore,  each  to  his  place.  You  see  open- 
ings into  caverns  j  enter  into  them,  and  to  each  of  you  will  be 


No.  567.] 


REPENTANCE. 


767 


given  there  his  work  to  do ;  and  then  food,  in  proportion 
to  the  work.  If  you  do  not.  hunger  will  yet  compel  you  to 
go  in." 

Afterward  there  came  a  voice  from  heaven  to  certain 
ones  upon  the  earth  who  were  outside  of  that  great  city 
(who  are  also  spoken  of  in  the  Apocalypse,  xi.  13),  saying 
loudly,  "  Beware,  beware  of  consociation  with  such.  Cannot 
you  understand  that  the  evils  which  are  called  sins  and 
iniquities  render  a  man  unclean  and  impure  ?  How  can 
the  man  be  cleansed  and  purified  from  them  but  by  actual 
repentance  and  by  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ?  Act- 
ual repentance  is  to  examine  oneself,  to  recognize  and 
acknowledge  his  sins,  to  hold  himself  guilty,  to  confess  them 
before  the  Lord,  to  implore  aid  and  power  to  resist  them, 
and  so  to  desist  from  them  and  lead  a  new  life  ;  and  you 
must  do  all  this  as  of  yourselves.  Do  so  once  or  twice  a 
year,  when  you  come  to  the  Holy  Communion  ;  and  after- 
ward, when  the  sins  of  which  you  have  found  yourselves 
guilty  recur,  then  say  to  yourselves,  '  We  do  not  will  these, 
because  they  are  sins  against  God.'  This  is  actual  repent- 
ance. Who  cannot  understand  that  he  who  does  not  ex- 
amine and  see  his  sins,  remains  in  them  ?  For  every  evil 
has  enjoyment  in  it  from  birth  ;  for  there  is  enjoyment  in 
taking  revenge,  in  scortation,  in  defrauding,  in  blasphem- 
ing, and  especially  in  ruling  from  the  love  of  self.  Does 
not  the  enjoyment  prevent  your  seeing  them  ?  And  if  per- 
chance it  is  said  that  they  are  sins,  do  you  not  from  the 
enjoyment  in  them  excuse  them  ?  yes,  by  falsities  confirm 
it  that  they  are  not  sins  ?  and  so  remain  in  them,  and  do 
them  afterwards  more  than  before  ;  and  this  even  until 
you  do  not  know  what  sin  is,  yes,  whether  there  is  any. 
It  is  otherwise  with  any  one  who  actually  repents.  The 
evils  which  he  recognizes  and  acknowledges,  he  calls  sins, 
and  therefore  begins  to  shun  them  and  turn  away  from 
them,  and  at  length  to  feci  their  enjoyment  as  unenjoyable. 
And  as  far  as  this  is  the  case,  he  sees  and  loves  goods,  and 


768         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX. 


at  length  feels  the  enjoyment  of  them,  which  is  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  angels  of  heaven.  In  a  word,  as  far  as  one  puts 
the  devil  behind  him,  he  is  adopted  by  the  Lord  ;  and  is 
taught,  led,  withheld  from  evils,  and  is  kept  in  goods  by 
Him.  This  and  no  other  is  the  way  from  hell  to  heaven." 
It  is  wonderful  that  with  the  Reformed  there  is  a  certain 
enrooted  objection,  repugnance,  and  aversion  to  actual  re- 
pentance, which  is  so  great  that  they  cannot  compel  them- 
selves to  examine  themselves,  and  see  their  sins,  and  confess 
them  before  God.  It  is  as  if  a  horror  comes  over  them  when 
they  propose  it.  I  have  asked  very  many  in  the  spiritual 
world  about  this,  and  they  have  all  said  that  it  is  beyond 
their  power.  When  they  have  heard  that  still  the  Papists  do 
it,  that  is,  that  they  examine  themselves,  and  openly  confess 
their  sins  before  a  monk,  they  have  wondered  greatly ;  and 
[they  have  said]  still  further  that  the  Reformed  cannot  do 
it  in  secret  before  God,  although  it  is  equally  enjoined 
upon  them  before  coming  to  the  Holy  Supper.  And  some 
there  inquired  why  this  was  so  ;  and  they  found  that  faith 
alone  induced  such  a  state  of  impenitence  and  such  a  heart. 
And  it  was  then  given  them  to  see  that  those  of  the  Papists 
who  worship  Christ  and  do  not  invoke  saints,  are  saved. 

After  this  there  was  heard  as  it  were  thunder,  and  a 
voice  speaking  from  heaven,  saying,  "  We  are  astonished ! 
Say  to  the  assembly  of  the  Reformed,  '  Believe  in  Christ 
and  repent,  and  ye  shall  be  saved.'  "  And  I  said  so ;  and 
I  added  further,  "  Is  not  Baptism  a  Sacrament  of  repent- 
ance, and  thus  an  introduction  into  the  church  ?  What 
else  do  the  sponsors  promise  for  the  one  who  is  to  be 
baptized,  but  that  he  shall  renounce  the  devil  and  his 
works  ?  Is  not  the  Holy  Supper  a  Sacrament  of  repent- 
ance, and  thus  introduction  into  heaven  ?  Are  not  com- 
municants told  this,  that  they  may  without  fail  repent 
before  coming?  Is  not  the  Catechism  (the  doctrine  of  the 
universal  Christian  church)  a  teacher  of  repentance?  Is 
it  not  there  said,  i  1  the  six  precepts  of  the  second  table, 


No.  568.] 


REPENTANCE. 


769 


Thou  shalt  not  do  this  or  that  evil,  and  not,  Thou  shalt  do 
this  or  that  good  ?  From  this  you  may  know,  that  as  far 
as  one  renounces  evil  and  becomes  averse  to  it,  he  aims  at 
good  and  loves  it ;  and  that  before  this  he  does  not  know 
what  good  is ;  nor  indeed  does  he  know  what  evil  is." 

568.  Second  Relation.  What  pious  and  wise  man 
does  not  wish  to  know  his  life's  lot  after  death  ?  I  will 
therefore  present  general  truths  concerning  it  plainly,  that 
he  may  know.  Every  man  after  death,  when  he  is  sensible 
that  he  still  lives  and  that  he  is  in  another  world,  and  hears 
that  heaven  is  above  him,  where  there  are  eternal  joys, 
and  that  hell  is  beneath  him,  where  there  are  eternal  sor- 
rows, is  at  first  remitted  into  his  externals,  in  which  he  was 
when  in  the  former  world ;  and  he  then  believes  that  he  is 
certainly  going  to  heaven,  and  talks  intelligently  and  acts 
prudently.  And  some  say,  "We  have  lived  morally,  our 
pursuits  have  been  honorable,  we  have  not  done  evil  pur- 
posely." And  others  say,  "  We  have  frequented  churches, 
heard  masses,  kissed  sacred  images,  and  poured  out  pray- 
ers upon  our  knees."  Others  again,  "  We  have  given  to 
the  poor,  aided  the  needy,  read  pious  books,  and  the  Word 
also,  and  have  done  many  such  things."  But  after  they 
have  said  these  things,  angels  stand  near  and  say,  "All 
that  you  have  mentioned,  you  have  done  in  externals,  but 
you  do  not  yet  know  of  what  quality  you  are  in  internals. 
You  are  now  spirits,  in  a  substantial  body,  and  the  spirit  is 
your  internal  man  ;  it  is  this  in  you  which  thinks  what  it 
wills,  and  wills  what  it  loves,  and  this  is  its  life's  enjoy- 
ment. "  Every  man  from  infancy  begins  life  from  externals, 
and  learns  to  act  morally  and  talk  intelligently,  and  when 
he  first  acquires  an  idea  of  heaven  and  the  happiness  there, 
he  begins  to  pray,  to  frequent  churches,  to  observe  the  so- 
lemnities of  worship  ;  and  still,  when  evils  spring  from  their 
native  fountain,  he  begins  to  hide  them  in  the  bosom  of  his 
mind,  and  also  to  veil  them  ingeniously  with  reasonings 
from  fallacies,  to  such  an  extent  that  he  does  not  even 


770 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  IX. 


know  that  evil  is  evil.  And  then,  because  the  evils  are 
veiled  over,  and  covered  up  as  it  were  with  dust,  he  thinks 
no  more  about  them  than  merely  to  guard  against  their 
appearing  to  the  world.  Thus  he  only  studies  to  lead  a 
moral  life  in  externals,  and  so  becomes  a  double  man,  a 
sheep  in  externals  and  a  wolf  in  internals  ;  and  he  is  like 
a  golden  box  containing  poison,  like  a  man  with  foul  breath 
holding  something  aromatic  in  his  mouth  to  prevent  those 
near  from  perceiving  it ;  and  he  is  like  the  skin  of  a  mouse 
that  smells  of  balsam.  You  said  that  you  had  lived  morally, 
and  had  followed  pious  pursuits  ;  but, -tell  me,  have  you  ever 
examined  your  internal  man,  and  perceived  any  lusts  for 
taking  revenge  even  to  the  death,  for  living  lustfully  even 
to  adultery,  for  defrauding  even  to  theft,  for  lying  even  to 
false  witness?  In  four  precepts  of  the  decalogue  it  is  said, 
Thou  shalt  not  do  these  things ;  and  in  the  two  last,  Thou 
shalt  not  covet  them.  Do  you  believe  that  in  these  things 
your  internal  man  has  been  like  your  external  ?  If  you  do, 
perhaps  you  are  deceived."  But  to  this  they  replied,  "What 
is  the  internal  man  ?  Are  not  the  internal  and  the  external 
one  and  the  same  thing?  We  have  heard  from  our  minis- 
ters that  the  internal  man  is  nothing  but  faith,  and  that 
piety  of  the  lips  and  morality  of  life  are  signs  of  it,  because 
they  are  its  operation."  To  which  the  angels  answered, 
"  Saving  faith  is  in  the  internal  man,  and  charity  likewise  ; 
and  from  them  are  Christian  faithfulness  and  morality  in 
the  external  man.  But  if  the  lusts  above-mentioned  remain 
in  the  internal  man,  and  thus  in  the  will  and  from  it  in  the 
thought,  consequently  if  you  love  them  interiorly  and  yet 
act  and  speak  otherwise  in  externals,  then  with  you  evil  is 
above  good,  and  good  is  below  evil ;  wherefore,  however 
you  may  talk  as  if  from  the  understanding,  and  act  from 
love,  evil  is  within,  and  thus  it  is  veiled  over;  and  then  yon 
are  like  cunning  apes,  which  perform  actions  like  those  of 
men,  but  the  heart  of  men  is  wholly  wanting.  But  what 
your  internal  man  is  in  quality  (of  which  you  know  nothing 


No.  569.] 


REPENTANCE. 


771 


because  you  have  not  examined  yourselves  and  after  ex- 
amination repented),  you  will  see  after  awhile,  when  your 
external  man  is  put  off  and  you  are  intromitted  into  the 
internal ;  and  when  this  is  done,  you  will  no  longer  be  rec- 
ognized by  your  companions,  nor  by  yourselves.  I  have 
seen  wicked  men,  who  were  moral,  like  wild  beasts  then, 
looking  fiercely  at  the  neighbor,  burning  with  deadly 
hatred,  and  blaspheming  God,  Whom  in  the  external  man 
they  have  adored."  Hearing  this  they  withdrew,  while  the 
angels  were  saying,  "  Yr^'  i,4H  see  your  life's  lot  hereafter, 
for  your  external  man  wi5^  n6n  be  taken  from  you,  and  you 
will  enter  into  the  internal  which  is  your  spirit  now." 

569.  Third  Relation.  Every  love  in  man  breathes  out 
enjoyment,  by  which  it  makes  itself  felt ;  proximately  it 
breathes  it  into  the  spirit,  and  thence  into  the  body ;  and 
the  enjoyment  of  his  love,  together  with  the  pleasantness 
of  thought,  makes  his  life.  Of  those  enjoyments,  and  this 
pleasantness,  man  is  but  dimly  sensible  while  he  lives  in 
the  natural  body,  because  this  body  absorbs  and  blunts 
them ;  but  after  death  (when  the  material  body  is  taken 
away,  and  thus  the  covering  or  clothing  of  the  spirit  is  re- 
moved), the  enjoyments  of  his  love  and  the  pleasantness  of 
his  thought  are  fully  felt  and  perceived;  and,  what  is  won- 
derful, sometimes  as  odors.  It  results  from  this,  that  all 
in  the  spiritual  world  are  consociated  according  to  their 
loves,  those  in  heaven  according  to  theirs,  and  those  in 
hell  according  to  theirs.  The  odors  into  which  the  enjoy- 
ments of  the  loves  are  turned  in  heaven,  are  all  perceived 
like  the  fragrances,  sweet  smells,  pleasant  exhalations,  and 
delightful  perceptions,  which  arise  from  gardens,  flower- 
beds, fields,  and  forests,  in  the  mornings  of  the  spring' 
time.  But  the  odors  into  which  the  enjoyments  of  the 
loves  of  those  in  hell  are  turned,  are  perceived  like  the 
pungent,  fetid,  and  rotten  smells,  that  arise  from  cesspools, 
dead  bodies,  and  stagnant  waters  filled  with  rubbish  and 
ordure ;  and,  what  is  wonderful,  the  devils  and  satans  there 


772 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  IX 


perceive  them  as  balsams,  aromatics,  and  frankincense, 
refreshing  their  nostrils  and  hearts.  In  the  natural  world 
it  is  also  given  to  beasts,  birds,  and  worms  to  be  conso- 
ciated  according  to  odors,  but  not  to  men  until  they  have 
laid  aside  their  bodies  as  exuvice.  It  results  from  this,  that 
heaven  is  arranged  with  most  minute  distinctions,  accord- 
ing to  all  the  varieties  of  the  love  of  good ;  and  hell,  as  its 
opposite,  according  to  all  the  varieties  of  the  love  of  evil. 
It  is  owing  to  this  opposition  that  there  is  a  gulf  between 
heaven  and  hell,  which  canncAid  t^assed ;  for  they  who  are 
in  heaven  cannot  endure  anyits  $Ji  from  hell,  for  it  excites 
nausea  and  vomiting,  and  threatens  them  with  swooning  if 
they  take  it  in.  The  result  is  similar  with  those  who  are 
in  hell  if  by  climbing  they  pass  the  middle  of  that  gulf. 
Once  I  saw  a  devil  appearing  in  the  distance  like  a  leop- 
ard,—  but  who  a  few  days  before  was  seen  among  the 
angels  of  the  ultimate  heaven,  and  who  possessed  the  art 
of  making  himself  an  angel  of  light,  —  passing  beyond  the 
middle  and  standing  between  two  olive-trees,  and  not  per- 
ceiving any  odor  offensive  to  his  life.  The  reason  was  that 
there  were  no  angels  present.  But,  however,  as  soon  as 
they  were  there,  he  was  seized  with  convulsions,  and  fell 
down  with  all  his  limbs  drawn  up ;  and  then  he  appeared 
like  a  great  serpent  drawing  himself  into  folds,  and  at  length 
rolling  down  through  the  gulf;  and  he  was  taken  out  by  his 
companions  and  carried  away  into  a  cavern,  where  by  the 
rank  odor  belonging  to  his  own  enjoyment  he  revived. 
At  one  time  also  I  saw  a  satan  punished  by  his  own  com 
panions.  I  asked  the  cause,  and  was  told  that  with  his 
nostrils  stopped  up  he  had  gone  near  to  those  who  were  in 
the  odor  of  heaven,  and  had  returned  and  brought  that  odor 
with  him  on  his  clothing.  It  has  often  happened  that  a 
putrid  odor  like  that  from  a  corpse,  from  some  open  cavern 
of  hell,  has  reached  my  nostrils  and  brought  on  vomiting. 
It  may  be  evident  from  this  why  it  is  that  the  sense  of  smell 
in  the  Word  signifies  perception ;  for  it  is  often  said  that 


No.  570.] 


REPENTANCE. 


773 


Jehovah  smelled  a  sweet  savor  from  the  burnt-offerings ; 
also  that  the  anointing  oil  and  the  incense  were  made  of 
fragrant  things ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  that  the  children 
of  Israel  were  commanded  to  carry  out  from  their  camps 
what  was  unclean  in  them,  and  to  dig  down  and  bury  their 
excrements  (Deut.  xxiii.  12, 13).  This  was  because  the  camp 
of  Israel  represented  heaven,  and  the  desert  without  the 
camp  represented  hell. 

570.  Fourth  Relation.  I  once  spoke  with  a  novitiate 
spirit,  who,  while  he  was  in  the  world,  meditated  much 
upon  heaven  and  hell.  By  novitiate  spirits  are  meant  men 
who  have  lately  died,  and  who,  because  they  are  then 
spiritual  men,  are  called  spirits.  This  spirit,  as  soon  as  he 
entered  the  spiritual  world,  began  to  meditate  in  the  same 
manner  concerning  heaven  and  hell,  and  he  seemed  to  him- 
self to  be  in  a  state  of  gladness  when  meditating  concerning 
heaven,  and  of  sadness  when  meditating  concerning  hell. 
As  soon  as  he  observed  that  he  was  in  the  spiritual  world 
he  asked  where  heaven  was,  and  where  hell  ■  also  what 
and  of  what  quality  each  of  them  was.  And  they  an- 
swered, "  Heaven  is  over  your  head,  and  hell  beneath  your 
feet ;  for  you  are  now  in  the  world  of  spirits,  which  is 
intermediate,  between  heaven  and  hell  •  but  what  each  of 
them  is,  and  what  its  quality,  we  cannot  describe  in  few 
words."  And  then  because  he  burned  with  the  desire  of 
knowing,  he  threw  himself  upon  his  knees  and  devoutly 
prayed  to  God  that  he  might  be  instructed.  And  behold, 
an  angel  appeared  at  his  right  hand  and  raised  him  up,  and 
said,  "You  have  made  supplication  to  be  instructed  con- 
cerning heaven  and  hell.  Inquire  and  learn  what  En- 
joyment is,  and  you  will  know."  And  the  angel,  after 
these  words,  was  taken  up.  The  novitiate  spirit  then  said 
to  himself,  u  What  is  this?  Inquire  and  learn  what  Enjoy- 
ment is,  and  you  will  kno7i>  ivhat  and  of  what  quality  heaven 
is,  and  hell"  Soon  leaving  that  place,  he  wandered  around  ; 
and,  addressing  those  he  met,  he  said,  "  Pray  tell  me,  if  you 


774         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chai>.  IX. 


please,  what  enjoyment  is."  And  some  said,  "  What  sort 
of  a  question  is  that  ?  Who  does  not  know  what  enjoy- 
ment is  ?  Is  it  not  joy  and  gladness  ?  And  so  enjoyment 
is  enjoyment.  The  one  is  the  same  as  the  other.  We 
know  no  difference."  Others  said  that  enjoyment  was  the 
mind's  laughter  ;  for  while  the  mind  is  laughing,  the  face 
is  merry,  the  speech  is  jocular,  the  gestures  are  playful, 
and  the  whole  man  is  in  enjoyment.  But  some  said, 
"  Enjoyment  is  nothing  but  feasting  and  eating  dainties, 
and  drinking  and  getting  drunk  with  generous  wine,  and 
then  chatting  about  various  things,  especially  the  sports  of 
Venus  and  Cupid."  Hearing  these  things,  the  novitiate 
spirit  being  indignant  said  to  himself,  "  These  answers  are 
boorish,  not  those  of  well-bred  persons.  These  enjoyments 
are  not  heaven,  nor  are  they  hell.  Would  that  I  could 
meet  the  wise."  And  he  went  away  from  these  persons 
and  sought  for  the  wise.  He  was  then  seen  by  an  angelic 
spirit,  who  said, I  perceive  that  you  are  ardently  desirous 
for  knowledge  of  that  which  is  the  universal  of  heaven 
and  the  universal  of  hell  \  and  because  this  is  Enjoyment, 
I  will  conduct  you  up  the  hill  where  there  is  a  daily  assem- 
bly of  those  who  search  into  effects,  of  those  who  investi- 
gate causes,  and  of  those  who  examine  ends.  Those  there 
who  search  into  effects,  are  called  Spirits  of  knowledge, 
abstractly,  Knowledges ;  they  who  investigate  causes  are 
called  Spirits  of  intelligence,  abstractly,  Intelligences ;  and 
they  who  examine  ends  <ire  called  Spirits  of  wisdom,  ab- 
stractly, Wisdoms.  Directly  above  them  in  heaven  are 
angels  who  from  ends  see  causes,  and  from  causes  see 
effects ;  from  these  angels  the  three  companies  have  en- 
lightenment." Then  taking  the  novitiate  spirit  by  the  hand, 
he  led  him  up  the  hill,  and  to  the  assembly  composed 
of  those  who  examine  ends,  and  who  are  called  Wisdoms. 
To  these  he  said,  "  Pardon  my  coming  up  to  you.  I  caine 
because  from  my  childhood  I  have  meditated  about  heaven 
and  hell ;  I  came  lately  into  this  world,  and  some  who 


No.  570.] 


REPENTANCE. 


775 


were  then  associated  with  me  said  that  heaven  is  here 
above  my  head,  and  hell  beneath  my  feet ;  but  they  did 
not  say  what  each  of  them  is,  and  of  what  quality  it 
is  ;  wherefore,  becoming  anxious  from  constantly  thinking 
about  them,  I  prayed  to  God,  and  then  an  angel  stood 
near  and  said,  '  Inquire  and  learn  what  Enjoyment  is, 
and  you  will  know.'  I  have  inquired,  but  so  far  in  vain. 
I  therefore  beg  that  you  will  teach  me,  if  you  please,  what 
Enjoyment  is."  To  this  the  Wisdoms  replied :  "  Enjoy- 
ment is  the  all  of  life,  to  all  in  heaven,  and  to  all  in  hell. 
They  who  are  in  heaven  have  enjoyment  in  good  and 
truth,  but  they  who  are  in  hell  have  enjoyment  in  evil  and 
falsity;  for  all  enjoyment  is  of  love,  and  love  is  the  esse  of 
man's  life.  Wherefore  as  a  man  is  man  according  to  the 
quality  of  his  love,  so  he  is  man  according  to  the  quality 
of  his  enjoyment.  The  activity  of  love  makes  the  sense 
of  enjoyment  j  its  activity  in  heaven  is  with  wisdom, 
and  its  activity  in  hell  is  with  insanity ;  the  activity  in  both 
cases  yielding  enjoyment  in  its  own  subjects.  The  heavens 
and  the  hells,  however,  are  in  opposite  enjoyments ;  the 
heavens  are  in  the  love  of  good  and  thence  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  doing  good,  but  the  hells  are  in  the  love  of  evil 
and  thence  in  the  enjoyment  of  doing  evil.  If,  therefore, 
you  know  what  enjoyment  is,  you  will  know  what  and  of 
what  quality  heaven  is,  and  hell.  But  inquire  and  learn 
still  further  what  enjoyment  is,  from  those  who  investigate 
causes,  and  who  are  called  Intelligences  ;  they  are  off  to 
the  right."  And  he  left  them  and  drew  near  to  the  other 
assembly,  and  told  the  cause  of  his  coming,  and  begged 
that  they  would  instruct  him  as  to  what  enjoyment  is. 
And  rejoicing  at  the  question  they  said,  "  It  is  true  that  he 
who  has  a  knowledge  of  enjoyment,  knows  what  heaven 
and  hell  are,  and  of  what  quality.  The  will,  from  which 
man  is  man,  is  not  moved  in  the  least  point,  except  by 
enjoyment ;  for  the  will,  viewed  in  itself,  is  nothing  but 
the  affection  of  some  love,  thus  of  enjoyment ;  for  it  is 


7/6 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chai.  IX. 


something  pleasurable,  and  the  state  of  pleasure  there- 
from, that  causes  the  willing.  And  because  the  will  moves 
the  understanding  to  think,  there  is  not  the  least  thought 
but  from  the  influent  enjoyment  of  the  will.  This  is  so 
for  the  reason  that  the  Lord  by  influx  from  Himself  act- 
uates all  things  of  the  soul  and  all  things  of  the  mind, 
with  angels,  spirits,  and  men  j  and  He  actuates  them  by 
an  influx  of  love  and  wisdom  j  and  this  influx  is  the  activity 
itself  from  which  is  all  the  enjoyment  which  in  its  origin  is 
called  blessed,  satisfactory,  and  happy  \  and  in  its  deriva- 
tion, enjoyable,  pleasant,  and  pleasurable ;  and  in  the 
universal  sense,  Good.  But  the  spirits  of  hell  invert  all 
things  in  themselves,  thus  good  into  evil,  and  truth  into 
falsity,  the  enjoyment  remaining  without  interruption,  for 
without  permanence  of  enjoyment  they  would  not  have 
will  or  sensation,  thus  they  would  not  have  life.  It  is  mani- 
fest from  this,  what,  of  what  quality  and  whence  the  enjoy- 
ment in  hell  is  j  also  what,  of  what  quality,  and  whence 
the  enjoyment  in  heaven  is."  Having  heard  this,  he  was 
conducted  to  the  third  assembly,  where  those  were  who 
search  into  effects,  and  who  are  called  Knowledges.  And 
these  said,  "  Descend  to  the  lower  earth,  and  ascend  to 
the  higher ;  in  them  you  will  perceive  and  be  sensible 
of  what  give  the  enjoyments  of  both  heaven  and  hell." 
But  behold  at  that  moment  the  earth  at  a  distance  from 
them,  opened  j  and  through  the  opening,  three  devils  came 
up,  apparently  on  fire  with  their  love's  enjoyment ;  and  as 
the  angels  consociated  with  the  novitiate  spirit  perceived 
that  those  three  came  up  from  hell  providentially,  they 
called  out  to  the  devils,  "  Come  no  nearer,  but  from  where 
you  are  tell  something  about  your  enjoyments."  And  they 
replied,  "  Know  this,  that  every  one,  whether  called  good 
or  bad,  is  in  his  enjoyment,  the  so-called  good  man  in  his, 
and  the  so-called  evil  man  in  his."  And  they  asked, 
"  What  is  your  enjoyment  ?  "  They  said  that  it  was  the 
enjoyment  in  scortation,  in  taking  revenge,  in  defrauding, 


No.  570.J 


REPENTANCE. 


777 


in  blaspheming.  And  again  they  asked,  "  Of  what  quality 
are  those  enjoyments  with  you?"  They  said  that  they 
were  perceived  by  others  like  the  fetid  smell  from  excre 
ment,  the  putrid  smell  from  dead  bodies,  and  the  pungent 
odor  from  stagnant  urine.  And  they  asked,  "  Are  those 
things  enjoyable  to  you  ?  "  They  answered,  "  Exceedingly 
so."  And  they  said,  "  Then  you  are  like  the  unclean  beasts 
that  live  in  such  things."  They  replied,  "  If  we  are,  we 
are  ;  but  such  things  are  delights  to  our  nostrils."  And 
they  asked,  "  What  more  ? "  They  said,  "  Every  one  is 
allowed  to  be  in  his  own  enjoyment,  even  the  most  un- 
clean, as  they  call  it,  provided  he  does  not  infest  good 
spirits  and  angels  ;  but  as  from  our  enjoyment  we  could 
not  do  otherwise  than  infest  them,  we  were  cast  into  work- 
houses where  we  suffer  hard  things  ;  restraint  of  our  en- 
joyments and  drawing  them  back  there,  are  what  is  called 
the  torment  of  hell  j  it  i^  also  interior  pain."  And  they 
asked,  "  Why  did  you  infest  the  good  ?  "  They  said  that 
they  could  not  do  otherwise  j  "  it  is  as  if  fury  comes  upon 
us,  when  we  see  any  angel,  and  feel  the  Lord's  Divine 
sphere  about  him."  To  this  we^said,  "  Then  you  are  also 
like  wild  beasts."  And  then,  when  they  saw  the  novitiate 
spirit  with  the  angels,  a  fury  came  over  the  devils,  which 
seemed  like  the  fire  of  hatred  j  and  lest  they  should  do 
harm,  they  were  cast  back  into  hell.  After  this  appeared 
angels  who  from  ends  saw  causes,  and  through  causes 
effects,  and  who  were  in  the  heaven  above  those  three 
assemblies.  And  these  were  seen  in  shining  white  light  ; 
which,  rolling  down  through  spiral  flexures,  brought  with 
it  a  wreath  of  flowers,  and  placed  it  upon  the  head  of  the 
novitiate  spirit ;  and  then  a  voice  came  thence  to  him, 
"  This  laurel  wreath  is  given  you,  because  from  childhood 
you  have  meditated  upon  heaven  and  hell." 


VOL.  11. 


16 


CHAPTER  TENTH. 

CONCERNING  REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION. 

571.  Having  treated  of  Repentance,  Reformation  and 
Regeneration  are  next  to  be  treated  of  in  their  order,  because 
they  follow  repentance,  and  gradually  advance  by  means 
of  it.  There  are  two  states  into  which  man  will  step  and 
through  which  he  will  be  passing  while  from  natural  he  is 
becoming  spiritual.  The  first  state  is  called  Reformation, 
and  the  second  Regeneration.  In  the  first,  man  looks  from 
his  natural  state  toward  a  spiritual  one,  and  desires  it ;  in 
the  second  state  he  becomes  spiritual-natural.  The  first 
state  is  formed  by  means  of  truths  which  will  belong  to 
faith,  and  by  means  of  which  he  looks  to  charity;  the 
second  is  formed  by  means  of  the  goods  of  charity,  and 
from  these  he  enters  into  truths  of  faith.  Or  what  is  the 
same,  the  first  is  a  state  of  thought  from  the  understand- 
ing, but  the  second  a  state  of  love  from  the  will.  When 
this  latter  state  begins  and  is  progressing,  a  change  takes 
place  in  the  mind  ;  for  a  reversal  is  effected  ;  because  then 
the  love  of  the  will  flows  into  the  understanding,  and  acts 
upon  it  and  leads  it  to  think  in  concord  and  agreement 
with  its  love.  Wherefore  so  far  as  the  good  of  love  then 
acts  the  first  part,  and  the  truths  of  faith  the  second,  the 
man  is  spiritual  and  is  a  new  creature.  And  then  he  acts 
from  charity  and  speaks  from  faith,  and  feels  the  good  ot 
charity  and  perceives  the  truth  of  faith ;  and  he  is  then  in 
the  Lord,  and  in  peace,  and  thus  regenerate.  A  man  who 
in  the  world  has  begun  upon  the  first  state,  can  after  death 
be  introduced  into  the  second  ;  but  he  who  in  the  world 
has  not  entered  into  the  first  state,  cannot  be  introduced 


No.  572.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  779 


into  the  second  after  death,  thus  cannot  be  regenerated. 
These  two  states  may  be  compared  with  the  progression 
of  light  and  heat  in  the  days  of  the  spring  time ;  the  first 
with  the  morning  twilight  or  the  time  of  cock-crowing,  the 
second  with  the  morning  and  sunrise ;  and  the  progress  of 
this  latter  state  may  be  compared  with  the  progression  of 
the  day  to  noon,  and  thus  into  light  and  heat.  It  may  also 
be  compared  with  the  grain  of  the  harvest,  which  is  at 
first  in  the  blade,  then  grows  into  the  ear  or  head,  and 
afterward  in  these  comes  the  grain.  It  may  also  be  com- 
pared to  a  tree,  which  first  grows  out  of  the  ground  from  a 
seed,  then  it  becomes  a  stem  from  which  branches  go  out, 
which  are  adorned  with  leaves,  at  length  it  blossoms,  and 
from  the  inmost  of  the  blossoms  it  begins  the  fruits,  which 
as  they  mature  produce  new  seeds,  like  a  new  generation. 
The  first  state,  which  is  that  of  reformation,  may  also  be 
compared  with  the  state  of  a  silk-worm  when  it  draws  out 
and  evolves  from  itself  filaments  of  silk,  and  after  its  indus- 
trious labor  flies  forth  into  the  air,  nourishing  itself  not 
from  leaves  as  before,  but  from  the  juices  in  flowers. 

L  Unless  a  man  is  born  again,  and,  as  it  were, 

CREATED  ANEW,  HE  CANNOT  ENTER  INTO  THE  KING- 
DOM OF  God. 

572.  That  unless  a  man  is  born  again  he  cannot  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God,  is  the  Lord's  doctrine  in  John, 
where  are  these  words  :  Jesus  said  to  Nicodemus,  Verily, 
verily  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  can- 
not see  the  kingdom  of  God ;  and  again,  Verily,  verily  I  say 
unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be  born  of  ivatcr  and  of  the  Spirit, 
he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God ;  that  which  is  born 
of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  and  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is 
Spirit  (iii.  3,  5,  6).  By  the  kingdom  of  God  are  meant  both 
heaven  and  the  church,  for  the  church  is  God's  kingdom 
on  earth.    Qo  in  other  places  where  the  kingdom  of  God 


780 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 


is  mentioned  (as  Matt.  xi.  n  ;  xii.  28;  xxi.  43;  Luke  iv. 
43  ;  vi.  20  5  viii.  1,  10  ;  ix,  11,  60,  62  ;  xvii.  21  ;  and  else- 
where). To  be  born  by  means  of  water  and  the  spirit, 
signifies  to  be  born  by  means  of  truths  of  faith  and  a  life 
according  to  them.  That  water  signifies  truths,  may  be 
seen  in  the  "Apocalypse  Revealed"  (n.  50,  614,  615,  685, 
932)  ;  that  spirit  signifies  a  life  according  to  Divine  truths, 
is  manifest  from  the  Lord's  words  in  John  vi.  63  ;  verily, 
verily  ("  amen,  amen  "),  signifies  that  it  is  truth  ;  and  be- 
cause the  Lord  was  the  truth  itself,  He  so  often  used  that 
expression.  He  is  also  Himself  called  the  Amen  (Apoc. 
iii.  14).  In  the  Word  the  regenerate  are  called  sons  of 
God,  and  born  of  God ;  and  regeneration  is  described  by 
a  new  heart  and  a  new  spirit. 

573.  Because  to  be  created  also  signifies  to  be  regener- 
ated, it  is  said,  "  Unless  a  man  is  born  again,  and,  as  it 
were,  created  anew."  That  to  be  created  has  this  signifi- 
cation in  the  Word,  is  evident  from  the  following  passages : 
Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God,  and  renew  a  right  spirit 
within  me  (Ps.  li.  10).  Thou  openest  Thy  hand,  they  are  Jilted 
with  good ;  Thou  sendest  forth  Thy  Spirit,  they  are  created 
(civ.  28,  30).  The  people  that  shall  be  created,  shall  praise 
Jah  (cii.  18).  Behold  I  create  Jerusalem  a  rejoicing  (Isa. 
lxv.  18).  Thus  said  Jehovah,  thy  Creator,  O  Jacob,  thy 
Former,  O  Israel ;  I  have  redeeined  thee  ;  every  one  called  by 
My  name,  I  have  created  him  into  My  glory  (xliii.  1,  7). 
That  they  may  see,  and  know,  and  consider,  a?id  understa?id 
together,  that  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  hath  created  it  (xli.  20), 
and  elsewhere  ;  also  where  the  Lord  .is  called  Creator, 
Former,  and  Maker.  Hence  it  becomes  plain  what  is 
meant  by  these  words  of  the  Lord  to  the  disciples  :  Go  ye 
into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature 
(Mark  xvi.  15).  By  creatures  are  meant  all  who  can  be 
regenerated.    So  too,  Apoc.  iii.  14;  2  Cor.  v.  17. 

574.  It  is  evident  from  all  reason  that  man  must  be  re- 
generated ;  for  he  is  born  into  evils  of  every  kind,  from 


No.  574  ]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.       78  J 


his  parents,  and  these  have  their  seat  in  his  natural  man, 
which  of  itself  is  diametrically  opposite  to  the  spiritual 
man  ;  and  yet  he  was  born  for  heaven,  and  he  does  not 
come  to  heaven  unless  he  becomes  spiritual,  and  this  he 
does  by  regeneration  solely.  From  this  it  follows  of  neces- 
sity that  the  natural  man  with  its  lusts  must  be  subdued, 
subjugated,  and  inverted,  and  that  otherwise  man  cannot 
approach  a  single  step  toward  heaven,  but  lowers  himself 
more  and  more  into  hell.  Who  does  not  see  this,  who 
believes  that  he  was  born  into  evils  of  every  kind,  and 
acknowledges  that  there  are  good  and  evil,  and  that  one 
of  these  is  contrary  to  the  other,  and  believes  in  a  life 
after  death,  a  hell  and  a  heaven,  that  evils  make  hell  and 
goods  make  heaven  ?  The  natural  man  viewed  in  himself, 
does  not  in  his  nature  differ  at  all  from  beasts  ;  like  them 
he  is  wild,  but  he  is  such  as  to  will ;  he  differs  from  them, 
however,  as  to  understanding.  The  understanding  can  be 
elevated  above  the  lusts  of  the  will,  and  not  only  see  but 
also  moderate  them.  Consequently  man  can  think  from 
the  understanding  and  speak  from  the  thought,  which 
beasts  cannot  do.  Of  what  quality  man  is  from  birth,  and 
of  what  quality  he  would  be  if  he  were  not  regenerated, 
may  be  seen  from  fierce  animals  of  every  kind  ;  that  he 
would  be  a  tiger,  a  panther,  a  leopard,  a  wild  boar,  a  scor- 
pion, a  tarantula,  a  viper,  a  crocodile,  and  so  on.  Where- 
fore if  he  were  not  transformed  by  regeneration  into  a 
sheep,  what  would  he  be  but  a  devil  among  devils  in  hell  ? 
Then  if  such  were  not  restrained  by  the  laws  of  the  king- 
dom, would  they  not  from  innate  ferocity  rush  one  upon 
another,  and  slaughter  each  other,  or  strip  each  other 
even  of  necessary  clothing?  How  many  of  the  human 
race  are  there  who  were  not  born  satyrs,  and  priapi,  or 
four-footed  lizards  ?  And  who,  among  them  all,  does  not 
without  regeneration  become  an  ape  ?  External  morality, 
which  is  learned  for  the  sake  of  covering  up  their  internals, 
makes  this  to  be  so. 


782  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 


575.  What  is  the  quality  of  man  when  not  regenerated, 
may  be  still  further  described  by  the  following  comparisons 
and  similitudes  in  Isaiah  :  Hie  pelican  and  the  bittern  shall 
possess  it,  the  owl  also  atid  the  raven  shall  dwell  i?i  it ;  and  he 
shall  stretch  out  over  it-  the  line  of  emptiness,  and  the  plumb- 
lines  of  the  waste.  And  thorns  shall  come  up  in  her  palaces* 
the  thistle  and  the  thorn-bush  in  her  fortresses ;  and  it  shall 
be  a  habitation  of  dragons,  a  court  for  the  daughters  of  the 
owl :  And  tziim  shall  7neet  ijim,  and  the  satyr  shall  come 
upon  his  fellow :  the  lilith  also  shall  rest  there.  There  the 
arrow-snake  f  shall  make  her  nest,  a?id  lay,  and  hatch,  and 
cherish  under  her  shadow.  There  shall  the  kites  also  be 
gathered  every  one  with  her  mat?(xxxiv.  11,  13,  14,  15). 

II.  The  new  Birth  or  Creation  is  effected  by  the 
Lord  alone  through  Charity  and  Faith  as  the 
two  means,  man  co-operating. 

576.  That  regeneration  is  effected  by  the  Lord  through 
charity  and  faith,  follows  from  what  was  demonstrated  in 
the  chapters  on  Charity  and  Faith,  especially  from  this 
therein,  that  the  Lord,  charity,  and  faith  make  one,  like  life, 
will,  and  understanding  in  man,  and  that  if  they  are  divided 
each  one  of  them  perishes,  like  a  pearl  reduced  to  powder. 
These  two,  charity  and  faith,  are  called  the  means,  because 
they  conjoin  man  with  the  Lord,  and  [thus  his]  charity  is 
made  to  be  charity  and  [his]  faith  to  be  faith,  which  cannot 
be  done  unless  man  has  part  in  regeneration  \  wherefore  it 
is  said,  man  co-operating.  In  the  preceding  treatises  of  this 
work,  man's  co-operation  with  the  Lord  has  been  several 

*  The  Latin  here  reads  altaria,  altars ;  but  elsewhere  we  invariably 
have  palalia,  palaces. 

t  The  Latin  here  reads  merula,  blackbird,  —  following  Schmidius, 
Castellio,  and  others.  But  in  his  "Index  Biblicus,"  under  the  head 
of  Serpens,  Swedenborg  says  that  merula  must  here  be  understood 
to  mean  "acontias,  vcl  jacuhis  serpens"  —  arrow-snake.  Gesenius  and 
others  now  give  the  same  meaning. 


No.  577.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  783 

times  touched  upon  ;  but  as  the  human  mind  is  such  as  not 
to  perceive  but  that  man  effects  this  from  his  own  power,  the 
subject  shall  be  illustrated  again.  In  all  motion,  and  con- 
sequently in  all  action,  there  is  activity  and  passivity  j  that 
is  to  say,  an  active  acts,  and  a  passive  acts  from  the  active  ; 
hence  one  action  results  from  the  two ;  comparatively  as  a 
mill  [is  in  motion]  from  its  wheel,  a  carriage  from  the 
horse,  as  motion  is  from  effort,  an  effect  from  its  cause,  a 
dead  force  from  a  living  force,  and  in  general,  as  the  instru- 
mental [acts]  from  the  principal.  Every  one  knows  that 
these  two  together  make  one  action.  As  to  charity  and 
faith,  the  Lord  acts,  and  man  acts  from  the  Lord  ;  for  in 
man's  passive  there  is  the  Lord's  active ;  wherefore  the 
power  to  act  aright  is  from  the  Lord,  and  the  will  to  act 
coming  from  this  is  as  it  were  man's  ;  for  he  is  in  freedom 
of  will,  from  which  he  is  able  to  act  together  with  the 
Lord  and  thus  conjoin  himself,  and  is  able  to  act  from  the 
power  of  hell,  which  is  without,  and  so  separate  himself. 
Man's  action,  concordant  with  the  Lord's  action,  is  what 
is  here  meant  by  co-operation.  That  this  may  be  perceived 
more  clearly,  it  will  be  further  illustrated  by  comparisons 
which  follow. 

577.  It  follows  from  this  that  the  Lord  is  constantly  in 
the  act  of  regenerating  man,  because  He  is  constantly  in 
the  act  of  saving  him,  and  no  one  can  be  saved  unless  he 
is  regenerated,  according  to  the  Lord's  own  words  in  John  : 
Except  a  man  be  bom  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God 
(iii.  3).  Regeneration,  therefore,  is  the  means  of  salvation, 
and  charity  and  faith  are  the  means  of  regeneration.  To  say 
that  regeneration  follows  the  faith  of  the  church  of  the  day, 
which  leaves  out  man's  co-operation,  is  vanity  of  vanities. 
Action  and  co-operation  such  as  have  been  described,  can 
be  seen  in  every  thing  which  is  in  any  state  of  activity  and 
mobility.  Such  are  the  action  and  co-operation  of  the 
heait  and  of  every  artery  connected  with  it;  the  heart 
acts,  and  the  artery  by  its  sheaths  or  coats  co  operates  ; 


784  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 


hence  circulation.  It  is  similar  with  the  lungs  ;  the  air  by 
pressure  according  to  the  height  of  its  atmosphere  acts, 
and  the  ribs  first  co-operate  with  the  lungs,  and  immedi- 
ately after,  the  lungs  with  the  ribs ;  hence  a  respiration 
of  every  membrane  in  the  body.  Thus  the  meninges  o£ 
the  brain,  the  pleura,  the  peritonaeum,  the  diaphragm,  and 
the  other  membranes  which  cover  the  viscera  and  which 
enter  into  their  composition,  act  and  are  acted  upon,  and 
thus  co-operate  •  for  they  are  elastic  :  hence  their  existence 
and  subsistence.  It  is  similar  in  every  fibre  and  nerve, 
in  every  muscle,  and  even  in  cartilage ;  it  is  known  that 
there  are  action  and  co-operation  in  every  one  of  these. 
There  is  such  co-operation  also  in  every  sense ;  for  the 
sensories  of  the  body,  like  its  motor  parts,  consist  of  fibres, 
membranes,  and  muscles  ;  but  to  describe  the  co-operation 
on  the  part  of  each  one,  is  needless  ;  for  it  is  known  that 
light  acts  upon- the  eye,  sound  upon  the  ear,  odor  upon  the 
nostril,  and  taste  upon  the  tongue,  and  that  the  organs 
adapt  themselves  thereto  ;  whence  sensation.  Who  can- 
not perceive  from  this,  that  if  there  were  not  such  action 
and  co-operation  with  the  influent  life  in  the  spiritual  or- 
ganism of  the  brain,  thought  and  will  could  not  exist  ? 
For  life  flows  from  the  Lord  into  that  organism  ;  and  be- 
cause this  co-operates,  there  is  a  perception  of  what  is 
thought,  and  in  like  manner  of  what  is  there  considered, 
concluded  upon,  and  determined  into  act.  If  life  were  to 
act  alone,  and  man  were  not  to  co-operate  as  from  himself, 
he  could  no  more  think  than  a  stock,  or  than  a  temple 
while  the  minister  is  preaching.  The  temple  indeed,  owing 
to  the  reverberation  of  the  sound  from  its  doors,  may 
as  it  were  feel  the  echo,  but  not  be  sensible  of  the  dis- 
course. Such  would  man  be  in  respect  to  charity  and 
faith  if  he  did  not  co-operate  with  the  Lord. 

578.  What  man  would  be  if  he  did  not  co-operate  with 
the  Lord,  may  also  be  illustrated  by  comparisons.  When 
he  has  a  perception  and  sense  of  any  thing  spiritual  per- 


No.  579.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  785 


taining  to  heaven  and  the  church,  it  would  be  as  if  some- 
thing distasteful  or  discordant  flowed  in,  and  would  be  like 
an  offensive  smell  entering  the  nose,  inharmonious  sound 
the  ear,  a  monstrous  sight  the  eye,  and  a  foul  taste  reach- 
ing the  tongue.  If  the  enjoyment  in  charity  and  the 
pleasantness  of  faith  were  to  flow  into  the  spiritual  organism 
of  the  mind  of  those  who  are  in  the  enjoyment  from  evil 
and  falsity,  if  such  enjoyments  and  pleasantness  were  to 
intrude  upon  them  they  would  be  in  anguish  and  torture, 
and  would  finally  fall  into  a  swoon.  Because  that  organ- 
ism consists  of  perpetual  helices,  it  would  with  such  per- 
sons here  coil  itself  up  in  spirals,  and  writhe  like  a  serpent 
upon  an  ant-hill.  It  has  been  proved  to  me  that  this  is 
so  by  much  experience  in  the  spiritual  world. 

III.  Because  all  have  been^redeemed,  all  can  be  re- 
generated, EACH  ACCORDING  TO  HIS  STATE. 

579.  In  order  that  this  may  be  understood,  something 
must  be  premised  concerning  Redemption.  The  Lord 
came  into  the  world  chiefly  for  these  two  things,  to  remove 
hell  from  angel  and  from  man,  and  to  glorify  His  Human. 
For  before  the  Lord's  Advent,  hell  had  grown  up  so  far  as 
to  infest  the  angels  of  heaven,  and  also  (by  interposing 
between  heaven  and  the  world),  to  cut  off  the  Lord's  com- 
munication with  men  on  earth,  so  that  no  Divine  truth 
and  good  could  pass  through,  from  the  Lord  to  men. 
Consequently  total  damnation  threatened  the  whole  hu- 
man race  ;  and  further,  the  angels  of  heaven  could  not 
have  long  continued  to  exist  in  their  integrity.  And 
therefore,  in  order  that  hell  might  be  removed,  and  this 
impending  damnation  thereby  taken  away,  the  Lord  came 
into  the  world,  removed  hell,  subjugated  it,  and  thus 
opened  heaven  ;  so  that  He  could  afterward  be  present 
with  the  men  of  the  earth,  and  save  those  who  should  live 
according  to  His  precepts,  —  consequently  regenerate  and 

16* 


786  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X 


save  them,  for  those  who  are  regenerated  are  saved.  This 
is  what  is  meant  when  it  is  said,  that,  because  all  have 
been  redeemed,  all  can  be  regenerated ;  and,  because 
regeneration  and  salvation  make  one,  that  all  can  be 
saved.  Therefore,  what  the  church  teaches,  that  without 
the  Lord's  Coming  no  one  could  have  been  saved,  is  to  be 
understood  in  this  way,  that  without  the  Lord's  Coining  no 
one  could  have  been  regenerated.  As  to  the  other  end  for 
the  sake  of  which  the  Lord  came  into  the  world,  namely, 
to  glorify  His  Human,  this  was  because  He  thereby  be- 
came the  Redeemer,  Regenerator,  and  Saviour  for  ever. 
For  it  is  not  to  be  believed  that,  subsequent  to  the  Re- 
demption once  wrought  in  the  world,  all  men  have  been 
redeemed  by  that,  but  that  the  Lord  is  perpetually  redeem- 
ing those  who  believe  in  Him  and  keep  His  words.  But 
on  these  points  more  ma^  be  seen  in  the  chapter  on 
Redemption.  - 

580.  Every  man  may  be  regenerated,  each  according  to 
his  state,  because  the  simple  and  the  learned  are  regenerated 
differently;  as  are  those  engaged  in  different  pursuits,  and 
those  also  who  are  in  different  offices ;  those  who  search 
into  the  externals  of  the  Word,  and  those  who  search  into 
its  internals ;  those  who  are  in  natural  good  from  their 
parents,  and  those  who  are  in  natural  evil ;  those  who  have 
from  their  infancy  entered  into  the  vanities  of  the  world, 
and  those  who  earlier  or  later  have  withdrawn  from  them  ; 
in  a  word  those  who  constitute  the  Lord's  external  church 
are  regenerated  differently  from  those  who  constitute  His 
internal  church ;  and  this  variety  is  infinite  like  that  of 
men's  faces  and  their  minds  \animas\  ;  but  still  every  one, 
according  to  his  state,  c^n  be  regenerated  and  saved.  That 
this  is  so,  may  be  evident  from  the  heavens  into  which  all 
the  regenerate  come,  in  their  being  three  in  number,  the 
highest,  the  middle,  and  the  ultimate ;  and  they  come  into 
the  highest  who  by  regeneration  receive  love  to  the  Lord  ; 
into  the  middle,  they  who  receive  love  toward  the  neighbor; 


No.  581.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  787 


into  the  ultimate,  they  who  practise  only  external  charity, 
and  at  the  same  time  acknowledge  the  Lord  as  God  the. 
Redeemer  and  Saviour.  All  these  are  saved,  but  in  differ- 
ent ways.  All  can  be  regenerated  and  thus  saved,  because 
the  Lord  with  His  Divine  Good  and  Truth  is  present  with 
every  man ;  from  this  comes  the  life  of  every  one,  from  this 
the  faculty  of  understanding  and  willing,  and  with  these 
free-will  in  spiritual  things ;  these  are  wanting  to  no  man. 
And  also  means  are  given ;  to  Christians  in  the  Word,  and 
to  the  Gentiles  in  the  religion  of  each,  teaching  that  there 
is  a  God,  and  giving  precepts  concerning  good  and  evil. 
From  all  this  it  follows  that  every  one  can  be  saved ;  con- 
sequently that  the  Lord  is  not  to  blame  if  man  is  not 
saved,  but  man  himself ;  and  man  is  in  fault  in  not 
co-operating. 

581.  That  redemption  and  the  passion  of  the  cross  are 
two  distinct  things  and  not  at  all  to  be  confounded,  and  that 
by  means  of  both  the  Lord  took  to  Himself  the  power  of 
regenerating  and  saving  men,  has  been  shown  in  the  chap- 
ter on  Redemption.  From  the  accepted  faith  of  the  church 
of  the  present  day  respecting  the  passion  of  the  cross,  as 
being  redemption  itself,  have  sprung  close  bands  of  horri- 
ble falsities  respecting  God,  faith,  charity,  and  all  that  in  a 
continuous  chain  depends  on  those  three  ;  respecting  God, 
for  example,  that  He  determined  upon  the  damnation  of 
the  human  race,  that  He  was  willing  to  be  brought  back  to 
mercy  by  the  imposition  of  the  damnation  upon  His  Son, 
or  by  the  Son's  taking  it  upon  Himself,  and  that  only  those 
are  saved  who  by  foreknowledge  or  by  predestination  have 
Christ's  merit  given  to  them.  From  this  fallacy  has  come 
forth  another  part  of  that  faith,  namely,  that  they  who  have 
been  gifted  with  that  faith  were  at  the  same  time  regener- 
ated without  any  co-operation  on  their  part;  yes,  that  they 
were  thus  absolved  from  the  condemnation  of  the  law,  and 
are  no  longer  under  the  law,  but  under  grace,  and  this 
although  the  Lord  has  said  that  Hi '-did not  take  away  even 


788  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 


a  tittle  of  the  law  (Matt.  v.  18,  19  ;  Luke  xvi.  17),  and  also 
commanded  His  disciples  to  preach  repentance  for  the  remis- 
sion of  sins  (Luke  xxiv.  47;  Mark  vi.  12);  and  He  also 
said,  The  kingdom  of  God  is  at  hand ;  repent  ye,  and  believe 
the  Gospel  (Mark  i.  1 5).  By  the  Gospel  is  meant,  that  they 
can  be  regenerated  and  thus  saved,  which  could  not  have 
been  unless  the  Lord  had  wrought  redemption,  that  is,  had 
deprived  hell  of  its  power  by  combats  against  it  and  victo- 
ries over  it,  and  unless  He  had  glorified  His  Human,  that 
is,  had  made  it  Divine. 

582.  From  rational  thought  say  what  inequality  the  entire 
human  race  would  be,  if  the  faith  of  the  present  church 
were  to  continue  ;  this  faith  being,  that  men  were  redeemed 
by  the  passion  of  the  cross  alone,  and  that  they  who  have 
been  gifted  with  that  merit  of  the  Lord  are  not  under  the 
condemnation  of  the  law ;  and  again,  that  that  faith  (and 
man  does  not  know  at  all  whether  it  is  in  him)  remits  sins, 
and  regenerates,  and  that  man's  co-operation  in  the  act 
thereof,  that  is,  while  it  is  given  and  entering,  would  ruin 
it,  and  with  it  would  take  away  salvation,  inasmuch  as  he 
would  commingle  his  own  merit  with  that  of  Christ.  Tell 
me  from  rational  thought,  I  say :  Would  not  the  whole  Word 
have  been  thus  rejected,  the  primary  teaching  of  which  is 
regeneration  by  means  of  spiritual  washing  from  evils  and 
by  the  exercises  of  charity  ?  What  would  the  decalogue 
(first  in  reformation)  then  be,  more  than  the  paper  that  is 
sold  in  the  low  shops,  and  used  to  wrap  up  spices  ?  What 
would  religion  then  be,  but  a  kind  of  lamentation  that  one 
is  a  sinner,  and  supplication  for  God  the  Father  to  be  merci- 
ful on  account  of  the  passion  of  His  Son  ?  thus  a  thing  of 
the  mouth  and  lungs  only,  but  not  what  is  done  from  the 
heart.  What  would  redemption  then  be  but  a  papal  indul- 
gence, or  more  than  the  flagellation  of  one  monk  for  the 
whole  company,  as  is  sometimes  done  ?  If  that  faith  alone 
regenerated  man,  repentance  and  charity  having  no  part, 
what  then  would  the  internal  man  (and  this  is  his  spirit  that 


No.  583.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  789 


lives  after  death)  be  like,  but  a  burnt  city,  the  ruins  of  which 
make  the  external  man  ?  or  a  field  or  plain  laid  waste  by 
canker-worms  and  locusts  ?  Such  a  man  appears  to  the 
angels  just  like  one  who  cherishes  a  serpent  in  his  bosom, 
and  tries  to  hide  it  with  his  clothing  5  or  like  one  who  sleeps 
as  a  sheep  with  a  wolf  •  or  like  one  who  lies  down,  with 
a  beautiful  bedquilt  over  him,  in  a  night-dress  made  of 
spiders'  webs.  And  what  is  then  the  life  after  death  (when 
all  are  distinguished,  in  heaven  according  to  the  differences 
of  their  regeneration,  and  in  hell  according  to  the  differ- 
ences in  their  rejection  of  it),  but  a  life  of  the  flesh,  and  so 
like  the  life  of  a  fish  or  a  crab  ? 

IV.  Regeneration  is  effected  in  a  manner  analogous 

TO  THAT  IN  WHICH  MAN  IS  CONCEIVED,  CARRIED  IN 
THE  WOMB,   BORN,  AND  EDUCATED. 

583.  In  man  there  is  a  perpetual  correspondence  be- 
tween those  things  which  take  place  naturally  and  those 
which  take  place  spiritually,  or  between  the  things  which 
take  place  in  the  body  and  those  which  take  place  in 
the  spirit.  This  is  because  man  is  born  spiritual  as  to 
his  soul,  and  is  clothed  with  what  is  natural,  which  forms 
his  material  body.  When  this  body,  therefore,  is  laid 
aside,  his  soul  comes  clothed  with  a  spiritual  body  into 
a  world  where  all  things  are  spiritual,  and  is  there  asso- 
ciated with  his  like.  Now  since  the  spiritual  body  must 
be  formed  in  the  material  body,  and  is  formed  by  means 
of  truths  and  goods  which  flow-in  from  the  Lord  through 
the  spiritual  world  and  which  are  received  by  man  in 
wardly  in  such  things  in  him  as  are  from  the  natural 
world,  which  are  called  civil  and  moral,  the  character  of 
the  formation  which  takes  place  is  manifest.  And  since, 
as  before  said,  there  is  in  man  a  perpetual  correspondence 
between  what  takes  place  naturally  and  what  takes  place 
spiritually,  it  follows  that  this  formation  is  like  conception, 


790  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 


gestation,  birth,  and  education.  It  is  for  this  reason  that 
natural  births  in  the  Word  mean  spiritual  births,  which  are 
of  good  and  truth ;  for  whatever  is  presented  in  the  sense 
of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  which  is  natural,  involves  and 
signifies  what  is  spiritual.  That  there  is  a  spiritual  sense 
in  the  things  of  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  one  and 
all,  is  fully  shown  in  the  chapter  on  the  Sacred  Scripture. 
That  the  natural  births  mentioned  in  the  Word  involve 
spiritual  births,  is  clearly  manifest  from  the  following  pas- 
sages :  We  have  conceived,  we  have  bee7i  in  travail,  we  have 
as  it  were  brought  forth  [wind],  we  have  not  wrought  any  de- 
liverance (Isa.  xxvi.  1 8).  At  the  presence  of  the  Lord  the 
earth  travaileth  (Ps.  cxiv.  7).  Hath  the  ea?'th  borne  in  one 
day  ?  Shall  I  make  the  breach,  and  not  cause  to  bring  forth  ? 
shall  I  cause  to  bring  forth,  and  shut  the  womb  ?  (Isa.  lxvi.  8, 
9.)  Sin  shall  travail,  and  No  shall  be  at  the  breaking  forth 
(Ez.  xxx.  16).  The  sorrows  of  a  travailing  woman  shall 
come  upon  Ephraim,  he  is  an  unwise  son,  for  he  doth  not 
stay  the  time  in  the  womb  of  sons  (Hos.  xiii.  13)  ;  so  also  in 
many  other  places.  Since  in  the  Word  natural  generations 
signify  spiritual  generations,  and  these  are  from  the  Lord, 
He  is  called  the  Former  and  He  that  taketh  from  the 
womb  ;  which  is  evident  from  the  following  :  Jehovah  That 
made  thee  and  formed  thee  from  the  womb  (Isa.  xliv.  2). 
He  that  took  me  out  of  the  womb  (Ps.  xxii.  10).  I  have 
been  laid  upon  Thee  from  the  womb ;  Thou  art  He  That 
took  7?ie  out  of  my  mother's  bowels  (Ps.  lxxi.  6).  Hearke?i 
unto  Me,  ye  that  are  borne  [by  Me]  from  the  womb,  carried 
from  the  belly  (Isa.  xlvi.  3)  ;  besides  other  passages.  The 
Lord  is  therefore  called  Father  (as  in  Isa.  ix.  6 ;  lxiii. 
16;  John  x.  30;  xiv.  8,  9);  and  they  who  are  in  goods 
and  truths  from  Him,  are  called  sons  of  God  and  born  of 
God,  and  brethren  to  one  another  (Matt,  xxiii.  8)  ;  and  also 
the  church  is  called  Mother  (Hos.  ii.  2,  5  ;  Ez.  xvi.  45). 

584,  It  is  now  evident  from  this,  that  there  is  a  corre- 
spondence between  the  processes  of  natural  generation  and 


No.  585.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.       79 1 


of  spiritual  j  and  because  there  is  correspondence,  it  fol- 
lows that  not  only  may  conception,  gestation,  birth,  and 
education  be  predicated  of  the  new  birth,  but  also  that 
they  actually  are  such.  But  what  these  are  in  their  nature, 
is  being  presented  to  view  in  their  order  in  this  chapter 
concerning  Regeneration.  Here  it  is  only  to  be  said  that 
man's  seed  is  conceived  interiorly  in  the  understanding, 
and  is  formed  in  the  will,  and  is  transferred  therefrom  to 
the  testicle  where  it  clothes  itself  with  a  natural  covering  ; 
and  is  thus  conducted  into  the  womb,  and  enters  the  world. 
Moreover,  there  is  a  correspondence  of  man's  regeneration 
with  all  things  in  the  vegetable  kingdom  ;  therefore,  also, 
man  is  described  in  the  Word  by  a  tree,  his  truth  by  the 
seed,  and  his  good  by  the  fruit.  That  an  evil  tree  may  be 
born  anew,  as  it  were,  and  afterward  bear  good  fruit  and 
good  seed,  is  evident  from  grafting  and  budding ;  for 
although  the  same  sap  ascends  from  the  root  through  the 
trunk  to  the  graft  or  bud,  still  it  is  changed  into  good  sap, 
and  makes  a  good  tree.  It  is  similar  in  the  church  with 
those  who  are  engrafted  in  the  Lord,  as  He  teaches  in 
these  words  ;  /  am  the  Vine,  ye  are  the  branches ;  he  that 
abidcth  in  Me  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth  much 
fruit ;  if  a  man  abide  not  in  Me,  he  is  cast  forth  as  a  branch, 
and  being  dried  is  cast  into  the  fire  (John  xv.  5,  6). 

585.  It  has  been  taught  by  many  of  the  learned,  that 
the  processes  of  vegetation,  not  only  of  trees  but  also  of 
all  shrubs,  correspond  to  those  of  human  prolification.  I 
will  therefore  add  something  on  this  subject,  by  way  of 
appendix.  In  trees  and  in  all  the  other  subjects  of  the 
vegetable  kingdom,  there  are  not  two  sexes,  a  masculine 
and  a  feminine,  but  every  one  of  them  is  masculine  ;  the 
earth  alone,  or  the  soil,  is  the  common  mother,  thus  as  the 
woman;  for  it  receives  the  seeds  of  all  plants, — opens 
them,  —  carries  them  as  it  were  in  the  womb,  and  then 
nourishes  them,  —  and  it  brings  them  forth,  that  is  ushers 
them  into  the  day,  —  and  afterward  clothes  and  sustains 


?()2  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 

them.  When  the  earth  first  opens  a  seed,  the  beginning 
is  with  the  root,  which  is  a  kind  of  heart;  from  this  it 
emits  and  transmits  sap,  like  blood,  and  so  makes  as  it 
were  a  body  provided  with  limbs ;  its  body  is  the  stem 
itself,  and  the  branches  and  their  branchlets  are  its  limbs. 
The  leaves  which  it  puts  forth  immediately  after  birth,  are 
for  lungs ;  for  as  the  heart  without  the  lungs  does  not 
produce  motion  and  sensation,  and  by  these  vivify  the  man, 
so  without  leaves  the  root  does  not  cause  a  tree  or  a  shrub 
to  vegetate.  The  blossoms  which  precede  the  fruit  are 
means  for  straining  the  sap,  which  is  its  blood,  and  of 
separating  its  grosser  from  its  purer  parts ;  for  forming  in 
their  own  bosom,  for  the  influx  of  these  parts,  a  new  little 
stem,  by  which  the  strained  sap  may  flow  in,  and  so  initiate 
and  by  successive  steps  form  fruit  (which  may  be  compared 
to  the  testicle),  in  which  the  seeds  are  perfected.  The  vege- 
tative soul,  which  governs  inmostly  in  every  particle  of  sap, 
or  its  prolific  essence,  is  from  no  other  source  than  from 
the  heat  of  the  spiritual  world  ;  which  heat,  because  it  is 
from  the  spiritual  Sun  there,  aspires  to  nothing  but  gener- 
ation, and  through  it  to  a  continuance  of  creation  ;  and 
because  it  essentially  aspires  to  the  generation  of  man,  it 
therefore  induces  upon  whatever  it  generates  a  certain 
resemblance  to  man.  Lest  any  one  should  wonder  at  the 
statement  that  the  subjects  of  the  vegetable  kingdom  are 
masculine  only,  and  that  the  earth  alone  or  the  soil  is  as 
the  common  mother,  or  as  the  woman,  this  shall  be  illus- 
trated by  something  similar  among  bees  :  they,  according 
to  the  observation  of  Swammerdam,  reported  in  his  Books 
of  Nature,  have  only  one  common  mother,  and  from  hei 
are  produced  the  offspring  of  the  whole  hive.  Since  there 
is  but  one  common  mother  for  these  little  members  of  the 
animal  kingdom,  why  not  so  with  all  plants  ?  That  the 
earth  is  the  common  mother  may  also  be  spiritually  illus- 
trated j  and  it  is  illustrated  by  this,  —  that  in  the  Word 
(he  earth  signifies  the  church,  and  the  church  is  the  com- 


No.  587.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  793 

mon  Mother,  as  she  is  also  called  in  the  Word.  As  to  the 
earth's  signifying  the  church,  consult  the  14  Apocalypse 
Revealed"  (n.  285,  902),  where  it  is  shown.  The  earth  or 
ground  is  able  to  enter  into  the  inmost  of  the  seed,  even  to 
what  is  prolific  in  it,  and  to  call  this  forth  and  bring  it  into 
circulation,  because  every  little  particle  of  dust,  or  powder 
even,  exhales  from  its  essence  a  subtle  something,  as  an 
effluvium,  which  penetrates.  This  results  from  the  active 
force  of  the  heat  from  the  spiritual  world. 

586.  That  man  can  be  regenerated  only  by  successive 
steps,  may  be  illustrated  by  the  things  existing  in  the  nat- 
ural world,  one  and  all.  A  tree  cannot  reach  its  growth 
as  a  tree  in  a  day ;  but  first  there  is  growth  from  the  seed, 
next  from  the  root,  and  afterward  from  the  shoot,  from 
which  is  formed  the  stem  ;  and  from  this  proceed  branches 
with  leaves,  and  at  last  blossoms  and  fruits.  Wheat  and 
barley  do  not  spring  up  and  become  ready  for  the  harvest 
in  a  day.  A  house  is  not  built  in  a  day,  nor  does  a  man 
attain  to  his  full  stature  in  a  day,  still  less  to  wisdom. 
The  church  is  not  established  and  perfected  in  a  day  j  nor 
is  there  any  progression  to  an  end  except  from  a  begin- 
ning. They  who  have  a  different  conception  of  regenera- 
tion know  nothing  of  charity  and  faith,  and  of  the  growth 
of  each  according  to  man's  co-operation  with  the  Lord. 
It  is  evident  from  all  this  that  regeneration  is  effected  in  a 
manner  analogous  to  that  in  which  man  is  conceived, 
carried  in  the  womb,  born,  and  educated. 

V.  The  first  Act  in  the  new  Birth  is  called  Refor- 
mation,  WHICH    IS  OF  THE  UNDERSTANDING  ;  AND 

the  second  is  called  regeneration,  which  is  of 
the  Will  and  thence  of  the  Understanding. 

587.  Inasmuch  as  Reformation  and  Regeneration  are 
treated  of  here  and  in  what  follows,  and  reformation  is 
ascribed  to  the  understanding  and  regeneration  to  the  will. 


794 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 


it  is  necessary  that  the  distinctions  between  the  understand- 
ing and  the  will  should  be  known,  and  those  distinctions 
were  described  above  (n.  397);  it  is  advisable,  therefore,  to 
read  first  concerning  them,  and  afterward  what  is  in  this 
article.  It  was  also  shown  above,  in  the  same  connection, 
that  the  evils  into  which  man  is  born  are  in  the  will  of  the 
natural  man  by  generation,  and  that  the  will  makes  the 
understanding  favor  it  by  thinking  in  agreement  with  it; 
wherefore,  that  man  may  be  regenerated,  it  is  necessary  for 
this  to  be  done  by  means  of  the  understanding  as  a  medi- 
ate cause ;  and  it  is  done  through  the  various  information 
which  the  understanding  receives,  given  first  by  parents 
and  teachers,  afterward  from  reading  the  Word,  from 
preaching,  books,  and  conversation.  The  things  which 
the  understanding  receives  from  these  sources,  are  called 
truths ;  it  is  the  same,  therefore,  whether  reformation  is 
said  to  be  effected  by  means  of  the  understanding,  or  by 
means  of  the  truths  which  the  understanding  receives.  For 
truths  teach  man  in  Whom  and  in  what  he  ought  to  believe, 
also  what  he  ought  to  do,  thus  what  he  ought  to  will;  for 
whatever  any  one  does,  he  does  from  the  will  according  to 
the  understanding.  Since,  therefore,  man's  will  is  itself 
evil  from  birth,  and  as  the  understanding  teaches  what 
good  and  evil  are,  and  he  can  will  the  one  and  not  will  the 
other,  it  follows  that  he  must  be  reformed  by  means  of  the 
understanding.  But  as  long  as  any  one  sees  and  acknowl- 
edges in  mind  that  evil  is  evil,  and  that  good  is  good,  and 
thinks  that  good  ought  to  be  chosen,  the  state  is  called  that 
of  reformation  ;  but  when  his  will  is  to  shun  evil  and  do 
good,  the  state  of  regeneration  begins. 

588.  For  the  sake  of  this  end,  there  has  been  given  to 
man  the  faculty  of  elevating  the  understanding  almost  into 
the  light  in  which  the  angels  of  heaven  are,  that  he  may 
see  what  it  is  necessary  for  him  to  will  and  thence  to  do, 
that  he  may  be  prosperous  in  the  world  for  a  time,  and 
blessed  after  death  for  ever.    He  becomes  prosperous  and 


No.  589.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  795 


blessed  if  he  acquires  wisdom  and  keeps  his  will  in  obedi- 
ence to  it  \  but  he  becomes  unprosperous  and  unhappy  if 
he  puts  his  understanding  under  obedience  to  the  will. 
This  is  because  the  will  inclines  from  birth  to  evils,  even 
to  enormities ;  wherefore  if  it  were  not  held  in  check  by 
means  of  the  understanding,  man  left  to  the  freedom  of  his 
will  would  rush  into  abominations  j  and  from  the  ferine 
nature  inherent  in  him,  he  would  plunder  and  slaughter,  for 
the  sake  of  himself,  all  who  do  not  favor  him  and  indulge  his 
cupidities.  Moreover,  unless  the  understanding  could  have 
been  perfected  separately,  and  the  will  by  means  of  it,  man 
would  not  be  man  but  a  beast ;  for  without  that  separation, 
and  without  the  ascent  of  the  understanding  above  the  will, 
he  would  not  have  been  able  to  think,  and  from  thought  to 
speak,  but  only  to  sound  his  affection  ;  nor  would  he  have 
been  able  to  act  from  reason,  but  from  instinct  j  still  less 
would  he  have  been  able  to  have  cognition  of  the  things 
which  are  of  God,  and  thereby  of  God  Himself,  and  so  to 
be  conjoined  with  Him  and  live  for  ever.  For  man  thinks 
and  wills  as  of  himself ;  and  this  as  of  himself  is  the  recip- 
rocal [element]  in  conjunction  ;  for  conjunction  is  not 
possible  without  reciprocation,  as  there  can  be  no  conjunc- 
tion of  an  active  with  a  passive  without  adaptation  or  ap- 
plication. God  alone  acts  j  and  man  suffers  himself  to  be 
acted  upon,  and  co-operates  to  all  appearance  as  of  himself 
although  interiorly  from  God.  But  from  a  right  perception 
of  these  things,  it  may  be  seen  of  what  quality  the  love  of 
a  man's  will  is,  if  elevated  by  means  of  the  understanding  ; 
and  also  of  what  quality  when  not  elevated ;  thus,  of  what 
quality  the  man  is. 

589.  It  is  to  be  known  that  the  faculty  of  raising  the 
understanding  even  to  the  intelligence"  in  which  the  angels 
of  heaven  are.  is  by  creation  inherent  in  every  man,  bad  as 
well  as  good,  yes,  also  in  every  devil  in  hell,  for  all  who  are 
in  hell  have  been  men.  This  has  been  frequently  shown 
me  by  living  experience.    But  they  are  not  in  intelligence 


796  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 

but  in  insanity  in  spiritual  things,  for  the  reason  that  they 
do  not  will  good  but  evil ;  consequently  they  are  averse  to 
knowing  and  understanding  truths,  for  truths  favor  good 
and  oppose  evil.  From  this  also  it  is  evident  that  the  first 
thing  of  the  new  birth,  is  the  reception  of  truths  in  the 
understanding;  and  the  second  is  willing  to  do  according 
to  truths,  and  at  length  doing  them.  No  one,  however,  can 
be  said  to  be  reformed  by  mere  cognitions  of  truths ;  for 
man  can  apprehend  them,  and  also  talk  about,  teach,  and 
preach  them,  from  the  faculty  of  elevating  the  understand- 
ing above  the  will's  love.  But  he  is  a  reformed  man  who 
is  in  the  affection  of  truth  for  the  sake  of  truth  •  for  this 
affection  conjoins  itself  with  the  will,  and,  if  it  advances, 
conjoins  the  will  with  the  understanding,  and  then  regen- 
eration begins.  But  how  regeneration  afterward  progresses 
and  is  perfected,  will  be  told  in  what  follows. 

590.  But  of  what  quality  the  man  is  whose  understand- 
ing has  been  elevated,  but  not  the  will's  love  by  means  of 
it,  will  be  illustrated  by  comparisons.  He  is  like  an  eagle 
flying  on  high,  but  as  soon  as  he  sees  food  below,  as  hens, 
young  swans,  or  lambs  even,  he  darts  down  in  a  moment 
and  devours  them.  He  is  also  like  an  adulterer  who  hides 
a  harlot  in  a  lowest  room ;  and  who  now  goes  up  to  the 
upper  story  of  the  house,  and  in  his  wife's  presence  talks 
wisely  with  those  staying  there  about  chastity ;  and  now  he 
steals  away  from  their  company,  and  satiates  his  lust  with 
the  harlot  below.  He  is  also  like  the  flies  of  the  marsh, 
which  fly  swarming  about  the  head  of  a  horse  at  full  speed, 
but  when  the  horse  stops  they  settle  down  and  bury  them- 
selves in  their  marsh.  Such  is  the  man  who  is  in  a  state 
of  elevation  as  to  the  understanding,  while  the  will's  love 
remains  down  at  the  foot,  immersed  in  all  the  uncleanness 
of  nature  and  the  libidinous  [exercises]  of  the  senses. 
But  because  they  shine  as"  to  the  understanding,  as  if  from 
wisdom,  while  the  will  is  opposed  to  wisdom,  they  may  be 
likened  also  to  serpents  with  shining  skins,  and  to  the 


No.  591.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  797 


Spanish  flies  that  glitter  as  if  they  were  of  gold  ;  as  also 
to  the  ignis  fatuus  in  swamps,  to  shining  rotten  wood  and 
phosphorescent  substances.  There  are  those  among  them 
who  can  counterfeit  angels  of  light,  both  among  men  in 
the  world  and  after  death  among  the  angels  of  heaven  ; 
but  after  a  brief  examination  these  are  deprived  of  their 
clothing,  and  cast  down  naked.  The  same  cannot  be  done 
in  the  world,  however,  because  there  their  spirit  is  not 
open,  but  covered  over  by  a  mask  like  that  used  by  actors 
,on  the  stage.  They  are  able  to  counterfeit  angels  of  light 
in  face  and  with  the  lips,  because  they  can  elevate  the 
understanding  almost  to  angelic  wisdom,  above  the  will's 
love,  as  before  said ;  and  their  ability  to  counterfeit,  is  a 
proof  that  they  can  so  elevate  the  understanding.  Now, 
since  man's  internal  and  his  external  can  run  thus  counter 
to  each  other,  and  since  the  body  is  laid  aside  while  the 
spirit  remains,  it  is  obvious  that  a  dusky  spirit  may  dwell 
beneath  a  bright  white  face,  and  a  fiery  one  behind  a  bland 
mouth.  Therefore,  my  friend,  know  a  man  not  from  his 
mouth  but  from  his  heart,  that  is,  not  from  his  words  but 
from  his  deeds  ;  for  the  Lord  says,  Beware  of false  prophets 
who  come  to  you  in  sheep's  clothing,  but  inwardly  they  are 
ravening  wolves.    Know  the??i  by  their  fruits  (Matt.  vii.  15, 

16). 

VI.    The  Internal  man   is  to  be  reformed,  and 

THROUGH  THIS  THE  EXTERNAL,  AND  MAN  IS  SO 
REGENERATED. 

591.  That  the  internal  man  must  first  be  regenerated, 
and  through  it  the  external,  is  commonly  said  in  the  church 
at  this  day  j  but  from  the  term  internal  man,  nothing  else 
comes  into  the  thought  than  faith,  which  faith  is,  that  God 
the  Father  imputes  to  men  the  merit  and  righteousness  of 
His  Son,  and  sends  the  Holy  Spirit.  They  believe  that 
this  faith  makes  the  internal  man,  and  that  from  the 
internal  flows  forth  the  external,  which  is  the  moral  nat 


798  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chai\  X. 


ural  man,  this  being  an  appendage  to  the  former,  compar- 
atively like  the  tail  of  a  horse  or  a  cow,  or  like  that  of  a 
peacock  or  a  bird  of  paradise,  which  is  continued  to  the 
soles  of  its  feet  without  cohering  [with  them]  ;  for  it  is 
said  that  charity  follows  that  faith,  but  that  the  faith 
perishes  if  charity  comes  in  from  man's  will.  But  inas- 
much as  no  other  internal  man  than  this  is  *  acknowledged 
in  the  church  at  the  present  day,  there  is  not  any  internal 
man  ■  for  no  one  knows  whether  that  faith  has  been  be- 
stowed on  him  or  not  \  moreover,  that  it  cannot  be  given,  • 
and  is  therefore  imaginary,  was  shown  above.  From  which 
it  follows,  that  at  the  present  day,  among  those  who  have 
confirmed  themselves  in  that  faith,  there  is  no  other  in- 
ternal man  than  that  natural  man  which  from  birth  over- 
flows with  evils  in  all  abundance.  It  is  said  in  addition, 
that  regeneration  and  sanctification  follow  that  faith  of 
themselves,  and  that  man's  co-operation  (and  only  by 
means  of  this  is  salvation  effected)  must  be  excluded.  It 
results  from  this,  that  in  the  church  of  the  present  day 
there  cannot  be  a  knowledge  of  regeneration,  when  yet  the 
Lord  says  that  he  who  is  not  born  again  cannot  see  the 
kingdom  of  God. 

592.  But  the  internal  and  the  external  man  of  the  New 
Church  are  altogether  different.  The  internal  man  is  of 
the  will,  from  which  man  thinks  when  left  to  himself,  as  is 
the  case  at  home ;  but  the  external  man  is  his  action  and 
speech,  such  as  proceed  from  the  man  when  he  is  in  com- 
pany, thus  abroad  ;  consequently  the  internal  man  is  charity 
(because  this  is  of  the  will),  and  at  the  same  time  faith 
(which  is  of  the  thought).  Before  regeneration  the  two 
make  the  natural  man,  which  is  thus  divided  into  an  in- 
ternal and  an  external ;  this  is  manifest  from  its  not  being 
allowable  for  man  to  act  and  speak  in  company,  or  abroad, 
as  he  does  when  left  to  himself,  or  at  home.  The  cause 
of  this  division  is,  that  civil  laws  prescribe  punishments 
for  those  who  act  wickedly,  and  rewards  for  those  who  do 


No.  593.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  799 


well  ;  and  so  men  compel  themselves  to  separate  the  ex- 
ternal man  from  the  internal ;  for  no  one  wishes  to  be 
punished,  and  every  one  wishes  to  be  rewarded,  which 
is  done  by  riches  and  honors  •  for  man  does  not  attain 
either  of  these  without  living  according  to  those  laws.  It 
results  from  this  that  morality  and  benevolence  have  place 
in  externals,  even  with  those  who  do  not  have  them  in  in- 
ternals. From  this  origin  come  all  hypocrisy,  flattery,  and 
dissimulation. 

593.  As  to  the  division  of  the  natural  man  into  two  forms, 
it  is  an  actual  division  both  of  will  and  of  thought  therein  \ 
for  every  action  of  man  starts  from  his  will,  and  all  speech 
from  the  thought ;  wherefore  another  will  has  been  formed 
by  the  man  beneath  the  former,  and  likewise  other  thought ; 
but  still  they  both  constitute  the  natural  man.  This  will, 
which  is  formed  by  the  man,  may  be  called  bodily  will,  be- 
cause it  actuates  the  body  to  regulate  its  motions  morally ; 
and  this  thought  may  be  called  pulmonary  thought,  because 
it  actuates  the  tongue  and  lips  to  say  such  things  as  are  of 
the  understanding.  This  thought  and  this  will  together 
may  be  compared  to  the  inner  bark  that  adheres  to  the 
outer  bark  of  a  tree,  or  to  the  membrane  that  adheres  to 
the  shell  of  an  egg,  the  internal  natural  man  being  within 
them.  And  if  this  is  evil  it  may  be  compared  to  the  wood 
of  a  rotten  tree,  around  which  the  outer  bark  that  was 
mentioned,  with  its  inner  bark,  seems  sound  ;  also  to  a 
rotten  egg  within  a  white  shell.  But  it  shall  be  told  of 
what  quality  is  the  internal  natural  man  from  birth.  Its 
will  incline*  to  evils  of  every  kind  ;  and  the  thought  from 
it  inclines  to  falsities,  also  of  every  kind  ;  this  therefore  is 
the  internal  man  that  is  to  be  regenerated  ;  for  unless  this 
is  regenerated,  it  is  nothing  but  hatred  against  all  things 
pertaining  to  charity,  and  hence  hot  zeal  against  all  things 
pertaining  to  faith.  It  follows  from  this  that  the  internal 
man  of  the  natural  must  be  first  regenerated,  and  by 
means  of  it  the  external,  for  this  is  according  to  order  ; 


800  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 


while  to  regenerate  the  internal  by  means  of  the  external 
is  contrary  to  order ;  for  the  internal  is  as  a  soul  in  the 
external,  not  only  generally  but  also  in  every  particular, 
consequently  in  every  single  thing  that  he  speaks,  without 
the  man's  knowing  it.  It  results  from  this  that  the  angels, 
from  a  single  action  of  a  man,  perceive  what  the  quality  of 
his  will  is,  and  from  a  single  expression,  what  the  quality 
of  his  thought  is,  whether  infernal  or  heavenly.  Thus 
they  have  a  knowledge  of  the  whole  man ;  from  a  tone 
they  perceive  the  affection  of  his  thought  •  and  from  a 
gesture,  or  the  form  of  his  action,  they  perceive  the  love  of 
his  will ;  they  perceive  them,  however  he  may  counterfeit 
the  Christian  and  the  moral  citizen. 

594.  Man's  regeneration  is  described  in  Ezekiel  by  the 
dry  bones  which  were  clothed  with  sinews,  then  with  flesh 
and  skin,  and  at  last  breath  was  breathed  into  them,  whereby 
they  lived  again  (xxxvii.  1-14).  That  regeneration  was  rep- 
resented by  those  things,  is  clearly  manifest  from  what  is 
there  said,  These  bo?ies  are  the  whole  house  of  Israel  (verse  11). 
A  comparison  is  also  made  there  with  sepulchres,  for  we 
read,  that  Jehovah  God  would  open  their  graves,  and  cause 
them  to  come  up  out  of  their  graves,  and  put  His  Spirit  upon 
them,  and  bring  them  into  the  land  of  Israel  (verses  12-14). 
The  land  of  Israel  here  and  elsewhere  means  the  church. 
A  representation  of  regeneration  was  made  by  bones  and 
graves,  because  the  unregenerate  man  is  called  dead,  and 
the  regenerate  alive ;  for  in  the  latter  there  is  spiritual  life, 
but  in  the  former  spiritual  death. 

595.  In  every  created  thing  in  the  world,  whether  living 
or  dead,  there  is  an  internal  and  an  external ;  one  of  these 
is  not  given  without  the  other,  as  there  is  no  effect  without 
a  cause  ;  and  every  created  thing  is  esteemed  according  to 
its  internal  goodness,  and  is  regarded  as  without  worth  from 
its  internal  baseness,  as  is  the  external  goodness  within 
which  there  is  internal  baseness.  Every  wise  man  in  the 
world  and  every  angel  in  heaven  so  judges.    But  the  quality 


No.  595.1    REFORMATION  AXD  REGENERATION.  80I 


of  the  unregenerate  man  and  that  of  the  regenerate,  may  be 
illustrated  by  comparisons.  The  unregenerate  man  who 
counterfeits  the  moral  citizen  and  the  Christian  man,  may 
be  compared  to  a  corpse  wrapped  in  aromatics,  which 
nevertheless  gives  forth  a  foul  odor  that  infects  the  aromat- 
ics, insinuates  itself  into  the  nostrils,  and  injures  the  brain. 
He  may  also  be  compared  to  a  mummy,  gilded  or  placed 
in  a  silver  coffin  •  and  when  this  is  examined  within,  a 
hideously  black  body  comes  to  view.  He  may  be  com- 
pared to  bones  or  skeletons  in  a  sepulchre  built  of  lapis 
lazuli,  and  adorned  with  other  precious  things ;  and  also 
to  the  rich  man  who  was  clothed  in  purple  and  fine  linen, 
but  whose  internal  was  nevertheless  infernal  (Xuke  xvi.  19). 
He  may  be  compared,  further,  to  poison  of  a  taste  like  that 
of  sugar,  to  the  poison-hemlock  in  flower,  to  fruit  with  shin- 
ing surface  whose  inner  substance  has  been  consumed  £>y 
worms ;  and  also  to  an  ulcer  dressed  first  with  a  plaster 
and  afterward  covered  with  a  thin  skin,  but  which  has  noth- 
ing but  foul  matter  within.  The  internal  [of  the  unregen- 
erate man]  may  be  estimated  from  the  external  in  the  world, 
but  only  by  those  who  have  not  internal  good,  and  who 
therefore  judge  according  to  appearance ;  but  it  is  other- 
wise in  heaven.  For  when  the  body,  changeable  about  the 
spirit  and  capable  of  being  bent  from  evil  to  good,  is  sepa- 
rated by  death,  the  internal  then  remains,  for  this  makes 
the  man's  spirit;  and  then  in  the  distance  he  looks  like  a 
serpent  that  has  shed  its  skin,  or  like  rotten  wood  stripped 
of  the  bark  or  rind  in  which  it  looked  bright.  But  it  is 
otherwise  with  the  regenerate  man  ;  his  internal  is  good, 
and  his  external  similar  [in  appearance]  to  the  external  of 
the  other ;  but  hfs  external  differs  from  that  of  the  unre- 
generate man  as  heaven  differs  from  hell,  inasmuch  as  the 
soul  of  good  is  in  it ;  and  it  matters  not  to  him  whether  he 
is  a  noble,  dwells  in  a  palace,  and  goes  surrounded  by 
attendants,  or  lives  in  a  cottage  and  is  waited  upon  by  a 
boy  j  yes,  whether  he  is  a  primate,  clad  in  a  purple  robe 
vol.  ii.  17 


S02  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 


and  wearing  the  official  cap  (of  two  grades),  or  the  shepherd 
of  a  few  sheep,  covered  with  a  loose  rustic  frock,  and  wear- 
ing a  little  cap  on  his  head.  Gold  is  still  gold,  whether  it 
flashes  when  brought  near  the  fire,  or  has  its  surface  black- 
ened when  held  over  the  smoke ;  also,  whether  it  has  been 
melted  into  a  beautiful  form  as  of  an  infant,  or  into  an  ugly 
one  as  of  a  mouse ;  the  mice  that  were  made  of  gold,  and 
placed  near  the  ark,  also  were  accepted  and  made  propitia- 
tion (i  Sam.  vi.  3-5,  and  the  subsequent  verses) ;  for  gold 
signifies  internal  good.  The  diamond  and  the  ruby  obtained 
from  whatever  matrix,  of  lime  or  of  clay,  are  in  like  manner 
esteemed  according  to  their  internal  goodness,  the  same  as 
those  in  the  necklace  of  a  queen  ;  and  so  on.  From  which 
it  is  manifest  that  the  external  is  estimated  from  the  internal, 
and  not  the  reverse. 

VII.  While  this  is  taking  place,  a  Combat  arises 

BETWEEN  THE  INTERNAL  AND  THE  EXTERNAL  MAN, 
AND  THE  ONE  THAT  CONQUERS  RULES  OVER  THE 
OTHER. 

596.  A  combat  then  arises  for  the  reason  that  the  internal 
man  has  been  reformed  by  means  of  truths,  and  from  these 
it  sees  what  is  evil  and  false,  and  these  still  are  in  the  ex- 
ternal or  natural  man.  Wherefore  first  there  springs  up 
dissension  between  the  new  will  which  is  above,  and  the 
old  will  which  is  below ;  and  because  this  dissension  is 
between  these  wills,  it  is  also  between  their  delights;  for 
it  is  well  known  that  the  flesh  is  opposed  to  the  spirit,  and 
the  spirit  to  the  flesh,  and  that  the  flesh  with  its  lusts  must 
be  subdued  before  the  spirit  can  act  and  become  a  new 
man.  After  this  dissension  of  the  wills,  a  combat  arises 
which  is  what  is  called  spiritual  temptation  ;  but  this  temp- 
tation or  combat  does  not  take  place  between  goods  and 
evils,  but  between  the  truths  of  good  and  the  falsities  of 
evil  ;  for  good  cannot  fight  from  itself,  but  fights  by  truths ; 


No.  597.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  803 


nor  can  evil  fight  from  itself,  but  fights  by  its  falsities  ;  just 
as  the  will  cannot  fight  from  itself,  but  by  the  understanding 
where  its  truths  are.  Man  has  not  a  sense  of  that  combat 
except  as  in  himself,  and  as  remorse  of  conscience  :  never- 
theless it  is  the  Lord  and  the  devil  (that  is,  hell),  that  fight 
in  man,  and  they  fight  for  dominion  over  him,  or  as  to  who 
shall  possess  him.  The  devil  or  hell  attacks  man  and  calls 
out  his  evils,  and  the  Lord  protects  him  and  calls  out  his 
goods.  But  although  that  combat  takes  place  in  the  spirit- 
ual world,  still  it  takes  place  in  man,  between  the  truths 
of  good  and  the  falsities  of  evil  that  are  in  him  ;  man  is 
therefore  to  fight  wholly  as  of  himself,  for  he  has  free-will 
to  act  for  the  Lord,  and  also  to  act  for  the  devil :  he  is  for 
the  Lord  if  he  abides  in  truths  from  good,  and  for  the 
devil  if  he  abides  in  falsities  from  evil.  It  follows  from  all 
this  that  whichever  conquers,  whether  the  internal  man  or 
the  external,  rules  over  the  other;  just  like  two  hostile 
powers  contending  as  to  which  shall  be  master  of  the 
other's  kingdom  j  the  conqueror  takes  the  kingdom,  and 
places  all  therein  under  obedience  to  himself.  In  this 
case,  therefore,  if  the  internal  man  conquers,  it  obtains  the 
empire,  and  subjugates  all  the  evils  of  the  external  man, 
and  regeneration  is  then  continued  ;  while  if  the  external 
man  conquers,  it  obtains  the  empire,  and  dissipates  all 
the  goods  of  the  internal  *  man,  and  then  regeneration 
perishes. 

597.  It  is  known,  indeed,  at  the  present  clay,  that  there 
are  temptations ;  but  hardly  any  one  knows  whence  they 
are,  and  their  quality,  and  what  good  they  yield.  Whence 
they  are,  and  what  their  quality,  was  shown  just  above,  and 
also  what  good  they  yield  \  namely,  that  when  the  internal 
man  conquers,  the  external  is  subjugated  ;  and  that  when 
this  is  subjugated,  lusts  are  dispersed,  and  affections  of 
good  and  truth  are  implanted  in  place  of  them  ;  and  these 
are  so  arranged  that  man  may  do  the  goods  and  truths 
*  The  Latin  reads  extcrni,  external. 


804 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  X. 


which  he  wills  and  thinks,  and  may  speak  them  from  the 
heart.  Besides  this,  by  victory  over  the  external  man  a 
man  becomes  spiritual,  and  he  then  is  consociated  by  the 
Lord  with  the  angels  of  heaven,  who  all  are  spiritual. 
Temptations  have  not  heretofore  been  well  known,  and 
scarcely  any  one  has  had  knowledge  of  their  origin  and 
quality  and  the  good  which  they  yield,  because  heretofore 
the  church  has  not  been  in  truths.  No  one  is  in  truths  but 
he  who  goes  to  the  Lord  immediately,  rejects  the  former 
faith,  and  embraces  the  new ;  hence  no  one  has  been  ad- 
mitted into  any  spiritual  temptation  in  all  the  ages  reck- 
oned from  that  when  the  Nicene  Council  introduced  the 
faith  of  three  Gods ;  for  if  any  one  had  been  admitted,  he 
would  have  succumbed  immediately,  and  so  would  have 
precipitated  himself  more  deeply  into  hell.  The  contrition 
which  is  held  to  precede  the  present  faith,  is  not  tempta- 
tion ;  I  have  questioned  very  many  about  it,  and  they  have 
said  that  it  is  a  word  and  nothing  more,  except  that  per- 
haps there  may  be  some  timorous  thought  among  the  simple 
about  hell-fire. 

598.  After  temptation  has  passed,  man  is  in  heaven  as 
to  the  internal  man,  and  in  the  world  by  the  external ; 
wherefore  a  conjunction  of  heaven  and  the  world  is  effected 
with  man  by  means  of  temptations,  and  then  the  Lord  with 
him  rules  his  world  from  heaven  according  to  order.  The 
contrary  takes  place  if  man  remains  natural ;  he  is  then 
desirous  to  rule  heaven  from  the  world  ;  such  does  every 
one  become  who  is  in  the  love  of  bearing  rule  from  the 
love  of  self ;  if  he  is  examined  within,  he  does  not  believe 
in  a  God,  but  in  himself,  and  after  death  he  believes  him 
to  be  God  who  is  strong  in  power  over  others.  Such  in- 
sanity there  is  in  hell,  which  has  proceeded  even  to  such  a 
length  that  some  call  themselves  God  the  Father,  some 
God  the  Son,  and  some  God  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  among 
the  Jews  some  call  themselves  the  Messiah.  It  is  mani- 
fest from  this  of  what  quality  man  becomes  after  death,  if 


No.  600.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  805 

the  natural  man  is  not  regenerated,  consequently  what  he 
would  become  in  his  fantasy,  if  a  new  church,  in  which 
genuine  truths  are  taught,  were  not  established  by  the 
Lord.  Such  is  the  meaning  of  these  words  of  the  Lord : 
In  the  consummation  of  the  age,  that  is,  at  the  end  of  the 
present  church,  there  shall  be  affliction,  such  as  ivas  not 
since  the  beginning  of  the  world,  nor  shall  be,  wherefore  except 
those  days  should  be  shortened,  there  should  no  flesh  be  saved 
(Matt.  xxiv.  21,  22). 

599.  In  the  combats  or  temptations  of  men  the  Lord 
works  a  particular  redemption,  as  He  wrought  redemption 
that  embraced  the  whole  when  in  the  world.  The  Lord  in 
the  world,  by  means  of  combats  and  temptations,  glorified 
His  Human,  that  is,  made  it  Divine ;  in  like  manner  now, 
with  a  man  individually,  while  he  is  in  temptations  \  in  these 
the  Lord  fights  for  him,  and  conquers  the  evil  spirits  who 
are  infesting  him ;  and  after  temptation  glorifies  him,  that 
is,  renders  him  spiritual*.  After  His  universal  redemption, 
the  Lord  reduced  to  order  all  things  in  heaven  and  in  hell ; 
with  man  after  temptation  He  does  in  like  manner,  that  is 
to  say,  He  reduces  to  order  all  the  things  that  are  of  heaven 
and  the  church  with  the  man.  After  redemption  the  Lord 
established  a  new  church ;  in  like  manner  also  He  estab- 
lishes those  things  which  are  of  the  church  with  the  man, 
and  makes  him  to  be  a  church  in  particular.  Aftei 
redemption  the  Lord  gifted  those  who  believed  in  Him 
with  peace  ;  for  he  said,  Peace  I  leave  with  you,  My  peace  j 
give  unto  you  ;  not  as  the  world  giveth,  give  I  unto  you  (John 
xiv.  27);  so  likewise  He  gives  to  man  after  temptation  tc 
feel  peace,  that  is,  gladrffcss  of  mind  and  consolation 
From  which  it  is  manifest  that  the  Lord  is  the  Redeemei 
for  ever. 

600.  A  regenerated  internal  man,  and  no  regenerated 
external  man  with  it,  may  be  compared  to  a  bird  flying  in 
the  air  without  a  resting  place  on  dry  land,  but  in  a  swamp 
only,  where  it  is  infested  by  serpents  and  frogs,  so  that  il 


8o6 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 


flies  away  and  dies.  It  may  be  compared  also  to  a 
swan  swimming  in  mid  ocean,  which  cannot  reach  the 
shore  and  make  her  nest ;  so  the  eggs  she  lays  she  lets 
sink  in  the  water,  where  they  are  eaten  by  fishes.  It  may 
be  compared  also  to  a  soldier  on  a  wall,  who  falls  down 
when  this  is  undermined  beneath  his  feet,  and  dies  amid 
the  ruins.  And  it  may  be  compared  to  a  beautiful  tree 
transplanted  into  filthy  ground,  where  troops  of  worms  eat 
up  its  root,  so  that  it  withers  and  dies.  And  again  it  may 
be  compared  to  a  house  without  a  foundation,  and  to  a 
column  without  a  pedestal.  Such  is  the  internal  man 
when  reformed  alone,  and  not  the  external  with  it ;  for  it 
has  no  means  of  determining  itself  to  doing  good. 


VIII.  The  Regenerate  Man  has  a  new  Will  and  a 
new  Understanding. 

60 i.  That  a  regenerate  man  is  a  renewed  or  new  man, 
the  church  of  this  day  knows,  both  from  the  Word  and 
from  reason ;  from  the  Word,  by  the  following  passages  ; 
Make  you  a  new  heart  and  a  new  spirit ;  for  why  will  ye  die, 
O  house  of  Israeli  (Ez.  xviii.  31.)  A  new  heart  also  will  I 
give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  in  the  midst  of  you  ;  and  I  will 
take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  will  give  you 
a  heart  of flesh,  and  I  will  give  My  spirit  in  the  midst  of  you 
(Ez.  xxxvi.  26,  27).  Wherefore  henceforth  know  we  no  man 
after  the  flesh  ;  therefore  if  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new 
creature  (2  Cor.  v.  16,  17).  A  new  heart  here  means  a 
new  will,  and  a  new  spirit  means  a  new  understanding ; 
for  heart  in  the  Word  signifies  the  will,  and  spirit  when 
joined  with  heart  signifies  the  understanding.  It  knows 
from  reaso?i  that  a  regenerate  man  has  a  new  will  and  a 
new  understanding,  because  these  two  faculties  make  the 
man,  and  they  are  what  are  regenerated.  Wherefore  every 
man  is  such  as  he  is  with  respect  to  those  faculties,  he  being 
evil  who  has  an  evil  will,  and  still  more  so  he  whose  under- 


No.  603.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  807 


standing  favors  it ;  while  he  is  good  who  has  a  good  will, 
and  still  more  so  he  whose  understanding  favors  it.  Religion 
alone  renews  and  regenerates  man.  Religion  occupies  the 
highest  seat  in  the  human  mind,  and  sees  under  itself  the 
civil  matters  pertaining  to  the  world  ;  it  also  passes  through 
these  as  the  pure  sap  passes  through  the  tree  to  its  very 
top,  and  from  that  height  it  surveys  what  is  natural,  as 
from  a  tower  or  a  mountain  one  surveys  the  plains  below. 

602.  But  it  must  be  known  that  man  can  rise  as  to  the 
understanding  almost  into  the  light  in  which  the  angels  of 
heaven  are,  but  that  if  he  does  not  rise  as  to  the  will  also, 
he  is  still  the  old  and  not  the  new  man.  But  how  the 
understanding  elevates  the  will  more  and  more  to  a  height 
with  itself,  was  shown  before.  Wherefore  regeneration  is 
predicated  primarily  of  the  will,  and  secondarily  of  the 
understanding.  For  the  understanding  in  man  is  like 
light  in  the  world,  and  the  will  is  like  the  heat  there  ; 
that  light  without  heat  does  not  vivify  and  promote  vege- 
tation, but  light  joined  with  heat,  is  well  known.  More- 
over the  understanding,  as  to  the  lower  region  in  the  mind, 
is  actually  in  the  light  of  the  world,  and  in  the  light  of 
heaven  as  to  the  higher  region  ■  and  therefore  if  the  will  is 
not  elevated  out  of  the  lower  region  into  the  higher,  and 
there  conjoined  with  the  understanding,  it  remains  in  the 
world  ;  and  then  the  understanding  flies  upward  and  down- 
ward, but  every  night  it  flies  to  the  will  below,  and  there 
it  has  its  bed,  and  they  join  themselves  like  a  man  and  a 
harlot,  and  produce  two-headed  offspring.  It  is  also  mani- 
fest from  this,  that  unless  a  man  has  a  new  will  and  a  new 
understanding,  he  is  not  regenerate. 

603.  The  human  mind  is  divided  into  three  distinct 
regions ;  the  lowest  is  called  the  natural,  the  middle  the 
spiritual,  and  the  highest  the  heavenly  \cclestiat\  ;  by  regen- 
eration man  is  elevated  from  the  lowest  region  which  is 
the  natural,  into  the  higher  which  is  the  spiritual,  and 
through  this  into  the  heavenly  \cekstial\    That  there  are 


8o8  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 


three  regions  of  the  mind  will  be  demonstrated  in  the 
next  article.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  the  unregenerate 
man  is  called  natural,  and  the  regenerate  man  spiritual. 
It  is  therefore  manifest  that  the  mind  of  a  regenerate  man 
has  been  elevated  into  the  spiritual  region,  and  there  it 
sees  from  the  higher  what  takes  place  in  the  lower  or 
natural  mind.  That  there  is  a  lower  and  a  higher  region 
in  the  human  mind,  every  one  may  see  and  acknowledge 
by  a  slight  attention  to  his  thoughts  ;  for  he  sees  what  he 
thinks  ;  wherefore  he  says  that  he  thought  and  that  he 
thinks  this  and  that;  this  could  not  be  so  unless  there 
were  an  interior  thought  that  is  called  perception,  which 
looks  into  the  lower  that  is  called  thought.  A  judge,  when 
he  has  heard  or  read  the  evidence  in  a  case,  brought  to-  • 
gether  in  a  long  series  by  an  advocate,  collects  it  into  one 
view  in  the  higher  region  of  his  mind,  thus  into  a  universal 
idea ;  and  from  this  he  afterward  looks  down  into  the 
lower  region,  which  is  that  of  natural  thought,  and  there 
disposes  the  arguments  in  order,  and  following  the  higher, 
presents  his  opinion  and  pronounces  judgment.  Who  does 
not  know  that  a  man  can  in  a  moment  or  two  think  and 
conclude  what  he  cannot  by  the  lower  thought  express  in 
a  brief  hour  ?  These  things  have  been  brought  forward, 
that  it  may  be  known  that  the  human  mind  is  divided  into 
distinct  regions,  lower  and  higher. 

604.  As  to  the  new  will,  it  is  above  the  old,  in  the 
spiritual  region  ;  so  is  the  new  understanding ;  this  is  with 
that,  and  that  with  this.  In  that  region  they  conjoin  them- 
selves, and  conjointly  they  look  into  the  old  or  the  natural, 
and  dispose  ail  things  therein  so  as  to  attemper  them. 
Who  cannot  see  that  if  there  were  in  the  human  mind  but 
one  region,  and  if  evils  and  goods,  falsities  and  truths, 
were  put  together  and  commingled  there,  a  conflict  would 
take  place  ?  as  if  wolves  and  lambs,  tigers  and  calves, 
hawks  and  doves  were  put  together  in  one  enclosure. 
What  would  then  result  but  a  cruel  slaughter  there  ? 


No.  605.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  809 


Would  not  the  savage  beasts  tear  in  pieces  the  tame  ones  ? 
It  has  therefore  been  provided  that  goods  with  their  truths 
should  be  gathered  into  the  higher  region,  that  they  may 
subsist  in  safety  and  debar  assault,  and  also  by  chains  and 
other  means  may  subjugate  and  afterward  disperse  evils 
with  their  falsities.  This  then  is  what  was  said  in  the 
preceding  article,  that  with  the  regenerate  man  the  Lord 
through  heaven  rules  the  things  which  are  of  the  world. 
The  higher  or  spiritual  region  of  the  human  mind  also  is 
a  heaven  in  miniature,  while  the  lower  or  natural  region  is 
a  world  in  miniature.  Wherefore  by  the  ancients  man 
was  called  a  little  world ;  and  he  may  also  be  called  a  little 
heaven. 

605.  That  the  regenerate  man,  that  is,  the  man  renewed 
as  to  will  and  understanding,  is  in  the  heat  of  heaven,  that 
is,  in  its  love,  and  at  the  same  time  in  the  light  of  heaven, 
that  is,  in  its  wisdom,  —  and  on  the  other  hand,  that  the 
unregenerate  man  is  in  the  heat  of  hell,  that  is,  in  its  love, 
and  at  the  same  in  the  darkness  of  hell,  that  is,  in  its 
insanities,  —  is  at  this  day  known  and  still  unknown. 
This  is  because  the  church  existing  at  the  present  day 
makes  regeneration  an  appendage  to  its  faith,  and  into 
faith  they  suffer  no  reason  to  be  admitted,  and  conse- 
quently reason  is  not  to  be  admitted  into  any  thing  which 
belongs  to  an  appendage  of  it ;  and,  as  before  said,  regen- 
eration and  renovation  are  such.  These  latter,  together 
with  that  faith  itself,  are  to  those  of  the  present  church 
like  a  house,  the  doors  and  windows  of  which  are  closed, 
so  that  it  is  not  known  what  is  within  it,  whether  it  is 
empty,  or  full  of  genii  from  hell,  or  of  angels  from  heaven. 
An  additional  reason  is,  that  this  confusion  has  been 
brought  about  from  fallacy  arising  from  [misapprehension 
of  the  truth]  that  because  man  can  ascend  with  the  under- 
standing [he  comes]  almost  into  the  light  of  heaven,  and 
consequently  can  from  intelligence  think  and  speak  of 
spiritual  things,  whatever  his  will's  love  may  be.    Out  ol 

17* 


8 10  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X 

ignorance  of  this  truth  has  also  come  ignorance  of  all  that 
concerns  regeneration  and  renovation. 

606.  From  this  it  may  be  concluded,  that  an  unregen- 
erate  man  is  like  one  who  sees  phantoms  at  night  and 
believes  them  to  be  men  ;  and  afterward,  while  becoming 
regenerate,  he  is  like  the  same  man  at  the  earliest  dawn 
seeing  those  things  to  be  but  delusions  which  he  saw  in 
the  night  j  and  still  later,  when  he  is  regenerated  and  is  in 
the  day,  he  sees  them  as  the  offspring  of  delirium.  The 
unregenerate  man  is  like  one  dreaming,  and  the  regenerate 
like  one  awake ;  in  the  Word,  moreover,  natural  life  is 
likened  to  sleep,  and  spiritual  life  to  a  state  of  wakeful- 
ness. The  unregenerate  man  is  meant  by  the  foolish  vir- 
gins who  had  lamps  but  no  oil,  and  the  regenerate  man  by 
the  prudent  virgins  that  had  both  lamps  and  oil.  By  lamps 
are  meant  such  things  as  are  of  the  understanding,  and 
by  oil  such  as  are  of  love.  The  regenerate  are  like  the 
lamps  of  the  candlestick  in  the  tabernacle  ;  they  are  like 
the  shew-bread  there  with  the  frankincense  upon  it ;  and 
they  are  those  who  shall  be  resplendent  as  the  brightness 
of  the  firmament,  and  shall  shine  as  the  stars  for  ever  and 
ever  (Dan.  xii.  3).  The  unregenerate  man  is  like  one  who 
is  in  the  garden  of  Eden  and  eats  from  the  tree  of  the 
knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  and  is  therefore  driven  out  of 
the  garden ;  yes,  he  is  that  very  tree.  But  the  regenerate 
man  is  like  one  who  is  in  that  garden  and  eats  from  the 
tree  of  life.  That  it  is  given  to  eat  of  it,  is  evident  from 
these  words  in  the  Apocalypse  :  To  him  that  overcometh 
will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  which  is  in  the  midst  of 
the  paradise  of  God  (ii.  7).  The  garden  of  Eden  means 
intelligence  in  spiritual  things,  from  the  love  of  truth,  as 
may  be  seen  in  the  "  Apocalypse  Revealed  "  (n.  90).  In  a 
word,  an  unregenerate  man  is  a  son  of  the  wicked  one,  and 
a  regenerate  man  is  a  son  of  the  kingdom  (Matt.  xiii.  38) ; 
a  son  of  the  wicked  one  here  is  a  son  of  the  devil,  and  a 
son  of  the  kingdom  is  here  a  son  of  the  Lord. 


No.  607. |    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  8ll 


ix.  a  regenerate  man  is  in  communion  with  angels 
of  Heaven,  and  an  unregenerate  man  in  com- 
munion with  Spirits  of  Hell. 

607.  Every  man  is  in  communion,  that  is,  in  consociation 
with  angels  of  heaven,  or  with  spirits  of  hell,  because  he  was 
born  to  become  spiritual ;  and  this  is  not  possible  unless 
he  is  born  to  be  in  some  conjunction  with  those  who  are 
spiritual.  That  man  as  to  his  mind  is  in  both  worlds,  the 
natural  and  the  spiritual,  has  been  shown  in  the  work  con- 
cerning "  Heaven  and  Hell."  But  man  knows  not  of  this 
conjunction,  and  an  angel  and  a  spirit  know  not  of  it,  for 
the  reason  that  man  while  he  lives  in  the  world  is  in  a  nat- 
ural state,  and  the  angel  and  the  spirit  are  in  a  spiritual 
state  ;  and  because  of  the  distinction  between  the  natural 
and  the  spiritual,  the  one  does  not  appear  to  the  other. 
This  distinction  has  been  described  as  to  its  nature  in  the 
work  on  "  Conjugial  Love,"  in  the  Relation,  n.  326-329 
[this  may  be  seen  above,  n.  280].  From  which  it  is  mani- 
fest that  they  are  not  conjoined  as  to  thoughts,  but  as  to 
affections,  and  scarcely  any  one  reflects  upon  these,  because 
they  are  not  in  the  light  in  which  the  understanding  is,  and 
hence  its  thought,  but  in  the  heat  in  which  the  will  is,  and 
hence  its  love's  affection.  The  conjunction  between  men 
and  angels  by  means  of  the  love's  affections  is  so  close 
that  if  it  were  severed,  and  they  were  thereby  separated, 
men  would  fall  instantly  into  a  swoon ;  and  if  it  were  not 
restored  and  the  conjunction  renewed,  men  would  die.  It 
has  been  said  that  man  becomes  spiritual  by  means  of  re- 
generation ;  but  this  does  not  mean  that  he  becomes  spirit- 
ual such  as  an  angel  is  in  himself,  but  that  he  becomes 
spiritual-natural,  that  is  to  say,  that  inwardly  in  his  natural 
is  the  spiritual,  like  thought  in  speech,  and  like  will  in  action, 
for  when  one  of  these  ceases  the  other  ceases.  In  like  man- 
ner man's  spirit  is  in  every  single  thing  that  takes  place  in 


812 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  X. 


the  body,  and  it  is  this  which  impels  the  natural  to  do  what- 
ever it  does.  The  natural  viewed  in  itself  is  passive  or  is 
a  dead  force,  but  the  spiritual  is  active  or  is  a  living  force ; 
the  passive  or  the  dead  force  cannot  act  from  itself,  but 
must  be  actuated  by  the  active  or  the  living  force.  Whereas 
man  lives  continually  in  communion  with  the  inhabitants  of 
the  spiritual  world,  when  he  leaves  the  natural  world  he  is 
introduced  immediately  among  such  as  are  like  those  with 
whom  he  had  been  associated  in  the  world.  Therefore, 
after  death,  every  one  seems  to  himself  to  be  still  living  in 
the  world  ;  for  he  then  comes  into  the  company  of  those 
who  are  like  him  as  to  his  will's  affections,  and  whom  he 
then  acknowledges,  as  kinsmen  and  relations  acknowledge 
their  own  in  the  world ;  and  this  is  what  is  meant  when  it 
is  said  in  the  Word  of  those  who  die,  that  they  are  brought 
together  and  gathered  to  their  own.  It  is  now  evident  from 
this,  that  a  regenerate  man  is  in  communion  with  angels  of 
heaven,  and  an  unregenerate  man  in  communion  with  spirits 
of  hell. 

608.  It  must  be  known  that  there  are  three  heavens,  and 
these  distinct  from  each  other  according  to  the  three  degrees 
of  love  and  wisdom,  and  that  man  is  in  communion  with 
angels  from  those  three  heavens  according  to  his  regenera- 
tion ;  and  as  this  is  so,  that  the  human  mind  is  divided  into 
three  distinct  degrees  or  regions  according  to  the  heavens. 
But  concerning  these  three  heavens  and  their  distinction 
according  to  the  three  degrees  of  love  and  wisdom,  see  the 
work  on  "  Heaven  and  Hell  "  (n.  29,  and  subsequent  num- 
bers), as  also  the  pamphlet  concerning  the  "Intercourse 
between  the  Soul  and  the  Body"  (n.  16,  17).  We  will  here 
only  illustrate  by  a  simile  what  in  quality  those  three  de- 
grees are,  according  to  which  those  heavens  are  distin- 
guished :  they  are  like  head,  body,  and  feet  in  man  ;  the 
highest  heaven  makes  the  head,  the  middle  the  body,  and 
the  ultimate  the  feet ;  for  the  universal  heaven  is  before  the 
Lord  as  one  man.    That  it  is  so  has  been  disclosed  to  me 


No.  6ro  ]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.       8 1 3 


by  my  own  observation  ;  for  it  was  granted  me  to  see  one 
society  of  heaven  which  consisted  of  ten  thousand,  all 
together  as  one  man.  Why  should  not  the  universal 
heaven  so  appear  before  the  Lord  ?  Respecting  this  liv- 
ing experience,  see  the  work  on  "  Heaven  and  Hell " 
(n.  59,  and  subsequent  numbers).  Hence  also  it  is  mani 
fest  how  this,  which  is  well  known  in  the  Christian  world, 
is  understood,  that  the  church  makes  the  body  of  Christ, 
and  that  Christ  is  the  Life  of  this  body.  And  that  the  Lord 
is  the  All  in  all  of  heaven,  may  also  be  illustrated  by  this ; 
for  He  is  the  Life  in  that  body.  In  like  manner  the  Lord 
is  the  Church  with  those  who  acknowledge  Him  alone  as 
the  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  believe  in  Him.  That 
He  is  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  He  teaches  in  Matthew 
(xxviii.  18)  ;  and  that  men  must  believe  in  Him,  He  teaches 
in  John  (iii.  15,  16,  36;  vi.  40;  xi.  25.  26). 

609.  Those  three  degrees  in  which  the  heavens  are,  and 
in  which  the  human  mind  consequently  is,  may  also  be 
illustrated  to  some  extent  by  comparisons  with  material 
things  in  the  world.  Those  three  degrees  are  as  gold, 
silver,  and  copper  are  in  relative  nobility,  with  which 
metals  they  are  also  compared  in  Nebuchadnezzar's  statue 
(Dan.  ii.  31-35).  Those  three  degrees  are  also  distinct 
from  each  other  as  are  the  ruby,  the  sapphire,  and  the 
agate  in  relative  purity  and  goodness  ;  and  also  as  an 
olive-tree,  a  vine,  and  a  fig-tree  ;  and  so  on.  Moreover, 
gold,  the  ruby,  and  the  olive  in  the  Word  signify  heav- 
enly [celestial]  good,  which  is  that  of  the  highest  heaven  ; 
silver,  the  sapphire,  and  the  vine  signify  spiritual  good, 
which  is  that  of  the  middle  heaven  ;  and  copper,  the  agate, 
and  the  fig  signify  natural  good,  which  is  that  of  the 
ultimate  heaven.  That  there  are  three  degrees,  the  heav- 
enly [celestial],  the  spiritual,  and  the  natural,  has  been 
stated  above. 

610.  This  shall  be  added  to  what  has  been  said  already: 
Man's  regeneration  is  not  effected  in  a  moment,  but  by 


8 14  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  X. 

successive  steps,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  his  life 
in  the  world,  and  it  is  continued  and  perfected  afterward. 
And  because  man  is  reformed  by  combats,  and  victories 
over  the  evils  of  his  flesh,  the  Son  of  Man  therefore  says 
to  each  one  of  the  seven  churches,  that  He  will  give  gifts 
to  him  that  overcometh  ;  as,  to  the  church  of  Ephesus, 
To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life 
(Apoc.  ii.  7)  ;  to  the  church  of  Smyrna,  He  that  overcometh 
shall  not  be  hurt  of  the  second  death  (verse  11);  to  the  church 
in  Pergamos,  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the 
hidden  manna  (verse  17)  ;  to  the  church  in  Thyatira,  And 
he  that  overco?neth,  to  him  will  I  give  power  over  the  nations 
(verse  26);  to  the  church  in  Sardis,  He  that  overcometh, 
the  same  shall  be  clothed  i?i  white  raime?it  (iii.  5)  •  to  the 
church  in  Philadelphia,  Him  that  overcometh  will  I  make  a 
pillar  i?i  the  te??iple  of  My  God  (verse  12);  and  to  the 
church  of  the  Laodiceans,  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I 
grant  to  sit  with  Me  in  My  throne  (verse  21).  Finally  it 
will  be  added,  that  so  far  as  man  is  regenerated,  or  so  far 
as  regeneration  is  perfected  in  him,  so  far  he  attributes 
nothing  of  good  and  truth,  that  is,  of  charity  and  faith,  to 
himself,  but  to  the  Lord  ;  for  the  truths  which  he  succes- 
sively imbibes,  manifestly  teach  this. 
• 

X.  So  far  as  Man  is  regenerated  Sins  are  removed, 
and  this  Removal  is  the  Remission  of  Sins. 

611.  Sins  are  removed  so  far  as  man  is  regenerated, 
because  regeneration  is  the  restraining  of  the  flesh  that  it 
may  not  rule,  and  the  subjugation  of  the  old  man  with  its 
lusts  that  it  may  not  rise  up  and  destroy  the  intellectual 
[principle],  for  when  this  is  destroyed  man  is  no  longer 
capable  of  reformation  ;  for  reformation  cannot  be  effected 
unless  man's  spirit,  which  is  above  the  flesh,  be  instructed 
and  perfected.  Who  that  yet  has  sound  understanding, 
cannot  conclude  from  this  that  such  things  cannot  be  done 


No.  6i2.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.       8 1 5 


in  a  moment,  but  by  successive  stages,  as  a  man  is  con- 
ceived, is  carried  in  the  womb,  is  born,  and  is  educated, 
according  to  what  was  shown  above  ?  For  the  things 
which  are  of  the  flesh  or  the  old  man  are  inherent  in  him 
from  birth,  and  they  build  the  first  habitation  of  his  mind, 
in  which  lusts  have  their  abode  like  wild  beasts  in  their 
dens,  and  they  dwell  first  in  the  outer  courts,  and  by  turns 
they  steal  as  it  were  into  the  underground  rooms  of  that 
house,  and  afterward  they  make  their  way  up  by  ladders, 
and  form  chambers  for  themselves ;  and  this  is  done  by 
successive  stages,  as  an  infant  grows,  reaches  childhood, 
then  youth,  and  then  begins  to  think  from  his  own  under- 
standing, and  to  act  from  his  own  will.  Who  does  not 
see  that  this  house  which  has  been  thus  far  built  in 
the  mind,  in  which  lusts  dance  writh  joined  hands,  like  the 
doleful  creatures,  the  wild-creatures  of  the  desert,  and  the 
satyrs,  cannot  be  destroyed  in  a  moment,  and  a  new  house 
built  in  place  of  it  ?  Must  not  the  lusts,  holding  each 
other  by  the  hand  and  so  sporting,  be  themselves  first 
removed,  and  new  desires  which  are  of  good  and  truth  be 
introduced  in  the  place  of  the  cupidities  which  are  of  evil 
and  falsity?  That  these  things  cannot  be  done  in  a  mo- 
ment every  wise  man  sees  from  this  alone,  that  every  evil 
is  composed  of  innumerable  lusts,  and  that  it  is  like  fruit 
that  beneath  the  surface  is  full  of  worms  with  white  bodies 
and  black  heads  ;  and,  moreover,  that  evils  are  numerous 
and  joined  together  like  the  progeny  of  a  spider  when 
lirst  hatched  ;  wherefore  unless  one  evil  is  brought  out 
after  another,  and  this  until  their  connection  is  broken  up, 
man  cannot  be  made  new.  These  things  have  been  pre- 
sented for  the  sake  of  its  being  known  that  so  far  as  any 
one  is  regenerated,  sins  are  removed. 

612.  Man  inclines  by  birth  to  all  kinds  of  evils,  and 
from  the  inclination  he  lusts  after  them,  and  so  far  as  he 
is  in  freedom  he  also  does  them  ;  for  by  birth  he  lusts 
after  dominion  over  others,  and  to  possess  the  goods  of 


8l6  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    fCHAr  X 


others,  which  two  lusts  cut  off  love  toward  the  neighbor, 
and  then  man  holds  in  hatred  every  one  who  opposes  him, 
and  from  hatred  he  breathes  revenge,  which  inwardly  cher- 
ishes murder.  Hence  also  it  is  that  he  makes  nothing  of 
adulteries,  nothing  of  depredations  that  are  secret  theft, 
and  nothing  of  blasphemy  which  is  also  false  witness  ;  and 
he  who  makes  nothing  of  all  these,  is  also  in  heart  an  atheist. 
Such  is  man  by  birth,  from  which  it  is  manifest  that  he  is 
from  birth  hell  in  miniature.  Now  because  man  as  to  the  in- 
teriors of  his  mind  has  been  born  spiritual,  and  not  as  the 
beasts,  consequently  born  for  heaven,  while  yet  his  natural 
or  external  man  is,  as  before  said,  hell  in  miniature,  it 
follows  that  heaven  cannot  be  implanted  in  the  hell  unless 
this  be  removed. 

613.  He  who  is  acquainted  with  the  relation  in  which 
heaven  and  hell  are  to  each  other,  and  who  knows  how  the 
one  is  removed  from  the  other,  may  know  how  man  is 
regenerated,  as  also  of  what  quality  the  regenerate  man  is. 
That  this  may  be  understood,  it  shall  be  set  forth  in  brief 
that  all  who  are  in  heaven  look  to  the  Lord  with  the  face 
toward  Him,  while  all  who  are  in  hell  turn  the  face  away 
from  the  Lord;  wherefore  when  hell  is  looked  at  from 
heaven,  only  the  occiput  and  the  back  appear ;  yes,  they 
who  are  therein  also  seem  to  be  inverted,  as  antipodes,  feet 
upward  and  heads  down,  and  this  although  they  walk  upon 
their  feet  and  turn  their  faces  around  ;  for  it  is  the  contrary 
direction  of  their  minds'  interiors  which  produces  that  ap- 
pearance. I  relate  these  wonderful  things  from  what  1 
have  myself  seen.  They  disclosed  to  me  how  regeneration 
is  effected,  namely,  just  as  hell  is  removed  and  thus  sepa- 
rated from  heaven  j  for,  as  stated  above,  man  as  to  that 
first  nature  which  he  derives  from  birth  is  hell  in  minia- 
ture, and  as  to  that  other  nature  which  he  derives  from  the 
second  birth  he  is  heaven  in  miniature.  From  this  it  follows 
that  evils  with  man  are  removed  and  separated,  like  heaven 
and  hell  in  their  larger  form,  and  that  evils,  as  they  are 


No.  614-]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.       Si  7 

removed,  avert  themselves  from  the  Lord,  and  successively 
invert  themselves,  and  that  this  takes  place  in  the  same 
degree  in  which  heaven  is  implanted,  that  is,  as  man  is 
made  new.  To  which  shall  be  added,  for  the  sake  of  illus- 
tration, that  every  evil  with  man  has  conjunction  with  such 
in  hell  as  are  in  similar  evil,  and  on  the  other  hand  thac 
every  good  with  man  has  conjunction  with  such  in  heaven 
as  are  in  similar  good. 

614.  From  what  has  been  presented  it  may  be  evident 
that  the  remission  of  sins  is  not  the  extirpation  and  wash- 
ing-away  of  them,  but  is  the  removal  of  them,  and  thus 
their  separation;  also  that  every  evil  which  a  man  has 
actually  appropriated  to  himself  remains.  And  since  the 
remission  of  sins  is  the  removal  and  separation  of  them,  it 
follows  that  man  is  withheld  from  evil  by  the  Lord  and 
kept  in  good,  and  that  this  is  what  is  given  to  man  by  re- 
generation. I  once  heard  a  certain  person  in  the  ultimate 
heaven  saying  that  he  was  free  from  sins  because  they  were 
washed  away,  —  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  he  added.  But 
because  he  was  within  heaven,  and  was  in  that  error  from 
ignorance,  he  was  let  into  his  own  peculiar  sins,  and  as  they 
returned  he  acknowledged  them  j  whereby  he  acquired  a 
new  belief,  which  was,  that  every  man,  as  well  as  every 
angel,  is  withheld  of  the  Lord  from  evils  and  held  in  goods. 
It  is  manifest  from  this  what  the  remission  of  sins  is,  that 
it  is  not  instantaneous,  but  follows  regeneration  according 
to  the  progress  of  it.  The  removal  of  sins  which  is  called 
their  remission,  may  be  compared  to  the  casting-forth  of 
the  filth  from  the  camp  of  the  children  of  Israel  into  the 
desert  which  was  round  about  them  ;  for  their  camp  repre- 
sented heaven,  and  the  desert  hell.  It  may  be  compared 
also  to  the  removal  of  the  nations  from  the  children  of 
Israel  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  of  the  Jebusites  from 
Jerusalem  ;  these  were  not  cast  out,  but  separated.  It  may 
be  compared  to  what  took  place  with  Dagon  the  god  of  the 
Philistines;  that  when  the  ark  was  brought  in,  he  fust  lay 


8l8  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION,    ^hap.  X 

upon  his  face  on  the  ground,  and  afterward,  with  his  head 
and  the  palms  of  his  hands  cut  off,  he  lay  upon  the  thresh- 
old ;  thus  he  was  not  cast  out,  but  removed.  It  may  also 
be  compared  to  the  demons  sent  by  the  Lord  into  the 
swine,  that  afterwards  rushed  into  the  sea ;  the  sea  here 
and  in  other  passages  of  the  Word  signifies  hell.  It  may 
also  be  compared  to  the  throng  that  followed  the  dragon, 
which,  being  separated  from  heaven,  first  invaded  the  earth, 
and  was  afterward  cast  down  into  hell.  It  may  be  compared 
also  to  a  forest  where  there  are  wild  beasts  of  many  kinds ; 
this  being  cut  down,  the  wild  beasts  flee  to  the  thickets 
round  about,  and  then  the  land  being  levelled  in  the  midst 
is  brought  by  cultivation  into  a  field. 

XI.  Regeneration  cannot  take  place  without  Free- 
Will  IN  SPIRITUAL  THINGS. 

615.  Who  except  a  stupid  person  cannot  see  that  with- 
out free-will  in  spiritual  things  man  cannot  be  regenerated  ? 
Can  he  without  this  go  to  the  Lord,  and  acknowledge  Him 
Redeemer  and  Saviour,  and  as  God  of  heaven  and  earth, 
as  He  teaches  (Matt,  xxviii.  18)  ?  Who  without  that  free- 
will can  believe,  that  is,  from  faith  look  to  Him  and  worship 
Him,  and  apply  himself  to  receive  the  means  and  benefits 
of  salvation  from  Him,  and  from  Him  co-operate  in  the 
reception  of  them  ?  Who  without  free-will  can  do  any  good 
to  the  neighbor,  exercise  charity,  also  bring  into  his  thought 
and  will  other  things  which  are  of  faith  and  charity,  take 
them  out,  and  send  them  forth  into  act  ?  Otherwise,  what 
is  regeneration  but  a  mere  word  dropped  from  the  lips  of 
the  Lord  (John  hi.),  which  either  remains  in  the  ear,  or,  as 
it  passes  from  the  thought  that  is  nearest  to  speech,  becomes 
'  in  the  mouth  an  articulated  sound  of  so  many  letters  ?  which 
sound  cannot  by  any  sense  be  elevated  into  some  higher 
region  of  the  mind,  but  falls  upon  the  air  and  is  dissipated 
there 


No.  616.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  819 


616.  Say,  if  you  are  able,  whether  there  can  in  any  way 
be  a  blinder  stupidity  respecting  regeneration  than  such  as 
there  is  with  those  who  confirm  themselves  in  the  faith  of 
the  present  day,  which  is,  that  faith  is  infused  into  man 
while  he  is  like  a  stock  or  a  stone,  and  that  then,  when  it 
has  been  infused,  it  is  followed  by  justification,  which  is 
the  remission  of  sins,  regeneration,  and  other  gifts  beside  ? 
Also,  that  man's  work  must  be  wholly  excluded,  that  it 
may  do  no  violence  to  Christ's  merit.  In  order  that  this 
dogma  might  be  still  more  firmly  established,  they  have 
deprived  man  of  all  free-will  in  spiritual  things,  by  intro- 
ducing his  utter  helplessness  in  them.  It  is,  then,  as  if 
God  alone  were  to  operate  on  His  part,  and  no  power  were 
given  man  to  co-operate  on  his,  and  thus  to  conjoin  him- 
self. What  then  is  man  in  respect  to  regeneration,  but  as 
one  bound  hand  and  foot,  like  the  prisoners  in  the  vessels 
called  galleys  ?  and  who,  if  he  were  to  free  himself  from 
his  manacles  and  fetters  would  be  punished  and  condemned 
to  death,  as  would  be  done  with  them  if  they  were  to  free 
themselves  from  theirs,  —  that  is,  if  he  were  from  free-will 
to  do  good  to  the  neighbor,  and  of  himself  were  to  believe 
in  God  for  the  sake  of  salvation.  What  would  a  man  be, 
when  confirmed  in  such  opinions,  and  who  yet  has  a  pious 
desire  for  heaven,  but  like  a  spectre  standing  in  vision,  to 
see  whether  that  faith  has  been  already  infused  with  its 
benefits ;  and  if  not,  whether  it  is  being  infused  ;  and  so, 
whether  God  the  Father  has  taken  pity,  or  whether  Flis 
Son  has  interceded,  or  whether  the  Holy  Spirit  is  inoper- 
ative because  employed  elsewhere  ?  And  yet,  owing  to 
his  utter  ignorance  of  the  matter,  the  man  may  go  away 
and  console  himself  by  saying,  "  Perhaps  that  grace  is  in 
the  morality  of  my  life,  in  which  I  am  and  remain  as 
heretofore;  and  in  me,  therefore,  this  maybe  holy,  while 
in  those  who  have  not  attained  that  faith,  it  is  profane. 
Therefore,  in  order  that  holiness  may  remain  in  my  mo- 
rality, I  will  be  careful  hereafter  not  to  work  faith  or 


820 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap,  X. 


charity  from  myself ; "  and  so  on.  Such  a  spectre,  or  if 
you  choose,  such  a  statue  of  salt,  does  every  one  become 
who  thinks  of  regeneration  apart  from  free-will  in  spiritual 
things. 

617.  The  man  who  believes  that  regeneration  takes 
place  without  any  free-will  in  spiritual  things,  thus  without 
co  operation,  becomes  as  cold  as  a  stone  in  regard  to  all 
the  truths  of  the  church  ;  or  if  warm,  he  is  like  a  brand 
burning  on  the  hearth,  that  blazes  from  the  combustible 
elements  in  it,  for  his  warmth  is  from  lusts.  He  becomes 
comparatively  like  a  palace  sinking  into  the  ground  even 
to  its  roof,  and  is  overflowed  with  muddy  waters ;  and 
afterward  he  dwells  upon  the  bare  roof,  making  a  tent- 
like covering  for  himself  of  marsh  rushes ;  but  at  last  the 
roof  sinks  also,  and  he  is  drowned.  He  is  also  like  a 
ship  laden  with  all  kinds  of  precious  merchandise  taken 
from  the  Word  as  a  treasury  ;  but  these  are  gnawed  by 
mice  and  moth-eaten,  or  are  thrown  by  the  sailors  into  the 
sea,  and  so  the  merchants  are  defrauded  of  their  goods. 
Those  who  are  learned  or  rich  in  the  mysteries  of  that 
faith,  are  like  the  venders  in  little  shops  who  sell  statues 
for  idols,  fruits  and  flowers  of  wax,  shells,  vipers  in  bottles, 
and  other  things  like  them.  They  who  do  not  wish  to  look 
upward,  as  [according  to  their  belief]  there  is  no  power 
adapted  to  man  and  given  to  him  by  the  Lord,  are  actually 
like  beasts  which  look  with  the  head  downward,  and  which 
seek  for  nothing  but  pasture  in  the  forests  ;  and  if  they 
come  into  orchards  they  are  like  worms  that  consume  the 
foliage  of  the  trees,  and  if  they  see  the  fruits  with  their 
eyes,  or  still  more  if  they  feel  them  with  their  hands,  they 
fill  them  with  worms.  And  finally  they  become  like  scaly 
serpents,  their  fallacies  sounding  and  glittering  like  the 
scales  of  a  serpent.    And  so  on. 


No.  6iS.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION. 


82  1 


XII.  Regeneration  cannot  take  place  without  Truths, 
by  which  Faith  is  formed,  and  with  which 
Charity  conjoins  itself. 

618.  There  are  three  agents  whereby  man  is  regener- 
ated, —  the  Lord,  Faith,  and  Charity  ;  these  three  would 
lie  hidden,  like  precious  things  of  the  highest  value  buried 
in  the  earth,  if  Divine  truths  from  the  Word  did  not  reveal 
them ;  yes,  they  would  be  hidden  to  those  who  deny  man's 
co-operation,  if  they  were  to  read  the  Word  a  hundred  or 
a  thousand  times,  although  they  stand  forth  there  in  clear 
light.  As  concerns  the  Lord :  Who  that  is  confirmed  in 
the  faith  of  the  day,  sees  there  with  open  eyes  that  He 
*  and  the  Father  are  one,  that  He  is  the  God  of  heaven  and 
earth,  that  it  is  the  will  of  the  Father  that  men  should  be- 
lieve in  the  Son,  besides  innumerable  statements  of  the 
same  kind  respecting  the  Lord  in  both  Covenants  ?  They 
do  not  see,  because  they  are  not  in  truths,  and  conse- 
quently not  in  the  light  from  which  things  of  this  kind  can 
be  seen  ;  and  if  light  were  given,  still  falsities  would  ex 
tinguish  it,  and  then  those  things  would  be  passed  over 
like  something  blotted  out,  or  like  underground  drains 
which  are  trodden  upon  and  passed  over.  These  state- 
ments are  made  that  it  may  be  known  that  without  truths 
this  primary  agent  in  regeneration  cannot  be  seen.  As 
regards  Faith  :  Neither  can  this  be  given  without  truths, 
for  faith  and  truth  make  one  thing ;  for  the  good  of  faith 
is  as  a  soul,  and  truths  make  its  body.  To  say,  therefore, 
that  a  man  believes  or  has  faith,  while  he  knows  no  truths 
thereof,  is  like  taking  the  soul  out  of  the  body,  and  talking 
with  it  when  thus  invisible.  Moreover,  all  the  truths  that 
make  the  body  of  faith,  emit  light  and  enlighten  and 
present  the  face  of  faith  to  be  seen.  It  is  similar  with 
Charity :  This  sends  out  heat  from  itself}  with  which  the 
light  of  truth  conjoins  itself,  as  heat  does  with  light  in  the 


822 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 


world  in  the  spring  time,  from  the  conjunction  of  which 
things  of  the  earth's  animal  and  vegetable  kingdoms  return 
to  their  prolific  powers.  It  is  similar  with  spiritual  heat 
and  light ;  these  in  like  manner  conjoin  themselves  in  man 
while  he  is  in  the  truths  of  faith  and  at  the  same  time  in 
the  goods  of  charity ;  for,  as  was  said  above  in  the  chapter 
on  Faith,  from  every  single  truth  of  faith  there  flows  out 
light  which  enlightens,  and  from  every  single  good  of  chaiity 
there  flows  out  heat  which  enkindles ;  and  it  is  also  there 
stated  that  spiritual  light  in  its  essence  is  intelligence,  and 
that  spiritual  heat  in  its  essence  is  love,  and  that  the  Lord 
alone  conjoins  these  two  in  man  when  He  regenerates  him. 
For  the  Lord  said,  The  words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they  are 
spirit,  and  they  are  life  (John  vi.  63).  Believe  in  the  light, 
that  ye  may  be  sons  of  light ;  lam  come  a  Light  into  the  world  • 
(xii.  36,  46).  The  Lord  is  the  Sun  in  the  spiritual  world : 
from  this  are  all  spiritual  light  and  heat ;  that  light  en- 
lightens, and  that  heat  enkindles  ;  and  by  the  conjunction 
of  the  two,  the  Lord  vivifies  and  regenerates  man. 

619.  From  all  this  it  may  be  evident,  that  without  truths 
there  is  no  cognition  of  the  Lord ;  also  that  without  truths 
there  is  not  faith,  and  so  there  is  not  charity ;  consequently 
that  without  truths  there  is  no  theology ;  and  where  there 
is  not  this,  there  is  no  church.  Such  is  the  condition  at 
this  clay  of  the  company  of  peoples  who  call  themselves 
Christians,  and  say  that  they  are  in  the  light  of  the  Gospel, 
when  yet  they  are  in  thick  darkness  itself;  for  truths  lie 
hidden  beneath  falsities,  like  gold,  silver,  and  precious 
stones  buried  among  the  bones  in  the  valley  of  Hinnom. 
That  it  is  so,  was  clearly  manifest  to  me  from  the  spheres 
in  the  spiritual  world  which  flow  forth  from  the  Christen- 
dom of  to-day  and  propagate  themselves.  One  sphere  is 
that  respecting  the  Lord ;  this  exhales  and  effuses  itself 
from  the  southern  quarter,  where  are  the  learned  of  the 
clergy,  and  laymen  of  erudition  ;  wherever  it  goes,  it  enters 
the  ideas  secretly,  and  with  many  takes  away  faith  in  the 


No.  619.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  823 


Divinity  of  the  Lord's  Human,  with  many  weakens  it,  and 
makes  it  as  foolishness  with  many  ;  this  is  because  it  brings 
in  at  the  same  time  the  faith  of  three  Gods,  and  so  there  is 
confusion.  Another  sphere  which  takes  away  faith,  is  like 
a  black  cloud  in  winter,  which  brings  on  darkness,  turns 
r;)in  into  snow,  strips  the  trees  bare,  freezes  the  waters,  and 
takes  all  pasture  away  from  the  sheep ;  this  sphere,  in  con- 
junction with  the  former,  insinuates  as  it  were  a  lethargy 
concerning  the  one  God,  regeneration,  and  the  means  of 
salvation.  A  third  sphere  belongs  to  the  conjunction  of 
faith  and  charity;  this  is  so  strong  as  to  be  irresistible; 
but  at  the  present  day  it  is  abominable,  and  like  a  pesti- 
lence it  infects  every  one  on  whom  it  breathes,  and  it  tears 
asunder  every  tie  between  those  two  means  of  salvation 
established  from  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  restored 
anew  by  the  Lord.  This  sphere  also  invades  men  in  the 
natural  world,  and  extinguishes  the  conjugial  torches  be- 
tween truths  and  goods.  I  have  felt  this  sphere,  and  then, 
when  I  have  thought  of  the  conjunction  of  faith  and  charity, 
it  has  interposed  between  them  and  violently  endeavored 
to  separate  them.  The  angels  complain  greatly  of  these 
spheres,  and  pray  to  the  Lord  that  they  may  be  dissipated ; 
but  they  have  received  the  response,  that  they  cannot  be 
dissipated  so  long  as  the  dragon  is  on  the  earth,  since  that 
sphere  is  from  the  dragonists  ;  for  it  is  said  of  the  dragon 
that  he  was  cast  unto  the  earth,  and  then  it  is  said,  There- 
fore rejoice,  ye  heavens,  and  woe  to  the  in/iabiters  of  the  earth 
(Apoc.  xii.  12,  13).  These  three  spheres  are  like  tempest- 
driven  atmospheres,  arising  from  the  breathing  holes  of  the 
dragons;  and  because  they  are  spiritual,  they  invade  minds 
and  force  them.  The  spheres  of  spiritual  truths  there  are 
as  yet  few,  —  only  in  the  new  heaven,  and  with  those  be- 
neath heaven  who  are  separated  from  the  dragonists.  For 
this  reason  those  truths  are  so  little  seen 'among  men  in  the 
world  at  this  day;  just  as  ships  in  the  eastern  ocean  are 
invisible  to  the  captains  and  ship-masters  who  are  sailing 
in  tha  western  ocean.  # 


824  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 

620.  That  regeneration  cannot  take  place  without  truths 
by  which  faith  is  formed,  may  be  illustrated  by  the  follow- 
ing comparisons :  It  is  no  more  possible  than  the  human 
mind  without  the  understanding ;  for  the  understanding  is 
formed  by  means  of  truths,  and  it  therefore  teaches  what 
ought  to  be  believed,  what  ought  to  be  done,  what  regen- 
eration is,  and  how  it  is  effected.  There  can  no  more  be 
regeneration  without  truths,  than  there  can  be  vivification 
in  animals  and  vegetation  in  trees  without  light  from  the  sun  ; 
for  if  the  sun  did  not  give  light  at  the  same  time  with  heat, 
it  would  become  like  sackcloth  of  hair,  as  described  in  the 
Apocalypse  (vi.  12),  and  darkened  as  described  in  Joel 
(ii.  10,  31),  and  thus  mere  darkness  would  be  upon  the 
earth  (Joel  hi.  15).  It  would  be  similar  with  man  without 
truths  which  send  out  light  from  themselves ;  for  the  Sun 
from  which  the  lights  of  truths  flow  forth  is  the  Lord  in  the 
spiritual  world  ;  if  spiritual  light  did  not  flow  therefrom  into 
human  minds,  the  church  would  be  in  mere  darkness,  or  in 
shadow  from  a  perpetual  eclipse.  Regeneration,  which  is 
effected  by  means  of  faith  and  charity,  without  truths  that 
teach  and  lead,  would  be  like  navigation  on  the  great  ocean 
Without  a  rudder,  or  without  a  mariner's  compass  and  charts ; 
and  it  would  be  like  riding  in  a  dark  forest  by  night.  The 
mind's  internal  sight  with  those  who  are  not  in  truths,  but 
in  falsities  which  they  believe  to  be  truths,  may  be.  compared 
to  the  sight  of  those  with  whom  the  optic  nerves  are  ob- 
structed, the  eye  still  appearing  sound  and  capable  of  sight, 
although  it  sees  nothing,  which  kind  of  blindness  is  called 
by  physicians  amaurosis  and  gutta  sercna ;  for  with  them 
the  rational  or  intellectual  is  obstructed  above  and  opened 
only  below ;  and  owing  to  this,  rational  light  becomes  like 
the  light  of  the  eye ;  and  hence  all  their  judgments  are  but 
imaginary,  and  fashioned  from  mere  fallacies.  And  so  men 
would  stand  like  astrologers  in  the  market-places  with  their 
long  telescopes,  and  uttering  their  vain  prophecies.  Such 
would  all  students  of  theology  become,  unless  genuine  truths 
frflm  the  Word  were  opened  by  the  Lend. 


No.  62i.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  825 


621.  To  this  will  be  added  the  following  Relations. 
First  :  I  saw  an  assembly  of  spirits,  all  upon  their  knees, 
praying  to  God  to  send  angels  to  them,  with  whom  they 
might  speak  face  to  face,  and  to  whom  they  might  open 
the  thoughts  of  their  hearts  ;  and  when  they  rose  up,  there 
were  seen  three  angels  in  fine  linen  standing  in  their  pres- 
ence. And  these  said,  "The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  heard 
your  prayers,  and  has  therefore  sent  us  to  you.  Open  to 
us  the  thoughts  of  your  hearts.''  And  they  answered, 
"  The  priests  have  told  us  that  in  theological  matters  it  is 
not  the  understanding  but  faith  that  avails,  and  that  intel- 
lectual faith  does  not  profit  in  those  things,  because  it 
springs  from  the  man  and  savors  of  him,  and  is  not  of 
God.  We  are  Englishmen,  and  we  have  heard  many  other 
things  from  our  sacred  ministry  which  we  believed  ;  but 
when  we  have  spoken  with  others,  who  also  called  them- 
selves Reformed,  and  with  some  who  called  themselves 
Roman  Catholics,  and  again  with  those  of  various  -sects, 
they  all  seemed  learned,  and  yet  in  many  things  no 
one  agreed  with  another  j  and  still  they  all  said,  Believe 
us;  and  some,  We  are  ministers  of  God,  and  we  know. 
But  as  we  knew  that  the  Divine  truths  which  are  called 
truths  of  faith,  and  are  those  of  the  church,  are  not  any 
one's  by  birthright  alone,  nor  from  inheritance,  but  out  of 
heaven  from  God,  and  as  they  show  the  way  to  heaven, 
and  enter  the  life  together  with  the  good  of  charity,  and 
thus  lead  to  eternal  life,  we  became  anxious,  and  on  our 
knees  prayed  to  God."  Then  the  angels  answered,  "  Read 
the  Word  and  believe  in  the  Lord,  and  you  will  see  the 
truths  which  must  be  of  your  faith  and  life.  All  in  the 
Christian  world  draw  their  doctrinals  from  the  Word  as 
the  one  only  fountain."  But  two  of  the  assembly  said,  "  We 
have  read,  but  we  have  not  understood."  And  the  angels 
answered,  "  You  did  not  go  to  the  Lord,  Who  is  the  Word, 
and  you  had  also  first  confirmed  yourselves  in  falsities." 
The  angels  said  further,  "What  is  faith  without  li^b*  ' 
vol.  11.  iS 


826 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 


And  what  is  thinking  without  understanding?  It  is  not 
human  j  ravens  and  magpies,  also,  can  learn  to  speak 
without  understanding.  We  can  assure  you  that  every 
man  whose  soul  desires  it,  can  see  the  truths  of  the  Word 
in  light.  There  is  no  animal  found  that  does  not  know 
the  food  of  its  life  when  it  sees  it ;  and  man  is  a  rational 
and  spiritual  animal ;  he  sees  the  food  of  his  life  (not  so 
the  body's  but  the  soul's),  which  is  the  truth  of  faith,  if 
he  hungers  for  it  and  seeks  it  from  the  Lord.  Moreover, 
whatever  is  not  received  by  the  understanding,  does  not 
abide  in  the  memory  as  to  the  thing  itself,  but  only  as  to 
the  words  ;  and  therefore  when  we  have  looked  down  from 
heaven  into  the  world,  we  have  not  seen  any  thing,  but 
have  only  heard  sounds,  for  the  most  part  inharmonious. 
But  we  will  enumerate  some  things  which  the  learned  of 
the  clergy  have  removed  from  the  understanding,  not 
knowing  that  there  are  two  ways  to  the  understanding, 
one  from  the  world  and  the  other  from  heaven,  and  that 
the  Lord  withdraws  the  understanding  from  the  world 
while  He  enlightens  it.  But  if  the  understanding  is  closed 
from  religion,  the  way  from  heaven  is  closed  to  it,  and  then 
the  man  sees  no  more  in  the  Word  than  a  blind  man  ;  we 
have  seen  many  such  that  had  fallen  into  pits  out  of  which 
they  did  not  rise.  Let  examples  serve  for  illustration  : 
Can  you  not  understand  what  charity  is,  and  what  faith  is  ? 
that  charity  is  to  act  well  with  the  neighbor,  and  that  faith 
is  to  think  aright  concerning  God  and  concerning  the 
essentials  of  the  church  ?  and  hence  that  he  who  acts  well 
and  thinks  aright,  that  is,  wh*o  lives  well  and  believes  aright, 
is  saved  ?  "  To  these  things  they  said  that  they  under- 
stood them.  The  angels  said  further,  that  man  must  repent 
of  his  sins  in  order  to  be  saved,  and  that  unless  he  repents 
he  remains  in  the  sins  into  which  he  was  born  ;  and  that  to 
repent  is  not  to  will  evils  because  they  are  against  God, 
And  to  search  oneself  once  or  twice  a  year,  to  see  one's 
evils,  to  confess  them  before  the  Lord,  to  implore  help,  to 


No.  631.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION  827 


desist  from  them,  and  to  enter  upon  a  new  life ;  and  so  far 
as  he  does  this,  and  believes  in  the  Lord,  his  sins  are  re- 
mitted. They  then  said,  from  the  assembly,  "  We  under- 
stand this,  and  so  too  what  the  remission  of  sins  is."  And 
then  they  asked  the  angels  to  inform  them  further;  and 
now,  indeed,  concerning  God,  concerning  the  immortality 
of  the  soul,  regeneration,  and  baptism.  To  this  the  angels 
replied,  "  We  will  not  say  any  thing  that  you  do  not  under- 
stand :  otherwise  our  discourse  falls  like  rain  upon  the 
sand  and  upon  seeds  therein,  which,  however  watered  from 
heaven,  still  wither  and  perish."  And  concerning  God  they 
said :  "  All  who  come  into  heaven  are  allotted  a  place 
there,  and  thence  eternal  joy,  according  to  their  idea  of 
God  ;  because  this  idea  reigns  universally  in  all  the  things 
of  worship.  The  idea  of  God  as  a  Spirit,  when  spirit  is 
believed  to  be  like  ether  or  wind,  is  an  empty  idea  ;  but 
the  idea  of  God  as  Man  is  the  just  idea  ;  for  God  is  Divine 
Love  and  Divine  Wisdom  with  every  quality  of  them  ;  and 
the  Subject  of  these  is  Man,  not  ether  or  wind.  In  heaven 
the  idea  of  God  is  the  idea  of  the  Lord  the  Saviour.  He 
is  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  as  He  Himself  taught. 
Let  your  idea  of  God  be  like  ours,  and  we  shall  be  conso- 
ciated."  When  they  said  these  things  the  faces  of  the 
others  shone.  Concerning  the  Immortality  of  the  Soul 
they  said  :  "  Man  lives  for  ever,  because  he  is  capable  of 
being  conjoined  with  God  by  love  and  faith  ;  every  one  is 
capable  of  this.  That  this  ability  makes  the  immortality 
of  the  soul,  you  can  understand  if  you  think  somewhat 
more  deeply  concerning  it."  Of  Regeneration  they  said  : 
"Who  does  not  see  that  every  man  has  freedom  to  think 
of  God,  and  not  to  think  of  Him,  provided  he  has  been 
instructed  that  there  is  a  God  ?  Thus  every  one  has  free- 
dom in  spiritual  things  as  much  as  in  civil  and  natural 
things.  The  Lord  gives  this  to  all  continually;  wherefore 
man  is  in  fault  if  he  does  not  think.  A  man  is  a  man 
from  this  ability  ;  while  a  beast  is  a  beast  from  not  having 


828  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 

it.  A  man  can  therefore  reform  and  regenerate  himself 
as  of  himself,  provided  he  acknowledges  in  heart  that  it  is 
from  the  Lord.  Every  one  who  repents  and  believes  in 
the  Lord  is  becoming  reformed  and  regenerate.  A  man 
must  do  both  as  from  himself ;  but  as  from  himself  is 
from  the  Lord.  It  is  true  that  a  man  cannot  contribute 
any  thing  to  this,  can  contribute  nothing  whatever,  out  of 
himself ;  but  yet  you  were  not  created  statues,  but  men, 
that  you  may  do  this  from  the  Lord  as  from  yourselves. 
This  one  and  only  return,  of  love  and  of  faith,  is  what 
the  Lord  ever  wishes  man  to  make  to  Him.  In  a  word, 
do  from  yourselves,  and  believe  that  you  do  from  the 
Lord ;  thus  you  do  as  from  yourselves."  But  then  they 
asked  whether  it  was  implanted  in  man  from  creation  to  do 
as  from  himself.  An  angel  answered,  "  It  was  not  im- 
planted in  him,  because  to  do  from  Himself  belongs  to 
God  alone ;  but  it  is  continually  given,  that  is,  adjoined 
continually;  arid  then  so  far  as  man  does  good  and  be- 
lieves truth  as  from  himself,  he  is  an  angel  of  heaven  ; 
but  so  far  as  he  does  evil  and  thence  believes  falsity  (and 
this  also  is  as  from  himself},  he  is  a  spirit  of  hell.  You 
wonder  that  this,  too,  is  as  from  himself  ;  but  still  you  see 
it  when  you  pray  to  be  guarded  from  the  devil  lest  he 
seduce  you,  enter  into  you  as  he  did  into  Judas,  fill  you 
with  all  iniquity,  and  destroy  both  soul  and  body.  But 
every  one  becomes  guilty  who  believes  that  he  does  from 
himself,  whether  he  does  good  or  evil ;  but  he  does  not 
become  guilty  who  believes  that  he  does  as  from  himself ; 
for  if  he  believes  that  the  good  is  from  himself,  he  claims  for 
himself  that  which  is  God's  ;  and  if  he  believes  that  the  evil 
is  from  himself,  he  attributes  to  himself  that  which  is  the 
devil's."  Concerning  Baptism  they  said,  that  it  is  spiritual 
washing,  which  is  reformation  and  regeneration  j  and  that 
"  an  infant  is  reformed  and  regenerated,  while,  having  be- 
come an  adult,  he  does  the  things  which  the  sponsors 
promised  for  him,  which  are  two,  —  repentance  and  faith 


No.  621.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  829 

in  God.  For  they  promise,  first,  that  he  shall  reject  the 
devil  and  all  his  works ;  and  second,  that  he  shall  believe 
in  God.  All  infants  in  heaven  are  initiated  into  these 
two  [duties]  ;  but  to  them  the  devil  is  hell,  and  God  is  the 
Lord.  Besides,  baptism  is  a  sign  before  the  angels  that  a 
man  is  of  the  church."  Having  heard  this,  they  said 
from  the  assembly,  "  We  understand  these  things."  But 
a  voice  was  then  heard  from  the  side,  crying,  "  We  do  not 
understand  ; "  and  another  voice,  "  We  do  not  wish  to 
understand."  And  it  was  asked,  from  whom  those  voices 
came  j  and  it  was  found  that  they  were  from  those  who 
confirmed  in  themselves  falsities  of  faith,  and  who  wished 
to  be  believed  as  oracles,  and  so  to  be  adored.  The  angels 
said,  "  Do  not  be  surprised  ;  there  are  very  many  such  at 
this  day ;  they  appear  to  us  from  heaven  like  sculptured 
images  constructed  with  such  art  that  they  can  move  the 
lips,  and  make  sounds  like  organs  ;  and  they  do  not  know 
whether  the  breath  by  which  they  make  the  sound  is  from 
hell  or  from  heaven,  because  they  do  not  know  whether  a 
thing  is  false  or  true  ;  they  reason  and  reason,  and  they 
confirm  and  confirm,  nor  in  regard  to  any  thing  do  they 
see  whether  it  is  so.  But  know  this,  that  human  ingenuity 
can  confirm  whatever  it  wishes,  even  till  it  appears  as  if  it 
were  so  ;  and  therefore  heretics  can  do  so,  the  impious  can 
do  so,  yes,  atheists  can  prove  that  there  is  no  God,  but 
nature  only."  After  this,  that  assembly  of  Englishmen, 
ardently  desirous  of  being  wise,  said  to  the  angels,  "  They 
speak  such  various  things  concerning  the  Holy  Supper ;  tell 
us  what  the  truth  is."  The  angels  replied,  "  The  truth  is, 
that  the  man  who  looks  to  the  Lord  and  repents,  is  by 
that  most  holy  thing  conjoined  with  the  Lord  and  intro- 
duced into  heaven."  But  they  said  from  the  assembly, 
"  This  is  a  mystery."  And  the  angels  answered,  "  It  is  a 
mystery,  but  yet  such  as  can  be  understood.  The  bread 
and  wine  do  not  effect  this  ;  there  is  nothing  holy  from 
them ;  but  material  bread  and  spiritual  bread  correspond 


*    830  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X 

io  each  other,  and  material  wine  and  spiritual  wine  ;  and 
spiritual  bread  is  the  holy  of  love,  and  spiritual  wine  is 
the  holy  of  faith,  both  of  them  from  the  Lord ;  and  both, 
the  Lord  :  hence  conjunction  of  the  Lord  with  man,  and  of 
man  with  the  Lord ;  not  with  the  bread  and  the  wine,  but 
with  the  love  and  faith  of  the  man  who  has  repented ;  and 
conjunction  with  the  Lord  is  also  introduction  into  heaven." 
And  after  the  angels  had  taught  them  something  concerning 
correspondence,  they  said  from  the  assembly,  "  Now  for  the 
first  time  we  can  understand  this  also."  And  when  they 
said  this,  behold  a  flame  descending  from  heaven  with 
light  consociated  them  with  the  angels,  and  they  loved 
one  another. 

622.  Second  Relation.  All  who  are  prepared  for 
heaven,  which  is  done  in  the  world  of  spirits  which  is 
midway  between  heaven  and  hell,  after  the  time  is  fulfilled, 
desire  heaven  with  a  kind  of  longing ;  and  soon  their  eyes 
are  opened,  and  they  see  away  which  leads  to  some  society 
in  heaven.  This  way  they  enter,  and  ascend ;  and  in  the 
ascent  there  is  a  gate,  and  a  keeper  there.  He  opens  the 
gate,  and  so  they  enter  in.  Then  an  examiner  meets  them, 
who  tells  them  from  the  president  to  enter  in  further,  to 
look  and  see  whether  there  are  houses  anywhere  which 
they  recognize  as  theirs,  for  there  is  a  new  house  for  every 
novitiate  angel.  And  if  they  find  them,  they  so  report,  and 
remain  there  ;  but  if  they  do  not  find  them,  they  return  and 
say  that  they  have  not  seen  any.  And  then  an  examination 
is  made  by  some  wise  one  there,  to  see  whether  the  light 
that  is  in  them  harmonizes  with  that  in  the  society,  and 
especially  whether  the  heat  does ;  for  the  light  of  heaven 
in  its  essence  is  Divine  Truth,  and  the  heat  of  heaven  in 
its  essence  is  Divine  Good,  both  proceeding  from  the  Lord 
as  the  Sun  there.  If  there  are  in  them  a  light  and  a  heal 
different  from  those  of  that  society,  that  is,  a  different  truth 
and  a  different  good,  they  are  not  received.  They  therefore 
go  away,  and  pass  on  through  ways  opened  between  socie- 


No.  622.1    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.       83 1 


ties  in  heaven ;  and  this  until  they  find  a  society  wholly  in 
agreement  with  their  affections  j  and  there  is  their  home 
for  ever.  For  there  they  are  among  their  own,  just  as  if 
among  relatives  and  friends,  whom  they  love  from  the 
heart  because  they  are  in  similar  affection ;  and  there  they 
are  in  what  is  favorable  to  their  own  life,  and  in  what  gives 
enjoyment  to  the  whole  breast  from  peace  of  soul ;  for  in 
the  heat  and  light  of  heaven  there  is  ineffable  delight,  which 
is  communicated.  Such  is  the  case  with  those  who  are 
becoming  angels.  But  they  who  are  in  evils  and  falsities 
may  ascend  into  heaven  with  leave ;  but  when  they  enter, 
they  begin  to  catch  the  breath  and  to  have  labored  respira- 
tion ;  and  presently  their  sight  grows  dim,  the  understand- 
ing is  darkened,  they  cease  to  think,  oblivion  as  it  were 
hovers  before  their  eyes,  and  so  they  stand  like  stocks ; 
and  then  the  heart  begins  to  throb,  the  breast  to  be  strait- 
ened, and  the  mind  to  be  seized  with  anguish  and  to  be 
tortured  more  and  more ;  and  in  this  state  they  writhe  like 
serpents  brought  near  the  fire ;  they  therefore  roll  them- 
selves away,  and  by  a  steep  way  which  then  appears  they 
cast  themselves  down,  nor  do  they  rest  until  they  are  in 
hell  among  their  like,  where  they  can  draw  breath,  and 
where  their  hearts  beat  freely.  They  afterwards  hate 
heaven,  reject  truth,  and  blaspheme  the  Lord  in  heart, 
believing  that  their  tortures  and  torments  while  in  heaven 
were  from  Him.  From  these  few  things  it  can  be  seen  of 
what  sort  is  their  lot  who  lightly  esteem  truths  which  belong 
to  faith,  which  nevertheless  make  the  light  in  which  the 
angels  of  heaven  are,  and  who  lightly  esteem  goods  which 
belong  to  love  and  charity,  which  nevertheless  make  the 
heat  of  life  in  which  the  angels  of  heaven  are.  It  can  also 
be  seen  from  this,  how  great  is  their  error  who  believe  that 
every  one  can  enjoy  heavenly  blessedness  provided  he  is 
admitted  into  heaven.  For  it  is  the  belief  of  the  present 
clay,  that  to  be  received  into  heaven  is  of  mercy  alone,  and 
that  reception  into  heaven  is  like  that  of  one  coming  into  a 


832 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  X. 


house  m  a  wedding  in  the  world,  and  then  at  the  same  time 
into  the  joys  and  gladness  there.  But  let  it  be  known  that 
in  the  spiritual  world  there  is  a  communication  of  the  affec- 
tions of  love,  and  the  thoughts  therefrom,  as  man  is  then  a 
spirit,  and  the  life  of  a  spirit  is  love's  affection  and  the 
thought  therefrom ;  also  that  homogeneous  affection  con- 
joins, and  heterogeneous  affection  separates ;  and  again 
that  the  heterogeneity  torments  a  devil  in  heaven,  and  an 
angel  in  hell.  For  which  reason  they  are  separated  in 
strict  accordance  with  the  diversities,  varieties,  and  differ- 
ences of  the  affections  that  are  of  the  love. 

623.  Third  Relation.  It  was  once  given  me  to  see 
three  hundred  of  the  clergy  and  laity  together,  all  learned 
and  erudite,  because  they  knew  how  to  confirm  faith  alone 
even  to  justification,  and  some  still  further.  And  because 
they  had  the  belief  that  heaven  is  only  admission  from 
grace,  leave  was  given  them  to  ascend  into  a  society  of 
heaven,  which  liowever  was  not  among  the  higher  ones. 
And  when  they  ascended,  then  in  the  distance  they  were 
seen  as  calves.  And  when  they  were  entering  heaven,  they 
were  received  civilly  by  the  angels ;  but  while  they  were 
conversing,  a  tremor  seized  them,  afterward  a  horror,  and 
at  length  torture  like  that  of  death ;  and  they  then  cast 
themselves  down  headlong,  and  in  their  fall  they  were  seen 
as  dead  horses.  They  seemed  like  calves  in  their  ascent, 
because  the  natural  affection  for  seeing  and  knowing,  ex- 
ultant, appears  from  correspondence  like  a  calf.  And  they 
seemed  like  dead  horses  in  their  fall,  because  the  under- 
standing of  truth  appears  from  correspondence  like  a  horse, 
and  no  understanding  of  the  truth  which  belongs  to  the 
church  appears  like  a  dead  horse. 

There  were  boys  below,  who  saw  them  descending,  and 
in  their  descent  seen  as  dead  horses.  And  they  then  turned 
their  faces  away,  and  said  to  their  teacher  who  was  with 
them,  "  What  ill-omen  is  this  ?  We  saw  men,  and  now  instead 
of  them  we  see  dead  horses  ;  and  because  we  could  not  look 


No.  623.I    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  833 

at  them  we  turned  away  our  faces.  Teacher,  let  us  not  stay 
in  this  place,  but  let  us  go  away."  And  they  went  away.  And 
then  the  teacher,  on  the  way,  instructed  them  as  to  the  sig- 
nification of  a  dead  horse ;  saying,  "  A  horse  signifies  the 
understanding  of  truth  from  the  Word  j  all  the  horses  which 
you  have  seen  have  had  that  signification ;  for  when  a  man 
goes  along  meditating  upon  the  Word,  his  meditation  then 
appears  in  the  distance  like  a  horse,  noble  and  lively  as  he 
meditates  spiritually,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  poor  and  life- 
less as  he  meditates  materially."  The  boys  then  asked, 
"  What  is  it  to  meditate  spiritually  and  to  meditate  mate- 
rially upon  the  Word  ?  "  Their  teacher  answered,  "  I  will 
illustrate  it  by  examples :  Who,  while  reading  the  Word  in 
a  holy  way,  does  not  think  interiorly  within  himself  of  God, 
of  the  neighbor,  and  heaven  ?  Every  one  who  thinks  of 
God  from  person  only,  and  not  from  essence,  thinks  mate- 
rially j  and  every  one  who  thinks  of  the  neighbor  from  out- 
ward form  only,  and  not  from  quality,  thinks  materially ; 
and  every  one  who  thinks  of  heaven  from  place  only,  and 
not  from  love  and  wisdom  from  which  heaven  is  heaven, 
also  thinks  materially."  But  ~the  boys  said,  "  We  have 
thought  of  God  from  person,  of  the  neighbor  from  form  as 
being  a  man,  and  of  heaven  from  place  as  being  above  us  ; 
have  we,  therefore,  when  we  have  been  reading  the  Word, 
then  appeared  to  any  one  like  dead  horses  ?  "  The  teacher 
said,  "  No,  you  are  yet  boys,  and  cannot  do  otherwise ;  but 
I  have  perceived  in  you  an  affection  for  knowing  and  un- 
derstanding;  and  as  this  is  spiritual,  you  have  also  thought 
spiritually  ;  for  there  is  some  spiritual  thought  latent  within 
your  material  thought,  and  this  you  do  not  yet  know.  But 
I  will  return  to  the  things  which  I  said  before,  that  he  who 
thinks  materially  when  he  is  reading  the  Word,  or  is  in 
meditation  from  the  Word,  appears  in  the  distance  like  a 
dead  horse  j  while  he  who  thinks  spiritually  appears  like 
a  living  horse  ;  and  that  he  thinks  materially  of  God  who 
thinks  of  Him  from  person  only  and  not  from  essence. 

18* 


834  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 


For  the  attributes  of  the  Divine  essence  are  many;  as 
omnipotence,  omniscience,  omnipresence,  eternity,  love, 
wisdom,  mercy  and  grace,  and  others.  And  there  are 
attributes  that  proceed  from  the  Divine  essence,  which  are 
creation  and  preservation,  redemption  and  salvation,  en- 
lightenment and  instruction.  Every  one  who  thinks  of 
God  from  person  [only],*  makes  three  Gods,  saying  that 
the  Creator  and  Preserver  is  one  God,  the  Redeemer  and 
Saviour  another,  and  the  Enlightener  and  Instructor  a 
third ;  while  every  one  who  thinks  of  God  from  essence 
makes  God  one,  saying,  '  God  created  [and  has  preserved]  * 
us,  and  the  same  has  redeemed  us  and  saves  us,  and  He 
also  enlightens  and  instructs.'  This  is  the  reason  that  they 
who  think  concerning  the  trinity  of  God  from  person,  and 
thus  materially,  cannot,  from  the  ideas  of  their  thought 
which  is  material,  do  otherwise  than  from  one  God  make 
three.  But  still,  contrary  to  their  thought,  they  are  com- 
pelled to  say  that  there  is  a  union  of  those  three  by  the 
essence,  because  they  have  thought  indirectly  (sicut  per 
transennani)  of  God  from  essence.  Wherefore,  my  scholars, 
think  from  the  essence,  and  from  this  concerning  the  person ; 
for  to  think  concerning  the  essence,  but  from  the  person,  is 
to  think  materially  concerning  the  essence  also  ;  while  to 
think  concerning  the  person,  but  from  the  essence,  is  to 
think  spiritually  concerning  the  person  also.  The  ancient 
gentiles,  because  they  thought  materially  of  God,  and  so 
of  God's  attributes  also,  not  only  made  three  gods  but 
more,  even  as  many  as  a  hundred  \  for  they  made  a  god  of 
every  attribute.  You  must  know  that  the  material  does 
not  enter  into  the  spiritual,  but  the  spiritual  into  the  mate- 
rial. It  is  similar  with  thought  respecting  the  neighbor 
from  the  outward  form  and  not  from  his  quality;  as  also 
with  thought  about  heaven  from  place,  and  not  from  the 
love  and  wisdom  from  which  heaven  is.    It  is  similar  with 

*  The  words  within  brackets  are  supplied  from  the  "Apocalypse 
Revealed,"  n.  61 1. 


No  624.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  835 


the  things  that  are  in  the  Word,  one  and  all ;  he,  therefore, 
who  cherishes  a  material  idea  of  God,  and  likewise  of  the 
neighbor  and  of  heaven,  cannot  understand  any  thing  in 
the  Word  ;  it  is  dead  letter  to  him ;  and  while  reading  it, 
or  in  meditation  from  it,  he  appears  in  the  distance  like  a 
dead  horse.  Those  whom  you  saw  in  their  descent  from 
heaven,  having  become  to  your  eyes  like  dead  horses, 
were  such  as  have  closed  up  the  rational  sight,  as  to  the 
theological  or  spiritual  matters  of  the  church,  in  themselves 
and  others,  by  their  peculiar  dogma  that  the  understanding 
must  be  kept  in  obedience  to  their  faith  ;  not  having  it  in 
thought  that  the  understanding  closed  by  religion  is  as 
blind  as  a  mole,  with  nothing  but  thick  darkness  in  it,  and 
such  thick  darkness  as  rejects  from  itself  all  spiritual  light, 
shuts  out  the  influx  of  it  from  the  Lord  and  out  of  heaven, 
and  places  before  it  a  barrier  in  the  corporeal-sensual,  far 
below  the  rational  in  matters  of  faith  ;  that  is,  puts  it  close 
to  the  nose,  and  fixes  it  in  its  cartilage ;  on  which  account, 
it  cannot  afterward  even  have  the  scent  of  spiritual  things ; 
whence  some  have  become  such  that  when  they  are  sensi- 
ble of  the  odor  from  spiritual  things,  they  fall  in  a  swoon ; 
by  scent  I  mean  perception.  These  are  they  who  make  God 
three.  They  say  indeed,  from  essence,  that  God  is  one ; 
but  still,  when  they  pray  according  to  their  faith  (which  is, 
for  God  the  Father  to  have  mercy  for  the  Son's  sake,  and  to 
send  the  Holy  Spirit),  they  manifestly  make  three  Gods. 
They  cannot  do  otherwise  ;  for  they  pray  to  one  to  have 
mercy  for  the  sake  of  another,  and  to  send  a  third."  And 
then  their  teacher  taught  them  concerning  the  Lord,  that 
He  is  the  One  God,  in  Whom  is  the  Divine  Trinity. 

624.  Fourth  Relation.  Having  awaked  at  midnight 
from  sleep,  I  saw  at  some  height  toward  the  east  an  angel 
holding  in  his  right  hand  a  paper  which  appeared  of  lustrous 
brightness,  from  the  Sun,  and  in  the  centre  of  which  there 
was  a  writing  in  golden  letters;  and  I  saw  written  The 
Marriage  of.  Good  and  Truth.    From  the  writing  Hashed 


836  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X 

a  splendor  which  spread  into  a  wide  circle  around  the 
paper ;  the  circle  or  border  appeared,  therefore,  like  the 
dawn  of  day  in  spring.  After  this  I  saw  the  angel  with 
the  paper  in  his  hand  descending;  and  as  he  descended 
the  paper  appeared  less  and  less  bright,  and  that  writing 
which  was  The  Marriage  of  Good  and  Truth,  seemed 
changed  from  a  golden  to  a  silver  color,  then  to  that  of 
copper,  then  to  that  of  iron,  and  at  length  to  the  color  of 
iron  rust  and  of  copper  rust ;  and  at  last  the  angel  seemed 
to  pass  into  a  dark  cloud,  and  through  it  to  the  earth  ;  and 
there  the  paper,  although  still  retained  in  his  hand,  was 
not  seen.  This  was  in  the  world  of  spirits,  into  which  all 
men  first  gather  after  death.  The  angel  then  spoke  to 
me,  saying,  "  Ask  those  who  are  coming  hither  whether 
they  see  me  or  any  thing  in  my  hand."  There  came  a 
multitude,  one  body  from  the  east,  one  from  the  south, 
one  from  the  west,  and  one  from  the  north.  And  I  asked 
those  coming  from  the  east  and  the  south,  who  were  such 
as  in  the  world  were  devoted  to  learning,  whether  they 
saw  any  one  present  with  me,  or  any  thing  in  his  hand. 
They  all  said  that  they  saw  nothing  whatever.  Then  I 
asked  those  who  came  from  the  west  and  the  north,  who 
were  such  as  in  the  world  had  believed  in  the  words  of 
the  learned ;  these  said  that  they,  too,  did  not  see  any 
thing.  But  yet  the  last  of  them,  who  in  the  world  had 
been  in  simple  faith  from  charity,  or  in  some  truth  from 
good,  after  the  former  had  gone  away,  said  that  they  saw 
a  man  with  a  paper,  —  a  man  well  dressed,  and  a  paper 
upon  which  letters  were  traced ;  and  when  they  looked  at 
it  more  closely,  they  said  that  they  read  the  words,  The 
Marriage  of  Good  and  Truth.  And  these  spoke  to 
the  angel,  and  asked  him  to  tell  them  what  it  was.  And 
he  said,  that  all  things  in  the  whole  heaven,  and  all  things 
in  the  whole  world,  are  from  creation,  nothing  but  a  mai- 
riage  of  good  and  truth  \  "inasmuch  as  they  one  and  all, 
those  which  are  living  and  which  give  animation  and  those 


No.  625.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  837 

which  are  not  living  and  which  do  not  give  animation, 
were  created  from  the  marriage  of  good  and  truth  and  into 
it.  There  is  nothing  that  has  been  created  into  truth 
alone,  or  into  good  alone  j  either  of  these  alone  is  noth- 
ing ;  but  by  marriage  they  exist  and  become  something,  in 
quality  according  to  the  marriage.  In  the  Lord  God  the 
Creator  are  Divine  Good  and  Divine  Truth  in  their  very 
substance  ;  Divine  Good  is  the  esse  of  His  substance,  and 
Divine  Truth  is  the  existere  of  His  substance ;  and  they 
are  *lso  in  their  very  oneness,  for  in  Him  they  make  one 
infinitely.  Inasmuch  as  these  two  are  one  in  God  the 
Creator  Himself,  therefore  they  are  also  one  in  all  things 
and  in  every  single  thing  created  by  Him  \  by  this,  also, 
the  Creator  is  conjoined  in  an  eternal  covenant  like  that 
ot  marriage  with  all  things  created  by  Him."  The  angel 
said  further,  that  the  Sacred  Scripture  which  was  dictated 
by  the  Lord,  is  in  general  and  in  particular  a  marriage  of 
good  and  truth  (see  above,  n.  248-253)  ;  and  because  the 
church  which  is  formed  by  means  of  the  truths  of  doctrine, 
and  religion  which  is  formed  by  means  of  the  goods  of  a 
life  according  to  truths  of  doctrine,  are  with  Christians 
solely  from  the  Sacred  Scripture,  it  may  be  evident  that 
the  church  also  in  general  and  in  particular  is  marriage  of 
good  and  truth.  The  same  that  was  said  above  concern- 
ing the  marriage  of  good  and  truth  has  also  been  said 
concerning  the  Marriage  of  Charity  and  Faith,  since 
good  is  of  charity  and  truth  is  of  faith.  After  these  things 
were  said,  the  angel  raised  himself  from  the  earth,  and 
borne  through  the  cloud  he  ascended  into  heaven  ;  and 
then  the  paper  shone  as  before,  according  to  the  degrees 
of  ascent;  and  lo,  the  circle  which  before  appeared  like 
the  dawn  of  day,  then  settled  down  and  dispelled  the  cloud 
which  brought  darkness  upon  the  earth,  and  it  became 
sunny. 

625.  Fifth  Relation.  Once  when  I  was  meditating 
upon  the  Lord's  Second  Coming,  there  suddenly  appeared 


833 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 


a  flash  of  light,  coming  forcibly  upon  my  eyes.  I  there- 
fore looked  up,  and  lo,  the  whole  heaven  above  me  appeared 
luminous,  and  there  in  continued  series  was  heard  a  Glori- 
fication. And  an  angel  stood  near,  who  said  "  That  is 
i  glorification  of  the  Lord  on  account  of  His  Coming, 
which  is  made  by  the  angels  of  the  eastern  and  the  western 
heavens."  From  the  southern  and  the  northern  heavens 
there  was  heard  only  a  gentle  murmur.  And  because  the 
angel  heard  all,  he  first  said  to  me  that  the  glorifications 
and  celebrations  of  the  Lord  are  made  from  the  Word  ; 
and  presently  he  said,  "  Now,  in  particular,  they  are  glori- 
fying and  celebrating  the  Lord  by  these  words  which  were 
spoken  by  the  prophet  Daniel  :  Thoic  sawest  iron  mixed 
with  miry  clay,  but  they  shall  7iot  cohere  ;  and  in  those  'days 
fhall  the  God  of  heaven  set  up  a  kingdom  which  shall  not 
perish  for  ages :  it  shall  break  in  pieces  and  consume  all  these 
kingdoms,  but  it  shall  stand  for  ages"  (ii.  43,  44).  After  this 
I  heard  as  it  were  the  voice  of  singing,  and  more  deeply 
in  the  east  I  saw  a  flashing  of  light,  more  brilliant  than 
the  former ;  and  I  asked  the  angel  what  they  were  glori- 
fying there.  He  said,  "  By  these  words  in  Daniel :  I  saw 
in  the  night  visions,  and  behold  the  Son  of  Man  was  coming 
with  the  cloicds  of  heaven;  and  there  was  given  Him  do- 
minion and  a  kingdom;  and  all  peoples  and  nations  shall 
worship  Hhn  ;  His  domi?iio?i  is  the  dominion  of  an  age  which 
shall  not  pass  away,  and  His  kingdom  that  which  shall  not 
perish  (vii.  13,  14).  In  addition  to  those  words,  they  are 
celebrating  the  Lord  from  these  in  the  Apocalypse  :  To 
Jesus  Christ  be  glory  and  strength ;  behold  He  cometh  with 
clouds ;  He  is  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega,  the  Beginning  and 
the  End,  the  First  and  the  Last,  Who  is,  Who  was,  and 
Who  is  to  come,  the  Almighty  ;  I  John  heard  this  from  the 
Son  of  Ma?i  out  of  the  midst  of  the  seven  candlesticks  "  (Apoc. 
1.  5,  6,  7,  8,  11,  12,  13  ;  xxii.  13;  also  Matt.  xxiv.  30,  31). 
I  looked  again  into  the  eastern  heaven,  and  it  gave  forth 
light  on  the  right  side,  and  an  illumination  extended  into 


No.  625.]    REFORMATION  AND  REGENERATION.  839 


the  southern  expanse,  and  I  heard  a  sweet  sound.  I  asked 
the  angel,  u  What  of  the  Lord  are  they  glorifying  there  ? " 
He  said,  "  By  these  words  in  the  Apocalypse  :  I  saw  a  new 
heaven  and  a  new  earth ;  and  I  saw  the  holy  city,  New 
Jcrusale?n,  co?ni?ig  down  froi?i  God  out  of  heaven,  prepared 
as  a  Bride  for  her  Husband.  And  I  heard  a  great  voice 
from  heaven,  saying,  Behold  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with 
me?i,  and  He  will  dwell  with  them.  And  the  angel  spake  with 
me  and  said,  Come,  I  will  show  thee  the  Bride  the  Lamb's 
Wife.  And  he  carried  me  away  in  the  spirit  upon  a  great 
and  high  mountain,  and  showed  nie  the  holy  city  yemsalem 
(Apoc.  xxi.  1,  2,  3,  9,  10).  Also  by  these  words  :  /  Jesus 
am  the  bright  and  morning  Star ;  and  the  Spirit  and  the 
Bride  say,  Come  j  and  He  said,  I  come  quickly  \  amen, 
evefi  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus"  (xxii.  16,  17,  20).  After  this 
and  more,  there  was  heard  a  general  glorification  from  the 
east  to  the  west  of  heaven,  and  also  from  the  south  to  the 
north  j  and  I  asked  the  angel,  "  What  now  ? "  He  said 
"  These  words  from  the  prophets  :  And  all flesh  shall  know 
that  I  Jehovah  am  thy  Saviour  and  thy  Redeemer  (Isa. 
xlix.  26).  Thus  said  Jehovah,  the  King  of  Israel,  and  his 
Redeemer  Jehovah  Zebaoth,  I  am  the  First  and  the  Last, 
and  beside  Me  there  is  no  God  (xliv.  6).  //  shall  be  said  in 
that  day,  Lo,  this  is  our  God  j  we  have  waited for  Him  that 
He  may  save  us;  This  is  Jehovah  j  we  have  waited  for  Him 
(xxv.  9).  The  voice  of  him  that  cricth  in  the  wilderness,  Pn  - 
pare  ye  the  way  of  Jehovah.  Behold  the  Lord  Jehovih 
cometh  i?i  strength  ;  He  shall  feed  His  flock  like  a  Shepherd 
(xl.  3,  10,  11).  Unto  us  a  Child  is  bom  ;  unto  us  a  Son  is 
given  ;  and  His  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor, 
God,  Mighty,  Father  of  Eternity,  the  Prince  of  Peace 
(ix.  6).  Behold,  the  days  are  coming,  when  I  will  raise  up 
unto  David  a  righteous  Branch,  Who  shall  reign  King,  and 
this  is  His  name,  Jehovah  our  Righteousness  (Jer.  xxiii. 
5,  6  j  xxxiii.  15,  16).  Jehovah  Zebaoth  is  His  name,  and 
thy  Redeemer  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  the  God  op 


84O  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  X. 


THE  WHOLE  EARTH  SHALL  He  BE  CALLED  (Isa.  Hv.  5).  In 

that  day  jehovah  shall  be  klng  over  all  the  earth. 
In  that  day  Jehovah  shall  be  one,  and  His  name  one 
(Zech.  xiv.  9).  From  hearing  and  understanding  these 
things,  my  heart  exulted,  and  I  went  home  rejoicing,  and 
there  I  returned  from  the  state  of  the  spirit  into  the  state 
of  the  body,  in  which  I  have  written  out  the  things  which 
were  seen  and  heard. 


No.  627.] 


IMPUTATION. 


5^3 


CHAPTER  ELEVENTH. 
CONCERNING  IMPUTATION. 
L  The  Faith  of  the  present  Church  (which  is  said 

ALONE  TO  JUSTIFY)  AND  IMPUTATION  MAKE  ONE. 

626.  The  faith  of  the  present  church  (which  is  said  alone 
to  justify)  is  imputation,  —  or,  faith  and  imputation  make 
one  in  the  present  church,  —  because  each  of  these  belongs 
to  the  other,  or  eaeh  runs  into  the  other  (and  this  mutually 
and  interchangeably)  and  gives  it  being.  For  if  faith  is 
mentioned  and  imputation  is  not  added,  it  is  merely  a 
sound  j  and  if  imputation  is  mentioned  without  the  addi- 
tion of  faith,  it  also  is  a  mere  sound ;  but  if  the  two  are 
named  jointly,  there  results  something  articulate,  but  still 
without  meaning;  therefore  in  order  that  the  understanding 
may  perceive  something,  there  must  of  necessity  be  added 
a  third  term,  which  is  Christ's  merit.  And  thus  comes  a 
sense  which  a  man  may  express  with  some  reason.  For  it 
is  the  faith  of  the  present  church  that  God  the  Father  im- 
putes His  Son's  righteousness,  and  sends  the  Holy  Spirit 
to  work  out  its  effects. 

627.  These  three,  therefore,  faith,  imputation,  and  Christ's 
merit,  are  one  in  the  present  church,  and  may  be  called  a 
triune  ;  for  if  one  of  the  three  were  now  taken  away,  the 


8^4         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XL 

present  theology  would  become  nothing,  for  this  is  depend- 
ent on  the  three  perceived  as  one,  as  a  long  chain  on  a  fixed 
hook ;  so  if  either  faith,  or  imputation,  or  Christ's  merit 
were  taken  away,  all  things  that  are  said  of  justification, 
the  remission  of  sins,  vivification,  renewal,  regeneration, 
sanctification,  and  of  the  Gospel,  free-will,  charity,  and 
good  works,  yes,  of  life  eternal,  would  become  like  deso- 
late cities,  or  the  ruins  of  a  temple,  and  faith  itself  which 
heads  the  column  would  come  to  nothing,  and  so  the  whole 
church  would  be  a  desert  and  a  desolation.  Hence  it  is 
manifest  upon  what  a  pillar  the  house  of  God  has  at  this 
day  been  made  to  rest.  If  this  were  torn  away,  the  house 
would  fall,  like  that  in  which  the  lords  of  the  Philistines 
and  three  thousand  of  the  people  were  at  their  sport ;  the 
two  pillars  of  which  Samson  pulled  down  at  once,  and  all 
then  died  and  were  slain  (Judges  xvi.  29).  This  is  said 
because  it  has  already  been  shown,  and  will  be  shown  in 
an  Appendix,  that  this  faith  is  not  Christian,  because  it  is 
at  variance  with  the  Word,  and  that  the  imputation  belong- 
ing to  this  faith  is  vain,  because  the  merit  of  Christ  cannot 
be  imputed. 

II.  The  Imputation  which  belongs  to  the  faith  of 
the  present  day  is  twofold,  the  imputation 
of  Christ's  Merit,  and  the  Imputation  of  Sal- 
vation {Sains)  therefrom. 

628.  Throughout  the  Christian  church  it  is  taught  that 
justification,  and  hence  the  work  of  salvation  (salvatio),  is 
effected  by  God  the  Father  through  the  imputation  of  the 
merit  of  Christ  His  Son,  and  that  the  imputation  is  made 
from  grace,  when  and  where  He  wills,  thus  arbitrarily ;  also 
that  they  to  whom  Christ's  merit  is  imputed,  are  adopted 
into  the  number  of  the  Sons  of  God.  And  because  the 
leaders  of  the  church  have  not  advanced  the  foot  beyond 
that  imputation,  or  raised  the  mind  above  it,  from  it?  hav- 


No.  629.] 


IMPUTATION. 


845 


ing  been  decreed  that  God's  election  is  arbitrary  they  have 
fallen  into  enormous  and  fanatical  errors,  and  at  length 
into  the  detestable  one  concerning  predestination,  and 
further  into  the  abominable  error  that  God  does  not  re- 
gard the  deeds  of  a  man's  life,  but  only  the  faith  inscribed 
upon  the  interiors  of  his  mind.  Wherefore  unless  the  error 
respecting  imputation  were  now  abolished,  atheism  would 
overrun  all  Christendom,  and  then  the  king  of  the  abyss, 
whose  name  in  Hebrew  is  Abaddo?i  and  in  G?-eek  Apollyon, 
would  reign  over  it  (Apoc.  ix.  11).  Abaddon  or  Apollyon 
signifies  the  destroyer  of  the  church  by  falsities,  and  the 
abyss  signifies  the  abode  of  those  falsities  \  see  the  "Apoca- 
lypse Revealed,"  n.  421,  440,  442  ;  from  which  it  is  manifest 
that  that  falsity  and  the  falsities  following  from  it  are  in  an 
extended  series,  and  that  that  destroyer  reigns  over  them ; 
for,  as  said  above,  the  whole  system  of  the  theology  of  the 
present  day  is  dependent  on  this  imputation,  as  a  long 
chain  on  a  fixed  hook,  and  as  the  man  with  all  his  mem- 
bers depends  on  the  head.  And  because  that  imputation 
reigns  everywhere,  it  is  as  Isaiah  says :  The  Lord  will  cut 
off  from  Israel  head  a?id  tail ;  the  honorable,  he  is  the  head ; 
a?id  the  teacher  of  falsehood,  he  is  the  tail  (ix.  13,  14). 

629.  The  imputation  which  belongs  to  the  faith  of  the 
present  day  is  said  to  be  twofold;  but  it  is  not  twofold  like 
God  and  mercy  toward  all,  but  like  God  and  mercy  toward 
some  j  or  not  like  a  parent  and  his  love  toward  all  his  chil- 
dren, but  like  a  parent  and  his  love  toward  one  or  another 
of  them  ;  or  not  like  the  Divine  law  and  its  command  to 
all,  but  the  Divine  law  and  its  command  to  a  few.  Where- 
fore one  kind  of  doubleness  is  extended  and  undivided,  but 
the  other  is  restricted  and  divided  ;  and  the  latter  is  double- 
ness, bu^  the  other  is  oneness.  For  it  is  taught  that  the 
imputation  of  Christ's  merit  is  from  arbitrary'  election,  and 
that  to  those  [so  elected]  there  is  an  imputation  of  salva- 
tion (salus),  thus  that  some  are  adopted  and  the  rest  re- 
jected ;  which  would  be  as  if  God  were  to  lift  some  up  into 


846 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XI. 


Abraham's  bosom,  and  give  others  over  as  food  to  the 
devil ;  when  yet  the  truth  is,  that  the  Lord  rejects  and 
gives  up  no  one,  but  that  the  man  himself  does  this. 

630.  It  may  be  added  that  the  imputation  of  the  day 
deprives  man  of  all  power  coming  from  any  free-will  in 
spiritual  things,  and  does  not  leave  him  enough  to  enable 
him  to  brush  fire  from  his  clothing  and  keep  his  body  from 
harm,  or  to  put  out  the  fire  by  pouring  on  water  when  his 
house  is  burning,  and  thus  save  his  family  ;  when  yet  the 
Word  gives  its  teaching  from  beginning  to  end  in  order 
that  every  one  may  shun  evils  because  they  are  the  devil's 
and  are  from  the  devil,  and  do  goods  because  they  are 
God's  and  are  from  God,  and  teaches  that  he  is  to  do  this 
of  himself,  the  Lord  working.  But  the  imputation  of  the 
day  denounces  the  power  to  do  this  as  destructive  to  faith 
and  hence  to  salvation,  in  order  that  nothing  belonging  to 
man  may  enter  the  imputation,  and  so  the  merit  of  Christ; 
from  which  established  [dogma  of  imputation]  has  flowed 
forth  this  satanic  one,  that  man  is  absolutely  without  power 
in  spiritual  things,  which  is  like  saying,  "  Go  along,  although 
you  have  no  feet,  not  even  one  ;  wash  yourself,  and  yet 
both  your  hands  are  cut  off ; "  or,  "  Do  good,  but  sleep  ;  " 
or,  "  Feed  yourself,  but  you  have  no  tongue  ; "  and  it  is 
also  as  if  a  will  were  given  which  is  not  a  will.  Can  he 
not  then  say,  "  I  am  no  more  able  than  Lot's  wife  as  a 
pillar  of  salt,  or  than  Dagon  the  god  of  the  Philistines 
when  the  ark  of  God  was  introduced  into  his  house  ;  I  am 
afraid  that  my  head  may  be  torn  off  as  his  was,  and  the 
palms  of  my  hands  thrown  upon  the  threshold  (1  Sam. 
v.  4)  ;  nor  have  1  any  more  power  than  Baal-Zebub  the 
god  of  Ekron,  who,  according  to  the  signification  of  his 
name,  can  only  drive  away  flies."  That  at  this  daj^there  is 
believed  to  be  such  impotency  in  spiritual  things,  may  be 
seen  above  (n.  464)  from  the  extracts  respecting  free-will. 

631.  As  to  the  first  part  of  the  doubleness  of  that  im- 
putation respecting  the  saving  {salvatid)  of  men,  which  is, 


No.  631.] 


IMPUTATION. 


847 


the  arbitrary  imputation  of  Christ's  merit,  and  the  imputa- 
tion of  salvation  (sa/us)  thereby,  the  dogmatists  differ  \ 
some  teaching  that  the  imputation  is  absolute  from  free 
power,  and  is  made  to  those  whose  external  or  internal 
form  is  well  pleasing  j  and  some,  that  imputation  is  made 
from  foreknowledge  to  those  in  whom  grace  has  been 
infused,  and  to  whom  this  faith  can  be  applied.  But  still 
these  two  opinions  aim  at  one  goal,  and  they  are  like  the 
two  eyes  which  have  one  stone  for  their  object,  or  the  two 
ears  that  have  as  their  object  one  song.  At  the  first  view 
it  seems  as  if  they  depart  from  each  other,  but  still  in  the 
end  they  join  and  act  together.  For  since  complete  im- 
potence in  spiritual  things  is  taught  on  both  sides,  and 
every  thing  belonging  to  man  is  excluded  from  faith,  it 
follows  that  this  grace  which  is  receptive  of  faith,  whether 
infused  arbitrarily  or  infused  from  foreknowledge,  is  alike 
election  ;  for  if  that  which  is  called  preventing  [or  preced- 
ing] grace  were  universal,  application  on  man's  part  from 
some  power  of  his  own  would  come  in,  which,  nevertheless, 
is  rejected  as  leprous.  Hence  it  is  that  no  one  knows  any 
more  than  a  stock  or  a  stone  (such  as  he  was  when  it  was 
infused),  whether  he  has  from  grace  been  gifted  with  that 
faith  or  not  j  for  there  is  no  sign  attesting  it,  when  charity, 
piety,  the  desire  of  a  new  life,  and  the  free  faculty  of  doing 
good  as  he  does  evil,  are  denied  to  man.  The  signs  that 
are  brought  forward  as  attesting  that  this  faith  is  in  man, 
are  all  ludicrous,  and  not  unlike  the  auguries  of  the  an- 
cients, from  the  flight  of  birds,  or  the  determination  of 
differences  by  the  astrologers  from  the  stars,  or  by  players 
from  dice.  Such  things,  and  others  still  more  ridiculous, 
follow  from  [the  dogma  of]  the  Lord's  imputed  righteous- 
ness, which  together  with  faith,  which  is  called  that  right- 
eousness, is  [said  to  be]  communicated  to  the  man  who  is 
elected. 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  XL 


III.  The  Faith  which  is  imputative  of  the  Merit  and 
Righteousness  of  Christ  the  Redeemer,  first 
arose  from  the  decrees  of  the  council  of 
Nice,  concerning  three  Divine  Persons  from 
eternity,  which  faith  has  been  received  by 
the  whole  christian  world  from  that  time 
to  the  present. 

632.  As  to  the  Nicene  Council  itself ;  it  was  convoked 
by  the  emperor  Constantine  the  Great,  by  the  advice  of 
Alexander,  bishop  of  Alexandria,  all  the  bishops  in  Asia, 
Africa,  and  Europe  being  summoned  to  compose  it ;  and 
was  held  in  his  palace  at  Nice,  a  city  in  Bithynia.  Its 
object  was  to  overthrow  and  condemn,  from  the  sacred 
writings,  the  heresy  of  Arius,  a  presbyter  of  Alexandria, 
who  denied  the  Divinity  of  Jesus  Christ.  This  took  place 
in  the  year  of  Christ  325.*  The  members  of  that  council 
decided  that  there  were  from  eternity  three  Divine  per- 
sons,—  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit;  as  is  evident  es- 
pecially from  the  two  creeds  called  the  Nicene  and  the 
Athanasian.  In  the  Nicene  creed  we  read ;  "  I  believe 
in  one  God  the  Father,  omnipotent,  Maker  of  heaven  and 
earth ;  and  in  one  Lord,  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  the 
Only-begotten  of  the  Father,  born  before  all  ages,  God  from 
God,  consubstantial  with  the  Father,  Who  descended  from 
the  heavens  and  was  incarnated  by  the  Holy  Spirit  from  the 
virgin  Mary ;  and  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  Lord  and  Vivifier, 
Who  proceeds  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and  Who 
together  with  the  Father  and  the  Son  is  adored  and 
glorified."  In  the  Athanasian  creed  is  the  following: 
"  The  Catholic  faith  is  this,  that  we  worship  one  God  in  a 
Trinity,  and  the  Trinity  in  Unity,  neither  confounding  the 
person  nor  separating  the  substance.    But  as  we  are  com- 

*  There  is  an  error,  probably  typographical,  in  the  date  as  given 
in  the  original  Latin.    It  was  corrected  in  the  reprint. 


No.  633.] 


IMPUTATION. 


849 


pelled  by  the  Christian  verity  to  confess  each  Person  sep- 
arately, God  and  Lord,  so  are  we  forbidden  by  the  Catholic 
religion  to  say  three  Gods  or  three  Lords."  That  is,  men 
may  confess,  but  not  say,  three  Gods  and  Lords  ;  may  not 
say  so  because  religion  forbids  it,  but  may  confess  them 
because  the  truth  so  dictates.  This  Athanasian  creed  was 
written  out  immediately  after  the  holding  of  the  Nicene 
Council,  by  one  or  more  of  those  who  had  been  present, 
and  it  was  also  accepted  as  oecumenical  or  catholic.  It  is 
manifest  from  this  that  it  was  then  decreed  that  three 
Divine  persons  from  eternity  ought  to  be  acknowledged  ; 
and  that  although  each  person  singly  by  himself  was  God, 
still  they  ought  not  to  be  called  three  Gods  and  Lords, 
but  one. 

633.  That  the  faith  of  three  Divine  persons  has  been 
received  from  that  time,  and  has  been  confirmed  and 
preached  by  all  bishops,  hierarchs,  church  rulers,  and 
presbyters,  up  to  the  present,  is  well  known  in  the  Chris- 
tian world  ;  and  because  a  mental  persuasion  of  there  being 
three  Gods  has  emanated  therefrom,  no  other  faith  could 
be  devised  than  one  that  might  be  applied  to  those  three 
in  their  order  ;  which  is,  that  God  the  Father  must  be 
approached  and  implored  to  impute  His  Son's  righteous- 
ness, or  to  show  mercy  on  account  of  His  Son's  passion 
on  the  cross,  and  to  send  the  Holy  Spirit  to  work  the 
mediate  and  the  ultimate  effects  of  salvation.  This  faith 
is  a  birth  from  those  two  creeds  ;  but  when  the  swaddling- 
clothes  are  removed,  there  comes  to  view  not  one  but 
three,  at  first  joined  together  as  it  were  in  an  embrace,  but 
presently  separated  ;  for  it  is  declared  that  essence  joins 
them  together,  but  peculiar  properties,  which  are  creation, 
redemption,  operation  (or  imputation,  imputed  righteous 
ness,  and  making  this  effectual),  separate  them.  And  for 
this  reason,  although  they  have  composed  one  God  out  of 
three,  yet  still  they  have  not  made  a  one  out  of  the  three 
persons  ;  [and  they  would  not  do  this]  for  the  reason  that  the 


850         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XI 

idea  of  three  Gods  was  not  to  be  obliterated  ;  for  [it  is  not 
obliterated]  while  each  person  singly  is  believed  to  be  God, 
as  stated  in  the  creed ;  if  then,  as  a  consequence,  the  three 
persons  were  made  one,  the  whole  house  built  upon  the 
three  as  columns  would  fall  into  a  heap.  The  reason  why 
fhat  council  introduced  [the  dogma  of]  three  Divine  per- 
sons from  eternity,  was  because  they  did  not  rightly  search 
the  Word,  and  therefore  they  found  no  other  refuge  from 
the  Arians.  That  they  afterward  combined  into  one  God 
those  three  persons,  each  one  of  whom  is  God  by  himself, 
was  from  a  fear  that  they  should  be  regarded  as  guilty  of 
a  belief  in  three  Gods,  and  reproached  for  it  by  every 
rational  religious  person  in  the  three  grand  divisions  of 
the  globe.  They  taught  a  faith  applied  to  the  three  in 
their  order,  because  no  other  faith  flows  from  that  prin- 
ciple ;  to  which  it  is  to  be  added,  if  one  of  the  three  were 
passed  by,  the  third  would  not  be  sent,  and  so  every  oper- 
ation of  Divine  grace  would  come  to  nought. 

634.  But  the  truth  must  be  told.  When  a  belief  in  three 
Gods  was  introduced  into  the  Christian  churches,  which 
was  done  at  the  time  of  the  Nicene  Council,  they  banished 
all  the  good  of  charity  and  all  the  truth  of  faith,  for  these 
two  are  wholly  inconsistent  with  the  mental  worship  of  three 
Gods  and  the  oral  worship  at  the  same  time  of  one  God  ; 
for  the  mind  denies  what  the  mouth  says,  and  the  mouth 
denies  what  the  mind  thinks  ;  the  result  is  that  there  is  no 
belief  either  in  three  Gods  or  in  one.  From  this  it  is 
manifest  that  from  that  time  the  Christian  temple  has  not 
only  cracked  open,  but  has  fallen  to  ruins  ;  and  that  from 
that  time  the  pit  of  the  abyss  has  been  open,  from  which 
has  ascended  smoke  like  that  of  a  great  furnace,  and  the 
sun  and  the  air  have  been  darkened  thereby,  and  from  it 
locusts  have  gone  forth  upon  the  earth  (Apoc.  ix.  2,  3). 
See  the  explanation  of  these  things  in  the  "Apocalypse 
Revealed."  Yes,  from  that  time  the  desolation  foretold 
by  Daniel  has  begun  and  has  increased  (Matt.  xxiv.  15), 


No.  635.I 


IMPUTATION. 


851 


and  to  that  faith  and  the  imputation  thereof  the  eagles 
have  gathered  together  (verse  28  of  the  same  chapter) ;  eagles 
there  mean  the  lynx-eyed  leaders  of  the  church.  It  may 
be  said  that  the  council  in  which  so  many  bishops  and 
laurelled  men  sat  together  passed  its  decree  by  unanimous 
vote  ;  but  what  confidence  can  be  placed  in  councils,  when 
Roman  Catholic  councils,  also  by  unanimous  vote,  estab- 
lished the  vicarship  of  the  pope,  the  invocation  of  saints, 
the  worship  of  images  and  bones,  the  division  of  the  holy 
eucharist,  purgatory,  indulgences,  and  so  on  ?  And  what 
confidence  can  be  placed  in  councils,  when  that  of  Dort, 
also  by  unanimous  vote,  decreed  a  detestable  predestina- 
tion, and  exalted  it  as  the  palladium  of  religion  ?  But, 
my  reader,  believe  not  in  councils,  but  in  the  holy  Word, 
and  go  to  the  Lord,  and  you  will  be  enlightened  •  for  He 
is  the  Word,  that  is,  the  Divine  Truth  therein. 

635.  Finally,  this  arcanum  shall  be  disclosed  :  in  seven 
chapters  in  the  Apocalypse  the  consummation  of  the  present 
church  is  described,  much  as  the  devastation  of  Egypt  is 
described  ;  and  both  are  described  by  similar  plagues,  each 
one  of  which  spiritually  signifies  some  falsity  which  con- 
tinued its  devastation  even  to  destruction  ;  therefore  also 
the  present  church  which  at  this  day  has  been  destroyed, 
is  called  Egypt,  spiritually  understood  (Apoc.  xi.  8).  The 
plagues  of  Egypt  were  the  following  :  the  waters  were  turned 
into  blood,  so  that  every  fish  died,  and  the  river  stank 
(Ex.  vii.) ;  a  similar  statement  is  made  in  the  Apocalypse 
(viii.  8  ;  xvi.  3)  ;  the  blood  signifies  Divine  truth  falsified, 
see  "Apocalypse  Revealed"  (n.  379,  404,  681,  687,  688); 
and  the  fishes  which  then  died  signify  the  truths  in  the 
natural  man,  likewise  [falsified]  (n.  290,  405).  Frogs  were 
brought  upon  the  land  of  Egypt  (Ex.  viii.) ;  something 
is  also  said  of  frogs  in  the  Apocalypse  (xvi.  13);  frogs 
signify  reasonings  from  the  desire  of  falsifying  truths,  see 
the  "  Apocalypse  Revealed"  (n.  702).  In  Egypt  noisome 
sores  were  brought  upon  both  man  and  beast  (Ex.  ix  ) ; 


8$2         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XI 


the  same  is  said  in  the  Apocalypse  (xvi.  2)  ;  sores  signify 
interior  evils  and  falsities  destructive  of  good  and  truth  in 
the  church,  see  the  "Apocalypse  Revealed"  (n.  678).  In 
Egypt  there  was  hail  mingled  with  fire  (Ex.  ix.)  ;  the  same 
is  spoken  of  in  the  Apocalypse  (viii.  7;  xvi.  21);  hail 
signifies  infernal  falsity,  see  the  "  Apocalypse  Revealed  " 
(n.  399,  714).  The  locust  was  sent  upon  Egypt  (Ex.  x.)  ; 
the  same  is  spoken  of  in  the  Apocalypse  (ix.  1-11)  ;  locusts 
"  signify  falsities  in  outermosts,  see  the  "  Apocalypse  Re- 
vealed "  (n.  424,  430).  Great  darkness  was  brought  upon 
Egypt  (Ex.  x.)  ;  so  in  the  Apocalypse  (viii.  12)  ;  darkness 
signifies  falsities  arising  either  from  ignorance,  or  from 
falsities  of  religion,  or  from  evils  of  life,  see  the  "  Apo- 
calypse Revealed"  (n.  no,  413,  695).  Finally,  the  Egyp- 
tians perished  in  the  Red  Sea  (Ex.  xiv.)  ;  but  in  the 
Apocalypse  (xix.  20;  xx.  10),  the  dragon  and  the  false 
prophet  were  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone  ;  both 
the  Red  Sea  and  that  lake  signify  hell.  Similar  things  are 
said  of  Egypt  and  of  the  church  whose  consummation  and 
end  are  described  in  the  Apocalypse,  because  Egypt  means 
a  church  which  in  its  beginning  was  pre-eminent ;  where- 
fore Egypt,  before  its  church  was  devastated,  is  compared 
to  the  garden  of  Eden  and  the  garden  of  Jehovah  (Gen. 
xiii.  10  ;  Ez.  xxxi.  8)  ;  and  is  also  called  the  corner-stone 
of  the  tribes,  the  son  of  the  wise,  and  of  the  kings  of  old 
(Isa.  xix.  11,  13).  More  respecting  Egypt  in  its  primeval 
and  in  its  devastated  state  may  be  seen  in  the  "  Apocalypse 
Revealed  "  (n.  503). 

IV.  The  Faith  imputative  of  Christ's  Merit  was  un- 
known in  the  Apostolic  Church,  which  existed 
earlier,  and  is  nowhere  meant  in  the  Word. 

636.  The  church  which  existed  before  the  Nicene  Coun- 
cil has  been  called  the  Apostolic  church.  That  it  was 
extensive,  and  was  spread  over  the  three  parts  of  the  globe, 


No.  637. J 


IMPUTATION. 


853 


Asia,  Africa,  and  Europe,  is  evident  from  this,  —  that  the 
emperor  Constantine  the  Great  was  a  Christian  and  a 
zealot  for  religion,  and  his  dominion  extended  not  only 
over  many  kingdoms  of  Europe  that  were  afterwards  sep- 
arated, but  also  over  the  neighboring  countries  outside  of 
Europe  ;  therefore  as  before  stated,  he  assembled  bishops 
from  Asia,  from  Africa,  and  from  Europe,  in  his  palace  at 
Nice,  a  city  of  Bithynia,  that  he  might  banish  from  his 
empire  the  scandalous  dogmas  of  Arius.  This  was  done 
of  the  Lord's  Divine  Providence,  since  if  the  Divinity  is 
denied,  the  Christian  church  is  left  without  life,  and  be- 
comes like  a  sepulchre  adorned  with  the  epitaph,  "Here 
lies"  &c.  The  church  that  existed  before  this  time  has 
been  called 'Apostolic,  and  its  distinguished  writers  have 
been  called  the  Fathers  \  and  the  true  Christians  called 
one  another  brethren.  That  this  church  did  not  acknowl- 
edge three  Divine  persons,  and  therefore  acknowledged  no 
Son  of  God  born  from  eternity,  but  only  the  Son  of  God 
born  in  time,  is  evident  from  their  creed,  which  from  their 
church  has  been  called  the  Apostles'  Creed,  where  the 
following  words  are  read  :  "  I  believe  in  God  the  Father 
Almighty,  Maker  of  heaven  and  earth  ;  and  in  Jesus  Christ 
His  only  Son  our  Lord,  Who  was  conceived  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  born  of  the  virgin  Mary.  I  believe  in  the  Holy 
Spirit,  the  holy  catholic  church,  the  communion  of  the 
saints."  It  is  manifest  from  this  that  they  acknowledge 
no  other  Son  of  God  than  the  One  conceived  of  the  Holy- 
Spirit  and  born  of  the  virgin  Mary,  and  by  no  means  any 
Son  of  God  born  from  eternity.  This  creed,  like  the  two 
others,  has  been  acknowledged  as  purely  catholic  by  the 
whole  Christian  church,  to  the  present  day. 

637.  That  in  that  primeval  time  all  in  what  was  then  the 
Christian  world  acknowledged  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
was  God,  to  Whom  was  given  all  power  in  heaven  ami  earth, 
and  power  over  all  flesh,  according  to  His  own  express  words 
(Matt,  xxviii.  iS  ;  John  xvii.  2)  ;  and  that  they  belfcved  in 


854         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XI. 

Him  according  to  His  commandment  from  God  the  Father 
(John  iii.  15,  16,  36 ;  vi.  40  ;  xi.  25,  26),  —  this  is  also  very 
evident  from  the  convoking  of  all  the  bishops  by  the  em- 
peror Constantine  the  Great,  in  order  that  they  might  from 
the  sacred  writings  convict  and  condemn  Arius  and  his 
followers,  who  denied  the  Divinity  of  the  Lord  the  Saviour 
born  of  the  virgin  Mary.  This  indeed  they  did,  but  trying 
to  escape  the  wolf  they  came  upon  the  lion,  or,  according 
to  the  proverb,  in  their  desire  to  avoid  Charybdis  they  ran 
upon  Scylla  ;  they  did  so  by  the  figment  of  a  Son  of  God 
from  eternity,  Who  descended  and  assumed  Humanity; 
believing  that  they  thus  vindicated  the  Lord's  Divinity  and 
restored  it  to  Him,  and  not  knowing  that  God  Himself 
the  Creator  of  the  universe  descended  in  order  to  become 
the  Redeemer,  and  thus  Creator  anew,  according  to  these 
plain  declarations  in  the  Old  Testament :  Isa.  xxv.  9 ;  xi. 
3,  5,  10,  11  ;  xliii.  14;  xliv.  6,  24;  xlvii.  4;  xlviii.  17;  xlix. 
7,  26  ;  lx.  16  ;  lxiii.  16;  Jer.  1.  34;  Hos.  xiii.  4;  Ps.  xix. 
14;  to  which  add  John  i.  14. 

638.  That  Apostolic  church  which  worshipped  the  Lord 
God  Jesus  Christ,  and  at  the  same  time  God  the  Father  in 
Him,  may  be  likened  to  the  garden  of  God,  and  Arius 
who  then  arose  to  the  serpent  sent  from  hell,  and  the 
Nicene  Council  to  Adam's  wife  who  offered  the  fruit  to 
her  husband  and  persuaded  him  to  eat  it,  and  after  eating 
it  they  appeared  to  themselves  to  be  naked,  and  covered 
their  nakedness  with  fig-leaves.  By  their  nakedness  is 
meant  the  innocence  in  which  they  were  before  ;  and  by 
fig-leaves,  truths  of  the  natural  man  which  were  falsified 
in  succession.  That  primitive  church  may  also  be  com- 
pared to  the  dawn  and"  morning,  from  which  the  day 
advanced  to  the  tenth  hour ;  but  then  a  dense  cloud  inter- 
vened, under  which  the  day  went  on  to  evening,  and  aftei- 
ward  to  night,  in  which  the  moon  arose  for  some ;  there 
were  those  who,  by  its  light  [/umeu]  saw  something  from 
the  Ward,  but  the  others  went  on  into  the  thick  darkness  of 


No.  639  ] 


IMPUTATION. 


855 


night  so  far  that  they  saw  nothing  of  Divinity  in  the  Lord's 
Humanity,  although  Paul  says  that  in  jfesus  Christ  dwelldh 
all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  (or  Divinity)  bodily  (Coloss.  ii. 
9),  and  John,  that  the  Son  of  God  sent  into  the  world  is  the 
true  God  and  eternal  Life  (1  John  v.  20,  21).  The  primi- 
tive or  Apostolic  church  never  could  have  divined  that  a 
church  was  to  follow  which  would  worship  more  Gods 
than  one  in  heart,  and  one  with  the  lips  ;  which  would 
separate  charity  from  faith,  the  remission  of  sins  from 
repentance  and  the  pursuit  of  a  new  life  ;  which  would 
introduce  [the  dogma  of  man's]  utter  impotence  in  spir- 
itual things ;  and,  least  of  all,  that  an  Arius  would  lift  up 
his  head,  and  when  dead  would  rise  again,  and  secretly 
rule  even  to  the  end. 

639.  That  no  faith  imputative  of  Christ's  merit  was  meant 
in  the  Word,  is  clearly  manifest  from  this,  —  that  this  faith 
was  not  known  in  the  church  till  after  the  Nicene  Council  in- 
troduced the  [dogma  of]  three  Divine  persons  from  eternity. 
And  when  this  faith  was  introduced,  and  pervaded  the 
whole  Christian  world,  all  other  faith  was  cast  into  the 
shade  ;  wherefore,  whoever  then  reads  the  Word,  and  sees 
faith,  imputation,  and  Christ's  merit,  falls  of  himself  into 
that  which  he  has  believed  to  be  the  one  only  thing  ;  like 
one  who  sees  what  is  written  on  a  single  page,  and  stops 
there,  not  turning  the  leaf  and  seeing  something  else.  Or 
as  one  who  persuades  himself  that  a  certain  thing  though 
false  is  true  and  who  confirms  that  only,  then  sees  falsity 
as  truth  and  truth  as  falsity  ;  he  would  afterward  set  the 
teeth  and  hiss  at  every  one  opposing  it,  and  say,  M  You  do 
not  understand."  The  man's  whole  mind  is  in  it,  covered 
over  with  a  thickened  skin  that  rejects  as  heterodox  every 
thing  that  is  not  consonant  with  his  so-called  orthodoxy  ; 
for  his  memory  is  like  a  tablet  npon  which  is  written  this 
one  thing  that  rules  in  theology  ;  if  any  thing  else  enters 
there  is  no  room  for  its  insertion,  and  he  therefore  ejects 
it  as  the  mouth  does  froth.    For  example,  say  to  a  con- 


856         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XL 

firmed  naturalist,  who  believes  that  nature  created  itself, 
or  that  God  came  into  existence  after  nature,  or  that  nature 
and  God  are  one,  that  the  very  reverse  is  the  truth,  and 
would  he  not  look  upon  you  as  one  deluded  by  the  fables 
of  the  presbyters,  or  as  simple,  or  as  stupid,  or  as  deranged? 
It  is  the  same  with  all  things  that  are  fixed  by  persuasion 
and  confirmation ;  they  appear  at  last  like  pictured  tap- 
estry fastened  with  many  nails  to  a  wall  laid  with  crumbling 
stones. 

V.  The  Imputation  of  Christ's  Merit  and  Righteous- 
ness is  IMPOSSIBLE. 

640.  That  it  may  be  known  that  the  imputation  of  the 
merit  and  righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ  is  impossible,  it  is 
necessary  to  know  what  His  merit  and  righteousness  are. 
The  merit  of  the  Lord  our  Saviour  is  redemption,  the 
nature  of  which  may  be  seen  in  its  proper  chapter  above 
(n.  1 14-133),  where  it  is  described  as  the  subjugation  of 
the  hells,  the  orderly  arrangement  of  the  heavens,  and  the 
subsequent  establishment  of  a  church,  and  thus  as  being 
a  work  purely  Divine.  It  is  also  shown  there  that  the 
Lord  by  redemption  entered  into  the  power  of  regenerating 
and  saving  those  who  believe  in  Him  and  do  His  precepts, 
and  that  without  this  redemption  no  flesh  could  have  been 
saved.  Now  since  redemption  was  a  work  purely  Divine, 
and  of  the  Lord  alone,  and  since  this  is  His  merit,  it 
follows  that  His  merit  cannot  be  applied,  ascribed  and 
imputed  to  any  man,  any  more  than  the  creation  and  pres- 
ervation of  the  universe.  Redemption  also  was  a  kind  of 
new  creation  of  the  angelic  heaven,  and  likewise  of  the 
church.  That  the  present  church  attributes  that  merit 
of  the  Lord  the  Redeemer  to  those  who  from  grace  obtain 
faith,  is  manifest  from  their  dogmas,  among  which  this  is 
chief.  For  it  is  said  by  the  hierarchs  of  this  church  and 
by  their  subordinates,  both  in  the  Roman  Catholic  and  in 


No.  641.] 


IMPUTATION. 


857 


the  Reformed  churches,  that  by  the  imputation  of  Christ's 
merit  they  who  have  obtained  faith  are  not  only  reputed 
just  and  holy,  but  that  they  also  are  such ;  and  that  their 
sins  are  not  sins  in  God's  sight,  because  they  are  remitted, 
and  they  themselves  are  justified,  that  is,  reconciled,  re- 
newed, regenerated,  sanctified,  and  enrolled  for  heaven. 
That  the  whole  Christian  church  teaches  these  same  things 
to-day,  is  clearly  evident  from  the  Council  of  Trent,  the 
Augustan  or  Augsburg  confessions,  and  from  the  com- 
ments appended  and  received  with  the  same.  From  what 
has  been  said  above,  when  transferred  to  that  faith,  what 
follows  but  that  the  possession  of  this  faith  is  that  merit 
and  that  righteousness  of  the  Lord,  consequently  that  its 
possessor  is  Christ  in  another  person  ?  for  it  is  said  that 
Christ  Himself  is  Righteousness,  and  that  that  faith  is 
righteousness,  and  that  imputation  (by  which  is  also  meant 
ascription  and  application)  causes  men  not  only  to  be  re- 
puted just  and  holy,  but  to  be  so  in  reality.  To  imputation, 
application,  and  ascription,  only  add  transcription,  and  you 
will  be  a  vicarious  pope. 

641.  Since,  therefore,  the  Lord's  merit  and  righteousness 
are  purely  Divine,  and  as  things  purely  Divine  are  such 
that  if  they  were  applied  and  ascribed  man  would  instantly 
die,  and  like  a  log  of  wood  cast  into  the  naked  sun  would 
be  so  consumed  that  hardly  a  particle  of  ashes  would  be 
left  of  him,  therefore  the  Lord  approaches  angels  and  men 
with  His  Divine  by  means  of  light  tempered  and  moder- 
ated to  the  capacity  and  the  quality  of  each  one,  thus 
through  what  is  made  adequate  and  accommodated  ;  and  in 
like  manner  by  heat.  In  the  spiritual  world  there  is  a 
Sun,  in  the  midst  of  which  is  the  Lord.  From  that  Sun 
He  inflows  by  light  and  heat  into  the  whole  spiritual  world 
and  into  all  who  are  there  ;  all  the  light  and  all  the  heat 
there  are  from  this  source.  From  that  Sun,  and  with  the 
same  light  and  the  same  heat,  the  Lord  also  inflows  into 
the  souls  and  the  mind.-,  of  men.    That  heat  in  its  essence 


85 S         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XI. 

is  His  Divine  Love,  and  that  light  in  its  essence  is  His 
Divine  Wisdom.  The  Lord  adapts  this  light  and  that  heat 
to  the  capacity  and  the  quality  of  the  recipient  angel  and 
man,  which  is  done  by  means  of  spiritual  auras  or  atmos- 
pheres that  convey  and  transfer  them.  The  Divine  itself 
which  immediately  encompasses  the  Lord  makes  that  Sun. 
This  Sun  is  distant  from  the  angels  as  the  sun  of  the 
natural  world  is  from  men,  so  that  it  may  not  touch  them 
without  a  covering,  and  thus  immediately;  for  otherwise 
they  would  be  consumed,  like  a  log  of  wood  cast  into  the 
naked  sun,  as  said  before.  It  may  be  evident  from  this 
that  the  Lord's  merit  and  righteousness,  because  they  art. 
purely  Divine  things,  cannot  possibly  be  brought  by  impu- 
tation into  any  angel  or  man ;  yes,  if  any  thing  distilling 
therefrom  and  not  thus  moderated,  as  was  said,  were  to 
touch  them,  they  would  forthwith  writhe  as  if  struggling 
with  death,  with  cramp  in  the  feet,  with  staring  of  the  eyes, 
and  would  become  lifeless.  In  the  Israelitish  church  this 
was  made  known  by  their  being  told  that  no  one  can  see 
God  and  live.  Moreover  the  Sun  of  the  spiritual  world, 
such  as  it  is  since  Jehovah  God  assumed  the  Human  and 
joined  to  it  Redemption  and  a  new  Righteousness,  is 
described  by  these  words  in  Isaiah  :  The  light  of  the  Sun 
shall  be  sevenfold,  as  the  light  of  seven  days,  in  the  day  in 
which  jfehovah  shall  bind  icp  the  breach  of  His  people  (xxx. 
26).  This  chapter  from  beginning  to  end  treats  of  the 
Lord's  Coming.  What  would  take  place  if  the  Lord  were 
to  come  down  and  draw  near  to  any  impious  person,  is  also 
described  by  the  following  in'  the  Apocalypse  :  They  hid 
themselves  i?i  the  dens  and  in  the  rocks  of  the  mountains,  and 
said  to  the  mountains  and  rocks,  Hide  us  from  the  face  of  Him 
That  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb 
(vi.  15,  16).  It  is  said,  the  wrath  of  the  La?nb,  because 
their  terror  and  torment  when  the  Lord  draws  near  so  ap- 
pear to  them.  The  same  again  may  be  clearly  inferred 
from  this,  that  if  any  wicked  person  is  admitted  into 


No.  642.] 


IMPUTATION. 


859 


heaven  where  charity  and  faith  in  the  Lord  reign,  thick 
darkness  comes  over  his  eyes,  giddiness  and  madness  come 
upon  his  mind,  pain  and  torment  upon  his  body,  and  he 
becomes  as  if  without  life.  What  then  if  the  Lord  Him- 
self, with  His  Divine  merit  which  is  redemption  and  with 
His  Divine  righteousness,  were  to  enter  into  man  ?  The 
apostle  John  himself  could  not  bear  the  presence  of  the 
Lord,  for  we  read  that  whe?i  he  saw  the  Son  of  Man  in 
the  midst  of  the  seven  candlesticks,  he  fell  at  his  feet  as  one 
dead  (Apoc.  i.  17). 

642.  In  the  decrees  of  the  Councils  and  in  the  articles 
of  the  Confessions  to  which  the  Reformed  make  oath,  it 
is  said  that  God  justifies  the  wicked  man  by  means  of  the 
merit  of  Christ  infused  into  him  \  when  yet  the  good  of 
any  angel  even  cannot  be  communicated  to  any  wicked 
man,  still  less  conjoined  with  him,  without  being  thrown 
back  and  rebounding  like  an  elastic  ball  thrown  against  a 
wall,  or  swallowed  up  like  a  diamond  put  in  a  marsh  ;  yes,  if 
any  thing  truly  good  were  pressed  upon  him,  it  would  be  as 
if  a  pearl  were  fastened  to  a  swine's  snout.  For  who  does 
not  know  that  clemency  cannot  be  introduced  into  unmer- 
cifulness,  innocence  into  vindictiveness,  love  into  hatred, 
or  concord  into  discord,  which  would  be  like  commingling 
heaven  and  hell  ?  The  man  who  has  not  been  born  again 
is  as  to  his  spirit  like  a  panther  or  an  owl,  and  may  be  likened 
to  a  thorn-bush  and  a  nettle ;  while  the  man  who  has  been 
born  again  is  like  a  sheep  or  a  dove,  and  may  be  likened 
to  an  olive-tree  or  a  vine.  Consider,  I  pray,  if  you  will, 
how  a  man-panther  can  be  converted  into  a  sheep,  or  an 
owl  into  a  dove,  or  a  thorn-bush  into  an  olive-tree,  or  a 
nettle  into  a  vine,  by  any  imputation,  ascription,  or  applica- 
tion of  the  Divine  righteousness,  which  would  damn  rather 
than  justify  him.  In  order  that  the  conversion  may  take 
place,  must  not  the  ferine  nature  of  the  panther  and  the 
owl,  or  the  noxious  quality  of  the  thorn-bush  and  the 
nettle,  first  be  taken  away,  and  what  is  truly  human  and 


860         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XI. 


harmless  implanted  in  its  stead  ?  How  this  is  effected 
the  Lord  also  teaches  in  John  (xv.  1-7). 

VI.  There  is  an  Imputation,  but  it  is  that  of  Good 
and  Evil,  and  at  the  same  time  of  Faith. 

643.  That  there  is  an  imputation  of  good  and  evil, 
which  is  what  is  meant  where  imputation  is  named  in  the 
Word,  is  evident  from  innumerable  passages  therein,  which 
indeed  have  in  part  been  adduced  before ;  but  that  every 
one  may  be  made  certain  that  there  is  no  other  imputation, 
some  passages  from  the  Word  shall  be  presented  here  also 
as  follows  :  The  Son  of  Man  shall  come,  and  then  He  shall 
reward  every  one  according  to  his  deeds  (Matt.  xvi..  27).  They 
shall  come  forth,  they  that  have  done  good  unto  the  resurrec- 
tion of  life,  and  they  that  have  done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection 
of  damnation  (John  v.  29).  A  book  was  opened,  which  is 
the  book  of  life,  a?id  they  were  judged  every  man  according  to 
their  works  (Apoc.  xx.  12,  13).  Behold,  I  come  quickly  and 
My  reward  is  with  Me,  to  give  every  man  according  to  his  work 
(Apoc.  xxii.  12).  /  will  visit  according  to  his  ways,  and  I 
will  reward  him  his  works  (Hos.  iv.  9  ;  Zech.  1,6;  Jer. 
xxv.  14;  xxxii.  19).  In  the  day  of  wrath  and  of  His 
righteous  judgment,  God  will  render  to  every  man  according 
to  his  deeds  (Rom.  ii.  5,  6).  We  must  all  appear  before  the 
judg7nent-seat  of  Christ,  that  every  one  may  receive  the  things 
done  in  his  body,  according  to  that  he  hath  done,  whether  it  be 
good  or  bad  (2  Cor.  v.  10).  There  was  no  other  law  of 
imputation  in  the  beginning  of  the  church,  nor  will  there 
be  any  other  at  its  end.  That  there  was  no  other  at  the 
beginning  of  the  church,  is  manifest  from  the  case  of  Adam 
and  his  wife,  that  they  were  condemned  because  they  did 
evil  in  eating  from  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and 
evil  (Gen.  ii.  iii.) ;  and  that  there  will  be  no  other  at  the 
end  of  the  church,  is  manifest  from  these  words  of  the 
Lord :  When  the  Son  of  Man  shall  come  in  the  glory  of  His 


No.  644.] 


IMPUTATION. 


Father,  the?i  shall  He  sit  upon  the  throne  of  His  glory  ;  and 
He  shall  say  to  the  sheep  on  His  right  hand,  Come  ye  blessed, 
inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of 
the  world  ;  for  I  was  a-hungered  and  ye  gave  Me  meat ;  I  was 
thirsty  a?id  ye  gave  Me  drink  ;  I  was  a  stranger  and  ye  took 
Me  in  ;  naked  a?id  ye  clothed  Me;  I  was  sick  and  ye  visited 
Me;  I  was  in  prison  and  ye  came  unto  Me.  But  to  the 
goats  on  His  left,  because  they  had  not  done  good,  He 
said,  Depart  froin  Me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  pre- 
pared for  the  devil  and  his  angels  (Matt.  xxv.  3 1-41).  From 
these  passages  any  one  with  his  eyes  open  may  see  that 
there  is  an  imputation  of  good  and  evil.  There  is  an  im- 
putation of  faith  also,  because  charity  which  is  of  good  and 
faith  which  is  of  truth  are  together  in  good  works ;  and 
that  unless  they  are  together  the  works  are  not  good,  may 
be  seen  above  (n.  373-377).  Therefore  James  says  :  Was 
not  Abraham  our  father  justified  by  works,  when  he  offa-ed 
his  son  upon  the  altar  1  Seest  thou  how  faith  wrought  with 
the  works,  and  from  works  was  faith  known  as  perfect  1 
And  the  Scripture  was  fulfilled  which  saith,  Abraham  be- 
lieved God,  and  it  was  imputed  imto  him  for  righteousness 
(Epistle,  ii.  21-23). 

644.  The  reason  why  the  prelates  of  the  Christian 
churches,  and  hence  their  subordinates,  by  imputation  in  the 
Word  have  understood  the  imputation  of  faith  on  which  the 
righteousness  and  merit  of  Christ  have  been  inscribed,  and 
thus  ascribed  to  man,  is,  that  for  fourteen  centuries,  that  is 
since  the  time  of  the  Nicene  Council,  they  have  not  wished 
to  know  of  any  other  faith.  Wherefore  this  alone  has  had 
its  seat  in  their  memory  and  consequently  in  their  minds, 
as  if  organized  there  ;  and  from  that  time  this  has  supplied 
a  light,  like  that  of  a  fire  in  the  night  time,  from  which  the 
faith  has  been  seen  as  if  it  were  true  theology  itself,  on 
which  all  other  things  are  dependent  in  a  linked  series, 
and  these  would  fall  asunder  if  that  head  or  pillar  were 
removed.    Wherefore  if  they  were  to  think  of  any  other 


862         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XI. 

than  this  imputative  faith  while  reading  the  Word,  that 
light  together  with  all  their  theology  would  be  extinguished, 
and  a  darkness  would  arise  from  which  the  whole  Christian 
church  would  vanish.  It  has  therefore  been  left  to  them 
like  the  stump  of  roots  i?i  the  earth,  the  tree  being  hewn  down 
and  destroyed,  left  until  seven  times  pass  over  (Dan.  iv.  23). 
Who  among  the  confirmed  leaders  of  the  church  at  this  day 
does  not,  when  that  faith  is  attacked,  close  his  ears  as  with 
cotton  so  as  to  hear  nothing  against  it  ?  But,  my  reader, 
open  your  ears,  and  read  the  Word,  and  you  will  have  a 
clear  perception  of  a  faith  and  an  imputation  other  than 
those  of  which  you  have  hitherto  persuaded  yourself. 

645.  It  is  wonderful,  that  although  the  Word  from  be- 
ginning to  end  is  full  of  testimonies  and  proofs  that  to 
every  man  is  imputed  his  own  good  or  evil,  still  the  dog- 
matical teachers  of  the  Christian  religion  have  so  closed 
their  ears  as  if  with  wax,  and  have  so  besmeared  their  eyes 
as  if  with  eye-salve,  that  they  have  not  heard  or  seen,  and 
do  not  now  hear  or  see,  any  imputation  but  that  of  their 
own  above-named  faith.  And  yet  this  faith  may  be  justly 
compared  to  the  disease  of  the  eye  called  gutta  serena 
(indeed  this  faith  deserves  to  be  so  named),  which  is  an 
absolute  blindness  of  the  eye,  arising  from  an  obstruction 
of  the  optic  nerve,  while  yet  the  eye  appears  as  if  its  sight 
were  perfect.  So  also  those  who  are  in  that  faith  walk  as 
if  with  open  eyes,  and  seem  to  others  to  see  all  things, 
when  yet  they  see  nothing ;  since  the  man  knows  nothing 
about  this  faith  while  it  is  entering  him,  for  he  is  then  like 
a  stock  ;  neither  does  he  know  afterward  whether  it  is  in 
him,  nor  does  he  know  whether  there  is  any  thing  in  it. 
And  afterward  they  see,  and  this  too  as  with  clear  eyes, 
this  faith  in  travail  and  bringing  forth  the  noble  offspring 
of  justification,  that  is  to  say  forgiveness  of  sins,  vivification, 
renewal,  regeneration,  and  sanctification ;  when  yet  they 
have  not  seen  and  they  cannot  see  a  sign  of  any  one  of 
them. 


No.  646.] 


IMPUTATION. 


863 


646.  That  the  good  which  is  charity,  and  the  evil  which 
is  iniquity,  are  imputed  after  death,  has  been  proved  to  me 
by  all  my  experience  in  relation  to  the  lot  of  those  who  pass 
from  this  to  the  other  world.  After  he  has  waited  there  for 
some  days,  every  one  is  examined  to  ascertain  his  quality, 
thus  what  he  was  in  respect  to  religion  in  the  former  world  ; 
when  this  has  been  done,  the  examiners  carry  back  their 
report  to  heaven,  and  then  he  is  transferred  to  those  who 
are  like  him,  and  thus  to  his  own  ;  imputation  is  thus  made. 
That  there  is  an  imputation  of  good  to  all  who  are  in  heaven, 
and  of  evil  to  all  who  are  in  hell,  was  made  manifest  to  me 
from  the  arrangement  of  both  by  the  Lord.  All  heaven  is 
arranged  in  societies  according  to  all  the  varieties  of  the 
love  of  good,  and  all  hell  according  to  all  the  varieties  of 
the  love  of  evil.  The  church  on  earth  is  arranged  by  the 
Lord  in  like  manner,  for  it  corresponds  to  heaven  ;  its 
religion  is  the  good.  Moreover  ask  any  one  you  please 
who  is  endowed  with  religion  and  at  the  same  time  with 
reason,  whether  from  this  or  from  one  of  the  other  two 
divisions  of  the  globe,  who  he  believes  will  go  to  heaven 
and  who  to  hell,  and  the  unanimous  answer  will  be,  that 
they  who  do  good  will  go  to  heaven,  and  they  who  do  evil 
to  hell.  Furthermore,  who  does  not  know  that  ever}-  true 
man  loves  a  man,  a  company  of  many  men,  a  state,  and  a 
kingdom,  from  their  good  ?  yes,  not  only  men,  but  also 
beasts,  and  even  inanimate  things,  such  as  houses,  posses- 
sions, fields,  gardens,  trees,  forests,  lands,  metals  even,  and 
stones,  for  their  goodness  and  use ;  good  and  use  are  one. 
Why  should  not  the  Lord  love  man  and  the  church  from 
good  ? 


864         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  XI. 


VII.  The  Faith  and  Imputation  of  the  New  Church 
can  by  no  means  be  together  with  the  faith 
and  Imputation  of  the  former  Church;  and 
if  they  are  together,  such  collision  and  con- 
flict result,  that  every  thing  of  the  church 
with  Man  perishes. 

« 

647.  The  faith  and  imputation  of  the  New  Church  can- 
not be  together  with  the  faith  and  imputation  of  the  former 
church,  or  that  which  still  remains,  because  they  do  not 
agree  in  a  third  or  even  a  tenth  part.  For  the  faith  of  the 
former  church  teaches  that  three  Divine  persons  have  ex- 
isted from  eternity,  each  of  them  singly  or  by  Himself  being 
God,  and  so  many  Creators  also :  but  the  faith  of  the  New 
Church  is,  that  there  has  been  but  one  Divine  Person,  thus 
one  God,  from  eternity,  and  that  there  is  no  other  God 
beside  Him.  Thus  the  faith  of  the  former  church  has 
taught  a  Divine  Trinity  divided  into  three  persons,  while 
that  of  the  New  Church  teaches  a  Divine  Trinity  united  in 
one  Person.  The  faith  of  the  former  church  has  been  in 
an  invisible  God,  inaccessible,  and  with  whom  there  could 
be  no  conjunction,  and  concerning  whom  the  idea  has  been 
like  that  of  spirit,  which  is  like  that  of  ether  or  wind :  but 
the  faith  of  the  New  Church  is  in  a  visible  God,  accessible, 
and  with  Whom  there  can  be  conjunction,  in  Whom,  as  the 
soul  in  the  body,  is  the  invisible  God,  inaccessible,  and  with 
Whom  there  cannot  be  conjunction ;  the  idea  of  Whom  is 
that  of  a  Man,  because  the  one  God  Who  was  from  eternity 
became  Man  in  time.  The  faith  of  the  former  church  at- 
tributes all  power  to  the  invisible  God,  and  denies  it  to  the 
visible ;  for  it  teaches  that  God  the  Father  imputes  faith, 
and  through  it  bestows  eternal  life ;  and  that  the  visible 
God  intercedes  only  j  and  that  both  give  (or,  according  to 
the  Greek  church,  God  the  Father  gives)  to  the  Holy  Spirit, 
Who  is  by  Himself  the  third  God  in  order,  all  power  to 


No.  64S.] 


IMPUTATION. 


865 


work  out  the  effects  of  that  faith :  but  the  faith  of  the  New 
Church  attributes  to  the  visible  God  in  Whom  is  the  invisi- 
ble all  power  to  impute,  and  also  to  work  out  the  effects  of 
salvation  [sal us].  The  faith  of  the  former  church  is  in  God 
the  Creator  primarily,  and  not  at  the  same  time  in  Him  as 
Redeemer  and  Saviour :  while  the  faith  of  the  New  Church 
is  in  one  God  Who  is  at  once  Creator,  Redeemer,  and 
Saviour.  The  faith  of  the  former  church  is,  that  repent- 
ance, remission  of  sins,  renewal,  regeneration,  sanctifica- 
tion,  and  salvation,  of  themselves  follow  the  faith  that  is 
given  and  imputed,  without  any  thing  of  man's  being  com- 
mingled or  conjoined  with  them  :  but  the  faith  of  the  New 
Church  teaches  repentance,  reformation,  regeneration,  and 
thus  remission  of  sins,  with  man's  co-operation.  The  faith 
of  the  former  church  teaches  the  imputation  of  Christ's 
merit,  and  that  the  imputation  is  embraced  in  the  faith 
that  is  given  :  but  the  faith  of  the  New  Church  teaches  the 
imputation  of  good  and  evil,  and  at  the  same  time  of  faith, 
and  that  this  imputation  is  according  to  the  Sacred  Script- 
ure, while  the  other  is  contrary  to  it.  The  former  church 
teaches  that  faith  in  which  is  the  merit  of  Christ  is  bestowed 
while  man  is  like  a  stock  and  a  stone ;  and  it  also  teaches 
man's  utter  impotence  in  spiritual  things :  but  the  New 
Church  teaches  a  wholly  different  faith,  which  is  not  a  faith 
in  the  merit  of  Christ,  but  in  Jesus  Christ  Himself,  God, 
Redeemer,  and  Saviour,  and  free-will  on  man's  part  both 
to  apply  himself  for  reception  and  for  co-operating.'  The 
former  church  adjoins  charity  as  an  appendage  to  its  faith, 
but  not  as  saving,  and  so  it  makes  religion :  the  New 
Church,  however,  conjoins  faith  in  the  Lord  and  charity 
toward  the  neighbor  as  two  inseparable  things,  and  so  it 
makes  religion.    They  disagree  in  many  other  things. 

648.  From  this  brief  review  of  the  points  of  discordance 
or  disagreement  between  them,  it  is  manifest  that  the  faith 
and  imputation  of  the  New  Church  cannot  by  any  means 
be  together  with  the  faith  and  imputation  of  the  former 
vol.  in.  1 


866         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XI 


church,  or  that  which  still  remains ;  and  because  there  is 
such  a  discord  and  disagreement  between  the  faith  and 
imputation  of  one  church  and  those  of  the  other,  they  are 
totally  heterogeneous ;  wherefore  if  they  were  together  in 
a  man's  mind,  there  would  result  such  collision  and  con- 
flict that  every  thing  of  the  church  would  perish,  and  in 
spiritual  things  the  man  would  fall  into  a  delirium  or  intc  a 
swoon,  so  that  he  would  not  know  what  the  church  is,  or 
whether  there  is  a  church.  The  faith  of  the  former  church, 
because  it  excludes  all  the  light  coming  from  reason,  may 
be  likened  to  an  owl ;  while  the  faith  of  the  New  Church 
may  be  likened  to  a  dove  which  flies  by  day  and  sees  by 
the  light  of  heaven.  Their  conjunction  in  one  mind  would 
therefore  be  like  the  meeting  of  the  owl  and  the  dove  in 
the  same  nest,  where  the  owl  would  lay  her  eggs  and  the 
dove  hers,  and  after  incubation  the  young  birds  would  be 
hatched,  and  then  the  owl  would  tear  the  young  of  the  dove 
to  pieces  and  give  them  for  food  to  her  own  young;  for  the 
owl  is  a  voracious  bird.  As  the  faith  of  the  former  church 
is  described  in  the  Apocalypse  (ch.  xii.)  by  a  dragon,  and 
that  of  the  New  Church  by  a  woman  encompassed  by  the 
sun,  upon  whose  head  was  a  crown  of  twelve  stars,  it  may 
be  inferred  from  the  comparison  what  the  state  of  a  man's 
mind  would  be  if  the  two  were  together  in  one  abode ; 
namely,  that  the  dragon  would  stand  near  the  woman  when 
she  was  about  to  bring  forth,  with  a  mind  \animus\  to  devour 
her  offspring;  and  that  after  she  fled  into  the  wilderness 
he  would  follow  her,  and  would  cast  out  water  like  a  flood 
upon  her,  that  she  might  be  swallowed  up. 

649.  The  result  would  be  similar  if  any  one  were  to 
embrace  the  faith  of  the  New  Church,  and  retain  that  of 
the  former  church  respecting  the  imputation  of  the  Lord's 
merit  and  righteousness ;  for  from  this  as  a  root  have  sprung 
up  all  the  dogmas  of  the  former  church  as  offshoots.  If 
this  were  to  take  place,  it  would  be  comparatively  as  if  one 
should  free  himself  from  five  of  the  dragon's  horns,  and  let 


No.  650.] 


IMPUTATION. 


867 


himself  be  caught  by  the  other  five ;  or  as  if  one  should 
escape  from  a  wolf  and  fall  upon  a  tiger :  or  as  if  one,  on 
coming  out  of  a  pit  with  no  water  in  it,  should  fall  into  one 
with  water,  where  he  would  be  drowned.  For  in  such  a 
case  the  man  would  easily  return  into  all  things  of  the 
former  faith,  and  what  these  are  has  been  shown  above  : 
and  then  he  would  come  into  the  damnable  [falsity]  that 
he  imputed  and  applied  to  himself  the  Divine  things  of  the 
Lord  themselves,  which  are  redemption  and  righteousness, 
and  which  may  be  adored  but  not  applied.  For  if  a  man 
were  to  impute  and  apply  those  to  himself,  he  would  be 
consumed  as  if  he  were  cast  into  the  naked  sun  j  but  he 
sees  and  he  lives  with  the  body  from  the  light  and  the  heat 
of  this  sun.  That  the  Lord's  merit  is  redemption,  and  that 
His  redemption  and  His  righteousness  are  the  Divine  things 
which  cannot  be  conjoined  with  man,  was  shown  above. 
Let  every  one  beware,  therefore,  of  the  transcription  of  the 
imputation  of  the  former  church  upon  that  of  the  new,  inas- 
much as  baneful  results,  which  would  be  obstacles  to  his 
salvation,  would  arise  from  it. 


VIII.  The  Lord  imputes  Good  to  every  Man,  and 
Hell  imputes  Evil. 

650.  That  the  Lord  imputes  good  to  man  and  not  any 
evil,  and  that  the  devil  (by  whom  is  meant  hell)  imputes 
evil  to  man  and  not  any  good,  is  new  in  the  church ;  it  is 
new  because  it  is  frequently  read  in  the  Word  that  God  is 
angry,  takes  vengeance,  hates,  damns,  punishes,  casts  into 
hell,  and  tempts  ;  all  of  which  are  of  evil  and  hence  are  evils. 
But  that  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  is  composed  of 
such  things  as  are  called  appearances  and  correspondences, 
in  order  that  there  may  be  a  conjunction  of  the  external 
church  with  the  internal,  thus  of  the  world  with  heaven, 
has  been  shown  in  the  chapter  concerning  the  Sacred 
Scripture  j  and  it  is  there  shown  also  that  when  sucb 


868         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XI. 

things  in  the  Word  are  read,  the  appearances  of  truth  while 
they  pass  from  man  to  heaven  are  themselves  turned  into 
genuine  truths,  which  are,  that  the  Lord  is  never  angry, 
never  takes  vengeance,  hates,  damns,  punishes,  casts  into 
hell,  or  tempts,  consequently  does  evil  to  no  man.  I 
have  often  observed  this  transmutation  and  turning  in  the 
spiritual  world. 

651.  Reason  itself  assents  to  this,  that  the  Lord  cannot 
do  evil  to  any  man,  consequently  cannot  impute  it  to  him, 
for  He  is  Love  itself,  Mercy  itself,  thus  Good  itself,  and 
these  are  of  His  Divine  Essence  ;  wherefore  to  attribute 
evil  or  any  thing  belonging  to  evil  to  the  Lord,  would  be 
contrary  to  His  Divine  Essence,  and  thus  a  contradiction, 
and  this  would  be  as  inexpressibly  wicked  as  to  conjoin 
the  Lord  and  the  devil  or  heaven  and  hell,  when  yet  there  is 
a  great  gulf  fixed  between  them,  so  that  they  who  wish  to  pass 
from  the  latter  .to  the  former  cannot,  nor  can  they  pass  from 
the  former  to  the  latter  (Luke  xvi.  26).  An  angel  of  heaven, 
even,  cannot  do  evil  to  any  one,  because  the  essence  of 
good  is  in  him  from  the  Lord ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  a 
spirit  of  hell  cannot  but  do  evil  to  another,  because  the 
nature  of  evil  is  in  him  from  the  devil.  The  essence  or 
nature  which  any  one  appropriated  to  himself  in  the  world 
cannot  be  changed  after  death.  Think,  I  pray,  what  the 
Lord  would  be  if  He  were  to  look  upon  the  wicked  from 
anger,  and  upon  the  good  from  mercy  (the  evil  numbering 
myriads  of  myriads,  and  the  good  likewise),  and  if  from 
grace  He  were  to  save  the  good,  and  damn  the  evil  from 
vengeance,  and  were  to  look  on  them  with  the  eye  so  dif- 
ferent, gentle  and  stern,  or  mild  and  severe.  What  would 
the  Lord  God  be  then  ?  Who  that  has  been  instructed  by 
preaching  in  the  temples,  does  not  know  that  all  good 
which  in  itself  is  good  is  from  God,  and  on  the  other  hand, 
that  all  evil  which  in  itself  is  evil  is  from  the  devil  ?  If 
any  man,  therefore,  were  to  receive  both  good  and  evil, 
good  from  the  Lord  and  evil  from  the  devil,  both  of  them 


No.  652.] 


IMPUTATION. 


869 


with  the  will,  would  he  not  become  neither  cold  nor  hot.,  but 
lukewar??i,  and  therefore  be  spewed  out,  according  to  the 
Lord's  words  in  the  Apocalypse  ?  (iii.  15,  16.) 

6*52.  That  the  Lord  imputes  good  to  every  man  and  evil 
to  none,  consequently  that  he  does  not  adjudge  any  one  to 
hell,  but  so  far  as  man  follows  raises  all  to  heaven,  is  evi- 
dent from  His  words  :  Jesus  said,  When  I  a?n  lifted  up  from 
th*.  earth,  I  will  draw  all  men  unto  Myself  (John  xii.  32.) 
God  sent  not  His  Son  ifito  the  world  to  judge  the  world,  but 
that  the  world  through  Him  might  be  saved.  He  that  believ- 
eth  on  Him  is  not  judged,  but  he  that  believeth  ?iot  is  judged 
already  (iii.  17,  18).  If  any  man  hath  heard  My  words  and 
yet  hath  not  believed,  I  judge  him  not ;  for  I  came  not  to  judge 
the  world,  but  to  save  the  world.  He  that  despiseth  Me  and 
receiveth  not  My  words,  hath  one  thatjudgeth  him  ;  the  Word 
that  I  have  spoken,  the  same  shall  judge  him  in  the  last  day 
(xii.  47,  48).  Jesus  said,  /  judge  no  man  (viii.  15).  By 
judgment  here  and  elsewhere  in  the  Word  is  meant  adjudg- 
ment to  hell,  which  is  damnation  ;  while  of  salvation  judg- 
ment is  not  predicated,  but  resurrection  to  life  (John  v.  24, 
20  ;  iii.  18).  By  the  Word  that  shall  judge,  is  meant  truth, 
and  the  truth  is  that  all  evil  is  from  hell,  and  thus  that  they 
are  one ;  wherefore  when  a  wicked  man  is  raised  by  the 
Lord  toward  heaven,  his  evil  draws  him  down,  and  because 
he  loves  evil  he  follows  of  his  own  accord.  It  is  also  a 
truth  in  the  Word  that  good  is  heaven  ;  wherefore  when  a 
good  man  is  raised  by  the  Lord  toward  heaven,  he  ascends 
as  of  his  own  accord,  and  is  introduced.  Such  are  said 
to  be  written  in  the  book  of  life  (Dan.  xii.  1  ;  Apoc.  xiii. 
8  ;  xvii.  8 ;  xxi.  27).  There  is  actually  a  sphere  elevating 
all  to  heaven,  that  proceeds  continually  from  the  Lord  and 
fills  the  whole  natural  world  and  the  whole  spiritual  world  ; 
it  is  like  a  strong  current  in  the  ocean,  which  draws  the 
ship  in  a  hidden  way.  All  those  who  believe  in  the  Lord 
and  live  according  to  His  precepts,  enter  that  sphere  or 
current  and  are  lifted  ;  but  they  who  do  not  believe  are 


870 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  XI. 


unwilling  to  enter,  but  remove  to  the  sides,  and  are  there 
carried  away  by  a  stream  that  sets  toward  hell. 

653.  Who  does  not  know  that  a  lamb  can  act  only  as  a 
lamb,  and  a  sheep  as  a  sheep?  and,  on  the  other  hand, 
that  a  wolf  can  act  only  as  a  wolf,  and  a  tiger  as  a  tiger  ? 
If  those  beasts  were  put  together,  would  not  the  wolf  de- 
vour the  lamb,  and  the  tiger  the  sheep  ?  Therefore  there 
are  shepherds  to  guard  them.  Who  does  not  know  that  a 
spring  of  sweet  water  cannot  from  its  vein  send  forth  bitter 
waters,  and  that  a  good  tree  cannot  yield  evil  fruit,  that  a 
vine  cannot  prick  like  a  thorn,  a  lily  cause  burning  like  a 
brier,  or  a  hyacinth  repel  with  its  sting  like  a  thistle  ?  or 
the  reverse.  Those  evil  plants  are  therefore  rooted  from 
fields,  vineyards,  and  gardens,  and  being  gathered  into 
heaps  are  cast  into  the  fire.  So  is  it  done  with  the  wicked 
flocking  into  the  spiritual  world,  according  to  the  Lord's 
words  (Matt.  xiii.  30  •  John  xv.  6).  The  Lord  also  said  to 
the  Jews,  O  generation  of  vipers,  how  can  ye  being  evil  speak 
good  things  '?  A  good  7nan  out  of  the  good  treasure  of  his 
heart  bringeth  forth  good  things  ;  and  an  evil  man  out  of  the 
evil  treasure  bri?igeth  forth  evil  things  (Matt.  xii.  34,  35). 

IX.  The  Faith  with  that  to  which  it  conjoins  itself, 

MAKES  THE  SENTENCE.  If  TRUE  FAITH  CONJOINS 
ITSELF  WITH  GOOD,  SENTENCE  IS  MADE  FOR  ETERNAL 

Life;  but  if  the  Faith  conjoins  itself  with 
Evil,  Sentence  is  made  for  eternal  Death. 

654.  The  works  of  charity  performed  by  a  Christian 
and  those  done  by  a  heathen,  in  outward  form  appear 
alike,  for  one  like  the  other  does  the  good  deeds  of  civility 
and  morality  toward  his  fellow,  which  are  in  part  similar 
to  those  of  love  toward  the  neighbor  ;  yes,  both  may  give 
to  the  poor,  aid  the  needy,  listen  to  the  preaching  in  tem- 
ples. But  who  can  thereby  decide  whether  or  not  those 
external  goods  are  alike  in  their  internal  form,  or  whether 


No.  655.I 


IMPUTATION. 


8/1 


the  natural  are  spiritual  also  ?  Concerning  this  there  can 
be  no  conclusion  except  from  the  faith,  for  faith  gives 
them  quality ;  for  it  causes  God  to  be  in  them,  and  con- 
joins them  with  itself  in  the  internal  man  ;  thereby  natural 
^ood  works  become  interiorly  spiritual.  That  this  is  so  may 
be  seen  more  fully  from  what  has  been  treated  of  in  the 
chapter  concerning  Faith,  where  the  following  points  are 
established  :  That  faith  is  not  living  before  it  is  conjoined 
with  charity  ;  That  charity  becomes  spiritual  from  faith,  and 
faith  from  charity  ;  That  faith  without  charity,  because  it  is 
not  spiritual,  is  not  faith ;  and  that  charity  witJiout  faith, 
because  it  is  not  living,  is  not  charity  ;  That  faith  and  charity 
apply  and  conjoin  themselves  to  each  other  mutually  and  inter- 
changeably ;  That  the  Lord,  charity,  and  faith  make  one  like 
life,  will,  and  understanding ;  but  if  they  are  divided,  each 
perishes  like  a  pea7'l  reduced  to  powder. 

65,5.  From  what  has  been  presented  it  may  be  seen  that 
faith  in  the  one  and  true  God  causes  good  to  be  good  in 
internal  form  also ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  that  faith  in  a 
false  god  causes  good  to  be  good  in  outward  form  only, 
which  is  not  good  in  itself ;  as  was  formerly  the  faith  of 
the  gentiles  in  Jove,  Juno,  and  Apollo  ;  of  the  Philistines 
in  Dagon,  of  others  in  Baal  and  Baal-peor,  and  of  Balaam 
the  magician  in  his  god,  and  of  the  Egyptians  in  others. 
It  is  wholly  different  with  faith  in  the  Lord,  Who  is  the 
true  God  and  eternal  Life,  according  to  John  (1  Epistle,  v. 
20),  and  in  Whom  dvvelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead 
bodily,  according  to  Paul  (Col.  ii.  9).  What  is  faith  in 
God  but  a  looking  to  Him,  and  hence  His  presence,  and 
at  the  same  time  confidence  that  He  gives  aid  ?  And  what 
is  true  faith  but  this,  and  at  the  same  time  a  confidence 
that  all  good  is  from  Him,  and  that  He  makes  His  good 
to  be  saving?  Wherefore  if  this  faith  conjoins  itself 
with  good,  sentence  is  made  for  eternal  life  ;  wholly  other- 
wise if  it  does  not  conjoin  itself  with  good,  and  especially 
ii  it  conjoins  itself  with  evil. 


872 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XL 


656.  Of  what  quality  the  conjunction  of  charity  and 
faith  is  with  those  who  believe  in  three  Gods  and  yet  say 
that  they  believe  in  one,  was  shown  above  ;  namely  that 
charity  conjoins  itself  with  faith  in  the  external  natural 
man  only.  This  is  because  the  mind  is  in  the  idea  of  three 
Gods,  and  the  mouth  makes  confession  of  one  ;  wherefore 
if  the  mind  at  that  moment  were  to  pour  itself  forth  into 
the  confession  of  the  lips,  it  would  prevent  the  announce- 
ment of  one  God,  but  would  open  the  lips  and  proclaim 
its  three  Gods. 

657.  That  evil  and  faith  in  the  one  and  true  God  cannot 
be  together,  any  one  may  see  from  reason  ;  for  evil  is 
against  God,  and  faith  is  for  Him  ;  and  evil  is  of  the  will, 
and  faith  is  of  the  thought,  and  the  will  flows  into  the 
understanding  and  makes  it  think,  not  the  understanding 
into  the  will ;  the  understanding  merely  teaches  what  is  to 
be  willed  and  done.  Wherefore  the  good  that  is  done  by 
a  man  who  has  evil  in  the  will,  is  in  itself  evil  j  it  is  like  a 
polished  bone,  the  marrow  of  which  is  rotten ;  it  is  like 
a  player  on  the  stage  who  personates  a  great  man  ;  it  is 
like  the  painted  face  of  a  worn-out  harlot  ;  it  is  like  a 
butterfly  that  flying  about  with  its  silver  wings  deposits 
its  little  eggs  on  the  leaves  of  a  good  tree,  whereby  all  its 
fruit  is  destroyed  ;  it  is  like  a  fragrant  smoke  from  a  poi- 
sonous herb  ;  yes,  it  is  like  a  moral  robber  and  a  pious 
sycophant.  Wherefore  his  good  which  in  itself  is  evil  is  in 
a  chamber  within,  while  his  faith,  walking  about  in  the 
vestibule  and  reasoning,  is  a  mere  chimera,  spectre,  and 
bubble.  From  this  is  manifest  the  truth  of  the  proposi- 
tion that  faith  makes  sentence  respecting  the  good  and  the 
eviJ  which  is  conjoined  with  it. 

X.  Thought  is  not  imputed  to  any  one,  but  Will. 

658.  Every  man  of  learning  knows  that  there  are  two 
faculties  or  parts  of  the  mind,  the  will  and  the  understand- 


No.  658.] 


IMPUTATION. 


873 


ing ;  but  few  know  how  to  distinguish  them  justly,  examine 
their  properties  separately,  and  afterward  to  conjoin  them. 
They  who  cannot  do  this,  can  form  for  themselves  only 
the  most  obscure  idea  respecting  the  mind  ■  wherefore 
unless  the  properties  of  each  by  itself  are  first  described, 
it  is  not  comprehended  that  thought  is  not  imputed  to  any 
one,  but  will.  The  properties  of  both  are  in  brief  the 
following:  1.  Love  itself  and  the  things  belonging  to  it 
reside  in  the  will ;  and  knowledge,  intelligence,  and  wis- 
dom, in  the  understanding ;  the  will  inspires  these  with  its 
love,  and  works  out  favor  and  assent ;  hence  it  is  that  the 
man  is  such  as  are  the  love  and  the  intelligence  therefrom. 
2.  From  this  it  also  follows  that  all  good,  and  likewise  all 
evil,  is  of  the  will ;  for  whatever  proceeds  from  love  is 
called  good,  even  if  it  be  evil ;  for  enjoyment,  which  makes 
the  life  of  love,  produces  this  ;  by  this  enjoyment  the  will 
enters  the  understanding  and  produces  consent.  3.  The 
will  is  therefore  the  esse  or  the  essence  of  man's  life ;  the 
understanding,  however,  is  the  existere  or  the  existence 
therefrom.  And  as  an  essence  is  nothing  unless  in  some 
form,  so  the  will  is  nothing  unless  in  the  understanding ; 
wherefore  the  will  forms  itself  in  the  understanding,  and 
so  goes  forth  into  the  light.  4.  Love  in  the  will  is  the  end, 
and  in  the  understanding  it  seeks  and  finds  causes,  by 
means  of  which  it  may  move  onward  to  the  effect.  And 
because  the  end  is  the  purpose  and  this  exercises  intention, 
purpose  is  also  of  the  will,  and  it  enters  the  understanding 
by  the  intention,  and  prompts  it  to  occupy  itself  with  and 
to  consider  means,  and  to  conclude  on  such  as  tend  to 
effects.  5.  All  man's  proprium  [own/wod']  is  in  the  will, 
and  this  is  evil  from  the  first  birth,  but  becomes  good  by 
the  second.  The  first  birth  is  from  parents,  but  the  second 
from  the  Lord.  From  these  few  statements  it  maybe  seen 
that  the  property  of  the  will  and  the  property  of  the  under- 
standing are  not  the  same,  and  that  from  creation  they  are 
conjoined  like  esse  and  existere;  consequently  that  man 


8/4 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XL 


is  man  primarily  from  the  will,  and  from  the  understanding 
secondarily.  Hence  it  is  that  will  is  imputed  to  man,  but 
not  thought ;  consequently,  evil  and  good,  because  these, 
as  before  said,  reside  ir  the  will  and  thence  in  the  thought 
of  the  understanding. 

659.  No  evil  that  a  man  thinks  of,  is  imputed  to  him, 
because  man  has  been  so  created  that  he  can  understand 
and  hence  think  good  or  evil,  good  from  the  Lord  and  evil 
from  hell ;  for  he  is  on  middle  ground,  and  from  free-will 
in  spiritual  things  he  has  the  faculty  of  choosing  one  or  the 
other.  This  free-will  has  been  treated  of  in  its  own  chap- 
ter. And  because  man  has  the  faculty  of  choosing  from 
freedom,  he  can  will  and  not  will ;  and  what  he  wishes  is 
received  by  the  will  and  is  appropriated,  while  what  he  does 
not  wish  is  not  received  and  so  is  not  appropriated.  All 
the  evils  to  which  man  inclines  by  birth  are  inscribed  on 
the  will  of  his  natural  man  ;  these  inflow  (so  far  as  the 
man  takes  from  them)  into  the  thoughts ;  in  like  manner 
goods  with  truths  flow  from  above  from  the  Lord  into  the 
thoughts  ;  and  there  they  are  balanced  like  weights  in  the 
scales  of  a  balance.  If  the  man  then  adopts  the  evils, 
they  are  received  by  the  old  will  and  add  themselves  to 
those  [therein] ;  but  if  he  adopts  the  goods  with  the  truths, 
a  new  will  is  formed  and  a  new  understanding  above  the 
old,  and  there  the  Lord  successively  implants  new  goods 
by  means  of  truths,  and  by  means  of  these  He  subjugates 
the  evils  which  are  below,  and  removes  them,  and  disposes 
all  things  in  order.  From  this  it  is  also  manifest  that 
thought  is  the  seat  of  purification  and  excretion  of  the 
evils  resident  in  man  from  his  parents  ;  wherefore  if  the 
evils  that  a  man  thinks  of,  were  imputed,  reformation  and 
regeneration  could  not  be  effected. 

660.  Since  good  is  of  the  will  and  truth  is  of  the  under- 
standing, and  many  things  in  the  world  correspond  to 
good,  such  as  fruit  and  use,  while  imputation  itself  cor- 
responds to  the  estimation  and  price,  it  follows  that  what 


No.  661.] 


IMPUTATION. 


875 


has  here  been  said  of  imputation  may  be  compared  \vi:h  all 
created  things ;  for  as  before  shown  in  various  places,  all 
things  in  the  universe  have  relation  to  good  and  truth,  and 
on  the  contrary  to  evil  and  falsity.  A  comparison  may 
therefore  be  made  with  the  church,  that  its  value  is  reck- 
oned from  charity  and  faith  and  not  from  the  rituals  which 
are  adjoined.  A  comparison  may  also  be  made  with  the 
minister  of  the  church,  that  his  worth  is  estimated  from 
his  will  and  love  and  at  the  same  time  from  his  under- 
standing in  spiritual  things,  and  not  from  his  affability  and 
dress.  There  is  also  comparison  with  worship  and  with 
the  temple  in  which  it  is  offered ;  worship  itself  takes 
place  in  the  will,  and  in  the  understanding  as  in  its  temple  ; 
and  this  temple  is  called  holy  not  from  itself  but  from  the 
Divine  that  is  there  taught.  And  there  is  also  comparison 
with  a  government  where  good  reigns  together  with  truth, 
which  government  is  beloved;  but  not  where  truth  reigns, 
and  not  good.  Who  judges  of  a  king  by  his  attendants, 
horses,  and  carriages,  and  not  by  the  royalty  which  they 
know  to  be  in  him  ?  The  royalty  belongs  to  the  love  and 
prudence  in  governing.  In  a  triumph  who  does  not  regard 
the  victor  and  from  him  the  pomp,  and  not  the  victor  from 
the  pomp  ?  consequently  the  formal  from  the  essential,  and 
not  the  reverse  ?  The  will  is  the  essential,  and  the  thought 
is  the  formal ;  and  no  one  can  impute  to  the  formal  any 
thing  but  what  it  draws  from  the  essential ;  thus  the  impu- 
tation is  to  the  latter,  not  to  the  former. 

661.  To  this  I  will  add  two  Relations.  First  :  In  the 
higher  northern  quarter  near  to  the  east  in  the  spiritual 
world,  there  are  places  of  instruction  for  boys,  for  youths,  for 
men,  and  also  for  old  men.  All  who  have  died  infants,  and 
who  are  being  brought  up  in  heaven,  are  sent  to  these  places ; 
SO,  too,  all  who  are  new  comers  from  the  world,  and  desire 
cognitions  concerning  heaven  and  hell.  That  tract  is  near 
the  east,  in  order  that  all  may  be  instructed  by  infljx  from 
the  Lord ;  for  the  Lord  is  the  East,  because  He  1.  in  the  bun 


8/6 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  XI. 


there,  which  from  Him  is  pure  Love  ;  therefore  the  heat 
from  that  Sun  in  its  essence  is  love,  and  the  light  from 
it  in  its  essence  is  wisdom.  These  are  inspired  into 
them  by  the  Lord  from  that  Sun,  and  are  inspired  ac- 
cording to  reception,  and  reception  is  according  to  the 
love  of  being  wise.  After  the  periods  of  instruction, 
they  who  have  become  intelligent  are  sent  out  thence, 
and  these  are  called  disciples  of  the  Lord.  They  are 
sent  out  thence  first  to  the  west,  and  those  who  do  not 
remain  there  to  the  south,  and  some  through  the  south  to 
the  east,  and  are  introduced  into  the  societies  where  their 
mansions  are  to  be.  Once,  when  meditating  upon  heaven 
and  hell,  I  began  to  desire  a  universal  cognition  of  the 
state  of  each,  knowing  that  he  who  knows  universals  can 
afterward  comprehend  the  particulars  severally,  because 
these  are  in  them  as  parts  are  in  the  whole.  With  this 
desire  I  looked  toward  that  tract  in  the  northern  quarter 
near  the  east,  where  the  places  of  instruction  were,  and 
by  a  way  then  opened  to  me  I  went  thither,  and  entered 
into  a  college  where  there  were  young  men.  And  there  I 
went  to  the  head  teachers  who  were  giving  instruction,  and 
asked  them  whether  they  knew  the  universals  concerning 
heaven  and  hell ;  and  they  replied  that  they  had  some 
little  knowledge  of  them;  "but,"  said  they,  "if  we  look 
toward  the  east  to  the  Lord,  we  shall  be  enlightened  and 
shall  know."  They  did  so,  and  said,  "The  universals  of 
hell  are  three  ;  but  these  are  diametrically  opposite  to  the 
universals  of  heaven.  The  universals  of  hell  are  these 
three  loves  :  the  love  of  ruling  from  the  love  of  self,  the 
love  of  possessing  others'  goods  from  the  love  of  the  world, 
and  scortatory  love.  The  universals  of  heaven  opposite 
to  those,  are  these  three  loves :  the  love  of  ruling  from  the 
love  of  use,  the  love  of  possessing  the  goods  of  the  world 
from  the  love  of  performing  uses  by  means  of  them,  and 
love  truly  conjugial."  When  this  had  been  said,  after 
wishing  them  peace,  I  left  them  and  returned  home.  When 


No.  661.] 


IMPUTATION. 


877 


I  was  at  home  it  was  said  to  me  out  of  heaven,  "  Survey 
those  three  universals,  above  and  below,  and  afterward  we 
shall  see  them  in  your  hand."  It  was  said  in  the  hand,  be- 
cause all  things  which  a  man  surveys  with  the  understand- 
ing appear  to  the  angels  as  if  written  upon  the  hands. 
Therefore  it  is  said  in  the  Apocalypse  that  they  received 
a  mark  on  the  forehead  and  in  the  hand  (xiii.  16 ;  xiv.  9  ; 
xx.  4). 

After  this  I  surveyed  the  first  universal  love  of  hell, 
which  was  the  love  of  ruling  from,  the  love  of  self,  and 
afterward  the  universal  love  of  heaven  corresponding  with 
it,  which  was  the  love  of  ruling  from  the  love  of  uses  ;  for 
I  was  not  allowed  to  survey  one  love  without  the  other, 
because  the  understanding  does  not  perceive  one  without 
the  other,  for  they  are  opposites  ;  therefore,  in  order  that 
there  may  be  a  perception  of  both,  they  must  be  placed  in 
contrast  one  against  the  other ;  for  a  beautiful  and  well- 
formed  face  is  brought  out  clearly  when  an  ugly  and  ill- 
formed  face  is  set  in  contrast.  When  I  was  considering 
the  love  of  ruling  from  the  love  of  self,  it  was  given  «me  to 
perceive  that  this  love  was  in  the  highest  degree  infernal, 
and  hence  was  with  those  who  are  in  the  deepest  hell ; 
and  that  the  love  of  ruling  from  the  love  of  uses  was  in 
the  highest  degree  heavenly,  and  hence  with  those  who 
are  in  the  highest  heaven.  The  love  of  ruling  from  the 
love  of  self  is  in  the  highest  degree  infernal,  because  to 
rule  from  the  love  of  self  is  to  rule  from  proprium  \owii- 
hood\  and  man's  proprium  is  by  birth  evil  itself,  and  evil 
itself  is  directly  contrary  to  the  Lord  ;  on  which  account, 
the  more  men  advance  into  that  evil  the  more  they  deny 
God  and  the  holy  things  of  the  church,  and  adore  them- 
selves and  nature  ;  let  those,  I  pray,  who  are  in  that  evil 
examine  it  in  themselves,  and  they  will  see.  This  love  is 
also  such  that  so  far  as  loose  rein  is  given  it,  which  is  done 
when  impossibility  does  not  stand  in  the  way,  it  rushes  on 
from  step  to  step,  and  even  to  the  highest  ;  neither  does 


878 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XI. 


it  stop  there,  but  if  a  higher  step  does  not  offer,  it  is  in 
pain  and  groans.  With  politicians  this  love  goes  higher 
and  higher,  even  so  that  they  wish  to  be  kings  and  em- 
perors, and  if  possible  to  rule  over  all  things  in  the  world 
and  be  called  kings  of  kings  and  emperors  of  emperors, 
while  among  ecclesiastics  the  same  love  goes  higher  and 
higher,  even  so  that  they  wish  to  be  gods,  and  so  far  as 
possible  to  rule  over  all  things  of  heaven  and  be  called 
gods  [of  gods].*  That  these  classes  do  not  in  heart  ac- 
knowledge any  God,  will  be  seen  in  what  follows.  But,  on 
the  other  hand,  they  who  wish  to  rule  from  the  love  of  uses 
do  not  wish  to  rule  from  themselves,  but  from  the  Lord, 
since  the  love  of  uses  is  from  the  Lord  and  is  the  Lord 
Himself.  Such  regard  dignities  only  as  means  to  perform 
uses,  which  they  place  far  above  dignities,  while  the  others 
place  dignities  far  above  uses. 

While  I  was  meditating  upon  these  things  it  was  said  to  me 
through  an  angel  from  the  Lord,  "  Now  you  shall  see,  and 
from  seeing  it  shall  be  proved  to  you,  of  what  quality  that 
infernal  love  is."  Then  the  earth  suddenly  opened  on  the 
left,  and  I  saw  a  devil  coming  up  out  of  hell,  having  on 
his  head  a  square  cap  pressed  down  over  his  forehead  even 
to  the  eyes,  a  face  covered  with  pustules  like  those  of  a 
burning  fever,  his  eyes  fierce,  the  breast  swelling  out  into 
a  rhomb  ;  from  his  mouth  he  belched  smoke  like  a  fur- 
nace, his  loins  were  all  on  fire,  instead  of  having  feet  the 
lower  extremities  were  bony  and  without  flesh ;  and  from 
his  body  there  exhaled  a  foul-smelling  and  unclean  heat 
I  was  terrified  at  the  sight  of  him,  and  cried  out  to  him, 
"  Do  not  come  here  ;  tell  me  where  you  are  from."  He 
answered  hoarsely,  "  I  am  from  the  lower  regions,  where  I 
live  in  a  society  of  two  hundred,  which  is  pre-eminent  over 
all  other  societies.    All  of  us  there  are  emperors  of  emper- 

*  The  words  within  brackets  are  supplied  from  "Conjugial  Love," 
n.  262.  The  corresponding  Latin,  deorum,  is  found  in  pencil  in  the 
margin  of  Swcdcnborg's  copy  of  this  work,  in  his  own  handwriting. 


No.  661.I 


IMPUTATION. 


8/9 


ors,  kings  of  kings,  dukes  of  dukes,  and  princes  of  princes ; 
there  is  no  one  there  who  is  merely  an  emperor,  king, 
duke,  or  prince  ;  we  there  sit  on  thrones  of  thrones,  and 
send  forth  mandates  into  all  the  world,  and  beyond."  I 
then  said  to  him,  "  Do  you  not  see  that  you  are  insane 
from  fantasy  about  pre-eminence  ?  "  And  he  replied,  "  How 
can  you  talk  so  ?  for  to  ourselves  we  wholly  seem  to  be 
such,  and  are  also  acknowledged  as  such  by  our  compan- 
ions." On  hearing  this,  I  did  not  wish  to  say  again, 
"  You  are  insane,"  because  he  was  so  from  fantasy ;  and  it 
was  given  me  to  know  that  that  devil,  when  he  lived  in  the 
world,  was  merely  the  steward  of  some  house ;  and  that 
then  he  was  so  lifted  up  in  spirit,  that  he  despised  the 
whole  human  race  in  comparison  with  himself,  and  in- 
dulged the  fantasy  that  he  was  more  worthy  than  a  king, 
or  an  emperor  even.  Owing  to  this  pride,  he  had  denied 
God,  and  had  accounted  all  the  holy  things  of  the  church 
as  of  no  concern  to  him,  but  as  something  for  the  stupid 
common  people.  At  length  I  asked  him,  "  How  long  do 
you  two  hundred  there  thus  glory  among  yourselves  ? "  He 
"said,  "  For  ever ;  but  those  among  us  who  torture  others 
for  denying  their  pre-eminence  sink  down ;  for  we  are 
allowed  to  glory,  but  not  to  bring  evil  upon  any  one." 
Again  I  asked,  "  Do  you  know  the  lot  of  those  who  sink 
down  ?  "  He  said,  "  They  sink  down  into  a  certain  prison, 
where  they  are  called  viler  than  the  vile,  or  the  vilest,  and 
where  they  labor."  I  then  said  to  this  devil,  "  Do  you 
take  heed,  then,  lest  you  sink  down  too." 

After  this  the  earth  again  opened,  but  at  the  right ;  and 
I  saw  another  devil  rising  out,  upon  whose  head  was  some- 
thing resembling  a  mitre,  with  a  coil  wound  round  it,  like 
that  of  a  snake,  the  head  of  which  stood  out  from  the 
crown  ;  his  face  was  leprous  from  the  forehead  to  the  chin, 
as  were  both  of  his  hands  also  ;  the  loins  were  bare,  and 
black  as  soot,  while  through  the  blackness  fire  like  that  of 
a  hearth  showed  itself  duskily;  and  the  lower  extremities 


88o         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XL 


were  like  two  vipers.  When  he  was  seen,  the  former 
devil  threw  himself  on  his  knees  and  worshipped  him.  I 
asked  him  why  he  did  so.  He  answered,  "  He  is  god  of 
heaven  and  earth,  and  has  all  power."  I  then  asked  the 
other,  "What  do  you  say  to  this  ?"  He  replied,  "What 
shall  1  say  ?  I  have  all  power  over  heaven  and  hell ;  the 
lot  of  all  souls  is  in  my  hand."  Again  I  asked,  "  How 
can  he  who  is  emperor  of  emperors  humble  himself  so? 
and  how  can  you  receive  his  worship  ?  "  His  answer  was, 
"  He  is  still  my  servant ;  what  is  an  emperor  in  the  sight 
of  God  ?  The  thunderbolt  of  excommunication  is  in  my 
right  hand."  And  then  I  said  to  him,  "How  can  you  be 
so  crazy  ?  In  the  world  you  were  only  an  ecclesiastic ; 
and  because  you  labored  under  the  fantasy  that  you  had 
the  keys,  and  thus  the  power  to  bind  and  to  loose,  you 
have  worked  up  your  spirit  to  such  a  height  of  madness 
that  you  now  believe  that  you  are  God  Himself."  Angry 
at  this,  he  swore  that  he  was  ;  and  that  the  Lord  had  no 
power  in  heaven  "  because  "  said  he,  "  He  has  transferred 
it  all  to  us  ;  we  need  but  to  command,  and  heaven  and  hel^ 
reverently  obey  \  if  we  send  any  one  to  hell,  the  devils  at 
once  receive  him  ;  as  do  the  angels  him  whom  we  send  to 
heaven."  I  asked  him  further,  "  How  many  are  you,  in 
your  society  ?  "  He  said,  "  Three  hundred  ;  and  all  of  us 
there  are  gods,  but  I  am  the  god  of  gods."  After  this 
the  earth  opened  beneath  the  feet  of  them  both,  and  they 
sunk  clown  deep  into  their  hells.  And  it  was  given  me  to  see 
that  beneath  their  hells  were  work-houses,  into  which  those 
would  fall  who  do  harm  to  others.  For  to  every  one  in  hell 
is  left  his  own  fantasy,  and  also  freedom  to  glory  in  it ;  but 
he  is  not  allowed  to  do  evil  to  another.  Such  they  are 
there,  because  man  is  then  in  his  spirit,  and  after  the  spirit 
is  separated  from  the  body  it  comes  into  full  liberty  to  act 
according  to  its  affections  and  the  thoughts  therefrom.  It 
was  afterward  given  me  to  look  into  their  hells  j  and  the 
hell  where  the  emperors  of  emperors  and  kings  of  kings 


Na  boi.j 


IMPUTATION. 


were,  was  full  of  all  uncleanness,  and  they  seemed  like 
wild  beasts  of  various  kinds,  with  fierce-looking  eyes  :  so 
too  in  the  other  hell,  where  the  gods  and  the  god  of  gods 
were;  and  in  this  there  appeared  direful  birds  of  night, 
called  ochitn  and  ijim,  flying  round  them.  So  did  the 
images  of  their  fantasy  appear  to  me.  It  was  manifest 
from  this,  of  what  quality  is  political  love  of  self,  and  of 
what  quality  is  ecclesiastical  love  of  self,  —  that  the  latter 
is  that  they  wish  to  be  gods,  but  the  former,  that  they  wish 
to  be  emperors ;  and  that  they  wish  for  this  and  long  for 
it,  so  far  as  loose  rein  is  given  to  those  loves. 

After  I  had  seen  these  sad  and  dreadful  things,  I  looked 
round  and  saw  two  angels  standing  not  far  from  me,  and 
conversing ;  one  was  clad  in  a  woollen  robe  brilliant  from 
a  flamy  purple  glow,  and  a  tunic  of  shining  linen  under  it ; 
the  other  in  similar  garments  of  a  scarlet  color,  with  a 
mitre,  on  the  right  side  of  which  were  set  some  sparkling 
stones.  I  went  toward  them,  and,  with  a  salutation  of 
peace,  I  reverently  asked,  "  Why  are  you  here  below  ?  " 
And  they  replied,  "We  have  come  down  hither  from 
heaven  at  the  Lord's  command,  to  speak  with  you  of  the 
blessed  lot  of  those  who  desire  to  rule  from  the  love  of 
uses.  We  are  worshippers  of  the  Lord  ;  I  am  the  prince 
of  a  society,  this  one  is  the  high  priest  there."  The  prince 
also  said  that  he  was  a  servant  of  his  society,  because  he 
served  it  by  performing  uses  ;  and  the  other  said  that  he 
was  a  minister  of  the  church  there,  because  in  serving 
them  he  ministered  holy  things  for  the  uses  of  their  souls  : 
also,  that  they  both  are  in  perpetual  joys  from  the  eternal 
happiness  which  is  in  them  from  the  Lord;  and  that  all 
things  in  that  society  are  splendid  and  magnificent, — 
splendid  from  gold  and  precious  stones,  and  magnificent 
from  palaces  and  paradises.  It  was  also  said,  "This  is 
because  our  love  of  ruling  is  not  from  the  love  of  self, 
but  from  the  love  of  uses ;  and  because  the  love  of  uses 
is  from  the  Lord,  all  good  uses  in  the  heavens  are  resplen- 


882         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XI. 

dent  and  refulgent ;  and  because  in  our  society  we  are-  all 
in  this  love,  there  the  atmosphere  appears  golden,  from 
the  light  there  which  has  its  derivation  from  the  flamy 
[element]  of  the  Sun,  and  this  corresponds  to  that  love." 
At  these  words  a  similar  sphere  appeared  also  to  me,  en- 
circling them,  and  there  was  a  sense  of  something  aromatic 
from  it,  as  I  also  told  them,  and  begged  them  to  add  some- 
thing more  to  what  they  had  said  about  the  love  of  use. 
And  they  continued  thus  :  "  The  dignities  in  which  we 
are,  we  indeed  sought,  but  only  for  the  end  that  we  might 
be  more  fully  able  to  perform  uses,  and  to  extend  them 
more  widely.  Honor  also  is  poured  upon  us,  and  we 
accept  it,  not  for  our  own  sake,  but  for  the  good  of  the 
society ;  for  our  brethren  and  companions  there,  who  are 
of  the  common  people,  hardly  know  but  that  the  honors  of 
our  dignities  are  in  us,  and  thus  that  the  uses  we  perform 
are  from  us.  But  we  are  sensible  that  it  is  otherwise  ;  we 
are  sensible  that  the  honors  of  the  dignities  are  outside  of 
ourselves,  and  are  like  garments  with  which  we  are  clothed  ; 
but  that  the  uses  which  we  fulfil  are  from  the  love  of  them 
that  is  within  us  from  the  Lord  ;  and  this  love  finds  its 
blessedness  from  communication  with  others  by  means  of 
the  uses.  And  we  know  by  experience  that,  so  far  as  we 
perform  uses  from  the  love  of  them,  that  love  increases, 
and  with  it  the  wisdom  from  which  communication  is 
effected  ;  but  that  so  far  as  we  hold  the  uses  in  ourselves 
and  do  not  communicate  them,  the  blessedness  perishes  ; 
and  then  use  becomes  like  food  retained  in  the  stomach, 
not  like  food  which  being  generally  diffused  nourishes  the 
body  and  its  parts,  but  like  that  which  remains  undigested 
and  causes  nausea.  In  a  word,  all  heaven  is  nothing  but 
a  containant  of  use,  from  firsts  to  lasts.  What  is  use  but 
actual  love  of  the  neighbor  ?  And  what  keeps  the  heavens 
together  but  this  love  ?  "  When  I  had  heard  this  I  asked, 
"  How  can  any  one  know  whether  he  does  uses  from  the 
love  of  self,  or  from  the  love  of  uses  ?    Every  man,  both 


No.  662  ] 


IMPUTATION. 


883 


good  and  bad,  performs  uses,  and  performs  them  from 
some  love.  Let  it  be  supposed  that  there  is  in  the  world 
a  society  composed  of  devils  only,  also  a  society  composed 
of  angels  only ;  and  I  think  that  the  devils  in  their  society, 
from  the  fire  of  the  love  of  self  and  from  the  splendor  of 
their  own  glory,  would  perform  as  many  uses  as  the  angels 
in  theirs.  Who  can  know,  therefore,  from  what  love  and 
from  what  origin  uses  are  ? "  To  this  the  two  angels  made 
answer :  "  Devils  perform  uses  for  the  sake  of  themselves 
and  of  fame,  that  they  may  be  exalted  to  honors,  or  may 
gain  wealth ;  but  angels  perform  uses  not  for  the  sake  of 
those  things,  but  for  the  sake  of  the  uses  from  love  of 
them.  Man  cannot  distinguish  these  uses  from  each  other, 
but  the  Lord  distinguishes  them.  Every  one  who  believes 
in  the  Lord  and  shuns  evils  as  sins,  performs  uses  from 
the  Lord ;  but  every  one  who  does  not  believe  in  the  Lord 
and  does  not  shun  evils  as  sins,  performs  uses  from  him- 
self and  for  his  own  sake.  This  is  the  distinction  between 
uses  performed  by  devils  and  those  performed  by  angels." 
After  this  had  been  said  the  two  angels  went  away,  and  in 
the  distance  they  seemed  to  be  carried  in  a  chariot  of  fire 
like  Elijah,  and  were  taken  up  into  their  heaven. 

662.  Second  Relation.  After  some  time  had  elapsed, 
I  entered  a  certain  grove,  and  there  walked  about,  medi- 
tating upon  those  who  are  in  the  lust,  and  hence  in  the 
fantasy,  of  possessing  the  things  which  are  of  the  world  ; 
and  then  I  saw  at  some  distance  from  me  two  angels  con- 
versing together,  and  looking  at  me  in  return.  I  therefore 
drew  nearer,  and  addressing  me  as  I  approached  they 
said,  "  We  perceive  in  ourselves  that  you  are  meditating 
on  what  we  are  talking  about,  or  that  we  are  talking  of 
what  you  are  meditating  upon,  which  is  owing  to  a  recip- 
rocal communication  of  affections."  I  therefore  asked  of 
what  they  were  talking;  and  they  said,  "Of  fantasy,  lust, 
and  intelligence  ;  and  just  now,  concerning  those  who  take 
delight  in  seeing  and  imagining  themselves  in  possession 


884         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XL 


of  all  the  things  of  the  world."  And  I  then  asked  them 
to  express  their  mind  respecting  the  three,  —  concerning 
lust,  fantasy,  and  intelligence.  And  beginning  their  dis- 
course, they  said  that  every  one  is  from  birth  interiorly  in 
lust,  but  from  education  exteriorly  in  intelligence  ;  and  that 
no  one  is  in  intelligence,  still  less  in  wisdom,  interiorly,  thus 
as  to  the  spirit,  except  from  the  Lord.  "  For,"  said  they, 
"  every  one  is  withheld  from  the  lust  of  evil,  and  kept  in  in- 
telligence, according  to  his  looking  to  the  Lord,  and  at  the 
same  time  according  to  conjunction  with  Him  ;  without  this, 
man  is  nothing  but  lust  j  but  still,  in  externals  or  as  to  the 
body  he  is  in  intelligence  from  education.  For  man  lusts 
after  honors  and  wealth,  or  eminence  and  opulence,  and 
these  two  he  does  not  reach  unless  he  appear  moral  and 
spiritual,  thus  intelligent  and  wise  ;  and  from  infancy  he 
learns  to  appear  so.  This  is  why  he  inverts  his  spirit  as 
soon  as  he  comes  among  men  or  into  company,  removing 
it  from  lust,  and  speaking  ajid  acting  from  the  becoming  and 
honorable  things  which  he  has  learned  from  infancy  and 
retains  in  the  memory  of  the  body  ;  and  he  is  especially  on 
his  guard,  that  nothing  from  the  madness  of  lust  in  which 
his  spirit  is  may  show  itself.  Hence  every  man  who  is  not 
interiorly  led  by  the  Lord,  is  a  pretender,  a  sycophant,  a 
hypocrite,  thus  appearing  as  a  man,  and  yet  not  a  man ; 
of  whom  it  may  be  said,  that  his  shell  or  body  is  wise,  but 
his  kernel  or  spirit  is  insane ;  also  that  his  external  is  hu- 
man, but  his  internal  ferine.  Such  persons  look  with  the 
occiput  upward  but  downward  with  the  forehead  ;  thus  they 
walk  as  if  overcome  with  heaviness,  the  head  hanging 
clown,  with  the  face  turned  toward  the  earth.  When  they 
put  off  the  body  and  become  spirits,  and  are  then  set  free, 
they  become  the  madnesses  of  their  lust.  For  they  who 
are  in  the  love  of  self  desire  to  rule  over  the  universe,  yes, 
to  enlarge  its  borders  that  they  may  extend  their  dominion 
thither ;  they  nowhere  see  an  end.  They  who  are  in  the 
love  of  the  world  desire  to  possess  all  things  belonging  to 


No.  662.] 


IMPUTATION. 


885 


it,  and  they  grieve  and  are  envious  if  any  treasures  are 
hidden  from  them,  laid  up  in  others'  stores.  Wherefore, 
lest  such  should  become  merely  lusts,  and  so  not  men,  it 
is  granted  them  in  the  spiritual  world  to  think  from  fear  of 
the  loss  of  reputation,  and  thus  of  honor  and  gain,  as  also 
from  fear  of  the  law  and  its  penalty  ;  and  it  is  also  granted 
them  to  apply  the  mind  to  some  study  or  work,  whereby 
they  are  kept  in  externals,  and  so  in  a  state  of  intelligence, 
however  delirious  and  insane  they  may  be  interiorly." 
After  this  I  asked  whether  all  those  who  are  in  lust  are 
also  in  its  fantasy.  They  answered  that  those  are  in  the 
fantasy  of  their  lust  who  think  interiorly  in  themselves, 
and  indulge  the  imagination  excessively  by  talking  to  them- 
selves 1  for  these  almost  separate  the  spirit  from  connec- 
tion with  the  body,  and  from  vision  they  inundate  the 
understanding,  and  foolishly  delight  themselves  as  if  from 
universal  possession.  Into  this  delirium  is  the  man  let 
after  death  who  has  abstracted  his  spirit  from  the  body, 
and  has  been  unwilling  to  recede  from  the  delight  of  the 
delirium,  by  taking  any  thought  from  religion  concerning 
evils  and  falsities,  and  still  less  concerning  the  unbridled 
love  of  self  as  being  destructive  of  love  to  the  Lord,  and 
the  unbridled  love  of  the  world  as  being  destructive  of  love 
toward  the  neighbor. 

After  this  there  came  over  the  two  angels,  and  myself 
also,  a  desire  to  see  those  who  from  the  love  of  the  world 
are  in  the  visionary  lust  or  the  fantasy  of  possessing  all 
wealth;  and  we  perceived  that  we  were  inspired  with  this 
desire  in  order  that  they  might  be  known.  Their  places  of 
abode  were  under  the  ground  on  which  we  stood,  but  above 
hell.  We  therefore  looked  at  each  other  and  said,  u  Let  us 
go."  And  an  opening  was  seen,  and  a  ladder  there ;  by 
this  we  descended,  and  we  were  told  that  they  must  be 
approached  from  the  east,  that  we  might  not  enter  the  mist 
of  their  fantasy,  and  have  the  understanding  beclouded,  and 
at  the  same  time  the  sight.    And  lo,  a  house  was  seen,  built 


836 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XI. 


of  reeds,  thus  full  of  chinks,  standing  in  the  mist,  which 
like  smoke  continually  poured  through  the  chinks  in  three 
of  the  walls.  We  entered,  and  there  were  seen  fifty  here 
and  fifty  there  sitting  on  benches,  and  being  turned  away 
from  the  east  and  the  south  they  were  looking  out  toward 
the  west  and  the  north.  Before  each  one  was  a  table,  and 
upon  the  table  were  purses  filled  full,  and  around  the  purses 
an  abundance  of  gold  coin.  And  we  asked,  "  Is  that  the 
wealth  of  all  in  the  world?"  They  said,  "  Not  of  all  in  the 
world,  but  of  all  in  the  kingdom."  Their  speech  had  a 
hissing  sound,  and  they  were  seen  to  have  round  faces 
having  a  ruddy  glow  like  a  cockle-shell,  and  the  pupil  of 
the  eye  as  it  were  flashed  in  a  field  of  green,  which  was 
from  the  light  of  fantasy.  We  stood  in  their  midst  and 
said,  "  You  believe  that  you  possess  all  the  wealth  of  the 
kingdom."  And  they  answered,  "We  do  possess  it." 
"  Which  of  you  ?  "  we  then  asked.  They  said,  "  Each  one 
of  us."  And  we  asked,  "  How  each  one  of  you  ?  You 
are  many."  They  said,  "  Each  one  of  us  knows,  4  All  his 
things  are  mine.'  It  is  not  lawful  for  any  one  to  think, 
still  less  to  say,  4  My  things  are  not  yours  j '  but  it  is  law- 
ful to  think  "and  say,  'Your  things  are  mine.'"  The  coin 
on  the  tables  appeared  as  of  pure  gold  even  in  our  sight ; 
but  when  we  let  in  light  from  the  east  they  were  granules 
of  gold,  which  by  their  common  united  fantasy  they  thus 
magnified.  They  said  that  every  one  who  comes  in  is 
obliged  to  bring  with  him  some  gold  which  they  cut  into 
little  pieces,  and  these  into  granules,  and  by  the  force  of 
fantasy  from  their  unanimity  they  enlarge  these  into  coins 
of  larger  form.  And  we  then  said,  "  Were  you  not  born 
men  of  reason  ?  Whence  has  this  visionary  folly  come 
upon  you  ?  "  They  said,  "  We  know  that  it  is  an  imaginary 
vanity,  but  because  it  gives  enjoyment  to  the  interiors  of 
our  minds,  we  enter  this  place  and  are  delighted  as  if  from 
the  possession  of  all  things ;  but  we  stay  here  a  few  hours 
only ;  when  these  have  passed  we  go  out,  and  as  often  as 


No.  663.] 


IMPUTATION. 


887 


we  do  so  a  sound  mind  comes  back  to  us  ;  but  still  our 
visionary  diversion  comes  upon  us  in  its  turn,  and  this 
causes  us  to  re-enter  and  to  go  out  again,  by  turns  ;  so  we 
are  alternately  wise  and  insane.  Besides,  we  know  that  a 
hard  lot  awaits  those  who  craftily  deprive  others  of  their 
goods."  We  asked,  "  What  lot  ?  "  They  replied,  "  They 
are  swallowed  up,  and  are  thrust  naked  into  some  infernal 
prison,  where  they  are  kept  at  work  for  clothing  and  food, 
and  afterward  for  a  few  bits  of  money,  which  they  collect, 
and  in  which  they  place  the  joy  of  their  hearts  j  but  if  they 
do  evil  to  their  companions,  they  must  give  up  a  part  of 
their  little  coins  as  a  fine." 

663.  Third  Relation.  I  was  once  in  the  midst  of 
angels  and  heard  their  discourse.  It  was  about  intelli-. 
-  gence  and  wisdom,  that  man  has  no  sense  or  perception 
but  that  both  are  in  himself,  and  so  that  whatever  he  wills 
and  thinks  is  from  himself,  when  yet  no  part  of  them  what- 
ever is  from  man,  except  the  faculty  of  receiving  them. 
Among  many  other  things  that  they  said  was  also  this : 
that  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  in  the 
garden  of  Eden  signified  the  belief  that  intelligence  and 
wisdom  were  from  man,  and  that  the  tree  of  life  signified 
that  intelligence  and  wisdom  were  from  God ;  and  because 
Adam  by  the  persuasion  of  the  serpent  ate  of  the  former 
tree,  thus  believing  that  he  was  or  was  becoming  like  God, 
he  was  therefore  driven  out  of  the  garden  and  condemned. 
While  the  angels  were  engaged  in  this  discourse,  there  came 
two  priests,  together  with- a  man  who  in  the  world  had  been 
the  ambassador  of  a  kingdom,  and  I  related  to  them  what 
I  had  heard  from  the  angels  concerning  intelligence  and 
wisdom  ;  hearing  which,  the  three  began  to  dispute  about 
them  both,  and  also  about  prudence,  whether  they  are  from 
God  or  from  man.  The  dispute  was  warm.  The  three 
believed  alike,  that  they  are  from  man,  because  sensation 
itself  and  hence  perception  prove  it ;  but  the  priests,  who 
were  then  in  their  theological  zeal,  insisted  that  nothing  of 


888 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XI. 


intelligence  and  wisdom,  and  so  nothing  of  prudence,  is 
from  man,  and  they  confirmed  this  by  the  following  from 
the  Word :  A  man  can  receive  nothing  except  it  be  given  him 
from  heaven  (John  iii.  27) ;  and  from  what  Jesus  said  to  the 
disciples,  Without  Me  ye  can  do  nothing  (xv.  5).  But  then, 
because  the  angels  perceived  that  although  the  priests  spoke 
in  this  way,  still  in  heart  they  believed  the  same  as  the  am- 
bassador, they  said  to  them,  "  Lay  aside  your  vestments,  and 
put  on  the  garments  of  ministers  of  state,  and  believe  your- 
selves to  be  such."  And  they  did  so  ;  and  then  they  thought 
from  the  interior  self,  and  they  spoke  from  those  arguments 
that  they  cherished  inwardly,  which  were,  that  all  intelli- 
gence and  wisdom  dwell  in  the  man,  and  are  his ;  for  they 
.  said,  "  Who  has  ever  felt  that  they  flowed-in  from  God  ? " 
And  they  looked  at  one  another,  and  confirmed  themse'ves 
in  this.  It  is  a  peculiarity  of  the  spiritual  world  that  a  spirit 
thinks  himself  to  be  such  as  his  dress  is  ;  this  is  because  the 
understanding  clothes  everyone  there.  At  that  moment 
there  appeared  near  them  a  tree,  and  they  were  told,  "  That 
is  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil ;  be  careful 
not  to  eat  of  it."  But  still,  infatuated  with  their  own  intel- 
ligence, they  burned  with  the  desire  to  eat  of  it,  and  said 
one  to  another,  "  Why  not  ?  Is  it  not  good  fruit  ? "  And 
they  drew  near  and  ate  of  it.  When  the  ambassador  ob- 
served this,  they  came  together  and  became  cordial  friends; 
and  holding  each  other  by  the  hand,  together  they  went  the 
way  of  their  own  intelligence  which  tended  to  hell.  But 
still  I  saw  them  conducted  back,  because  as  yet  they  were 
not  prepared. 

664.  Fourth  Relation.  Once  I  looked  into  the  spirit- 
ual world,  toward  the  right,  and  observed  some  of  the  elect 
conversing  together.  I  approached  them  and  said,  "  I  saw 
you  at  a  distance,  and  round  about  you  a  sphere  of  heavenly 
light,  from  which  I  recognized  you  to  be  of  those  who  in  the 
Word  are  called  the  elect.  I  therefore  drew  near  in  order 
to  hear  on  what  heavenly  theme  you  are  conversing."  They 


No.  665.] 


IMPUTATION. 


889 


replied,  "  Why  do  you  call  us  the  elect  ?  "  I  answered, 
"  Because  in  the  world,  where  I  am  in  body,  they  do  not 
know  but  that  the  elect  in  the  Word  mean  those  elected 
and  predestined  to  heaven  by  God,  either  before  they  were 
born  or  after  their  birth,  and  that  faith,  as  a  token  of  elec- 
tion, is  given  to  them  alone  j  that  the  rest  are  held  as  rep- 
robates, and  are  left  to  themselves  so  that  they  may  go  to 
hell  by  any  way  they  please  ;  when  yet  I  know  that  no  elec- 
tion is  made  either  before  or  after  birth,  but  that  all  are 
elected  and  predestined  to  heaven,  because  all  are  called ; 
also  that  the  Lord  after  their  death  elects  those  who  have 
lived  well  and  believed  aright,  and  this  after  they  have  been 
examined.  That  it  is  so,  it  has  been  given  me  to  know  by 
much  experience.  And  because  I  saw  your  heads  encircled 
with  a  sphere  of  heavenly  light,  I  have  perceived  that  you 
are  of  the  elect  who  are  preparing  for  heaven."  To  this 
they  replied :  "You  relate  things  never  heard  before.  Who 
does  not  know  that  there  is  no  man  born  who  is  not  called 
to  heaven,  and  that  from  those  [who  are  called]  they  are 
chosen  who  have  believed  in  the  Lord  and  lived  according 
to  His  precepts ;  and  that  to  acknowledge  any  other  elec- 
tion is  to  accuse  the  Lord  Himself  not  merely  of  being 
impotent  to  save  but  also  of  injustice?" 

665.  After  this  a  voice  was  heard  out  of  heaven  from 
the  angels  who  were  directly  above  us,  saying,  "  Come  up 
hither,  and  we  will  ask  the  one  of  you  who  is  still  in  the 
natural  world  in  body,  what  they  know  there  about  Con- 
science." And  we  went  up  ;  and  after  we  had  entered, 
some  wise  men  came  to  meet  us  and  asked  me,  "  What  do 
they  know  in  your  world  about  Conscience  ?  "  And  I 
replied,  "  Let  us  descend,  if  you  please,  and  call  together, 
both  from  the  laity  and  from  the  clergy,  a  number  of  those 
who  are  believed  to  be  wise,  and  we  will  stand  in  a  direct 
line  beneath  you,  and  will  question  them  ;  and  so  you 
shall  hear  with  your  own  ears  what  they  will  answer." 
And  this  was  so  done.  And  one  of  the  elect  took  a  trum- 
vol.  in.  3 


890         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XI. 

pet,  and  sounded  it  toward  the  south,  north,  east,  and 
west ;  and  then  after  the  space  of  a  short  hour  so  many 
were  present  that  they  almost  filled  a  square  furlong.  But 
angels  from  above  disposed  them  all  into  four  companies, 
one  consisting  of  those  engaged  in  political  matters,  an- 
other of  scholars,  a  third  of  physicians,  and  a  fourth  of 
clergymen.  When  thus  arranged  we  said  to  them,  "  Pardon 
us  for  calling  you  together ;  we  have  called  you  because 
the  angels  who  are  directly  above  us  ardently  desire  to 
know  what  you  thought,  in  the  world  in  which  you  were 
formerly,  about  conscience,  and  thus  what  you  still  think 
about  it,  as  you  yet  retain  your  former  ideas  on  such  sub- 
jects ;  for  it  has  been  reported  to  the  angels  that  cognition 
concerning  conscience  is  among  the  cognitions  that  in  the 
world  have  been  lost."  After  these  remarks  we  made  a 
beginning ;  and  first  we  turned  to  the  company  that  con- 
sisted of  those  engaged  in  political  matters  •  and  we  asked 
them  to  tell  us  from  the  heart,  if  they  pleased,  what  they 
had  thought,  and  thus  what  they  still  thought,  about  con- 
science. To  this  they  replied,  one  after  another.  The  sum 
of  their  answers  was,  that  they  know  only  that  conscience 
is  secum  scire  or  knowing  within  oneself,  thus  conscire  or 
being  conscious  of,  what  one  has  intended,  thought,  done, 
and  spoken.  But  we  said  to  them,  "We  did  not  ask  about 
the  etymology  of  the  word  conscience,  but  about  conscience." 
And  the  reply  was,  "  What  is  conscience  but  discomfort 
arising  from  an  apprehensive  fear  of  danger  to  one's  honor 
or  wealth,  and  also  to  reputation  on  account  of  them  ?  but 
that  discomfort  is  dispelled  by  feasts  and  cups  of  generous 
wine,  also  by  talk  about  the  sports  of  Venus  and  her 
boy."  To  this  we  said,  "  You  are  jesting ;  tell  us,  if  you 
please,  whether  any  of  you  has  had  some  sense  of  anxiety 
from  another  source?"  They  answered,  "What  other 
source  ?  Is  not  the  whole  world  like  a  stage  on  which 
every  man  acts  his  part,  just  like  comic  actors  on  theirs  ? 
We  play  our  game  and  gain  our  ends  with  every  person 


No.  665.] 


IMPUTATION. 


89I 


whatever  by  his  own  lust,  with  some  by  jests,  with  some 
by  flattery,  by  cunning,  by  pretended  friendship,  by  feigned 
sincerity,  and  by  various  political  arts  and  allurements. 
From  this  we  feel  no  mental  discomfort,  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, cheerfulness  and  gladness,  which  with  expanded 
chest  we  quietly  but  fully  breathe  forth.  We  have  heard, 
indeed,  from  some  of  our  craft,  that  an  anxiety  and  a 
sense  of  constriction  as  it  were  of  the  heart  and  chest 
have  at  times  come  over  them,  and  hence  a  sort  of  con- 
traction of  the  mind  ;  but  when  they  asked  the  apothecaries 
about  these  things,  they  were  informed  that  they  came  from 
a  hypochondriacal  humor  arising  from  undigested  sub- 
stances in  the  stomach  or  from  a  disordered  state  of  the 
spleen  ;  but  with  regard  to  some  of  these,  we  have  heard 
that  they  were  restored  to  their  former  cheerfulness  by 
means  of  medicines."  After  hearing  this,  we  turned  to 
the  company  composed  of  scholars,  among  whom  there 
were  also  several  skilful  naturalists,  and  addressing  them 
we  said  :  "You,  who  have  studied  the  sciences,  and  there- 
fore are  believed  to  be  oracles  of  wisdom,  tell  us,  if  you 
please,  what  conscience  is."  And  they  answered,  "  What 
kind  of  a  subject  for  consideration  is  this  ?  We  have 
heard,  indeed,  that  with  some  there  is  a  sadness,  gloom, 
and  anxiety,  which  infest  not  only  the  gastric  regions  of 
the  body,  but  also  the  dwelling-places  of  the  mind  ;  for  we 
believe  that  the  two  brains  are  those  dwelling-places,  and 
because  these  consist  of  containing  fibres,  that  there  is  some 
acrid  humor  which  irritates,  gnaws,  and  consumes  them, 
and  thus  compresses  the  sphere  of  the  mind's  thoughts, 
so  that  it  cannot  pour  itself  forth  into  any  of  the  enjoy- 
ments arising  from  variety ;  hence  it  comes  to  pass  that 
the  man  fixes  his  attention  on  one  thing  only,  owing  to 
which  the  tension  and  elasticity  of  these  fibres  is  de- 
stroyed, whence  they  become  unyielding  and  rigid  ;  from 
these  arises  an  irregular  motion  of  the  animal  spirits,  which 
by  physicians  is  called  ataxy,  and  also  a  defect  in  their 


892 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XI. 


functions  which  is  calied  lipothymia.  In  a  word,  the  mind 
then  sits  as  if  it  were  beset  with  hostile  forces,  nor  can  it 
turn  itself  in  any  direction  any  more  than  a  wheel  fastened 
with  nails,  or  a  ship  stuck  fast  in  quicksands.  Such  con- 
striction of  mind  and  consequently  of  the  chest  comes 
upon  those  with  whom  the  reigning  love  suffers  loss  ;  for 
if  this  is  assaulted,  the  fibres  of  the  brain  contract,  and 
this  contraction  prevents  the  mind  from  going  out  freely 
and  partaking  of  delights  in  various  forms.  Fantasies  of 
various  kinds,  madness,  and  delirium,  attack  such  persons 
while  this  crisis  is  upon  them,  each  according  to  his  tem- 
perament, and  some  are  attacked  by  brain  sickness  in 
religious  matters,  which  they  call  remorse  of  conscience." 
After  this  we  turned  to  the  third  company,  which  was  com- 
posed of  physicians,  among  whom  there  were  also  some 
surgeons  and  apothecaries.  And  we  said  to  them,  "  Per- 
haps you  know  what  conscience  is.  Is  it  a  grievous  pain 
which  seizes  both  the  head  and  the  parenchyma  of  the 
heart,  extending  to  the  subjacent  regions,  the  epigastric 
and  hypogastric  ?  or  is  it  something  else  ? "  And  these 
replied :  "  Conscience  is  nothing  but  such  a  pain  ;  we 
understand  its  origin  better  than  others  ;  for  diseases  occur 
that  affect  the  organic  parts  of  the  body  and  also  those  of 
the  head,  consequently  the  mind  also,  since  this  has  its 
seat  in  the  organs  of  the  brain  like  a  spider  in  the  midst 
of  the  threads  of  its  web,  by  means  of  which  it  runs  out 
and  about  in  a  similar  way  ;  these  diseases  we  call  organic, 
and  such  as  return  at  intervals  we  call  chronic.  But  the 
pain  that  has  been  described  by  the  sick  as  a  pain  of  con- 
science, is  nothing  but  hypochondria,  which  primarily  affects 
the  spleen,  and  secondarily  the  pancreas  and  mesentery, 
depriving  them  of  their  proper  functions  \  hence  are  de- 
rived diseases  of  the  stomach  from  which  comes  a  deterio- 
ration of  the  juices ;  for  there  takes  place  a  compression 
about  the  orifice  of  the  stomach,  which  is  called  cardialgia  ; 
from  these  diseases  arise  humors  impregnated  with  black, 


No.  665.] 


IMPUTATION. 


893 


yellow,  or  green  bile,  by  which  the  smallest  blood-vessels, 
which  are  called  capillaries,  are  obstructed  \  whence  come 
cachexy,  atrophy,  and  symphysia,  also  bastard  pneumonia 
arising  from  sluggish  pituitous  matter,  and  ichorous  and 
corroding  lymph  throughout  the  entire  mass  of  the  blood. 
Similar  consequences  arise  when  pus  finds  its  way  into 
the  blood  and  its  serum  during  the  softening  process  in 
empyema,  and  from  abscesses  and  imposthumes  in  the 
body.  This  blood,  as  it  ascends  through  the  carotids  to 
the  head,  frets,  corrodes,  and  eats  into  the  medullary  and 
cortical  substances  and  the  meninges  of  the  brain,  thus  ex- 
citing the  pains  that  are  called  the  pangs  of  conscience." 
Hearing  this  we  said  to  them,  "  You  talk  the  language  of 
Hippocrates  and  Galen  j  those  things  are  Greek  to  us  ; 
we  do  not  understand  them.  We  did  not  ask  you  about 
these  diseases,  but  about  conscience  which  pertains  to  the 
mind  only."  They  said,  "  The  diseases  of  the  mind  and 
those  of  the  head  are  identical,  and  those  of  the  head 
ascend  from  the  body ;  for  there  is  a  connection  like  that 
of  the  two  stories  of  one  house,  between  which  is  a  stair- 
way by  which  one  can  ascend  and  descend.  We  therefore 
well  know  that  the  state  of  the  mind  is  inseparably  depen- 
dent on  that  of  the  body  ;  but  we  have  cured  that  heaviness 
of  the  head  or  those  headaches  (which  we  take  it  are  what 
you  mean  by  conscience),  some  cases  by  plasters  and 
blisters,  some  by  infusions  and  emulsions,  and  some  by 
stimulants,  and  by  anodynes."  Since  what  we  heard  from 
them  was  still  of  the  same  kind,  we  turned  from  them  and 
toward  the  clergy,  saying,  "  You  know  what  conscience  is  ; 
tell  us  therefore,  and  instruct  those  who  are  present." 
And  they  replied,  "  What  conscience  is,  we  know  and  we 
do  not  know.  We  have  believed  it  to  be  the  contrition 
that  precedes  election,  that  is,  the  moment  when  man  is 
gifted  with  faith  through  which  a  new  heart  and  a  new 
spirit  are  made  for  him  and  he  is  regenerated.  But  we 
perceived  that  that  contrition  came  upon  few  ;  fear  and 


894         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XL 


thus  anxiety  about  hell-fire  came  upon  some  only;  and 
upon  scarcely  any  one,  about  his  sins  and  hence  the  just 
anger  of  God.  But  we  confessors  have  cured  those  by  the 
gospel  that  Christ  took  away  damnation  by  the  passion  of 
the  cross,  and  so  extinguished  hell-fire,  and  opened  heaven 
to  those  who  are  blessed  with  the  faith  on  which  is  in- 
scribed the  imputation  of  the  merit  of  the  Son  of  God. 
Moreover,  there  are  conscientious  persons  of  different 
religions,  both  true  and  fanatical,  who  make  to  themselves 
scruples  about  matters  of  salvation,  not  only  in  essentials 
but  also  in  what  is  formal,  and  even  in  what  is  indifferent. 
Therefore,  as  we  have  said  before,  we  know  that  there  is 
conscience,  but  what  and  of  what  quality  true  conscience 
is,  which  must  by  all  means  be  spiritual,  we  do  not  know." 

666.  All  these  declarations  made  by  the  four  assemblies 
were  heard  by  the  angels  who  were  above  them •  and  they 
said  to  each  other,  "We  perceive  that  no  one  in  Christendom 
knows  what  conscience  is ;  we  will  therefore  send  down  from 
us  one  who  will  give  instruction."  And  then  immediately 
there  stood  in  their  midst  an  angel  in  white  clothing,  around 
whose  head  appeared  a  bright  band  in  which  were  little 
stars.  And  addressing  the  four  companies,  he  said :  "  We 
have  heard  in  heaven  that  you  have  presented  in  succes- 
sion your  opinions  about  conscience,  and  that  you  all  have 
regarded  it  as  some  pain  of  mind  which  infests  the  head 
with  heaviness,  and  hence  the  body,  or  infests  the  body  and 
thence  the  head.  But  conscience  viewed  in  itself  is  not  a 
pain,  but  it  is  a  spiritual  willingness  to  do  according  to 
what  is  of  religion  and  of  faith.  Hence  it  is  that  they  who 
enjoy  conscience  are  in  the  tranquillity  of  peace  and  in 
internal  blessedness  when  they  are  doing  according  to  con- 
science, and  in  a  certain  disquietude  when  doing  contrary 
to  it.  But  the  pain  of  mind  which  you  have  believed  to  be 
conscience  is  not  conscience  but  temptation,  which  is  a  con- 
flict of  the  spirit  and  the  flesh ;  and  this,  when  it  is  spiritual 
draws  from  the  spring  of  conscience,  but  if  it  is  natural 


No  666.] 


IMPUTATION. 


895 


merely,  it  originates  from  those  diseases  which  the  physi- 
cians just  recounted.  But  what  conscience  is  may  be  illus- 
trated by  examples :  A  priest  who  has  a  spiritual  willingness 
to  teach  truths  for  the  end  that  his  flock  may  be  saved,  has 
conscience ;  but  he  who  teaches  for  the  sake  of  any  thing 
else  as  an  end,  has  not  conscience.  A  judge  who  regards 
justice  and  it  alone,  and  executes  it  with  judgment,  has  con- 
science ;  but  he  who  primarily  regards  reward,  friendship, 
or  favor,  has  not  conscience.  Again,  any  man  who  has  in 
his  possession  another's  goods,  the  other  not  knowing  it, 
and  so  is  able  to  appropriate  them  without  fear  of  the  law 
and  the  loss  of  honor  and  reputation,  but  yet  restores  them 
to  the  other  because  they  are  not  his  own,  has  conscience, 
for  he  does  what  is  just  for  the  sake  of  what  is  just.  So 
again,  he  who  can  attain  an  office,  but,  knowing  that  another 
who  also  seeks  it  is  more  useful  to  society,  gives  place  to 
him  for  the  sake  of  the  good  of  society,  has  a  good  con- 
science. So,  too,  in  other  things.  All  who  have  Conscience 
say  what  they  say  from  the  heart,  and  do  what  they  do  from 
the  heart ;  for  they  have  a  mind  that  is  not  divided,  for  they 
say  and  do  according  to  what  they  understand  and  believe 
to  be  true  and  good.  It  follows  from  this  that  there  can 
be  a  more  perfect  conscience  with  those  who  are  in  the 
truths  of  faith  more  than  others,  and  who  are  in  a  clearer 
perception  than  others,  than  with  those  who  are  less  enlight- 
ened and  are  in  obscure  perception.  In  true  conscience  is 
man's  spiritual  life,  for  there  his  faith  is  conjoined  with 
charity  ;  to  such,  therefore,  acting  from  conscience  is  acting 
from  their  spiritual  life,  and  acting  contrary  to  conscience 
to  them  is  acting  contrary  to  that  life.  Furthermore,  who 
does  not  know  from  common  conversation  what  conscience 
is  ?  As  when  it  is  said  of  any  one,  He  has  conscience,  is  it 
not  then  meant  also  that  he  is  a  just  man  ?  Rut  on  the 
other  hand,  when  it  is  said  of  any  one,  He  has  no  con 
science,  does  not  this  also  mean  that  he  is  unjust  ?  "  When 
the  angel  had  said  this,  he  was  suddenly  taken  up  into  his 


896 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XI. 


heaven ;  and  the  four  companies  came  together  into  one ; 
and  after  they  had  conversed  awhile  about  the  remarks  of 
the  angel,  behold  they  were  again  divided  into  four  assem- 
blies, but  not  the  same  as  before  j  one,  where  those  were 
who  comprehended  the  words  of  the  angel  and  assented  to 
them  ;  a  second,  where  those  were  who  did  not  comprehend 
but  still  favored  them  ;  a  third,  where  those  were  who  did 
not  wish  to  comprehend  them,  saying,  "  What  have  we  to 
do  with  conscience  ? "  and  a  fourth,  where  those  were  who 
laughed  at  what  was  said,  saying,  "What  is  conscience  but 
flatulence  ? "  And  I  saw  them  separating  from  one  another, 
the  two  former  companies  then  going  away  to  the  right,  and 
the  two  latter  to  the  left ;  these  going  downward,  but  those 
upward. 


CHAPTER  TWELFTH. 


CONCERNING  BAPTISM. 

I.  Without  an  apprehension  (cognitid)  of  the  Spiritual 
Sense  of  the  Word,  no  one  can  know  what  the 
two  Sacraments,  Baptism  and  the  Holy  Supper, 
involve  and  effect. 

667.  That  there  is  a  spiritual  sense  in  the  things  of  the 
Word  one  and  all,  that  this  sense  has  been  heretofore  un- 
known, and  that  it  is  at  this  day  opened  for  the  sake  of 
the  New  Church  which  is  to  be  established  by  the  Lord, 
has  been  shown  in  the  chapter  concerning  the  Sacred 
Scripture.  What  the  nature  of  that  sense  is,  may  be  seen 
not  only  there  but  also  in  the  chapter  on  the  Decalogue, 
which  moreover  is  explained  according  to  it.  If  that  sense 
were  not  opened,  who  would  think  of  those  two  sacraments, 
Baptism  and  the  Holy  Supper,  except  according  to  the  nat- 
ural sense,  which  is  that  of  the  letter  ?  saying,  therefore,  or 
muttering  to  himself,  "What  is  Baptism  but  pouring  water 
on  an  infant's  head  ?  and  what  does  this  contribute  toward 
salvation  ? "  Also,  M  What  is  the  Holy  Supper  but  a  par- 
taking of  bread  and  wine  ?  and  what  does  this  contribute 
toward  salvation  ?  "  And  besides,  "  Where  is  the  holiness 
in  them  except  from  their  having  been  received  and  their 
observance  enjoined  by  the  ecclesiastical  order  as  holy  and 
Divine  ?  "  adding  further,  that  in  themselves  they  are  noth- 
ing but  ceremonies,  that  are  said  by  the  churches  to  become 
sacraments  when  the  Word  of  God  comes  to  those  elements. 
J  appeal  to  the  laity,  and  to  the  clergy  also,  whether  in 
spirit  and  in  heart  they  have  had  any  other  conception  of 
these  two  sacraments,  and  whether  thev  have  not  held  them 

3* 


898        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XII. 


up  as  Divine  for  various  causes  and  reasons ;  when  yet 
those  two  sacraments,  viewed  in  the  spiritual  sense,  are  the 
holiest  things  of  worship :  that  they  are  such  will  be  evident 
from  what  is  to  follow,  where  their  uses  will  be  made  known. 
But  inasmuch  as  the  uses  of  these  sacraments  cannot  pos- 
sibly enter  the  mind  of  any  one,  unless  the  spiritual  sense 
discovers  and  unfolds  them,  it  follows  that  without  that 
sense  no  one  can  know  any  thing  else  than  that  they  were 
ceremonies  which  are  holy  because  they  were  instituted 
by  commandment. 

668.  That  Baptism  was  commanded,  is  clearly  manifest 
from  John's  baptizing  in  the  Jordan,  to  which  Jerusalem 
and  all  Judea  went  out  (Matt.  iii.  5,  6 ;  Mark  i.  4,  5) ;  again 
from  this,  that  the  Lord  our  Saviour  was  Himself  baptized 
by  John  (Matt.  iii.  13-17);  and  furthermore,  that  He  com- 
manded the  disciples  to  baptize  all  nations  (Matt,  xxviii.  19). 
Who  that  wishes  to  see,  does  not  see  that  in  the  institution  of 
it  there  is  something  Divine  which  has  hitherto  been  con- 
cealed ?  and  this  because  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word 
has  not  been  revealed  before.  And  this  has  been  revealed 
at  the  present  day,  because  the  Christian  church,  such  as  it 
is  in  itself,  is  now  first  beginning;  the  former  church  was 
Christian  in  name  only,  but  not  in  reality  and  in  essence. 

669.  The  two  sacraments,  Baptism  and  the  Holy  Supper, 
are  in  the  Christian  Church  like  two  jewels  in  the  sceptre 
of  a  king,  which,  if  their  uses  are  unknown,  are  no  more 
than  two  figures  of  ebony  on  a  staff.  These  two  sacra- 
ments in  the  Christian  church  may  also  be  compared  with 
two  rubies  or  carbuncles  in  the  robe  of  an  emperor,  which, 
if  their  uses  are  unknown,  are  like  two  carnelians  or  crystals 
in  any  cloak.  Apart  from  the  uses  of  those  two  sacraments 
as  revealed  by  means  of  the  spiritual  sense,  only  conjectures 
about  them  would  be  spread  abroad,  like  the  conjectures  of 
those  who  practise  divination  by  the  stars,  yes,  such  as  there 
were  in  days  of  old  with  those  who  drew  auguries  from  the 
flying  of  birds  or  by  the  inspection  of  entrails.    The  uses 


No.  670.] 


BAPTISM. 


899 


of  these  two  sacraments  may  be  compared  to  a  temple, 
which  by  reason  of  its  antiquity  had  sunk  into  the  ground, 
and  which  now  lies  buried  even  to  the  roof  in  the  surround- 
ing ruins,  and  over  it  the  old  and  the  young  walk,  and  ride 
in  carriages  or  on  horses,  not  knowing  that  such  a  temple 
is  beneath  their  feet  and  hidden  from  them,  in  which  are 
altars  of  gold,  walls  of  silver  within,  and  decorations  of 
precious  stone ;  and  these  things  cannot  be  dug  up  and 
brought  forth  into  the  light  except  by  means  of  the  spirit- 
ual sense  which  has  been  disclosed  at  the  present  day  for 
the  New  Church,  for  the  sake  of  its  use  in  the  worship  of 
the  Lord.  These  sacraments  may  also  be  compared  to  a 
double  temple,  —  a  temple  below,  and  another  above  j  and 
in  the  lower  one  is  preached  the  gospel  concerning  the 
Lord's  new  Coming,  and  also  concerning  regeneration  and 
thence  salvation  by  Him.  From  this  temple,  close  by  the 
altar,  there  is  a  way  of  ascent  into  the  upper  temple  where 
the  Holy  Supper  is  celebrated  j  and  thence  there  is  a  pas- 
sage to  heaven,  where  the  Lord  receives  those  [who  come 
to  Him].  They  may  also  be  compared  to  a  tabernacle,  in 
which,  on  entering,  appears  the  table  on  which  the  shew- 
bread  is  disposed  in  its  order,  also  the  golden  altar  for 
incense,  and  in  the  midst  the  candlestick  with  lighted 
lamps  by  means  of  which  all  these  things  come  into  view; 
and  at  length  for  those  who  suffer  themselves  to  be  illumi- 
nated, the  veil  is  opened  to  the  holy  of  holies,  where  instead 
of  the  ark,  in  which  was  once  the  decalogue,  the  Word  has 
its  place,  over  which  is  the  mercy-seat  with  cherubs  of  gold. 
These  are  representations  of  those  two  sacraments  with 
their  uses. 

II.  By  the  Washing  that  rs  called  Baptism  is  meant 
Spiritual  Washing,  which  is  Purification  from 
evils  and  falsities,  and  thus  regeneration. 

670.  That  washings  were  commanded  the  children  of 
Israel  is  well  known  from  the  statutes  given  by  Moses, 


QOO        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XII. 


as  that  Aaron  should  wash  himself  before  putting  on  the 
garments  of  ministry  (Lev.  xvi.  4,  24) ;  and  before  approach 
ing  the  altar  to  minister  (Ex.  xxx.  18-21 ;  xl.  30-32) ;  so  also 
the  Levites  (Num.  viii.  6,  7) ;  and  likewise  others  who  be- 
came unclean  through  sins,  and  they  are  said  to  be  sancti- 
fied by  washings  (Ex.  xix.  9  ;  xl.  12  ;  Lev.  viii.  6).  Therefore 
in  order  that  they  might  wash  themselves,  the  brazen  sea 
and  many  baths  were  placed  near  the  temple  (1  Kings 
vii.  23-29)  j  yes,  we  read  that  they  washed  vessels  and  uten- 
sils, such  as  tables,  seats,  beds,  platters,  and  cups  (Lev. 
xi.  32  j  xiv.  8,  9  ;  xv.  5-12  j  xvii.  15,  16 ;  Matt,  xxiii.  25,  26). 
But  washings  and  many  similar  things  were  enjoined  upon 
the  children  of  Israel  and  were  commanded  them,  because 
the  church  instituted  among  them  was  a  representative 
church,  and  this  was  such  as  to  prefigure  the  Christian 
church  that  was  to  come.  Wherefore  when  the  Lord  came 
into  the  world,  He  annulled  the  representatives  which  were 
all  external,  and  instituted  a  church  of  which  all  things 
were  to  be  internal ;  thus  the  Lord  dispersed  figures  and 
revealed  the  very  forms,  as  one  withdraws  a  veil  or  opens 
a  door,  and  causes  the  interiors  not  only  to  be  seen  but 
also  to  be  approached.  Out  of  them  all  the  Lord  retained 
but  two,  which  should  contain  all  things  of  the  internal 
church  in  one  complex ;  these  two  are  Baptism  in  place  of 
washings,  and  the  Holy  Supper  in  place  of  the  lamb,  of 
which  there  was  a  daily  sacrifice,  and  a  full  sacrifice  at  the 
feast  of  the  passover. 

671.  That  the  washings  above  mentioned  figured  and 
shadowed  forth,  that  is,  represented  spiritual  washings, 
which  are  purifications  from  evils  and  falsities,  is  clearly 
evident  from  the  following  passages  :  When  the  Lord  shall 
have  washed  away  the  filth  of  the  daughters  of  Zion,  and  shall 
have  purged  the  blood  of  Jerusalem,  i?i  the  spirit  of  judgment 
and  in  the  spirit  of  burning  (Isa.  iv.  4).  For  though  thou 
wash  thee  with  nitre,  and  take  thee  much  soap,  yet  thine  in- 
iquity will  retain  the  spots  (Jer.  ii.  22.    See  also  Job  be.  30, 


No.  672.J 


BAPTISM. 


901 


31).  Wash  me  fro?n  mine  iniquity,  and  I  shall  be  whiter 
than  snow  (Ps.  li.  2,7).  O  Jerusalem,  wash  thine  heart from 
wickedness,  that  thou  mayest  be  saved  (Jer.  iv.  14).  Wash 
you,  make  you  clean,  put  away  the  evil  of  your  doings  from 
before  Mine  eyes ;  cease  to  do  evil  (Isa.  i.  16).  That  the 
washing  of  man's  spirit  was  meant  by  that  of  his  body, 
and  that  the  internals  of  the  church  were  represented  by 
externals,  such  as  were  in  the  Israelitish  church,  is  cleaily 
manifest  from  these  words  of  the  Lord  :  The  Pharisees 
and  Scribes  seeing  that  His  disciples  ate  bread  with  unwashen 
hands,  found  fault ;  for  the  Pharisees  and  all  the  jfews,  ex- 
cept they  wash  their  hands  to  the  fist*  eat  not ;  and  many 
other  things  there  be  which  they  have  received  to  hold,  as  the 
washing  of  cups,  and  pots,  brazen  vessels,  and  of  beds.~\  To 
them  and  to  the  people  the  Lord  said,  Hear  Me,  every  one  of 
you,  and  understand :  There  is  nothing  from  without  a  man, 
that  entering  i?ito  him  can  defile  hi?n ;  but  the  things  which 
come  out  of  hi?n,  those  arc  they  that  defile  the  man  (Mark 
vii.  1,  2,  3,  4,  14,  15  •  Matt.  xv.  2,  11,  17,  18,  19,  20)  j  and 
from  other  passages,  as  this  :  Woe  unto  you,  Scribes  and 
Pharisees,  for  ye  make  clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  of  the 
platter,  but  within  they  are  full  of  extortion  and  excess  ; 
thou  blind  Pharisee,  cleanse  first  the  inside  of  the  cup  and 
platter,  that  the  outside  may  be  made  clean  also  (Matt,  xxiii. 
25,  26).  From  all  this  it  is  evident  that  by  the  washing 
that  is  called  Baptism  is  meant  spiritual  washing,  which  is 
purification  from  evils  and  falsities. 

672.  What  man  of  sound  reason  cannot  see  that  ti  c 
washing  of  the  face,  hands  and  feet,  and  of  all  the  limbs, 
yes,  of  the  whole  body  in  a  bath,  docs  nothing  more  than 
wash  away  the  dirt,  so  that  they  who  arc  washed  appear 
clean  in  the  human  form  before  men  ?  And  who  cannot 
understand  that  no  washing  enters  into  man's  spirit  and 

*  Pugnoitnuj.    See  the  Greek,  or  the  margin  of  the  English  Bibta 
Some  of  the  best  commentators  regard  the  meaning  to  be,  llior<.>u^hly 
t  Leciorum.    See  the  Creek,  or  the  margin  of  the  English  P>iblc. 


902        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XII 


renders  that  equally  clean  ?  For  any  villain,  plunderer,  or 
robber  may  wash  himself  till  the  skin  shines  ;  but  is  the 
disposition  to  villany,  to  plundering,  and  to  robbery  thus 
washed  away  ?  Does  not  the  internal  flow-in  into  the  exter- 
nal, and  work  the  effects  of  its  will  and  understanding,  but 
not  the  external  into  the  internal  ?  For  the  latter  is  con- 
trary to  nature,  because  it  is  contrary  to  order ;  but  the 
former  is  according  to  nature,  because  it  is  according  to 
order. 

673.  From  all  this  it  follows  that  washings  and  baptisms 
also,  unless  man's  internal  is  purified  from  evils  and  falsi- 
ties, have  no  more  efficacy  than  the  cups  and  platters  made 
clean  by  the  Jews,  or  (as  follows  also  in  the  same  passage) 
than  the  sepulchres  which  appear  beautiful  without,  but 
within  are  full  of  dead  men's  bones  and  all  uncleanness 
(Matt,  xxiii.  25-28);  which  is  further  manifest  from  the 
hells'  being  full  of  satans  who  have  been  men  baptized  as 
well  as  unbaptized.  But  the  advantage  of  Baptism  will 
be  seen  in  what  follows.  Therefore  without  its  uses  and 
fruits  it  contributes  no  more  to  salvation  than  the  triple 
mitre  on  the  pope's  head  and  the  sign  of  the  cross  upon 
his  shoes  contribute  to  his  pontifical  supereminence ;  and 
no  more  than  the  purple  robe  about  a  cardinal  contributes 
to  his  dignity,  or  the  mantle  about  a  bishop  to  the  true 
discharge  of  his  ministry ;  and  no  more  than  the  throne, 
crown,  sceptre,  and  robe  of  a  king  to  his  regal  power ;  or 
the  silken  cap  on  the  head  of  a  laurelled  doctor  to  his 
intelligence ;  or  than  the  standards  borne  before  bodies 
of  cavalry  to  their  bravery  in  war  ;  yes,  it  may  be  said  still 
further  that  Baptism  does  not  purify  man  any  more  than 
the  washing  of  a  sheep  or  a  lamb  before  shearing  ;  for  the 
natural  man  separate  from  the  spiritual,  is  merely  animal, 
and  indeed,  as  before  shown,  is  more  a  wild  beast  than 
the  wild  beast  of  the  forest ;  so  that  if  you  are  washed 
with  the  water  of  the  rain,  of  the  dew,  of  the  most  excel- 
lent fountains,  or,  as  the  prophets  say,  if  you  are  daily 


No.  674.J 


BAPTISM. 


903 


cleansed  with  nitre,  hyssop,  or  soaps,  still  you  cannot  be 
purified  from  iniquities  except  by  the  means  of  regenera- 
tion which  have  been  treated  of  in  the  chapters  on  Repent- 
ance, and  on  Reformation  and  Regeneration. 

III.  Baptism  was  instituted  in  the  place  of  Circum- 
cision, BECAUSE  THE  CIRCUMCISION  OF  THE  HEART 

was  represented  by  the  circumcision  of  the 
Foreskin,  in  order  that  an  Internal  Church 
might  succeed  the  external  church  which  in 
all  things  and  in  every  single  thing  figured 
the  Internal  Church. 

674.  It  is  well  known  in  the  Christian  world  that  there 
is  an  internal  man  and  an  external ;  also  that  the  external 
is  the  same  as  the  natural  man,  and  that  the  internal  is 
the  same  as  the  spiritual  man  because  man's  spirit  is  in  it ; 
and  also,  as  the  church  consists  of  men,  that  there  is  the 
internal  and  the  external  church.  And  if  the  churches 
are  viewed  in  the  order  of  their  succession,  from  ancient 
times  to  the  present,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  former 
churches  were  external,  that  is,  that  their  worship  con- 
sisted in  externals  which  represented  the  internals  of  the 
Christian  church  which  was  founded  by  the  Lord  when 
He  was  in  the  world,  and  which  now  is  first  being  built 
by  Him.  That  which  primarily  distinguished  the  Israelit- 
ish  church  from  the  others  in  the  Asiatic  world,  and  after- 
ward from  the  Christian  church,  was  circumcision.  And 
because,  as  before  said,  all  things  in  the  Israelitish  church, 
which  were  external,  figured  all  things  of  the  Christian 
church,  which  are  internal,  the  primary  sign  of  that  church 
was  interiorly  similar  to  the  sign  of  the  Christian  church  ; 
for  circumcision  signified  the  rejection  of  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh,  and  thus  purification  from  evils,  and  Baptism  also 
has  a  similar  signification.  From  which  it  is  manifest  that 
Baptism  was  commanded  in  the  place  of  circumcision,  in 


904        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XII. 


order  both  that  the  Christian  church  might  be  distinguished 
from  the  Jewish,  and  that  there  might  thus  be  a  more  ex- 
act cognition  of  the  internal  church;  and  there  is  this 
cognition  from  the  uses  of  Baptism,  of  which  presently. 

675.  That  circumcision  was  instituted  for  a  sign  that 
the  men  of  the  Israelitish  church  were  of  the  posterity  of 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  is  evident  from  what  fol- 
lows :  God  said  unto  Abraham,  This  is  the  covenant  with 
Me,  which  ye  shall  keep  between  Me  and  you  and  thy  seed 
after  thee :  Every  male  among  you  shall  be  circumcised.  And 
ye  shall  circumcise  the  flesh  of  ynur  foreskin,  that  it  may  be 
for  a  sign  of  the  covenant  between  Me  and  you  (Gen.  xvii. 
9-1 1).  This  covenant  or  its  sign  was  afterward  confirmed 
through  Moses  (Lev.  xii.  1,  2,  3).  And  as  that  church  was 
distinguished  from  the  others  by  that  sign,  therefore  be- 
fore the  children  of  Israel  passed  over  Jordan,  the  com- 
mandment was  given  for  them  to  be  circumcised  again 
(Josh.  v).  This  was  because  the  land  of  Canaan  repre- 
sented the  church,  and  the  river  Jordan  introduction  into 
it.  And,  furthermore,  in  order  that  they  might  be  mindful 
of  that  sign  in  the  land  of  Canaan  itself,  it  was  commanded 
them,  u  When  ye  shall  have  come  into  the  land,  and  shall  have 
planted  all  manner  of  trees  for food,  then  ye  shall  count  the fruit 
thereof  as  uncircumcised  ;  three  years  shall  it  be  as  un circum- 
cised unto  you  ;  it  shall  not  be  eaten  of  (Lev.  xix.  23).  That 
circumcision  represented  and  hence  signified  the  rejection 
of  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  and  thus  purification  from  evils,  — 
the  same  as  Baptism,  —  is  manifest  from  the  passages  in 
the  Word  where  they  are  told  to  circumcise  the  heart,  as 
in  the  following  :  Moses  said,  Circumcise  the  foreskin  of  your 
heart,  harden  not  your  neck  (Deut.  x.  16).  Jehovah  God 
will  circumcise  thine  heart,  and  the  heart  of  thy  seed,  to  love 
Jehovah  thy  God  front  thy  whole  heart  and  from  thy  ivhole 
soul,  that  thou  mayest  live  (xxx.  6).  And  in  Jeremiah  :  Cir- 
cumcise yourselves  to  Jehovah,  that  He  may  take  away  the 
foreskins  of  your  heart,  thou  ma?i  of  Judah  and  ye  inhabi 


No.  676.] 


BAPTISM. 


905 


tants  of  Jerusalem,  lest  Mi?ie  anger  go  forth  like  fire  because 
of  the  evil  of  your  doings  (iv.  4).  And  in  Paul  :  In  Jesus 
Christ  neither  circumcision  availeth  any  thing,  nor  u?icircum- 
cision,  but  faith  which  worketh  by  charity  ;  also,  a  new  crea- 
ture (Gal.  v.  6;  vi.  15).  From  these  passages  it  is  now 
plain  that  Baptism  was  instituted  in  place  of  circumcision, 
because  by  the  circumcision  of  the  flesh  was  represented 
the  circumcision  of  the  heart  which  also  signifies  purifica- 
tion from  evils ;  for  all  kinds  of  evils  arise  from  the  flesh, 
and  the  foreskin  signifies  its  filthy  loves.  Because  circum- 
cision and  the  washing  of  Baptism  have  similar  signifi- 
cation, it  is  said  in  Jeremiah,  Circumcise  yourselves  to 
Jehovah,  a?id  take  away  the  foreskins  of  your  heart  (iv.  4)  ; 
and  a  little  after,  O  Jerusalem,  wash  thine  heart  from 
wickedness  that  thou  mayest  be  saved  (verse  14).  What  the 
circumcision  and  washing  of  the  heart  is,  the  Lord  teaches 
in  Matthew  (xv.  18,  19). 

676.  There  were  many  among  the  children  of  Israel  who 
believed  that  they  were  elected  in  preference  to  all  others, 
and  many  among  the  Jews  now  believe  the  same  in  regard 
to  themselves,  from  their  having  been  circumcised ;  and 
among  Christians  many  have  had  the  same  belief  concern- 
ing themselves,  because  they  have  been  baptized  ;  when 
yet  both  circumcision  and  baptizing  were  given  only  as  a 
sign  and  a  memorial  for  them  to  be  purified  from  evils  and 
so  to  become  elect.  What  is  an  external  in  man  without 
an  internal,  but  like  a  temple  without  worship,  which  is  of 
no  use  except  perhaps  as  a  stable  ?  And  further,  what  is  an 
external  without  an  internal,  but  like  a  field  full  of  reeds 
and  rushes,  with  no  grain  ?  Or  a  vineyard  consisting 
merely  of  vines  and  leaves,  without  grapes  ?  Or  the  fig- 
tree  without  its  fruit,  which  the  Lord  cursed  (Matt.  xxi.  19)  ? 
Or  like  the  lamps  in  the  hands  of  the  foolish  virgins  who 
had  no  oil  (Matt.  xxv.  3)  ?  Yes,  what  is  it  but  like  a  dwell- 
ing in  a  mausoleum  where  there  are  dead  bodies  under 
foot,  bones  around  the  walls,  and  spectres  of  the  night  fly- 


go6        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XI L 


ing  beneath  the  roof  ?  Or  like  a  carnage  drawn  by  leopards, 
having  a  wolf  as  driver,  and  a  fool  riding  in  it  ?  For  the 
external  man  is  not  the  man,  but  only  the  figure  of  a  man ; 
for  the  internal,  which  is  to  be  wise  from  God,  makes  man. 
So  it  is  with  one  circumcised  and  baptized,  if  he  does  not 
circumcise  or  wash  his  heart. 

JV  The  first  Use  of  Baptism  is  Introduction  into 
the  Christian  Church,  and  at  the  same  time 
Insertion  among  Christians  in  the  Spiritual 
World. 

677.  That  Baptism  is  an  introduction  into  the  Christian 
church,  is  evident  from  many  considerations,  such  as  these : 

1,  Baptism  was  instituted  in  the  place  of  circumcision;  and 
as  circumcision  was  the  sign  that  they  who  received  it  were 
of  the  Israelitish  church,  so  Baptism  is  the  sign  that  they 
who  receive  it  are  of  the  Christian  church,  as  was  shown  in 
the  preceding  article ;  and  the  sign  does  nothing  more  than 
cause  them  to  be  recognized,  just  as  swaddling  clothes  of 
different  colors  are  put  on  the  infants  of  two  mothers  in 
order  that  they  may  be  known  apart  and  not  exchanged. 

2.  That  it  is  only  a  sign  of  introduction  into  the  church  is 
clearly  evident  from  the  baptizing  of  infants,  who  have  no 
part  whatever  in  any  thing  of  reason,  and  who  as  yet  are 
no  more  fitted  for  receiving  any  thing  of  faith  than  the 
young  branches  of  any  tree.  3.  Not  only  are  infants  bap- 
tized, but  also  all  foreign  proselytes  who  are  converted  to 
the  Christian  religion,  both  small  and  great,  and  this  before 
they  have  been  instructed,  from  the  mere  confession  of  their 
wish  to  embrace  Christianity,  into  which  they  are  inaugu- 
rated by  Baptism.  The  same  was  also  done  by  the  apos- 
tles, according  to  the  Lord's  words  that  they  should  make 
disciples  of  all  nations,  and  baptize  the?n  (Matt,  xxviii.  19). 
4.  John  baptized  in  the  Jordan  all  who  came  to  him  fro?n 
Jude.a  a7id  Jerusalem  (Matt.  iii.  5,  6  ;  Mark  i.  5).    He  bap- 


No  678.] 


BAPTISM. 


907 


tized  in  the  Jordan,  because  the  entrance  into  the  land  of 
Canaan  was  through  that  river ;  and  the  land  of  Canaan 
signified  the  church  because  the  church  was  there,  and 
hence  the  Jordan  signified  introduction  into  it.  That  that 
land  signified  the  church,  and  the  Jordan  introduction  into 
it,  may  be  seen  in  the  "Apocalypse  Revealed"  (n.  285). 
But  this  is  done  on  earth.  In  the  heavens,  however,  infants 
are  introduced  by  Baptism  into  the  Christian  heaven,  and 
angels  are  there  assigned  them  by  the  Lord,  to  take  care  of 
them.  Wherefore,  as  soon  as  infants  have  been  baptized, 
angels  are  appointed  over  them,  by  whom  they  are  kept  in 
the  state  of  receiving  faith  in  the  Lord ;  but  as  they  grow 
up,  and  come  under  their  own  control  and  into  the  exercise 
of  their  reason,  the  guardian  angels  leave  them,  and  they 
associate  with  themselves  such  spirits  as  make  one  with 
their  life  and  faith.  From  which  it  is  manifest  that  Bap- 
tism is  insertion  among  Christians  in  the  spiritual  world 
also. 

678.  Not  infants  only,  but  also  all  others,  are  by  Bap- 
tism inserted  among  Christians  in  the  spiritual  world,  for 
the  reason  that  peoples  and  nations  in  that  world  are  dis- 
tinct from  each  other  according  to  their  religious  systems. 
Christians  are  in  the  centre,  Mohammedans  are  round 
about  them,  after  them  come  idolaters  of  various  kinds, 
and  the  Jews  are  at  the  sides.  Moreover,  all  who  are  of 
the  same  religion  are  disposed  into  societies ;  in  heaven, 
according  to  the  affections  of  love  to  God  and  toward  the 
neighbor ;  and  in  hell,  into  congregations  according  to  the 
affections  that  are  opposed  to  those  two  loves,  and  so 
according  to  the  lusts  of  evil.  In  the  spiritual  world,  by 
which  we  mean  both  heaven  and  hell,  all  things  both  in  the 
whole  and  in. every  part,  or  in  general  and  in  every  particu- 
lar, are  most  distinctly  arranged ;  upon  distinct  arrange- 
ment there,  depends  the  preservation  of  the  whole  universe; 
and  this  distinction  cannot  be  carried  out,  unless  every  one 
after  he  is  born  is  recognized  by  some  sign  showing  to  what 


908        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIL 


religious  community  he  belongs.  For  without  the  Christian 
sign,  which  is  Baptism,  some  Mohammedan  spirit,  or  one 
from  among  the  idolaters,  might  apply  himself  to  new-born 
Christian  infants,  and  to  children  also,  and  breathe  into 
them  an  inclination  for  his  religion,  and  so  distract  their 
minds  \animt\  and  estrange  them  from  Christianity,  which 
would  be  to  distort  and  destroy  spiritual  order. 

679.  Every  one  who  traces  effects  even  to  their  causes, 
may  know  that  the  consistence  of  all  things  depends  on 
order,  and  that  orders  are  manifold,  general  and  particu- 
lar ;  and  that  there  is  one  which  is  the  most  universal  of 
all,  and  on  which  depend  the  general  and  the  particular  in 
connected  series ;  also  that  the  most  universal  enters  into 
them  all,  as  the  essence  itself  into  forms,  and  that  thus  and 
thus  only  do  they  make  one.  It  is  this  unity  that  effects 
the  preservation  of  the  whole,  which  would  otherwise  fall 
asunder,  and  relapse  not  only  to  primal  chaos,  but  to  noth- 
ing. How  would  it  be  with  man  if  the  things  in  his  body, 
one  and  all,  were  not  most  distinctly  arranged,  and  if  their 
common  [life]  were  not  dependent  on  one  heart  and  one 
pair  of  lungs  ?  Otherwise,  what  would  there  be  but  confu- 
sion ?  Could  the  stomach  then  perform  its  functions,  the 
liver  ^nd  pancreas  theirs,  the  mesentery  and  mesocolon 
theirs,  the  kidneys  and  intestines  theirs  ?  It  is  from  the 
order  in  them  and  among  them,  that  all  and  each  of  them 
appear  to  man  as  one.  Without  distinct  order  in  man's 
mind  or  spirit,  — unless  its  common  [life]  were  dependent 
on  the  will  and  understanding, — what  would  there  be  but 
what  is  confused  and  indigested  ?  Without  that  order, 
would  man  be  more  able  to  think  and  will  than  his  picture 
on  a  tablet,  or  his  statue  in  the  house  ?  What  would  man 
be  without  a  most  perfectly  arranged  influx  from  heaven, 
and  the  reception  of  it  ?  And  what  is  this  influx  without 
that  which  is  most  universal,  on  which  depends  the  govern- 
ment of  the  whole  and  of  all  its  parts  ?  thus  unless  it  be 
dependent  on  God,  and  unless  all  things  have  their  being, 


No.  680.  J 


BAPTISM. 


909 


live  and  are  moved  in  Him  and  from  Him  ?  This  may  be. 
illustrated  to  the  natural  man  by  innumerable  things,  such 
as  these :  Without  order,  what  would  an  empire  or  a  king- 
dom be,  but  a  gang  of  robbers,  many  of  whom  being  gath- 
ered together  would  slay  thousands,  a  few  at  last  slaying 
these  many  ?  What  is  a  city  without  order,  yes,  what  is  a 
house  without  order  ?  And  what  is  a  kingdom,  a  city,  or  a 
house,  without  some  one's  acting  the  highest  part  in  each  ? 

680.  Furthermore,  what  is  order  without  distinction  ? 
and  what  is  distinction  without  evidences  ?  and  what  are 
evidences  without  signs  by  which  qualities  are  recognized? 
For  without  knowledge  of  qualities,  order  is  not  recognized 
as  order.  In  empires  and  kingdoms  the  signs  or  marks 
are  titles  of  rank,  and  the  administrative  rights  attached  to 
them ;  hence  subordinations,  by  means  of  which  all  are 
co-ordinated  as  into  a  one.  In  this  manner  the  king  exer- 
cises his  royal  power,  distributed  according  to  order  among 
many  ;  and  from  this  the  kingdom  becomes  a  kingdom.  It 
is  similar  in  very  many  other  things,  as  for  example  in 
armies :  what  strength  would  they  have  if  they  were  not 
distinctly  organized  into  regiments,  these  into  battalions, 
and  these  again  into  companies,  with  subordinate  officers 
over  each,  and  over  all  one  commander  in  chief?  And 
what  would  these  several  organizations  amount  to  without 
the  signs  called  standards,  which  are  to  show  in  what  sta- 
tion every  one  is  to  be  ?  By  such  means  in  battle  all  act  as 
one,  while  without  them  they  would  rush  upon  the  enemy 
merely  like  a  pack  of  hounds  with  open  mouths,  with  howling, 
and  vain  fury;  and  then  they  all,  their  courage  gone,  would 
be  cut  to  pieces  by  the  enemy  formed  in  well-ordered  ranks  ; 
for  what  can  those  who  are  divided  do  against  those  who 
are  united  ?  By  this  is  illustrated  this  first  use  of  Baptism, 
which  is,  that  it  is  a  sign  in  the  spiritual  world  that  one 
belongs  to  the  Christians;  where  every  one  is  inggrtsd 
into  the  societies  and  congregations  there,  according  to  the 
quality  of  the  Christianity  in  him  or  outside  of  him. 


910        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  XII. 


V.  The  second  Use  of  Baptism  is,  that  the  Christian 
may  know  and  acknowledge  the  lord  jesus 
Christ,  the  Redeemer  and  Saviour,  and  follow 
Him. 

68  i.  This  second  use  of  Baptism,  which  is  that  the 
Lord,  the  Redeemer  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  may  be 
known,  inseparably  follows  the  first,  which  is  that  there  is 
an  introduction  into  the  Christian  church,  and  insertion 
among  Christians  in  the  spiritual  world.  And  what  is  this 
first  use  without  the  second's  following  it,  but  a  mere 
name  ?  And  yet  it  is  really  like  a  subject  that  gives-in  his 
allegiance  to  a  king,  and  nevertheless  repudiates  his  laws 
or  those  of  his  country,  and  yields  allegiance  to  a  foreign 
king  and  serves  him  ;  or  like  a  servant  who  binds  himself 
to  some  master,  and  accepts  his  livery  as  a  token  thereof, 
and  then  runs  away  and  serves  another  master  in  the  livery 
of  the  first;  or  like  a  standard-bearer  who  goes  off  with 
the  standard  and  cuts  it  to  pieces,  throwing  the  pieces 
into  the  air,  or  else  throws  the  standard  beneath  the  feet  of 
the  soldiers  to  be  trodden  upon.  In  a  word,  the  name  of 
a  Christian,  that  is,  that  one  is  of  Christ,  without  acknowl- 
edging Him  and  following  Him,  that  is,  living  according  to 
His  commandments,  is  a  thing  as  empty  as  a  shadow,  as 
smoke,  and  as  a  blackened  picture  ;  for  the  Lord  says, 
Why  call  ye  Me  Lord,  and  do  not  the  things  Which  I  say  ? 
(Luke  vi.  46,  and  the  subsequent  verses.)  Many  will 
say  to  Me  in  that  day,  Lord,  Lord ;  but  then  will  I  profess 
unto  them,  I  never  knew  you  (Matt.  vii.  22,  23). 

682.  By  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  the  Word 
is  meant  nothing  else  than  an  acknowledgment  of  Him,  and 
a  life  according  to  His  commandments.  Why  His  name  has 
tli is  signification,  you  may  see  in  the  explanation  of  the 
second  commandment  of  the  decalogue,  Thou  shalt  not 
take  the  name  of  God  in  vain.  Nothing  else  is  meant  by 
the  name  of  the  Lord  in  the  following  passages :  Jesus 


No.  682.] 


BAPTISM. 


911 


said,  Ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  nations  for  My  name's  sake 
(Matt.  x.  22  ;  xxiv.  9).  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  to- 
gether in  Myna?ne,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them  (xviii.  20). 
As  many  as  received  Him,  to  them  gave  He  power  to  become 
the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on  His  name  (John 
i.  12).  Ma?iy  believed  in  His  name  (ii.  23).  He  that  believeih 
not  is  already  judged,  because  he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name 
of  the  Only-begotten  Son  of  God  (iii.  18).  Believing,  ye  shall 
have  life  in  His  name  (xx.  31).  For  My  name's  sake  thou 
hast  labored,  and  hast  not  failed  (Apoc.  ii.  3)  ;  and  else- 
where. Who  cannot  see  that  the  name  of  the  Lord  in  these 
passages  does  not  mean  His  name  only,  but  the  acknowl- 
edgment of  Him  as  being  the  Redeemer  and  Saviour,  to- 
gether with  obedience,  and  finally  faith  in  Him  ?  For  in 
Baptism  the  infant  receives  the  sign  of  the  cross  upon  the 
forehead  and  the  breast,  which  is  a  sign  of  inauguration 
into  the  acknowledgment  and  the  worship  of  the  Lord. 
The  name  also  means  the  quality  of  any  one,  for  the  rea- 
son that  in  the  spiritual  world  ever}'  one  is  named  accord- 
ing to  his  quality ;  wherefore  the  name  that  one  is  a 
Christian  means  his  quality,  that  he  has  faith  in  Christ, 
and  that  he  has  charity  toward  the  neighbor,  from  Christ. 
This  is  meant  by  name  in  the  Apocalypse,  The  Son  of 
Man  said,  Thou  hast  *  a  few  names  even  in  Sardis  which 
have  not  defiled  their  garments,  and  they  shall  walk  with  Me 
in  white,  for  they  are  worthy  (iii.  4).  Walking  with  the  Son 
of  Man  in  white  signifies  following  the  Lord  and  living 
according  to  the  truths  of  His  words.  The  meaning  of 
name  is  similar  in  John  :  Jesus  said,  The  sheep  hear  Jfy  voice, 
and  I  call  Mine  own  sleep  by  name,  and  lead  them  out.  I  go 
before  them,  and  the  sheep  follow  Me,  for  they  know  My  voice  ; 
but  a  stranger  do  they  not  follow,  for  they  know  not  the  voice 
of  strangers  (x.  3-5).  By  name,  is  by  the  quality,  that  they 
are  Christians ;  and  to  follow  Him,  is  to  hear  His  voice, 

*  The  Latin  reads  habeot  I  have;  perhaps  a  misprint  for  habts, 
thou  hast. 


912        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XII. 


that  is,  to  obey  His  commands.  All  receive  this  name  in 
Baptism,  for  it  is  in  the  sign. 

683.  What  is  a  name  without  the  reality  but  a  vain  thing, 
or  a  sound  like  the  echo  given  back  by  the  trees  of  the 
forest  or  from  vaulted  ceilings  ?  or  like  the  almost  lifeless 
tone  of  dreamers,  the  noise  of  the  wind,  of  the  sea,  or  of 
machinery,  in  which  there  is  no  use  ?  Yes,  what  is  the 
name  of  king,  duke,  consul,  bishop,  abbot,  or  monk,  with- 
out the  office  attached  to  the  name,  but  vanity?  So  what 
is  the  name  of  Christian  while  the  man  lives  like  a  barba- 
rian, and  contrary  to  the  precepts  of  Christ,  but  like  looking 
to  Satan's  sign  instead  of  the  sign  of  Christ,  Whose  name 
nevertheless  was  in-wrought  in  golden  threads  at  Baptism  ? 
What  are  they  who,  after  they  have  received  the  signature 
of  Christ,  deride  His  worship,  mock  at  His  name,  and  pro- 
fess Him  not  as  the  Son  of  God  but  as  the  son  of  Joseph, 
but  rebels  and  regicides  ?  And  what  are  their  words  but 
blasphemies  against  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  cannot  be  for- 
given in  this  world  or  in  the  next  ?  These  like  dogs  with 
open  jaws  bite  at  the  Word,  and  tear  it  to  pieces  with  their 
teeth  j  with  them,  against  Christ  and  His  worship,  all 
tables  are  full  of  vomit  and  filthiness  (Isa.  xxviii.  8 ;  Jer. 
xlviii.  26).  When  yet  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of 
the  Most  High  God  (Luke  i.  32,  35) ;  the  Only-begotten 
(John  i.  18 ;  iii.  16) ;  the  true  God  and  Eternal  Life 
(1  John  v.  20) ;  in  Whom  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of 
Divinity  bodily  (Col.  ii  9).  And  that  He  is  not  the  son 
of  Joseph,  see  Matt.  i.  25  ;  besides  thousands  of  other 
passages. 

VI.  The  third  Use  of  Baptism,  which  is  the  final 
Use,  is  that  Man  may  be  regenerated. 

684.  This  is  the  very  use  for  the  sake  of  which  Baptism 
was  instituted,  and  thus  the  final  one.  This  is  because 
one  who  is  truly  Christian  knows  and  acknowledges  the 


So.  6S5.] 


BAPTISM. 


9*3 


Lord  the  Redeemer,  Jesus  Christ ;  Who,  because  He  is 
the  Redeemer  is  also  the  Regenerator,  —  that  redemption 
and  regeneration  make  one  may  be  seen  in  the  chapter 
concerning  Reformation  and  Regeneration,  article  iii. ; 
—  also  because  a  Christian  possesses  the  Word,  in  which 
the  means  of  regeneration  are  manifestly  described,  those 
means  being  faith  in  the  Lord  and  charity  towards  the 
neighbor.  This  is  identical  with  what  is  said  of  the  Lord, 
that  He  baptizeth  with  the  Holy  Spirit  and  with  Fire  (Matt, 
iii.  11  j  Mark  i.  8-1 1;  Luke  iii.  16;  John  i.  33).  The 
Holy  Spirit  means  the  Divine  truth  of  faith,  and  Fire  the 
Divine  good  of  love  or  of  charity,  both  proceeding  from 
the  Lord.  That  the  Holy  Spirit  means  the  Divine  truth 
of  faith  may  be  seen  in  the  chapter  on  the  Holy  Spirit  ; 
and  that  Fire  means  the  Divine  good  of  love  may  be  seen 
in  the  "Apocalypse  Revealed"  (n.  395,  468);  and  by 
means  of  these  two,  all  regeneration  is  effected  by  the 
Lord.  The  reason  why  the  Lord  Himself  was  baptized  by 
John  (Matt.  iii.  13-17  ;  Mark  i.  9;  Luke  iii.  21,  22),  was 
not  merely  that  He  might  institute  Baptism  for  the  future, 
and  might  go  before  as  an  example,  but  also  because  He 
glorified  His  Human  and  made  It  Divine  a§  He  regenerates 
man  and  makes  him  spiritual. 

685.  From  what  has  been  said  now  and  heretofore,  it 
may  be  seen  that  the  three  uses  of  Baptism  cohere  as  a 
one,  just  as  a  primary  cause,  a  mediate  cause  which  is  the 
efficient,  and  an  ultimate  cause  which  is  the  effect,  and  is 
the  end  itself  for  the  sake  of  which  the  former  exist ;  for 
the  first  use  is  that  one  may  be  named  a  Christian  ;  the  sec- 
ond, following  from  this,  is  that  he  may  know  and  acknowl- 
edge the  Lord  the  Redeemer,  Regenerator,  and  Saviour ; 
and  the  third,  that  he  may  be  regenerated  by  Him  ;  and 
when  this  is  done,  he  is  redeemed  and  saved.  Since  these 
three  uses  follow  in  order,  and  join  in  the  last,  and  hence 
in  the  idea  of  the  angels  cohere  as  a  one,  therefore  when 
Baptism  is  performed,  read  of  in  the  Word,  and  named, 
vol.  in.  4 


914        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  XII. 

the  angels  who  are  present  do  not  understand  Baptism, 
but  regeneration.  Therefore  by  these  words  of  the  Lord, 
He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved,  but  he  that 
believeth  not  shall  be  damned  (Mark  xvi.  16),  the  angels  in 
heaven  understand  that  he  who  acknowledges  the  Lord 
and  is  becoming  regenerate  will  be  saved.  From  this  also 
it  is,  that  by  Christian  churches  on  earth  Baptism  is  called 
the  laver  of  regeneration.  Let  the  Christian  know,  there- 
fore, that  he  who  does  not  believe  in  the  Lord  cannot  be 
regenerated,  although  he  has  been  baptized  ;  and  that  bap- 
tizing without  faith  in  the  Lord  effects  nothing  whatever, 
may  be  seen  above  in  the  fourth  paragraph  of  the  second 
article  of  this  chapter  (n.  673).  That  Baptism  involves 
purification  from  evils,  and  thus  regeneration,  may  be  well 
known  to  every  Christian  ;  for  when  one  is  baptized  as  an 
infant,  the  priest  with  his  finger  makes  the  sign  of  the 
cross,  as  a  memorial  of  the  Lord,  on  his  forehead  and  over 
the  breast,  and  afterward  turns  to  the  sponsors  and  asks 
whether  he  renounces  the  devil  and  all  his  works,  and 
whether  he  receives  the  faith  ;  to  which  the  sponsors 
reply  in  the  infant's  stead,  "Yes."  The  renunciation  of 
the  devil  (that  is,  of  evils  which  are  from  hell),  and  faith  in 
the  Lord,  perfect  regeneration. 

686.  It  is  said  in  the  Word  that  the  Lord  God  our  Re- 
deemer baptizes  with  the  Holy  Spirit  and  with  Fire,  which 
means  that  the  Lord  regenerates  man  by  the  Divine  truth 
of  faith  and  the  Divine  good  of  love  or  of  charity,  as  may 
be  seen  above  in  the  first  paragraph  of  this  article  (n.  684). 
They  who  have  been  regenerated  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  that 
is,  by  the  Divine  truth  of  faith,  are  distinguished  in  the 
heavens  from  those  who  have  been  regenerated  by  Fire, 
that  is,  by  the  Divine  good  of  love.  They  who  have  been 
regenerated  by  the  Divine  truth  of  faith,  in  heaven  walk 
in  white  raiment  of  linen,  and  are  called  spiritual  angels; 
but  they  who  have  been  regenerated  by  the  Divine  good 
of  love,  walk  in  purple  raiment,  and  are  called  heavenly 


No.  687.] 


BAPTISM. 


915 


{celestial)  angels.  They  who  go  clothed  in  white  raiment 
are  meant  in  the  following  passages :  They  follow  the  Lamb, 
clothed  in  fine  linen  white  and  clean  (Apoc.  xix.  14).  They 
shall  walk  with  Me  in  white  (iii.  4  ;  see  also  vii.  14). 
The  angels  in  the  Lord's  sepulchre  seen  in  white  and  shin- 
ing garments  (Matt,  xxviii.  3  ;  Luke  xxiv.  4)  were  of  this 
class ;  for  fine  linen  signifies  the  righteousness,  of  the 
saints,  as  in  Apoc.  xix.  8,  where  this  is  plainly  stated.  That 
garments  in  the  Word  signify  truths,  and  that  garments 
of  white  and  of  fine  linen  signify  Divine  truths,  may  be 
seen  in  the  "Apocalypse  Revealed"  (n.  379),  where  this 
is  shown.  They  who  have  also  been  regenerated  by  the 
Divine  good  of  love  are  in  purple  garments,  because  purple 
is  love's  color,  which  it  derives  from  the  fire  of  the  sun 
and  its  redness,  which  fire  signifies  love,  as  may  be  seen 
in  the  "Apocalypse  Revealed"  (n.  468,  725).  It  was  be- 
cause garments  signify  truths,  that  he  who  was  found 
among  those  called  to  the  wedding,  not  clothed  with  wed- 
ding garments,  was  ejected  and  cast  into  outer  darkness 
(Matt.  xxii.  11-13). 

687.  Moreover  Baptism  as  regeneration  is  represented 
both  in  heaven  and  in  the  world  by  many  things  :  in 
heaven,  as  just  stated,  by  white  and  purple  clothing  ;  also 
by  the  marriage  of  the  church  with  the  Lord  ;  and  also  by 
the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth,  and  the  New  Jerusalem 
descending  therefrom,  of  which  He  Who  sat  upon  the 
throne  said,  Behold  I  make  all  things  7iew  (Apoc.  xxi.  1-5)  ; 
and  by  the  river  of  living  7vater,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne 
of  God  and  the  Lamb  (xxii.  1)  ;  and  again  by  the  five  pru- 
dent virgins  who  had  lamps  and  oil,  and  entered  in  with  the 
bridegroom  to  the  marriage  (Matt.  xxv.  1,  2,  10).  One 
who  \s  baptized,  that  is,  regenerated,  is  meant  by  creature 
(Mark  xvL  15  ;  Rom.  viii.  19,  20,  21)  ;  and  by  a  new  at  l- 
turc  (2  Cor.  v.  17  ;  Gal.  vi.  15);  for  he  is  called  a  creature 
from  being  created,  which  also  signifies  being  regenerated, 
as  may  be  seen  in  the  "  Apocalypse  Revealed  "  (n.  254) 


91 6        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  XII. 


In  the  world  regeneration  is  represented  by  various  things, 
as  by  the  blossoming  of  all  things  on  earth  in  the  spring- 
time, and  by  the  gradual  development  of  the  blossoms, 
even  to  fruiting ;  by  the  growth  of  every  tree,  shrub,  and 
flower,  from  the  first  month  of  the  warm  season  to  its 
last  j  it  is  also  represented  by  the  progress  of  all  fruits 
toward  maturity,  from  the  earliest  germ  to  their  perfection  j 
then  again  by  morning  and  evening  showers,  and  by  dews, 
for  the  coming  of  which  the  flowers  open,  while  they  close 
themselves  against  the  darkness  of  night;  by  the  fragrance 
from  gardens  and  fields  \  by  the  rainbow  in  the  cloud 
(Gen.  ix.  14-17);  by  the  resplendent  colors  of  the  dawn; 
and  in  general  by  the  continual  renewal  of  every  thing  in 
the  body  by  means  of  the  chyle  and  the  animal  spirit,  and 
hence  by  the  blood,  the  purification  of  which  from  sub- 
stances that  are  no  longer  of  use,  and  its  renewal  and  its 
regeneration  as  it  were,  are  perpetual.  If  attention  is 
given  to  the  most  insignificant  things  on  earth,  an  image 
of  regeneration  is  presented  in  the  wonderful  transformation 
of  silkworms  and  of  other  worms  into  nymphs  and  butter- 
flies, and  of  other  kinds  which  after  a  time  are  endowed 
with  wings ;  to  which  may  be  added  what  is  more  trifling 
still,  that  it  is  shown  in  the  desire  of  certain  birds  to 
plunge  themselves  into  the  water  for  the  sake  of  washing 
and  cleansing  themselves,  after  which  they  return  as  warb- 
lers, to  their  songs.  In  a  word,  the  whole  world,  from 
what  is  first  to  what  is  last  in  it,  is  full  of  representations 
and  types  of  regeneration. 

VII.  By  the  Baptism  *  of  John  a  way  was  prepared, 
so  that  Jehovah  the  Lord  could  descend  into 

THE  WORLD  AND  WORK  OUT  REDEMPTION. 

688.  We  read  in  Malachi,  Behold  /send  Mine  angel,  and 
he  shall  prepare  the  way  before  Me,  and  the  Lord  Whom  ye 

*  Throughout  this  article,  wherever  John's  Baptism  is  spoken  of 
the  word  Baptisma  is  used ;  Christian  Baptism  is  called  Baptismus. 


No.  689.] 


BAPTISM. 


9T7 


seek  shall  suddenly  come  to  His  temple,  and  the  Angel  of  the 
tovenant  whom  ye  desire.  Who  will  abide  the  day  of  His 
'oming,  and  who  shall  sta?id  when  He  appeareth  ?  (iii.  1,2.) 
And  again,  Behold  I  will  send  you  Elijah  the  prophet,  before 
the  coming  of  the  great  and  dreadful  day  of  Jehovah  ;  lest  I 
come  a?id  smite  the  earth  with  a  curse  (iv.  5,  6).  And  Zacha- 
rias  the  father,  prophesying  of  John  his  son,  says,  Thou, 
child,  shall  be  called  the  prophet  of  the  Highest;  thou  shalt 
go  before  the  face  of  the  Lord,  to  prepare  His  ways  (Luke  i. 
76).  And  the  Lord  Himself  says  concerning  the  same 
John,  This  is  he  of  whom  it  is  written,  Behold  I  send  Mine 
angel  before  Thy*  face,  who  shall  prepare  Thy  way  before 
Thee  (vii.  27).  From  these  passages  it  is  evident  that  this 
John  was  the  prophet  sent  to  prepare  the  way  for  Jehovah 
God,  that  He  might  descend  into  the  world  and  work  out 
redemption,  and  that  he  prepared  that  way  by  Baptism, 
and  by  then  announcing  the  Coming  of  the  Lord ;  and 
that  without  this  preparation  all  therein  would  have  been 
smitten  with  a  curse  and  would  have  perished. 

689.  A  way  was  prepared  by  the  Baptism  of  John,  be- 
cause through  it,  as  shown  above,  men  were  introduced 
into  the  future  church  of  the  Lord,  and  inserted  in  heaven 
among  those  there  who  expected  and  desired  the  Messiah  ; 
and  so  they  were  guarded  by  angels,  that  devils  might  not 
break  forth  from  hell  and  destroy  them.  Wherefore  it  is 
said  in  Malachi,  Who  will  abide  the  day  of  His  Coming  t 
also,  Lest  Jehovah  come  a?id  smite  the  earth  with  a  curse 
(iii.  2  ;  iv.  6).  So  too  in  Isaiah,  Behold  the  day  of  Jeho; >joA 
cometh,  cruel,  and  of  indignation,  and  of 'wrath,  and  of  anger. 
I  will  shake  the' heaven,  and  the  earth  shall  tremble  out  of  her 
place,  in  the  day  of  His  fierce  anger  (xiii.  9,  13;  see  also 
verses  6,  22  j  xxii.  5,  12).  Again,  in  Jeremiah  that  day  is 
called  a  day  of  7vas/ing,  of  vengeance,  and  of  destruction 
(iv.  9;  vii.  32;  xlvi.  10,  21;  xlvii.  4;  xlix.  8,  26);  in  Ezekicl, 
a  day  of  wrath,  of  cloud,  and  of  thick  darkness  (xiil  5  ;  xxx.  2, 
*  The  Latin  reads  meam,  my. 


Ql8        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    IChap.  XII. 


3,  9 ;  xxxiv.  ii,  12 ;  xxxviii.  14,  16,  18,  19);  as  also  in  Amos 
(v.  13,  18,  20 ;  viii.  3,  9,  13).  In  Joel  it  is  said,  The  day  of 
the  Lord  is  great  and  terrible,  and  who  can  abide  it?  (ii.  1,  2, 
11,  29,  31.)  And  in  Zephaniah,  that  in  that  day  there  shall 
be  the  noise  of  a  cry,  that  the  great  day  of  Jehovah  is  near, 
that  that  day  is  a  day  of  wrath,  a  day  of  trouble  and  distress, 
a  day  of  wasteness  and  desolation  ;  that  i?i  the  day  of  Jeho- 
vah's  wrath  the  whole  la?id  shall  be  devoured,  and  that  He 
will  make  a  consummation  with  all  them  that  dwell  in  the 
land  (i.  7-18)  ;  besides  other  passages.  From  all  of  which 
it  is  manifest  that  unless  a  way  had  been  prepared  for  Jeho- 
vah when  He  was  descending  into  the  world,  by  means  of 
Baptism,  the  effect  of  which  was  in  heaven,  so  that  the  hells 
should  be  closed  and  the  Jews  guarded  against  total  destruc- 
tion, [all  on  earth  must  have  perished].  Jehovah  also  says 
to  Moses,  I?i  one  moment,  if  I  should  come  up  into  the  midst 
of  thee,  I  should.  co?isume  the  people  (Ex.  xxxiii.  5).  That  it 
is  so,  is  clearly  manifest  from  the  words  of  John  to  the 
multitudes  going  out  to  be  baptized  by  him  :  O  generation 
of  vipers,  who  hath  warned  you  to  fee  from  the  wrath  to  coj?ie? 
(Matt.  iii.  7 ;  Luke  iii.  7.)  That  John  also  taught  Christ 
and  His  Coming  when  he  baptized,  may  be  seen  in  Luke 
(iii.  16)  and  in  John  (i.  25,  26,  31-33;  hi.  26).  It  is  plain 
from  this  how  John  prepared  the  way. 

690.  As  to  the  Baptism  of  John :  that  represented  the 
cleansing  of  the  external  man,  but  the  Baptism  which  is 
at  this  day  with  Christians  represents  the  cleansing  of  the 
internal  man,  which  is  regeneration.  We  therefore  read 
that  John  baptized  with  water,  but  that  the  Lord  baptizes 
with  the  Holy  Spirit  and  with  Fire ;  and  the  Baptism  of 
John  is  therefore  called  the  Baptism  of  repentance  (Matt, 
iii.  11 ;  Mark  i.  4,  5  j  Luke  iii.  3,  16;  John  i.  25,  26,  33  ; 
Acts  i.  22  ;  x.  37  ;  xviii.  25).  The  Jews  who  were  baptized 
were  merely  external  men,  and  the  external  man  without 
faith  in  Christ  cannot  become  internal.  That  they  who 
were  baptized  with  John's  Baptism  became  internal  men 


No.  691.] 


BAPTISM. 


919 


when  they  received  faith  in  Christ,  and  were  then  baptized 
in  the  name  of  Jesus,  may  be  seen  in  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles  (xix.  3-6). 

69 1.  Moses  said  to  Jehovah,  Show  me  Thy  glory.  Jehovah 
slid  to  him,  Thou  canst  not  see  My  face,  for  there  shall  no  man 
see  Me  and  live.  And  He  said,  Behold  there  is  a  place  whei-e 
thou  shall  stand  upon  a  rock  ;  and  I  will  put  thee  in  a  cleft  of 
the  rock,  and  will  cover  thee  with  My  hand  while  I  pass  by  ; 
and  when  I  shall  have  removed  My  hand,  thou  shalt  see  My 
back  parts,  but  My  face  shall  not  be  seen  (Ex.  xxxiii.  18-23). 
The  reason  why  man  cannot  see  God  and  live,  is  that  God 
is  Love  itself,  and  Love  itself  or  Divine  Love  in  the  spirit- 
ual world  appears  to  the  angels  as  a  Sun,  distant  from  them 
as  the  sun  of  our  world  is  distant  from  men ;  wherefore,  if 
God,  Who  is»in  the  midst  of  that  Sun,  were  to  come  near 
to  the  angels,  they  would  perish,  as  men  would  if  the  sun 
of  the  world  were  to  come  near  to  them  •  for  it  is  equally 
burning.  For  this  reason  there  are  perpetual  temperatures 
which  modify  and  moderate  the  heat  of  that  love,  so  that  it 
may  not  flow-in  into  heaven  as  it  is  in  itself;  for  the  angels 
would  thus  be  consumed.  Therefore  when  the  Lord  shows 
Himself  more  fully  present  in  a  heaven,  the  impious  who 
are  beneath  the  heaven  begin  to  lament,  to  be  tortured,  and 
to  become  lifeless  ;  they  therefore  flee  into  caves  and  clefts 
of  the  mountains,  crying,  Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the 
face  of  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne  (Apoc.  vi.  16 ;  Isa. 
ii.  19,  21).  The  Lord  Himself  does  not  descend,  but^an 
angel  with  a  sphere  of  love  from  the  Lord  about  him.  I 
have  several  times  seen  the  impious  terrified  by  that  descent, 
as  if  they  saw  death  itself  before  their  eyes,  some  precipi- 
tating themselves  deeper  and  deeper  into  hell,  and  some 
driven  to  fury.  It  was  for  this  reason  that  the  children  of 
Israel  prepared  themselves  for  three  days  before  the  descent 
of  Jehovah  the  Lord  upon  mount  Sinai,  and  that  the  mount 
was  fenced  about,  lest  any  one  should  come  near  and  die 
(Ex.  xix.).    It  was  similar  with  the  holiness  of  Jehovah  the 


920        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XII 


Lord  in  the  decalogue  then  promulgated,  and  written  on 
two  tables  by  the  finger  of  God,  and  afterward  deposited 
in  the  ark,  upon  which  in  the  tabernacle  was  placed  the 
mercy-seat,  and  upon  this  the  cherubs,  that  no  one  might 
touch  that  holiness  immediately  with  hand  or  eye;  and 
neither  could  Aaron  come  near  to  it  but  once  a  year,  after 
having  made  expiation  for  himself  by  sacrifices  and  offer- 
ings of  incense.  Hence,  also,  many  thousands  of  the  peo- 
ple of  Ekron  and  Bethshemesh  died,  merely  because  they 
looked  upon  the  ark  (i  Sam.  v.  n,  12  ;  vi.  19);  and  Uzzah 
also,  because  he  touched  it  (2  Sam.  vi.  6,  7).  These  few 
things  illustrate  with  what  a  curse  and  destruction  the  Jews 
would  have  been  smitten,  if  they  had  not  been  prepared  by 
John's  Baptism  for  receiving  the  Messiah  Who  was  Jeho 
vah  God  in  the  Human  form,  and  unless  He  4iad  assumed 
Hhe  Human,  and  so  revealed  Himself ;  also  that  they  were 
prepared  by  this,  that  in  heaven  they  were  enrolled  and 
numbered  with  those  who  in  heart  expected  and  desired 
the  Messiah,  and  owing  to  this  angels  then  were  sent  and 
made  their  guardians. 

692.  To  this  I  will  add  these  Relations.  First:  While 
returning  home  from  a  school  of  wisdom  [see  n.  48],  I  saw 
on  the  way  an  angel  in  clothing  of  a  violet  color.  He  joined 
me  at  my  side,  and  said,  "  I  see  that  you  have  come  from  a 
school  of  wisdom,  and  that  you  have  been  made  glad  by 
what  you  heard  there ;  and  as  I  perceive  that  you  are  not 
fully  in  this  world,  because  you  are  at  the  same  time  in  the 
natural  world,  and  do  not  therefore  know  of  our  Olympic 
gymnasiums  where  the  old  Sophi  meet,  and  learn  from  those 
who  have  lately  come  from  your  world  what  changes  and 
successions  of  state  wisdom  has  undergone  and  is  still  un- 
dergoing, if  you  wish  I  will  conduct  you  to  a  place  where 
dwell  many  of  the  ancient  Sophi  and  their  sons,  that  is, 
their  disciples."  And  he  conducted  me  to  the  border-land 
between  the  north  and  the  east ;  and  when  I  looked  for- 
ward into  it  from  a  height,  lo !  a  cit)  appeared,  and  at  one 


No.  692.] 


BAPTISM. 


921 


side  of  it  two  hills,  the  one  nearer  to  the  city  being  the 
lower.  And  the  angel  said  to  me,  "That  city  is  called 
Athenaeum,  the  lower  hill  Parnassium,  and  the  higher  Heli- 
coneum.  They  are  so  named  because  in  and  around  the 
city  sojourn  the  old  sages  of  Greece,  such  as  Pythagoras, 
Socrates,  Aristippus,  and  Xenophon,  together  with  their 
disciples  and  scholars."  I  asked  about  Plato  and  Aris- 
totle ;  and  he  said  that  they  and  their  followers  dwell  in 
another  region,  because  they  taught  rational  things  which 
belong  to  the  understanding,  but  the  others  morals  which 
pertain  to  the  life.  He  said  that  studious  persons  are  fre- 
quently sent  from  the  city  Athenaeum  to  the  lite?-ati  of  the 
Christians,  that  they  may  be  told  what  they  think  at  this 
day  concerning  God,  the  creation  of  the  universe,  the  soul's 
immortality,  the  state  of  man  relative  to  that  of  beasts,  and 
other  matters  of  interior  wisdom.  He  said  also  that  a 
herald  had  this  day  proclaimed  a  meeting,  an  indication 
that  those  who  had  been  sent  out  had  met  with  new-comers 
from  the  earth,  from  whom  they  heard  curious  things.  And 
we  saw  many  going  out  of  the  city  and  from  the  neighbor- 
ing parts,  some  having  laurels  on  their  heads,  some  holding 
palms  in  their  hands,  some  with  books  under  their  arms, 
and  some  with  pens  under  the  hair  of  the  left  temple.  We 
mingled  with  them  and  ascended  in  their  company ;  and 
lo  !  on  the  hill  was  an  octagonal  palace  which  they  called 
the  Palladium  j  and  we  went  in.  And  behold,  there  were 
eight  hexagonal  alcoves  there,  in  each  one  of  which  was  a 
library,  and  also  a  table  at  which  sat  those  with  the  laurel ; 
and  in  the  Palladium  itself  were  seen  seats  cut  in  stone,  upon 
which  the  others  sat  down.  And  then  a  door  opened  at  the 
left,  through  which  were  ushered  two  visitors,  lately  come 
from  the  earth  ;  and  after  salutations,  one  of  those  who  wore 
the  laurel  asked  them,  "  What  news  from  earth  i  "  And  they 
replied,  "The  news  is  that  there  have  been  found  in  the  forest 
human  beings  like  beasts,  or  beasts  like  human  beings,  but 
that  from  the  face  and  body  they  were  recognized  .is  having 

4* 


922        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIL 


been  born  human  beings,  but  left  or  lost  in  the  forest  when 
f"\vo  or  three  years  old.  It  was  said  that  they  were  not  able  to 
express  by  sound  any  thing  of  thought,  nor  could  they  learn 
to  articulate  any  word ;  also  that  they  did  not,  like  beasts, 
know  the  food  suitable  for  themselves,  but  put  into  their 
mouths  things  found  in  the  forest,  both  clean  and  unclean. 
And  many  such  things  are  told  of  them.  From  which  some 
learned  men  among  us  have  conjectured  and  some  have 
concluded  many  things  respecting  the  state  of  men  relative 
to  that  of  beasts."  Hearing  this,  some  of  the  ancient 
Sophi  asked,  "  What  do  they  conjecture  and  conclude 
from  those  facts  ?  "  And  the  two  visitors  answered,  "  Many 
things  ;  which,  however,  may  be  referred  to  the  following : 
i.  That  man  from  his  nature,  and  also  from  birth,  is  more 
stupid  and  thus  of  less  account  than  any  beast;  and  that 
so  he  goes  on  to  be,  if  not  instructed.  2.  That  he  can  be 
instructed,  because  he  has  learned  to  make  articulate 
sounds,  and  thence  to  speak ;  and  that  by  this  means  he 
began  to  express  his  thoughts,  and  this  successively  more 
and  more,  until  he  became  able  to  bring  out  the  laws  of 
society,  many  of  which  however  are  impressed  upon  beasts 
from  birth.  3.  That  rationality  belongs  as  much  to  beasts 
as  to  men.  4.  Wherefore  if  beasts  had  been  able  to  speak, 
they  would  reason  on  any  subject  as  skilfully  as  men  ;  a 
proof  of  which  is,  that  they  think  from  reason  and  prudence 
as  much  as  men.  5.  That  understanding  is  a  mere  modifica- 
tion of  light  from  the  sun,  heat  co-operating,  and  the  ether 
being  the  medium  ;  so  that  it  is  merely  an  activity  of  interior 
nature,  and  that  this  can  be  exalted  even  so  far  as  to  appear 
like  wisdom.  6.  That  it  is  therefore  vain  to  believe  that  man 
lives  after  death  any  more  than  the  beast,  except,  perhaps, 
that  for  some  days  after  death,  from  the  exhalation  of  the 
life  of  the  body,  he  may  appear  as  a  mist  in  the  form  of  a 
ghost,  before  he  is  dissipated  into  nature ;  almost  as  a  shrub 
raised  from  the  ashes  appears  in  the  likeness  of  its  own 
form.    7.  Consequently  that  religion,  which  teaches  a  life 


No.  692.] 


BAPTISM. 


923 


after  death,  is  an  invention  to  hold  the  simple  in  bonds  by 
its  laws,  from  within,  as  they  are  held  from  without  by  the 
laws  of  the  state."  To  this  they  added  that  the  merely 
ingenious  so  reason,  but  not  the  intelligent.  And  they 
were  asked,  "What  do  the  intelligent  say?"  They  an- 
swered that  they  had  not  heard,  but  that  they  supposed 
[that  they  did  not  reason]  so. 

Hearing  this,  all  who  were  sitting  at  the  tables  exclaimed, 
"  Oh  what  times  there  are  now  on  earth !  Alas,  what 
changes  wisdom  has  undergone  !  Is  it  not  turned  into  an 
infatuated  ingenuity  ?  The  sun  has  gone  down,  and  is  be- 
neath the  earth,  directly  opposite  to  its  noonday  height. 
Who  may  not  know  from  the' evidence  presented  in  those 
left  in  the  forest  and  found  again  that  man  is  such  if  not 
instructed  ?  Is  he  not  what  instruction  makes  him  ?  Is 
he  not  born  more  ignorant  than  the  beasts  ?  Must  he  not 
learn  to  walk  and  to  talk  ?  If  he  did  not  learn  to  walk, 
would  he  raise  himself  erect  upon  his  feet  ?  And  without 
learning  to  talk,  would  he  mutter  any  thing  of  thought  ? 
Is  not  every  man  what  instruction  makes  him  ?  insane  from 
falsities,  and  wise  from  truths.  And  is  not  one  who  is 
insane  from  falsities  in  the  full  fantasy  of  being  wiser 
than  he  who  is  wise  from  truths  ?  Are  there  not  fools  and 
madmen  who  are  no  more  men  than  those  found  in  the 
forest  ?  Are  not  those  who  are  wholly  destitute  of  mem- 
ory like  them.  From  all  this  we  have  concluded  that 
man  without  instruction  is  not  man  nor  beast,  but  a  form 
capable  of  receiving  into  itself  that  which  makes  the  man  ; 
and  so  that  he  is  not  born  a  man,  but  becomes  a  man  ; 
also  that  man  is  born  such  a  form  as  to  be  an  organ  re- 
cipient of  life  from  God,  to  the  end  that  he  may  be  a 
subject  into  which  God  may  bring  every  good,  and  make 
blessed  for  ever  by  union  with  Himself.  We  perceivr 
from  your  remarks  that  wisdom  is  at  this  day  so  far  extin- 
guished or  infatuated,  that  nothing  whatever  is  known  of 
the  state  of  the  life  of  men  relative  to  that  of  hr.ists  ; 


Q24        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XII. 


hence  it  is  that  they  do  not  know  the  state  of  man's  life 
after  death  •  but  they  who  are  able  to  know  this,  and  yet 
do  not  wish  to  know,  and  hence  deny  it,  as  many  of  your 
Christians  do,  we  may  liken  to  those  found  in  the  forest ; 
not  that  they  have  become  thus  stupid  from  lack  of  in- 
struction, but  they  have  made  themselves  so  by  the  falla- 
cies of  the  senses,  which  are  the  darkness  of  truths." 

But  just  then  some  one  standing  in  the  middle  of  the 
Palladium,  holding  a  palm  in  his  hand,  said,  "Unfold,  I 
pray,  this  arcanum  ;  how  man,  having  been  created  a  form 
of  God,  could  be  changed  into  a  form  of  the  devil.  I  know 
that  the  angels  of  heaven  are  forms  of  God,  and  that  the 
angels  of  hell  are  forms  of  the  devil ;  and  the  two  forms 
are  opposite  to  each  other,  the  latter  being  forms  of  in- 
sanity, the  others  of  wisdom.  Tell  me,  therefore,  how 
man,  created  a  form  of  God,  could  pass  from  day  into  such 
a  night  as  to  be  able  to  deny  God  and  eternal  life."  To 
this  the  teachers  made  answer  in  order,  first  the  Pythag- 
oreans, next  the  disciples  of  Socrates,  and  afterward  the 
others.  But  there  was  among  them  a  certain  Platonist, 
who  spoke  last,  and  his  opinion  prevailed.  This  was,  that 
men  of  the  Saturnian  or  golden  age  knew  and  acknowl- 
edged themselves  to  be  forms  recipient  of  life  from  God, 
and  that  wisdom  was  therefore  inscribed  on  their  souls  and 
hearts,  and  consequently  that  they  saw  truth  from  the  light 
of  truth,  and  by  means  of  truths  they  had  a  perception 
of  good  from  the  enjoyment  belonging  to  the  love  of  it. 
But  as  the  human  race  in  succeeding  ages  had  receded 
from  the  acknowledgment  that  all  the  truth  of  wisdom  and 
hence  the  good  of  love  with  them,  continually  flowed-in 
from  God,  they  ceased  to  be  dwelling-places  of  God,  and 
discourse  with  God  then  ceased  also,  and  consociation  with 
angels.  For  the  interiors  of  their  minds  were  bent  from 
their  direction  which  had  been  upraised  to  God  by  God, 
into  a  direction  more  and  more  oblique,  outward  into  the 
world,  and  so  to  God  by  God  through  the  world  ;  and  at 


MO.  693.] 


BAPTISM. 


925 


length  they  were  inverted  to  the  opposite  direction,  which 
is  downwards  to  self.  And  as  the  man  who  is  interiorly 
inverted  and  thus  turned  away,  cannot  look  to  God,  men 
separated  themselves  from  Him.  and  became  forms  of  hell 
and  so  of  the  devil.  From  this  it  follows  that  in  the  first  ages 
they  acknowledged  in  heart  and  soul,  that  they  had  all  the 
good  of  love,  and  hence  all  the  truth  of  wisdom,  from 
God,  and  also  that  these  were  God's  in  them  j  thus  that 
they  were  mere  receptacles  of  life  from  God,  and  were 
therefore  called  images  of  God,  sons  of  God,  and  born  of 
God  ;  but  that  in  succeeding  ages  they  acknowledged  this 
not  with  heart  and  soul,  but  with  a  kind  of  persuasive  faith, 
afterward  with  a  historic  faith,  and  finally  with  the  lips 
only  ;  and  to  acknowledge  a  thing  like  this  with  the  lips 
only,  is  not  to  acknowledge,  yes,  it  is  to  deny  it  in  heart. 
From  this  it  may  be  seen  of  what  quality  is  wisdom  at  this 
day  on  earth  and  among  Christians,  although  they  can  be 
inspired  by  God  from  a  written  revelation,  while  they  know 
not  the  distinction  between  man  and  beast.  And  therefore 
many  believe  that  if  man  lives  after  death,  a  beast  is  to 
live  also  ;  or,  that  as  a  beast  does  not  live  after  death, 
neither  is  man  to  live.  Has  not  our  spiritual  light,  which 
illuminates  the  sight  of  the  mind,  become  thick  darkness 
with  them  ?  and  has  not  their  natural  light,  which  only 
illuminates  the  sight  of  the  body,  become  brightness  to 
them  ? 

After  this  they  all  turned  to  the  two  visitors,  and  thanked 
them  for  their  company  and  for  what  they  had  told  them  ; 
they  also  begged  them  to  report  to  their  brethren  what 
they  had  heard.  The  visitors  answered  that  it  was  for 
them  to  confirm  their  brethren  in  this  truth,  that  as  far  Ekfl 
they  attribute  all  the  good  of  charity  and  the  truth  of  faith 
to  the  Lord  and  not  to  themselves,  so  far  they  are  men, 
and  become  angels  of  heaven. 

693.  Sfxond  Relation.  Some  weeks  after  this  I  heard 
a  voice  from  heaven  saving  "  Lo  !  there  is  agattl  a  meet- 


926        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  XII. 


ing  on  Parnassium ;  come,  we  will  show  you  the  way."  I 
went,  and  when  I  was  near  I  saw  one  standing  on  Heli- 
coneum  with  a  trumpet,  with  which  he  proclaimed  and  sum- 
moned the  meeting.  And  I  saw  them  as  before  going  up 
from  the  city  Athenaeum  and  its  borders,  and  in  their  midst 
three  novitiates  from  the  world.  These  three  were  from 
among  Christians ;  one  was  a  priest,  a  second  a  politician, 
and  the  third  a  philosopher.  They  were  entertaining  them 
on  the  way  with  varied  conversation,  especially  about  the 
ancient  wise  men  whom  they  named.  The  novitiates  asked 
whether  they  should  see  them.  They  were  told  that  they 
would,  and  that  they  might  salute  them  if  they  wished,  as 
they  were  affable.  They  asked  about  Demosthenes,  Dio- 
genes, and  Epicurus;  it  was  answered,  "Demosthenes  is 
not  here,  but  with  Plato  ;  Diogenes  with  his  scholars  so- 
journs at  the  foot  of  Heliconeum,  because  he  accounts 
worldly  things  as  of  no  moment,  and  revolves  in  his  mind 
heavenly  things  only ;  Epicurus  dwells  on  the  border  to- 
ward the  west,  and  does  not  come  among  us  because  we 
distinguish  between  good  affections  and  evil  affections, 
and  say  that  good  affections  are  in  unity  with  wisdom  and 
that  evil  affections  are  against  wisdom."  When  they 
ascended  the  hill  Parnassium,  some  guards  brought  water 
from  a  fountain  there  in  crystal  cups,  saying,  "  This  is 
water  from  the  fountain  which,  according  to  the  fable  of 
the  ancients,  was  broken  through  by  the  hoof  of  the  horse 
Pegasus,  and  afterward  consecrated  to  the  nine  virgins  ; 
but  by  the  winged  horse  Pegasus  they  understood  the 
understanding  of  truth,  by  means  of  which  is  wisdom ;  by 
his  hoofs  they  understood  the  experiences  through  which 
is  natural  intelligence  ;  and  by  the  nine  virgins,  cognitions 
and  knowledges  of  every  kind.  These  things  are  now 
called  fable,  but  they  were  correspondences,  from  which 
the  men  of  the  earliest  age  spoke."  Their  companions 
then  said  to  the  three  visitors,  "  Be  not  surprised ;  the 
guards  have  been  instructed  to  speak  so  ;  and  drinking 


No.  693.J 


BAPTISM. 


927 


water  from  the  fountain,  we  understand  as  meaning  to  be 
instructed  concerning  truths,  and,  by  means  of  truths,  con- 
cerning goods,  and  so  to  be  wise."  After  this  they  entered 
the  Palladium,  and  with  them  the  three  novitiates  from 
the  world,  the  priest,  the  politician,  and  the  philosopher. 
Then  those  wearing  the  laurel,  who  were  sitting  at  the 
tables,  asked,  "  What  news  from  earth  ?  "  And  they  re- 
plied, "  This  is  new,  that  a  certain  man  professes  to  talk 
wiih  angels,  and  to  have  his  sight  open  into  the  spiritual 
world  as  fully  as  into  the  natural  ;  and  from  that  world  he 
brings  many  new  things,  among  which  are  these  :  That 
man  lives  a  man  after  death,  as  he  before  lived  in  the 
world  ;  that  he  sees,  hears,  and  speaks  as  he  did  before  in 
the  world  ;  that  he  is  clothed  and  wears  ornaments  as  before 
in  the  world ;  that  he  hungers  and  thirsts,  eats  and  drinks, 
as  before  in  the  world;  that  he  enjoys  conjugial  delight 
as  before  in  the  world  ;  that  he  sleeps  and  wakes  as  before 
in  the  world ;  that  there  are  there  lands  and  lakes,  moun- 
tains and  hills,  plains  and  valleys,  springs  and  rivers,  para- 
dises and  groves ;  also  that  there  are  palaces  and  houses 
there,  and  cities  and  villages,  as  in  the  natural  world ; 
and  again  that  there  are  writings  and  books,  employments 
and  business,  also  precious  stones,  gold  and  silver ;  in  a 
word,  that  the  things  which  are  on  earth,  one  and  all,  are 
there,  those  in  the  heavens  being  infinitely  more  perfect, 
with  the  sole  difference  that  all  things  in  the  spiritual  world 
are  of  spiritual  origin  and  are  therefore  spiritual,  because 
they  are  from  a  Sun  there  which  is  pure  love ;  and  that  all 
things  which  are  in  the  natural  world  are  of  natural  origin, 
and  are  therefore  natural  and  material,  because  they  arc 
from  the  sun  there  which  is  pure  fire.  In  a  word,  he  says 
that  man  after  death  is  perfectly  a  man,  yes,  more  perfectly 
than  before  in  the  world  ;  for  before,  in  the  world,  he  W9B 
in  a  material  body,  but  in  this  he  is  in  a  spiritual  body." 
When  this  was  said,  the  ancient  wise  men  asked,  "What 
do  they  think  of  those  things  on  earth  ?  "    The  three  re- 


928        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XH 

plied,  "We  ourselves  know  that  they  are  true,  because  we 
are  here,  and  have  examined  and  searched  into  them  all ; 
and  we  shall  therefore  tell  what  they  said  and  reasoned 
about  them  on  earth."  And  then  the  p7-iest  said,  "  Those 
of  our  order,  when  they  first  heard  those  things,  called 
them  visions,  then  fictions ;  afterward  they  said  that  the 
man  saw  spectres,  and  at  last  they  hesitated,  and  said, 
i  Believe,  if  you  will ;  we  have  hitherto  taught  that  man  is 
not  to  be  in  a  body  after  death  until  the  day  of  the  last 
judgment.'  "  It  was  then  asked,  "  Are  there  not  some  in- 
telligent persons  among  them,  who  are  able  to  demonstrate 
and  convince  them  of  the  truth  that  man  lives  a  man  after 
death?"  The  priest  said,  "There  are  some  who  demon- 
strate it,  but  they  do  not  convince.  They  who  demonstrate 
it  say  that  it  is  contrary  to  sound  reason  to  believe  that  a 
man  does  not  live  a  man  until  the  day  of  the  last  judg- 
ment, and  that  meanwhile  he  is  a  soul  without  a  body. 
[They  say],  What  is  a  soul,  and  where  is  it  meanwhile  ? 
Is  it  a  breath,  or  something  like  wind,  floating  in  the  air: 
or  an  entity  hidden  in  the  midst  of  the  earth  ?  Show  us 
its  whereabouts.  Have  the  souls  of  Adam  and  Eve,  and 
of  all  who  have  lived  since,  for  these  six  thousand  years 
or  sixty  centuries,  still  been  flying  about  the  universe,  or  are 
they  kept  shut  up  in  the  very  centre  of  the  earth,  awaiting 
the  last  judgment  ?  What  could  be  more  anxious  and 
wretched  than  such  a  waiting  ?  May  not  their  lot  be  com- 
pared to  that  of  men  bound  with  chains  and  fetters  in 
prisons  ?  If  such  were  the  lot  of  man  after  death,  would 
it  not  be  better  to  be  born  an  ass  than  a  man  ?  Moreover, 
is  it  not  contrary  to  reason  to  believe  that  the  soul  can  be 
reclothed  with  its  body  ?  Is  not  the  body  eaten  up  by 
worms,  mice,  and  fishes  ?  Can  the  bony  skeleton,  burnt 
up  by  the  sun  or  fallen  into  powder,  be  covered  with  that 
new  body  ?  How  will  those  cadaverous  and  ill-smelling 
things  be  collected  and  united  to  the  souls  ?  But  when 
they  hear  such  arguments,  they  do  not  answer  them  with 


No.  693.] 


BAPTISM. 


any  thing  from  reason,  but  cling  to  their  faith,  saying,  1  We 
hold  reason  under  obedience  to  faith.'  As  to  the  gather- 
ing Of  all  from  the  graves  at  the  day  of  the  last  judgment, 
they  say,  '  This  is  the  work  of  omnipotence.'  And  when 
they  name  omnipotence  and  faith,  reason  is  exiled,  and  I 
may  say  that  sound  reason  is  then  as  naught,  or  with  some 
is  like  a  spectre  ;  yes,  they  can  say  to  sound  reason,  '  You 
are  crazy.' "  Having  heard  this,  the  wise  men  of  Greece 
said,  "  Are  not  those  paradoxes  dissipated  of  themselves, 
as  contradictions  ?  and  yet  in  the  world  at  this  day  even 
sound  reason  cannot  dissipate  them.  What  greater  para- 
dox can  be  believed  than  that  which  is  told  of  the  last 
judgment,  that  the  universe  is  then  to  pass  away,  and  that 
the  stars  of  heaven  will  then 'fall  to  the  earth  which  is 
smaller  than  they  ?  and  that  the  bodies  of  men,  either  car- 
casses then,  or  mummies  consumed  by  men,  or  mere  atoms, 
are  to  unite  again  with  their  souls  ?  When  we  were  in  the 
world,  we  believed  in  the  immortality  of  men's  souls  from 
the  inductions  which  reason  afforded  us,  and  we  also  desig- 
nated places  for  the  blessed  which  we  called  the  Elysian 
fields ;  and  we  believed  that  souls  were  human  effigies  or 
shapes,  but  subtle  because  spiritual."  After  these  remarks, 
they  turned  to  the  second  visitor,  who  in  the  world  had 
been  a  politician.  He  confessed  that  he  had  not  believed 
in  a  life  after  death,  and  that  he  had  thought  of  the  new 
things  that  he  had  heard  about  it  as  fictions  and  inventions. 
[He  added],  "  Meditating  upon  that  life,  I  said.  How  can 
souls  be  bodies  ?  Does  not  all  of  the  man  lie  dead  in  the 
sepulchre?  Is  not  the  eye  there?  How  can  he  see?  Is 
not  the  ear  there?  How  can  he  hear?  Whence  has  he  a 
mouth  to  speak  with  ?  If  any  thing  of  the  man  were  to 
live  after  death,  would  it  be  other  than  spectre-like  ?  and 
how  can  a  spectre  eat  and  drink,  and  how  can  it  enjoy 
conjugial  delight  ?  Whence  does  it  have  clothing,  house, 
food,  and  other  things  ?  And  spectres,  which  are  airy 
images,  seem  to  be,  and  yet  are  not.    'rin  se  and  similar 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XII 


thoughts  I  had  in  the  world  concerning  the  life  of  man 
after  death.  But  now,  since  I  have  seen  every  thing,  and 
touched  every  thing  with  my  hands,  I  am  convinced  by 
the  very  senses  that  I  am  a  man  as  in  the  world,  even  so 
that  I  know  no  other  than  that  I  live  as  I  formerly  lived, 
with  the  difference  that  my  reason  is  now  more  sound.  I 
have  more  than  once  been  ashamed  of  my  former  thoughts." 
The  philosopher  told  similar  things  concerning  himself,  with 
this  difference,  however,  that  the  new  things  that  he  had 
heard  respecting  a  life  after  death,  he  classed  among  the 
opinions  and  hypotheses  which  he  had  collected  from  both 
ancients  and  moderns.  When  they  heard  these  things  the 
Sophi  were  astounded  ;  and  those  who  were  of  the  Socratic 
school  said  that  they  perceived  by  this  news  from  earth 
that  the  interiors  of  human  minds  were  successively  closed 
up,  and  that  faith  in  falsity  now  shines  in  the  world  like 
truth,  and  fatuous  ingenuity  like  wisdom,  and  that  the  light 
of  wisdom  since  their  times  has  lowered  itself  from  the 
interiors  of  the  brain  into  the  mouth  beneath  the  nose, 
where  it  appears  before  the  eyes  as  a  brightness  of  the 
lip,  and  the  speech  of  the  mouth  thence  appeared  like  wis- 
dom. Having  heard  these  things  one  of  the  tyros  there 
said,  "  And  how  stupid  are  the  minds  of  those  who  now 
dwell  on  earth  !  Would  that  the  disciples  of  Heraclitus 
and  of  Democritus  were  here,  those  who  laugh  at  every 
thing  and  those  who  weep  at  every  thing,  and  we  should 
hear  great  laughter  and  great  weeping."  After  the  busi- 
ness of  the  meeting  was  finished,  they  gave  to  the  three 
novitiates  from  earth  badges  of  their  authority,  which  were 
thin  plates  of  copper  on  which  some  hieroglyphics  were 
engraved,  with  which  they  departed. 

694.  Third  Relation.  Some  time  afterward  I  looked 
toward  the  city  Athenaeum,  of  which  something  was  said  in 
a  former  Relation,  and  I  heard  an  unusual  clamor  from  it  ; 
there  was  in  it  something  of  laughter,  in  this  something  of 
indignation,  and  in  this  something  of  sadness ;  but  yet  that 


No.  694.] 


BAPTISM. 


931 


clamor  was  not  therefore  discordant,  but  there  was  a  con- 
cordance of  sound,  because  one  [of  these  elements]  did  not 
co-exist  with  another,  but  one  was  within  another.  In  the 
spiritual  world  variety  and  commingling  of  affections  are 
perceived  distinctly  in  a  sound.  At  a  distance  I  asked 
what  was  the  matter.  And  they  said,  "A  messenger  has 
arrived  from  the  place  where  new-comers  from  the  Chris- 
tian world  first  appear,  who  says  that  he  has  heard  from 
three  persons  there,  that  in  the  world  from  which  they  came 
they  believed  with  the  others  there  that  after  death  the 
blessed  and  happy  would  have  perfect  rest  from  labors; 
and  that  because  administrations,  offices,  and  work  are 
labors,  there  would  be  rest  from  them.  And  as  those  three 
have  now  been  brought  hither  by  the  messenger  whom  we 
sent  out,  and  stand  waiting  at  the  door,  a  clamor  has  arisen ; 
and  after  consultation  it  was  decided  that  they  should  not 
be  introduced  into  the  Palladium  on  Parnassium  like  the 
former  visitors,  but  into  the  great  audience-hall  there,  that 
they  might  tell  their  news  from  the  Christian  world';  and 
some  have  been  delegated  to  formally  introduce  them." 
As  I  was  in  the  spirit  (and  to  spirits  distances  are  accord- 
ing to  the  states  of  their  affections),  and  as  I  then  had  an 
affection  for  seeing  and  hearing  them,  I  seemed  to  myself 
to  be  there  present  j  and  I  saw  them  introduced  and  heard 
them  speak.  In  the  audience-hall  the  seniors  or  wiser  ones 
sat  at  the  sides,  and  the  others  in  the  middle,  and  in  front 
of  these  latter  was  a  raised  floor.  Hither  the  three  visitors, 
together  with  the  messenger,  were  conducted  through  the 
middle  of  the  audience-hall  by  the  younger  ones  in  formal 
attendance.  And  when  silence  was  obtained,  they  were 
saluted  by  a  certain  Elder  there,  and  were  asked,  "  What 
ne7vs  from  earth  ?  "  And  they  said,  M  There  are  many  new 
tilings  :  but  pray  tell  us  to  what  subject  your  inquiry  refers." 
The  Elder  replied,  "  What  news  from  earth  respecting  our 
world  and  respecting  heaven  ?  "  They  answered  :  "  When 
we  first  came  into  this  world,  we  heard  that  in  it  and  in 


932        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XII. 


heaven  there  are  administrations,  ministries,  employments, 
business,  pursuits  of  all  kinds  of  learning,  and  wonderful 
work  •  and  yet  our  belief  was  that  after  migration  or  trans- 
fer from  the  natural  world  into  this  spiritual  world,  we  were 
to  come  into  eternal  rest  from  labors  ;  and  what  are  employ- 
ments but  labors  ?  "  To  this  the  Elder  replied  :  "  By  eternal 
rest  from  labors  did  you  understand  eternal  idleness,  in 
which  you  would  constantly  sit  and  lie,  inhaling  delights 
with  the  breast,  and  drinking-in  joys  with  the  mouth  ? " 
To  this  the  three  visitors,  smiling  pleasantly,  said  that  they 
had  some  such  opinion.  And  then  they  were  answered : 
"What  have  joys,  and  delights,  and  thence  happiness,  in 
common  with  idleness  ?  From  idleness  the  mind  collapses, 
and  is  not  expanded ;  or  the  man  is  deadened  and  not  vivi- 
fied. Suppose  some  one  sitting  in  utter  idleness,  his  hands 
hanging  down,  his  eyes  cast  down  or  withdrawn  [from  every 
object],  and  suppose  him  to  be  at  the  same  time  surrounded 
by  an  aura  of  gladness  ;  would  not  a  lethargy  seize  both  his 
head  and  body,  and  the  vital  expansion  of  his  face  give 
place  to  contraction,  and  would  not  he  at  last  with  relaxed 
fibres  nod  and  nod  until  he  fell  to  the  ground  ?  What  keeps 
the  whole  bodily  system  expanded  and  tense  but  the  tension 
of  the  mind  [animus]  ?  And  whence  comes  the  mind's  ten- 
sion but  from  labors  in  administration  and  from  work,  when 
these  are  performed  from  enjoyment  in  them  ?  I  will  there 
fore  tell  you  news  from  heaven,  that  there  are  there  admin- 
istrations, ministries,  judicial  tribunals  greater  and  less,  as 
also  mechanical  arts,  and  trades."  The  three  visitors,  when 
they  heard  that  there  were  greater  and  lesser  judicial  tribu- 
nals in  heaven,  said,  "Why  those?  Are  not  all  in  heaven 
inspired  and  led  by  God,  and  do  they  not  therefore  know 
what  is  just  and  right  ?  What  need  then  of  judges  ?  "  And 
the  Elder  replied,  "  In  this  world  we  are  instructed,  and  we 
learn  what  is  good  and  true,  also  what  is  just  and  equitable 
much  as  in  the  natural  world ;  and  we  learn  these  things 
not  immediately  from  God,  but  mediately  through  others ; 


No.  694.] 


BAPTISM. 


933 


and  even*  angel,  like  every  man,  thinks  truth  and  does  good 
as  from  himself,  and  this,  according  to  the  state  of  the  angel, 
is  mixed  and  not  pure :  and  further,  among  the  angels  there 
are  the  simple  and  the  wise  •  and  the  wise  must  judge,  when 
the  simple  from  simplicity  and  from  ignorance  doubt  about 
what  is  just  or  depart  from  it.  But  as  you  are  yet  new  in 
this  world,  follow  me  into  our  city,  if  it  be  your  good  pleas- 
ure, and  we  will  show  you  all  things."  And  they  left  the 
audience-hall,  and  some  of  the  seniors  also  accompanied 
them.  And  first  they  entered  a  large  library,  which  was 
divided  into  smaller  collections  according  to  the  different 
branches  of  knowledge.  The  three  visitors  seeing  so  many 
books  were  amazed,  and  said,  "There  are  books,  too,  in 
this  world  !  Whence  come  the  parchment  and  paper  ? 
whence  the  pens  and  ink  ?  "  The  seniors  replied,  "  We 
perceive  that  in  the  former  world  you  believed  this  world 
to  be  empty  because  it  is  spiritual ;  and  this  you  believed 
because  concerning  the  spiritual  you  cherished  an  idea 
abstracted  from  the  material ;  and  what  is  abstracted  from 
the  material  appeared  to  you  like  nothing,  thus  like  a 
vacuum  ;  when  nevertheless  here  is  a  fulness  of  all  things ; 
all  things  here  are  substantial,  not  material ;  and  material 
things  originate  from  the  substantial.  We  who  are  here 
are  spiritual  men,  because  we  are  substantial  and  not  mate- 
rial. Hence  it  is  that  all  things  which  exist  in  the  natural 
world  are  found  here  in  their  perfection,  even  books  and 
writings,  and  many  things  besides."  When  the  three  vis- 
itors heard  the  word  substantial  mentioned,  thev  thought 
that  this  was  so,  because  they  saw  the  written  books  and 
because  they  heard  the  statement  that  matter  is  by  origin 
from  substance.  That  they  might  be  still  further  convinced 
of  these  things,  they  were  taken  to  the  abodes  of  the  writers 
who  were  transcribing  those  things  that  had  been  written 
by  the  wise  men  of  the  city;  and  they  examined  the  writ- 
ings, and  wondered  that  they  were  so  neat  and  finished. 
After  this  they  were  conducted  to  the  museums,  gvmn.i- 


934        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XII. 

siums,  and  colleges,  and  the  places  where  their  literary 
schools  [or  games  ludt\  were  held,  some  of  which  were 
called  the  schools  (or  games)  of  the  Heliconides,  some  of 
the  Parnassides,  some  of  the  Athenaeides,  and  some  of  the 
Virgins  of  the  fountain.  They  said  that  the  latter  were  so 
named,  because  virgins  signify  affections  for  knowledges, 
and  according  to  the  affection  for  knowledges  every  one 
has  intelligence.  The  schools,  so  called,  were  spiritual  ex- 
ercises and  trials  of  skill.  They  were  afterward  conducted 
about  the  city  to  the  rulers  (moderatores),  administrators, 
and  their  subordinate  officers,  and  by  the  latter  to  view  the 
wonderful  works  which  their  artificers  execute  in  a  spirit- 
ual manner.  After  these  things  had  been  seen,  the  Elder 
spoke  with  them  again  about  the  eternal  rest  from  labors 
into  which  the  blessed  and  happy  come  after  death,  and 
said :  "  Eternal  rest  is  not  idleness,  inasmuch  as  idleness 
produces  a  languor,  torpor,  stupor,  and  drowsiness  of  the 
mind  and  hence  of  the  whole  body,  and  these  are  not  life 
but  death,  still  less  is  it  the  eternal  life  in  which  the  angels 
of  heaven  are.  Eternal  rest  is  therefore  a  rest  that  dispels 
those  conditions,  and  causes  man  to  live ;  and  this  is  noth- 
ing else  than  what  elevates  the  mind  ;  it  is  therefore  some 
pursuit  and  work  by  which  the  mind  is  aroused,  enlivened, 
and  delighted;  and  this  is  effected  according  to  the  use 
from  which,  in  which,  and  for  which  it  works.  Hence  it  is 
that  the  universal  heaven  is  regarded  by  the  Lord  as  con- 
taining uses,  and  every  angel  is  an  angel  according  to  use. 
The  enjoyment  in  use  bears  him  on,  as  a  favoring  current 
does  a  ship,  causing  him  to  be  in  eternal  peace  and  in  the 
rest  of  peace.  Eternal  rest  from  labors  is  thus  understood. 
That  an  angel  is  alive  according  to  the  application  of  the 
mind  from  use  is  clearly  manifest  from  this,  that  every  one 
lias  conjugial  love  with  its  manhood,  its  potency,  and  de- 
lights, according  to  his  application  to  the  genuine  use  in 
which  he  is."  After  those  three  visitors  were  confirmed 
in  this,  that  eternal  rest  is  not  idleness  but  is  the  enjoy- 


No.  695  ] 


BAPTISM. 


935 


ment  in  some  work  that  is  for  use,  some  virgins  came  with 
their  handiwork,  things  embroidered  and  woven,  and  pre- 
sented these  to  them.  And  while  those  novitiate  spirits 
were  going  away,  the  virgins  sang  an  ode,  in  which  with 
angelic  melody  they  expressed  the  affection  for  works  of 
use  with  its  charms. 

695.  Fourth  Relation.  At  the  present  day  most  of 
those  who  believe  in  a  life  after  death,  also  believe  that  in 
heaven  their  thoughts  will  be  only  devotions,  and  their 
words  prayers ;  and  that  all  these,  together  with  the  ex- 
pressions of  the  face  and  the  actions  of  the  body,  will  be 
simply  glorifications  of  God  ;  and  their  houses,  so  many 
houses  of  worship  or  sacred  buildings  ;  and  thus  that  all 
will  be  priests  of  God.  But  I  can  affirm  that  the  holy 
things  of  the  church  do  not  there  occupy  their  minds  and 
homes  any  more  than  in  the  world  where  the  worship  of 
God  is  celebrated,  although  they  occupy  them  more  purely 
and  interiorly  j  but  that  there,  in  their  excellency,  are  the 
various  things  that  pertain  to  civil  prudence  and  to  rational 
erudition.  One  day  I  was  taken  up  into  heaven,  and  was 
conducted  into  a  society  there  in  which  were  the  Sophi  who 
in  ancient  times  excelled  in  erudition,  owing  to  their  study 
and  meditation  upon  such  things  as  belonged  at  once  to 
reason  and  to  use,  and  who  were  now  in  heaven  because 
they  believed  in  God  and  now  in  the  Lord,  and  loved  the 
neighbor  as  themselves.  And  afterward  I  was  introduced 
into  an  assembly  of  them,  and  was  there  asked  whence  I 
came  j  I  told  them  that  in  body  I  was  in  the  natural  world, 
but  in  spirit  in  their  spiritual  world.  Hearing  this,  those 
angels  were  made  glad,  and  inquired,  44  What  do  they  know 
and  understand  about  Influx  in  the  world  where  you  are  in 
body  ?  "  And  then,  having  recollected  what  I  had  gathered 
on  that  subject  from  the  discourses  and  writings  of  cele- 
brated men,  I  replied  that  they  did  not  yet  know  of  any 
influx  from  the  spiritual  world  into  the  natural  world,  but 
of  the  influx  of  nature  into  things  endowed  with  natural 


936        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XII. 


qualities  (naturatd),  as  of  the  sun's  heat  and  light  into  ani- 
mate bodies,  as  also  into  trees  and  shrubs,  which  are  thereby 
all  made  to  live  \  and,  on  the  other  hand,  of  the  influx  of 
cold  into  the  same,  whereby  they  are  made  to  die ;  and 
furthermore,  of  the  influx  of  light  into  the  eye,  whence 
comes  sight,  of  sound  into  the  ear,  whence  hearing,  of  odor 
into  the  nostrils,  whence  smell;  and  so  on.  In  addition  to 
this,  the  learned  of  this  age  reason  diversely  respecting  an 
influx  of  the  soul  into  the  body  and  of  the  body  into  the 
soul,  and  about  this  they  divide  into  three  parties,  —  as  to 
whether  the  influx  is  of  the  soul  into  the  body  (which  they 
call  occasional,  from  the  occasion  [presented  by]  things  fall- 
ing on  the  senses  of  the  body),  or  whether  there  is  an 
influx  of  the  body  into  the  soul  (which  they  call  physical, 
because  objects  fall  upon  the  senses,  and  from  them  upon 
the  soul),  or  whether  there  is  a  simultaneous  and  instan- 
taneous influx  into  the  body  and  at  the  same  time  into  the 
soul  (which  they  term  pre-established  harmony).  Never- 
theless each  thinks  that  the  influx  to  which  he  holds  is 
within  nature.  Some  believe  the  soul  to  be  a  particle  or 
drop  of  ether,  some  that  it  is  a  little  ball  or  spark  of  light, 
and  others  that  it  is  some  entity  that  hides  itself  in  the 
brain.  They  indeed  call  this  or  that  spiritual  which  is  the 
soul  to  them,  but  by  spiritual  they  mean  a  purer  natural ; 
for  they  do  not  know  any  thing  of  the  spiritual  world  and 
of  its  influx  into  the  natural  world  and  they  therefore  re- 
main within  the  sphere  of  nature  ;  in  this  they  go  up  and 
down,  and  into  it  they  raise  themselves,  as  eagles  into  the 
air  ;  and  those  who  stay  in  nature  are  like  the  nations  of 
some  island  in  the  sea  who  do  not  know  that  there  is  any 
land  beyond  them,  and  that  they  are  like  fishes  in  a  stream 
which  do  not  know  that  there  is  air  above  their  waters. 
Therefore,  when  mention  is  made  to  them  of  a  world  dis- 
tinct from  their  own,  where  angels  and  spirits  dwell,  and 
they  are  told  that  all  the  influx  into  men  is  from  that 
world,  and  also  the  interior  influx  into  the  trees,  they  stand 


No.  695.] 


BAPTISM. 


937 


amazed  as  if  they  were  listening  to  some  visionary  tales 
about  ghosts,  or  to  the  nonsense  of  astrologers.  Excepting 
the  philosophers,  in  the  world  where  I  am  in  body  our 
people  do  not  think  and  speak  of  any  influx  but  that  of 
v  ine  into  cups,  of  food  and  drink  into  the  stomach,  of  taste 
into  the  tongue,  and  also,  it  may  be,  of  the  influx  of  air 
into  the  lungs,  and  so  on  \  and  if  they  hear  any  thing 
said  about  an  influx  of  the  spiritual  world  into  the  natural, 
they  say,  "  If  it  flows-in,  let  it  flow  ;  what  is  the  advantage 
or  use  of  knowing  it?"  And  they  go  away;  and  when 
talking  afterward  about  what  they  have  heard  of  that  influx, 
they  play  with  it  as  some  play  with  pebbles  between  their 
fingers. 

I  afterward  talked  with  the  angels  about  the  wonders 
that  exist  from  the  influx  of  the  spiritual  world  into  the 
natural  j  as  about  the  grubs  which  become  butterflies,  also 
about  bees  and  drones,  and  the  wonderful  things  respect- 
ing silk-worms,  and  also  about  spiders  ;  [saying]  that  the 
inhabitants  of  the  earth  ascribe  those  things  to  the  light 
and  heat  of  the  sun,  and  thus  to  nature  \  and  what  I  have 
often  wondered  at,  by  means  of  them  they  confirm  them- 
selves in  favor  of  nature  ;  and  by  the  confirmations  in 
favor  of  nature  they  bring  sleep  and  death  upon  their 
minds  and  become  atheists.  I  then  related  wonderful 
things  about  plants  ;  as  that  they  all  progress  in  proper 
order  from  seed  even  to  new  seeds  ;  just  as  if  the  earth 
knew  how  to  fit  and  adapt  its  elements  to  the  prolific  prin- 
ciple of  a  seed,  to  bring  out  the  germ  from  it,  to  expand  it 
into  a  stem,  from  this  to  send  out  branches  and  clothe  them 
with  leaves,  then  to  make  them  beautiful  with  flowers,  from 
the  interiors  of  the  flowers  to  form  the  rudiments  of  fruits 
and  develop  them,  and  by  them  produce  seeds  like  off- 
spring, in  order  to  be  born  again.  But  these  things,  be- 
cause they  have  become  familiar,  usual,  and  common,  by 
being  seen  continually  and  by  their  yearly  recurrence, 
are  not  looked  upon  as  wonderful,  but  as  mere  effects  of 
vol.  111.  s 


938        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XII 


nature  ;  and  they  have  this  opinion  solely  because  they  are 
ignorant  that  there  is  a  spiritual  world,  and  that  from  the 
interior  this  operates  upon  and  actuates  the  things  that 
exist  and  are  formed  in  the  world  of  nature  and  upon  its 
earth,  one  and  all  (and  it  operates  as  the  human  mind 
operates  upon  the  senses  and  motions  of  the  body),  and 
that  the  particular  things  of  nature  are  like  tunics,  sheaths, 
and  clothing  which  envelop  spiritual  things,  and  proxi- 
mately produce  effects  corresponding  to  the  end  designed 
by  God  the  Creator. 

696.  Fifth  Relation.  I  once  prayed  to  the  Lord  that 
I  might  speak  with  disciples  of  Aristotle,  and  at  the  same 
time  with  those  of  Descartes  and  of  Leibnitz,  in  order  that 
I  might  obtain  their  views  of  the  Biter  course  between  the 
Soul  and  the  Body.  After  I  had  prayed,  nine  men  presented 
themselves,  three  of  them  disciples  of  Aristotle,  three  of 
Descartes,  and. three  of  Leibnitz;  and  they  stood  around 
me,  the  adorers  of  Aristotle  on  the  left,  the  followers  of 
Descartes  on  the  right,  and  the  favorers  of  Leibnitz  be- 
hind. Far  in  the  distance,  and  at  some  distance  from  each 
other,  three  persons  were  seen,  appearing  to  be  crowned 
with  laurel ;  and  from  perception  which  flowed-in  from 
heaven,  I  recognized  them  as  those  leaders  or  great  teachers 
themselves.  A  man  stood  behind  Leibnitz,  holding  the 
skirt  of  his  garment,  who  was  said  to  be  Wolf.  When  the 
nine  men  saw  each  other,  they  at  first  saluted  and  addressed 
each  other  in  courteous  tones.  But  just  then  a  spirit  with 
a  torch  in  his  right  hand  rose  up  from  the  lower  regions, 
and  waved  the  torch  before  their  faces.  Thereupon  they 
became  enemies,  three  parties  of  them,  and  looked  at  each 
other  with  fierce  countenances ;  for  the  lust  of  altercation 
and  dispute  seized  them.  The  Aristotelians,  who  were 
also  schoolmen,  then  began,  by  saying,  "  Who  does  not 
see  that  objects  flow-in  through  the  senses  into  the  soul, 
as  one  passes  through  a  door  into  a  chamber,  and  that  the 
Soul  thinks  according  to  the  influx  ?    When  a  lover  see? 


No.  696.] 


BAPTISM. 


939 


the  beautiful  virgin  or  bride,  does  not  his  eye  sparkle,  and 
bear  the  love  of  her  to  the  soul  ?  When  a  miser  sees  bags 
of  money,  is  there  not  a  burning  for  them  in  every  sense, 
and  does  not  this  introduce  itself  therefrom  into  the  soul, 
and  excite  the  desire  to  possess  them  ?  When  a  proud  man 
hears  another  praising  him,  does  he  not  prick  up  his  ears, 
and  do  not  these  transmit  the  praises  to  the  soul  ?  Are  not 
the  senses  of  the  body  like  entrance-halls,  through  which 
alone  there  is  ingress  to  the  soul  ?  From  these  examples  and 
innumerable  others  like  them,  who  can  draw  any  other  con- 
clusion than  that  influx  is  from  nature,  or  is  physical?" 
The  followers  of  Descartes,  holding  their  fingers  beneath 
the  forehead  at  these  remarks,  and  now  withdrawing  them, 
replied  by  saying,  "  Alas,  you  speak  from  appearances.  Do 
you  not  know  that  it  is  not  the  eye  that  loves  the  virgin  or 
bride,  but  the  soul  ?  And  that  the  sense  of  the  body  does 
not  from  itself  desire  the  money  in  the  purse,  but  from  the 
soul  ?  And  again,  that  in  no  other  way  do  the  ears  take 
in  the  praises  of  flatterers?  Is  it  not  perception  that 
causes  sensation  ?  and  perception  belongs  to  the  soul,  not 
to  the  organ.  Tell,  if  you  can,  What  causes  the  tongue  and 
lips  to  speak  but  thought  ?  and  what  causes  the  hands  to 
work  but  will  ?  and  thought  and  will  belong  to  the  soul. 
Thus  what  but  the  soul  causes  the  eye  to  see,  the  ears  to 
hear,  and  the  other  organs  to  feel,  to  attend  to  objects  and 
turn  toward  them  ?  From  these  examples  and  innumerable 
others  like  them,  any  one  who  is  wise  above  the  sensual 
things  of  the  body  concludes  that  there  is  not  an  influx  of 
the  body  into  the  soul,  but  of  the  soul  into  the  body.  This 
is  called  by  us  occasional  and  also  spiritual  influx."  When 
this  was  heard,  the  three  who  stood  behind  the  former 
triads  and  who  favored  Leibnitz,  raised  the  voice  and 
said,  "  We  have  heard  the  arguments  on  both  sides,  and 
have  compared  them,  and  have  perceived  that  in  many 
respects  the  first  arguments  are  the  stronger,  while  in  many 
the  last  are  the  stronger.    We  therefore,  if  permitted,  will 


940        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIi. 

settle  the  dispute."  Being  asked  how  they  would  do  this, 
they  said :  "  There  is  no  influx  of  the  soul  into  the  body, 
and  none  of  the  body  into  the  soul ;  but  there  is  a  unan- 
imous and  instantaneous  operation  of  both  together,  which 
a  celebrated  author  has  designated  by  a  beautiful  term, 
calling  it  pre-established  harmony."  After  this  the  spirit 
appeared  again  with  the  torch  in  his  hand,  but  this  time  in 
h:s  left,  and  waved  it  at  the  backs  of  their  heads,  whereby 
the  ideas  of  all  of  them  became  confused,  and  they  cried  out 
together,  "  Neither  our  souls  nor  our  bodies  know  what 
side  we  are  to  take ;  therefore  let  us  decide  this  dispute  by 
lot ;  we  will  favor  what  comes  out  first  by  lot."  And  they 
took  three  slips  of  paper,  on  one  of  them  they  wrote  Phys- 
ical Influx,  on  a  second  Spiritual  Influx,  and  on  the  third 
Pre-established  Harmony.  They  put  the  three  papers  into 
a  cap,  and  chose  one  of  their  number  to  draw  ;  he  put  his 
hand  into  the  cap  and  drew  out  the  paper  on  which  was 
written  Spiritual  Influx.  When  they  saw  this  and  read  it, 
they  all  said  (some,  however,  speaking  in  a  clear  and  flow- 
ing and  some  in  a  faint  and  restrained  tone),  "  We  favor 
that,  because  it  came  out  first."  But  then  an  angel  sud- 
denly stood  near  and  said,  "  Do  not  believe  that  the  little 
paper  in  favor  of  Spiritual  Influx  came  out  by  chance,  it 
came  providentially  ;  for  you,  because  you  are  in  confused 
ideas,  do  not  see  its  truth  ;  but  the  paper  offered  itself  to 
the  hand,  that  you  may  favor  it." 

697.  Sixth  Relation.  I  once  saw  not  far  from  me  a 
meteoric  display :  I  saw  a  cloud  divided  into  little  clouds, 
some  of  which  were  blue,  and  some  dark  j  and  I  saw  them 
dashing  against  each  other,  as  it  were ;  rays  of  light  glit- 
tered in  streaks  across  them,  which  now  seemed  sharp  J  ike 
pointed  swords,  now  blunt  like  broken  swords ;  those  streaks 
now  ran  out  toward  each  other,  and  now  drew  back  into 
themselves,  just  like  combatants.  In  this  way  those  little 
clouds  of  different  colors  seemed  as  it  were  to  be  fighting 
with  each  other,  but  they  were  playing.    And  as  this  mete- 


No.  697.] 


BAPTISM. 


94I 


oric  display  did  not  seem  to  be  far  from  me,  I  raised  my 
eyes  and  looked  at  it  intently ;  and  I  saw  boys,  young  men, 
and  old  men  entering  into  a  house  built  of  marble,  with  a 
substructure  of  porphyry.  That  phenomenon  was  over  this 
house.  And  then  addressing  one  of  those  who  were  enter- 
ing, I  asked  him  what  was  there.  He  replied,  "That  is 
a  gymnasium  where  young  men  are  initiated  into  various 
things  belonging  to  wisdom."  Hearing  this,  I  entered  with 
them ;  I  was  in  the  spirit,  that  is,  in  a  state  like  that  of  the 
men  of  the  spiritual  world,  who  are  called  spirits  and  angels. 
And  behold,  in  that  gymnasium  in  front  was  seen  a  desk,  in 
the  centre  were  benches,  round  about  the  sides  were  seats, 
and  over  the  entrance  was  an  orchestra.  The  desk  was  for 
the  young  men  who  were  to  give  answer  to  the  problem  to 
be  proposed  at  that  time,  the  benches  were  for  the  hearers, 
the  seats  at  the  sides  for  those  who  had  answered  wisely 
on  former  occasions,  and  the  orchestra  for  the  seniors  who 
were  to  be  arbiters  and  judges.  In  the  middle  of  the 
orchestra  was  a  pulpit,  where  there  sat  a  wise  man  whom 
they  called  the  head  teacher;  and  he  proposed  the  prob- 
lems to  which  the  young  men  were  to  answer  from  the 
desk.  And  after  they  were  assembled,  the  man  arose  from 
the  pulpit  and  said :  "  Make  answer  now,  I  pray,  to  this 
problem,  and  solve  it  if  you  can  :  What  is  the  sou/,  and  what 
its  quality V  All  were  amazed  when  this  was  heard,  and 
murmured  ;  and  some  of  the  assembly  seated  on  the  benches 
exclaimed,  "What  man  even  from  the  Saturnian  age  to  our 
own,  has  by  any  rational  thought  been  able  to  see  and  con 
chide  what  the  soul  is?  Still  less  has  any  one  been  able 
to  see  and  conclude  what  its  quality  is.  Is  not  this  above 
the  sphere  of  the  understanding  of  any  ? H  But  to  this  it 
was  replied  from  the  orchestra,  "This  is  not  above  the 
understanding,  but  in  it,  and  before  it;  only  answer."  And 
the  young  men  arose  who  were  chosen  that  clay  to  go  up  to 
the  desk  and  make  answer  to  the  problem.  There  were 
five  who  had  been  examined  by  the  seniors  and  found  to 


942        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XII. 


possess  much  sagacity,  and  who  then  were  sitting  beside 
the  desk  on  sofas ;  and  afterward  these  went  up  in  the 
order  in  which  they  sat.  Each  one,  when  he  was  to  go  up, 
put  on  a  silk  tunic  of  an  opaline  color,  and  over  it  a  gown 
of  soft  wool  inwoven  with  flowers,  and  also  a  cap,  on  the 
top  of  which  was  a  rosette  encircled  by  small  sapphires. 
And  I  saw  the  first  one  so  clothed,  as  he  went  up,  and  he 
said :  "  What  the  soul  is,  and  what  its  quality  is,  has  been 
revealed  to  no  man  since  the  day  of  creation  j  it  is  an  arca- 
num among  the  treasures  of  God  alone.  But  this  much  has 
been  discovered,  that  the  soul  has  her  residence  in  man 
like  a  queen ;  where  her  court  is,  learned  masters  indeed 
have  guessed  ;  some,  that  it  is  in  the  little  tubercle  between 
the  cerebrum  and  the  cerebellum,  which  is  called  the  pineal 
gland  ;  they  have  devised  a  seat  for  the  soul  in  this,  because 
the  whole  man  is  governed  from  those  two  brains,  and  that 
tubercle  regulates  them  j  wherefore  this,  which  regulates 
the  brains  at  its  will,  also  regulates  the  entire  man  from 
head  to  foot."  He  also  said,  "  This,  therefore,  seemed  like 
the  truth  or  to  be  probable  to  many  in  the  world  ;  but  after 
their  time  it  was  rejected  as  a  fiction."  After  he  had  said 
this  he  put  off  the  gown,  tunic,  and  cap,  which  the  second 
of  those  chosen  then  put  on  and  entered  the  desk.  What 
he  delivered  concerning  the  soul  was,  that  throughout  all 
heaven  and  all  the  world  none  knows  what  the  soul  is,  and 
what  its  quality  is.  "This  is  known,"  he  said,  "that  there 
is  a  soul,  and  that  it  is  in  man,  but  where,  is  a  matter  of 
conjecture ;  this  much  is  certain,  that  it  is  in  the  head,  for 
there  the  understanding  thinks,  and  there  the  will  intends, 
and  in  the  fore  part  of  the  head,  that  is,  in  the  face,  are 
man's  five  sensories ;  to  all  of  those  life  is  given  only  by 
the  soul  which  resides  within  the  head.  But  where  its 
court  there  is,  I  dare  not  say ;  but  I  have  agreed,  now  with 
those  who  have  assigned  it  a  seat  in  the  three  ventricles  of 
the  brain,  now  with  those  who  have  assigned  it  in  the  stri- 
ated bodies,  now  with  those  who  fix  it  in  the  medullary  sub- 


No.  697.] 


BAPTISM. 


943 


stance  of  either  brain,  now  with  those  who  seat  it  in  the 
cortical  substance,  now  with  those  who  give  it  a  seat  in  the 
dura  mater.  For  there  have  not  been  wanting  the  white 
pebbles  [as  suffrages]  in  favor  of  each  one  of  these  as  the 
seat,  on  the  ground  of  evidence :  in  favor  of  the  three  ven- 
trfc'.es  in  the  brain,  on  the  ground  that  they  are  the  recep- 
tacles of  the  animal  spirits,  and  of  the  lymph  of  every  variety 
belonging  to  the  brain;  in  favor  of  the  striated  bodies,  on 
the  ground  that  they  form  the  marrow  through  which  the 
neives  go  forth,  and  through  which  both  brains  are  con- 
tinued into  the  spinal  column,  and  from  this  column  and 
that  substance  emanate  the  fibres  from  which  the  whole 
body  is  woven  j  in  favor  of  the  medullary  substance  of  both 
brains,  since  that  is  a  collection  in  mass  of  all  the  fibres 
that  are  the  rudiments  of  the  whole  man  j  in  favor  of  the 
cortical  substance,  on  the  ground  that  the  first  and  the  last 
ends  are  there,  and  hence  the  principles  of  all  the  fibres, 
and  thus  of  the  senses  and  motions ;  in  favor  of  the  dura 
mater,  because  that  is  the  general  covering  of  both  brains, 
and  extends  itself  therefrom  by  a  kind  of  continuity  over 
the  heart  and  the  viscera  of  the  body.  As  for  myself,  I  do 
:iot  decide  in  favor  of  one  more  than  another.  Do  you 
decide,  I  beg  of  you,  and  choose  what  you  prefer."  Hav- 
ing said  this,  he  descended  from  the  desk,  and  handed  the 
tunic,  gown,  and  cap  to  the  third,  who  stepping  up  to  the 
desk  spoke  as  follows  :  "  What  have  I,  a  young  man,  to  do 
with  a  question  so  sublime  ?  I  appeal  to  the  learned  men 
sitting  here  beside  me ;  I  appeal  to  you  wise  men  in  the 
orchestra ;  yes,  I  appeal  to  the  angels  of  the  highest  heaven, 
whether  any  one  from  his  own  rational  light  can  acquire  for 
himself  any  idea  respecting  the  soul.  But  respecting  its 
sea  in  man,  like  others  I  can  speak  as  a  seer,  and  Bpeafc 
ing  so  I  say  that  it  is  in  the  heart  and  thence  in  the  blood ; 
and  I  divine  that  this  is  so,  because  the  heart  by  its  blood 
rules  both  the  body  and  the  head,  for  it  sends  forth  the 
great  vessel  called  the  aorta  throughout  the  whole  body, 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XII. 


and  the  vessels  called  the  carotid  arteries  into  all  parts  of 
the  head.  It  is  therefore  universally  agreed  that  the  soul, 
from  the  heart  through  the  blood,  sustains,  nourishes,  and 
vivifies  the  whole  organic  system  of  both  the  body  and  the 
head.  It  adds  credence  to  this  assertion,  that  soul  and 
heart  are  so  often  mentioned  together  in  the  Sacred  Script- 
ure, as  that  thou  shalt  love  God  from  the  whole  soul  and  from 
the  whole  heart ;  and  that  God  creates  in  man  a  new  soul 
and  a  new  heart  (Deut.  vi.  5  ;  x.  12  ;  xi.  13 ;  xxvi.  16  ;  Jer. 
xxxii.  41  j  Matt.  xxii.  37  ;  Mark  xii.  30,  33  ;  Luke  x.  27  ; 
and  elsewhere) ;  it  is  also  openly  stated  that  the  blood  is  the 
soul  of  the  flesh  (Lev.  xvii.  11,  14)."  On  hearing  this,  some, 
who  were  of  the  canons,  cried  out,  "  Learned,  learned ! " 
After  this,  the  fourth,  having  put  on  the  vestments  of  the 
other  and  entered  the  desk,  said :  "  I,  too,  suspect  that  no 
one  is  of  a  genius  so  subtile  and  refined  that  he  can  see 
clearly  what  the  soul  is  and  what  its  quality  is ;  I  am  there- 
fore of  the  opinion  that,  with  him  who  wishes  to  pry  into 
it,  subtilty  is  wasted  on  what  yields  no  return.  But  still, 
from  my  boyhood  I  have  continued  to  credit  the  opinion  of 
the  ancients,  that  man's  soul  is  in  the  whole  of  him  and  in 
every  part  of  this  whole,  and  thus  that  it  is  both  in  the  head 
and  every  part  of  it,  and  in  the  body  and  every  part  of  it ; 
and  that  it  was  an  idle  invention  of  the  moderns  to  desig- 
nate for  it  a  seat  in  any  one  place,  and  not  everywhere. 
Moreover,  the  soul  is  a  spiritual  substance,  of  which  is 
predicated  neither  extension  nor  place,  but  habitation  and 
impletion.  Furthermore,  who  does  not  mean  life  when  he 
names  the  soul  ?  Is  not  life  in  the  whole  and  in  every 
part  ? "  Many  of  the  audience  favored  these  remarks. 
After  him  arose  the  fifth,  and  arrayed  in  the  same  distin- 
guishing dress,  he  spoke  from  the  desk  as  follows :  "  I  do 
not  stop  to  say,  Where  is  the  soul,  —  whether  in  any  one 
part  or  in  the  whole ;  but  from  my  own  store  and  larder,  I 
will  open  my  mind  on  the  question,  What  is  the  soul  and 
what  its  quality  ?    The  soul  is  not  thought  of  by  any  one 


No.  697.] 


BAPTISM. 


945 


except  as  a  pure  something  which  may  be  likened  to  ether, 
or  air,  or  wind,  in  which  there  is  vitality  from  the  rationality 
which  man  has  above  the  beasts.  This  opinion  I  have 
based  upon  this,  that  when  man  expires  he  is  said  to 
breathe  out  or  give  up  the  soul  or  spirit.  Hence  also  the 
soul  as  it  lives  after  death  is  believed  to  be  such  a  breath, 
in  which  there  is  cogitative  life  which  is  called  the  sou). 
What  else  can  the  soul  be  ?  But  as  I  heard  those  who  said 
from  the  orchestra  that  the  problem  respecting  the  soul, 
what  it  is  and  what  its  quality,  is  not  above  the  under- 
standing, but  in  it  and  before  it,  I  ask  and  beg  that  you 
yourselves  [who  are  seated  there]  will  open  this  eternal 
arcanum."  And  the  seniors  in  the  orchestra  looked  at  the 
head  teacher  who  had  proposed  that  problem,  and  he  under- 
stood from  their  nods  that  they  wished  him  to  descend  and 
teach.  And  forthwith  he  descended  from  the  pulpit,  crossed 
the  auditorium,  and  entered  the  desk  ;  and  there  stretching 
forth  the  hand  he  said,  "Listen,  I  pray.  Who  does  not 
believe  the  soul  to  be  man's  inmost  and  most  subtile 
essence  ?  Yet  what  is  essence  without  a  form  but  a  mere 
thing  of  reasoning  ?  The  soul,  therefore,  is  a  form  ;  but 
what  kind  of  a  form  shall  be  told.  It  is  a  form  of  all  things 
of  love  and  all  of  wisdom ;  all  things  of  love  are  called  affec- 
tions, and  all  of  wisdom  are  called  perceptions.  These  per 
ceptions  from  the  affections  and  thus  with  them,  make  one 
form,  in  which  are  innumerable  things  in  such  order,  series, 
and  coherence,  that  they  may  be  called  a  one  ;  and  they 
may  be  called  a  one,  because  nothing  can  be  taken  from 
this  one  or  added  to  it,  and  it  be  such  a  form.  What  is  the 
human  soul  but  such  a  form  ?  Are  not  all  things  of  love 
and  all  things  of  wisdom  the  essentials  of  that  form  ?  and 
these  in  man  are  in  the  soul,  and  from  the  soul  in  the  head 
and  the  body.  You  are  called  spirits  and  angels ;  and  in 
the  world  you  believed  that  spirits  and  angels  were  like 
wind  or  ether,  and  thus  minds  {mcntcs  and  animi) ;  but  now 
you  see  clearly  that  you  are  truly,  really,  and  actually  men 


946        THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XII. 

who  in  the  world  lived  and  thought  in  a  material  body- 
and  you  know  that  the  material  body  did  not  live  and 
think,  but  the  spiritual  substance  in  that  body,  and  you 
called  this  the  soul,  of  the  form  of  which  you  had  no  knowl- 
edge, and  yet  you  have  now  seen  it  and  still  see  it.  You 
all  are  the  souls  respecting  whose  immortality  you  have 
heard,  thought,  said,  and  written  so  much ;  and  because 
you  are  forms  of  love  and  wisdom  from  God,  you  can  never 
die.  The  soul  therefore  is  a  human  form,  from  which  noth- 
ing whatever  can  be  taken  away,  and  to  which  nothing  what- 
ever can  be  added ;  and  it  is  the  inmost  form  of  all  the 
forms  of  the  whole  body.  And  since  the  forms  which  are 
without  receive  from  the  inmost  form  both  essence  and 
form,  therefore  you,  even  as  you  appear  to  yourselves 
and  to  us,  are  souls.  In  a  word,  the  soul  is  the  man  him- 
self, because  it  is  the  inmost  man ;  therefore  its  form  is 
fully  and  perfectly  the  human  form.  Yet  it  is  not  life,  but 
it  is  the  nearest  receptacle  of  life  from  God,  and  thus  God's 
dwelling-place."  Many  applauded  these  remarks,  but  some 
said,  "  We  will  think  about  it."  I  then  went  home.  And 
lo !  in  the  place  of  the  former  meteoric  display,  there  ap- 
peared over  that  gymnasium  a  bright  cloud,  without  any 
contending  streaks  or  rays.  This  cloud  passing  through 
the  roof  brightened  the  walls ;  and  I  heard  that  they  saw 
writings,  and  among  others  this,  Jehovah  God  breathed  into 
mail's  nostrils  the  soul  of  lives,  and  man  became  a  living 
soul  (Gen.  ii.  7). 


CHAPTER  THIRTEENTH. 


CONCERNING  THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 
J.  Without  acquaintance  with  the  Correspondences 

OF  NATURAL  WITH  SPIRITUAL  THINGS,  NO  ONE  CAN 
KNOW  THE  USES  AND  BENEFITS  OF  THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 

698.  This  was  partially  explained  in  the  chapter  on 
Baptism,  where  it  was  shown  that,  without  an  apprehen- 
sion of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  no  one  can  know 
what  the  two  sacraments,  Baptism  and  the  Holy  Supper, 
involve  and  effect  (which  may  be  seen  n.  667-669).  It  is 
now  said,  Without  acquaintance  with  the  correspondences 
of  natural  with  spiritual  things,  —  which  is  the  same  thing, 
because  by  correspondences  the  natural  sense  of  the  Word 
is  turned  into  the  spiritual  in  heaven ;  and  because  of  this, 
those  two  senses  correspond  to  each  other  j  wherefore  he 
who  has  an  acquaintance  with  correspondences  can  become 
acquainted  with  the  spiritual  sense.  But  what  correspon- 
dences are,  and  what  their  quality,  may  be  seen  in  the 
chapter  on  the  Sacred  Scripture  from  beginning  to  end ; 
also  in  the  explanation  of  the  Decalogue,  from  the  first  to 
the  last  commandment  ;  and  as  to  particulars,  in  the 
"  Apocalypse  Revealed." 

699.  Who  that  is  truly  Christian  does  not  acknowledge 
1hat  these  two  sacraments  are  holy,  and  indeed  that  they 
are  in  Christendom  the  holiest  things  of  worship  ?  But 
who  knows  where  their  holiness  resides,  or  whence  it  is  ? 
In  the  institution  of  the  Holy  Supper,  nothing  more  is 
known  from  the  natural  sense  than  that  the  flesh  of  Christ 
is  given  to  eat,  and  His  blood  to  drink,  and  that  bread 


948       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII. 

and  wine  are  in  place  of  these.  Who  can  from  this  think 
otherwise  than  that  it  is  holy  solely  because  of  the  com- 
mandment from  the  Lord  ?  Wherefore  the  most  sagacious 
men  of  the  church  have  taught  that  when  the  Word  is 
added  to  the  element,  it  becomes  a  sacrament.  But  be- 
cause the  origin  of  the  holiness  of  this  sacrament  as  so 
stated  does  not  fall  within  the  understanding,  and  does  not 
show  itself  in  its  elements  or  symbols,  but  falls  merely  into 
the  memory,  therefore  some  observe  it  trusting  that  sins 
are  remitted  by  its  means,  some  because  they  believe  that 
it  sanctifies,  some  because  it  strengthens  faith  and  thus 
also  promotes  salvation.  But  those  who  think  lightly  of  it, 
attend  to  its  observance  only  from  being  accustomed  to  do 
so  from  childhood  ;  and  some,  because  they  see  no  reason 
in  it,  neglect  it.  But  the  impious  turn  away  from  it,  saying 
to  themselves,  "  What  is  it  but  a  ceremony  stamped  with 
holiness  by  the  clergy  ?  For  what  is  there  in  it  but  bread 
and  wine  ?  And  what  is  it  but  a  fiction  that  the  Body  of 
Christ  which  hung  upon  the  cross  and  His  Blood  which 
was  then  poured  out,  are  distributed  to  the  communicants 
together  with  the  bread  and  wine  ? "    And  so  on. 

700.  Such  ideas  respecting  this  most  holy  sacrament  are 
at  this  day  cherished  throughout  all  Christendom,  solely 
because  they  accord  with  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the 
Word  ;  and  the  spiritual  sense,  in  which  alone  the  use  and 
benefit  of  the  Holy  Supper  are  displayed  in  their  truth,  has 
been  hitherto  hidden,  not  having  been  disclosed  till  the 
present  time.  This  sense  is  now  first  disclosed,  because 
there  has  hitherto  been  Christianity  only  in  name,  and 
with  some  persons  some  shadow  of  it ;  for  men  have  not 
heretofore  approached  and  worshipped  the  Saviour  Him- 
self immediately  as  the  one  only  God  in  Whom  is  the 
Divine  Trinity,  but  only  mediately;  which  is  not  to  ap- 
proach and  worship,  but  merely  to  venerate  Him  as  the 
cause  for  the  sake  of  which  man  has  salvation  j  and  this 
is  not  the  essential  but  the  mediate  cause,  which  is  beneath 


No.  701.I 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


949 


and  exterior  to  the  essential.  But,  however,  because  real 
Christianity  is  now  beginning  to  dawn,  [and]  the  Lord  is 
now  establishing  a  New  Church  meant  by  the  New  Jeru- 
salem in  the  Apocalypse,  wherein  God  the  Father,  the 
Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  are  acknowledged  as  one  because 
in  one  Person,  it  has  pleased  the  Lord  to  reveal  the  spirit- 
ual sense  of  the  Word  in  order  that  this  church  may  come 
into  the  very  use  and  benefit  of  the  sacraments,  Baptism 
and  the  Holy  Supper ;  and  this  is  done  when  men  see  with 
the  eyes  of  their  spirit,  that  is,  with  the  understanding,  the 
holiness  concealed  therein,  and  apply  it  to  themselves  by 
the  means  which  the  Lord  has  taught  in  His  Word. 

701.  The  holiness  of  the  sacrament  here  treated  of,  with- 
out the  opening  of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  or  what 
is  the  same,  without  a  revelation  of  the  correspondences 
of  natural  with  spiritual  things,  can  no  more  be  spiritually 
acknowledged  than  a  treasure  hid  in  a  field.  The  field  is 
not  valued  more  highly  than  any  common  one ;  but  when 
it  is  discovered  that  there  is  a  treasure  in  it,  the  field  is 
valued  at  a  great  price,  and  then  the  purchaser  gathers  to 
himself  wealth  from  it ;  still  more  so  when  it  is  ascertained 
that  there  is  a  treasure  in  it  more  precious  than  all  gold. 
Without  the  spiritual  sense  this  sacrament  is  like  a  closed 
house  full  of  jewels  and  treasures,  which  is  passed  by  like 
any  other  house  on  the  street ;  though  because  the  clergy 
built  its  walls  of  marble  and  covered  its  roof  with  plates 
of  gold,  it  attracts  the  gaze  of  the  passers-by,  to  view  it,  to 
praise  it,  and  to  estimate  its  value.  It  is  different  when 
that  house  has  been  opened  and  free  leave  is  given  to  every 
one  to  enter,  and  the  custodian  supplies  some  with  a  loan 
from  it,  and  to  others  presents  a  gift  from  it,  to  each  ac- 
cording to  his  rank.  It  is  said  a  gift  from  it ;  because  the 
precious  things  therein  are  inexhaustible  and  are  continu- 
ally supplied.  So  it  is  with  the  Word  as  to  its  spiritual 
things,  and  with  the  sacraments  as  to  their  heavenly  ^taogL 
The  sacrament  here  treated  of,  without  a  revelation  of  its 


950       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII. 


holiness  which  lies  concealed  within,  appears  like  the  sand 
of  a  river  which  contains  in  great  abundance  little  grains 
of  gold  scarcely  visible ;  but  when  its  holiness  has  been 
revealed,  it  is  like  the  gold  collected  from  it,  melted  into  a 
mass,  and  this  fashioned  into  beautiful  forms.  This  Sacra- 
ment, when  its  holiness  is  not  disclosed  and  seen,  is  like  a 
box  or  casket  made  of  beech  or  poplar,  in  which  diamonds, 
rubies,  and  many  other  precious  stones  are  arranged  in 
order  in  little  compartments.  Who  does  not  value  that  box 
or  casket  if  he  knows  that  such  things  are  concealed  within 
it,  and  still  more  when  he  sees  them,  and  wjien  they  are 
also  freely  distributed  ?  This  sacrament  without  a  revela- 
tion of  its  correspondences  with  heaven,  and  so  when  the 
heavenly  things  to  which  it  corresponds  are  not  seen,  is 
like  an  angel  appearing  in  the  world  in  common  clothing, 
and  who  is  honored  only  according  to  the  clothing ;  but  it 
is  altogether  different  when  he  is  known  to  be  an  angel, 
and  what  is  angelic  is  heard  from  his  lips,  and  marvellous 
things  are  seen  in  his  deeds.  The  difference  between  a 
holiness  that  is  merely  attributed  to  any  thing  and  a  holiness 
which  is  seen,  may  be  illustrated  by  this  example  that 
was  seen  and  heard  in  the  spiritual  world  :  There  was  read 
an  epistle  written  by  Paul  while  he  sojourned  in  the  world, 
but  not  published,  without  any  one's  knowing  that  it  was 
by  Paul.  The  hearers  at  first  regarded  it  as  of  little 
moment ;  but  when  it  was  discovered  to  be  one  of  Paul's 
epistles,  it  was  received  with  joy,  and  the  things  therein 
were  adored,  one  and  all.  It  was  manifest  from  this,  that 
the  mere  attribution  of  holiness  to  the  Word  and  the 
sacraments,  when  made  by  the  primates  of  the  clerical 
order,  does  indeed  give  the  stamp  of  holiness  \  but  it  is 
otherwise  when  the  holiness  itself  is  disclosed  and  pre- 
sented so  as  to  be  seen  before  the  eyes,  which  is  done  by 
a  revelation  of  the  spiritual  sense  ;  by  this  means  external 
holiness  becomes  internal,  and  the  attribution  of  holiness 
becomes  the  acknowledgment  of  it.  So  it  is  with  the  holi- 
ness of  the  sacrament  of  the  Supper. 


No.  703-] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


951 


II.  From  an  acquaintance  with  Correspondences  it 
is  known  what  is  meant  by  the  lord's  flesh 
and  Blood,  and  that  the  Bread  and  Wine  have 

a  similar  meaning;  that  by  the  lord's  flesh 

and  by  the  bread  is  meant  the  dlvine  good 
of  His  Love,  also  all  the  Good  of  Charity  J 
and  by  the  Lord's  Blood  and  by  the  Wine  is 

MEANT  THE  DlVINE  TRUTH  OF  HlS  WlSDOM,  ALSO 

all  the  Truth  of  Faith  j  and  by  Eating  is 
meant  Appropriation. 

702.  Since  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  Is  at  this  day 
disclosed,  and  together  with  it  correspondences  because 
they  mediate  [between  the  senses],  there  will  therefore  only 
be  presented  some  passages  from  the  Word,  from  which  it 
may  be  clearly  seen  what  is  meant  by  Flesh  and  Blood, 
also  by  bread  and  wine,  in  the  Holy  Supper.  But  these 
shall  be  preceded  by  what  is  said  concerning  the  institu- 
tion of  this  sacrament  by  the  Lord,  and  by  His  doctrine 
concerning  His  Flesh  and  Blood,  and  the  bread  and  wine. 

703.  The  Institution  of  the  Holy  Supper  by  the 
Lord.  Jesus  kept  the  passover  with  His  disciples ;  and 
when  evening  had  come  He  sat  down  with  them.  And  as 
they  were  eating,  jfesus  took  bread,  and  blessed,  and  brake, 
and  gave  to  the  disciples,  and  said,  Take,  eat,  this  is  My  Body. 
And  He  took  the  cup  and  gave  thanks,  and  gave  to  them,  say- 
ing, Drink  ye  all  of  it,  for  this  is  My  Blood  of  the  New 
Testament  which  is  shed  for  many  (Matt.  xxvi.  26-28  ;  Mark 
xiv.  22-24  ;  Luke  xxii.  19,  20). 

The  Lord's  Doctrine  concerning  His  Flesh  and 
Blood,  and  the  Bread  and  Wine.  Labor  not  for  the 
meat  which  perisheth,  but  for  that  meat  which  endureth  unto 
rverlasting  life,  which  the  Son  of  Man  shall  give  unto  yon. 
Verily,  verily,  J  say  unto  you,  Moses  gave  you  not  the  bread 
from  heaven,  but  My  Father  givcth  you  the  true  bread  from 


952       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII 


heaven  ;  for  the  bread  of  God  is  He  That  cometh  down  from 
heaven,  and  giveth  life  unto  the  world.  I  am  the  b?'ead  of  life ; 
he  that  cometh  to  Me  shall  never  hunger,  and  he  that  believeth 
on  Me  shall  never  thirst.  I  am  the  bread  which  came  down 
from  heaven.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  He  that  believ- 
eth on  Me  hath  everlasting  life.  I  am  that  bread  of  life. 
Your  fathers  did  eat  manna  in  the  wilderness  and  are  dead. 
This  is  the  bread  which  cometh  down  fro?n  heaven,  that  a  man 
may  cat  thereof  and  not  die.  I  am  the  living  bread  which 
ca7?ie  down  from  heaven ;  if  any  man  eat  of  this  bread  he 
shall  live  for  ever ;  and  the  bread  that  I  will  give  is  My 
Flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world.  Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Except  ye  eat  the  Flesh  of  the  Son  of 
Man,  and  drink  His  Blood,  ye  have  no  life  i?i  you.  Whoso 
eateth  My  Flesh  and  drinketh  My  Blood,  hath  eternal  life, 
and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day  ;  for  My  Flesh  is 
meat  indeed,  and  My  Blood  is  drink  i?ideed.  He  that  eateth 
My  Flesh  and  drinketh  My  Blood,  dwelleth  in  Me  and  I  in 
him  (John  vi  27,  32,  33,  35,  41,  47-51*  53~56)- 

704.  Any  one  enlightened  from  heaven  may  perceive  in 
himself  that  Flesh  and  Blood  in  these  passages  do  not 
mean  flesh  and  blood,  but  that  they  both  in  the  natural 
sense  mean  the  passion  of  the  cross,  which  they  were  to 
keep  in  remembrance.  Therefore  when  the  Lord  insti- 
tuted this  Supper  of  the  last  Jewish  and  first  *  Christian 
passover,  He  said,  This  do  in  remembrance  of  Me  (Luke 
xxii.  19  ;  1  Cor.  xi.  24,  25).  In  like  manner  it  may  be 
seen  that  the  bread  and  wine  do  not  mean  bread  and  wine, 
but  in  the  natural  sense  the  same  as  Flesh  and  Blood,  that 
is,  the  passion  of  His  cross  ;  for  we  read,  Jesus  brake 
the  bread  and  gave  to  the  disciples,  and  said,  This  is  My  body ; 
and  He  took  the  cup,  and  gave  to  them,  saying,  This  is  My 
Blood  (Matt.  xxvi. ;  Mark  xiv. ;  Luke  xxii.).  Therefore  also 
He  called  the  passion  of  the  cross  a  cup  (Matt.  xxvi.  39, 
42  ;  Mark  xiv.  36  ;  John  xviii.  1 1). 

705.  That  these  four,  flesh,  blood,  bread,  and  wine  mean 


No.  705.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


953 


the  spiritual  and  heavenly  [celestial]  things  which  correspond 
to  them,  may  be  evident  from  the  passages  in  the  Word 
where  they  are  mentioned.  That  flesh  in  the  Word  means 
what  is  spiritual  and  heavenly  [celestial],  may  be  evident  from 
the  following  passages  :  Come  and  gather  yourselves  together 
7/nto  the  Supper  of  the  great  God  ;  that  ye  may  eat  the flesh 
of  kings,  and  the  flesh  of  captains,  and  the flesh  of  mighty  men, 
and  the  flesh  of  horses,  and  of  them  that  sit  on  them,  and  the 
flesh  of  all  ?nen  both  free  and  bond,  both  small  and  great  (Apoc. 
xix.  17,  18).  And  in  Ezekiel :  Gather  yourselves  on  every  side 
to  My  sacrifice  that  I  do  sacrifice  for  you,  even  a  great  sac- 
rifice upoyi  the  mountains  of  Israel,  that  ye  may  eat  flesh  and 
drink  blood.  Ye  shall  eat  the  flesh  of  the  mighty,  and  drink 
the  blood  of  the  princes  of  the  earth  ;  and  ye  shall  eat  fat  till 
ye  be  full,  and  drink  blood  till  ye  be  drunken,  of  My  sacrifice  ; 
and  ye  shall  be  filled  at  My  table  with  horses  a?id  chariots, 
with  mighty  meii  and  with  all  ?nen  of  war  ;  so  I  will  set  My 
glory  among  the  nations  (xxxix.  17-21).  Who  does  not  see 
that  in  these  passages  flesh  does  not  mean  flesh  and  that 
blood  does  not  mean  blood,  but  the  spiritual  and  heavenly 
[celestial]  things  which  correspond  to  them  ?  Otherwise, 
what  would  they  be  but  unmeaning  and  strange  expres- 
sions, that  they  should  eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  of  captains, 
of  mighty  men,  of  horses  and  them  that  sat  on  them,  and 
that  they  should  be  filled  at  the  table  with  horses,  chariots, 
mighty  men,  and  all  men  of  war?  also  that  they  should 
drink  the  blood  of  the  princes  of  the  earth,  and  should 
drink  blood  till  they  were  drunken  ?  That  these  things 
were  said  concerning  the  Holy  Supper  of  the  Lord,  is 
clearly  manifest ;  for  the  Supper  of  the  great  God  is  men- 
tioned, and  also  a  great  Sacrifice.  Inasmuch  as  all  spiritual 
and  heavenly  [celestial]  things  have  relation  solely  to  good 
and  truth,  it  follows  that  flesh  means  the  good  of  charity,  and 
blood  the  truth  of  faith  ;  and  in  the  supreme  sense,  the 
Lord  as  to  the  Divine  Good  of  love  and  the  Divine  Truth 
of  wisdom.    Spiritual  good  is  also  meant  by  flesh  in  the 


954       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  XIII 

following  passage  in  Ezekiel :  /  will  give  them  one  heart, 
and  I  will  put  a  new  spirit  within  you  ;  and  I  will  take  away 
the  heart  of  stone,  and  will  give  them  a  heart  of  flesh  (xi.  19  ; 
see  also  xxxvi.  26).  By  heart  in  the  Word  is  signified  love  ; 
therefore  a  heart  of  flesh  signifies  the  love  of  good.  Further- 
more, that  by  flesh  and  blood  are  meant  good  and  truth, 
both  spiritual,  is  still  more  evident  from  the  signification 
of  bread  and  wine  in  what  now  follows  ;  for  the  Lord  says 
that  His  Flesh  is  bread,  and  His  Blood  the  wine  which 
was  drunk  from  the  cup. 

706.  By  the  Lord's  Blood  is  meant  the  Divine  Truth  of 
the  Lord  and  the  Word,  because  His  Flesh  spiritually 
means  the  Divine  Good  of  love  ;  and  these  two  are  united 
in  Him.  It  is  well  known  that  the  Lord  is  the  Word  ;  and 
there  are  two  [principles]  to  which  all  things  of  the  Word 
have  relation,  —  Divine  Good  and  Divine  Truth ;  where- 
fore if  for  the  Lord  we  take  the  Word,  it  is  plain  that  those 
two  [principles]  are  meant  by  His  Flesh  and  Blood.  That 
blood  means  the  Divine  Truth  of  the  Lord  or  of  the  Word, 
is  evident  from  many  other  passages,  as,  for  example,  that 
blood  was  called  the  Blood  of  the  Covenant,  a  covenant 
being  conjunction ;  and  conjunction  is  effected  by  means 
of  His  Divine  Truth ;  as  in  Zechariah :  By  the  blood  of 
thy  covenant  /  will  send  forth  the  bound  out  of  the  pit  (ix. 
11).  And  in  Moses:  After  Moses  had  read  the  book  of 
the  law  in  the  ears  of  the  people,  he  sprinkled  half  of  the 
blood  upon  the  people,  and  said,  Behold  the  blood  of  the 
covenant  which  Jehovah  hath  made  with  you  concerning  all 
these  words  (Ex.  xxiv.  3-8).  And  Jesus  took  the  cup,  a?id 
gave  to  them,  saying,  This  is  My  Blood,  of  the  New  Cove- 
nant (Matt.  xxvi.  27,  28;  Mark  xiv.  24;  Luke  xxii.  20). 
The  Blood  of  the  New  Covenant  or  Testament  signifies  no 
other  than  the  Word  (which  is  called  a  Covenant  and  Tes- 
tament, the  Old  and  the  New),  thus  the  Divine  Truth 
therein.  Since  this  is  signified  by  blood,  therefore  the 
Lord  gave  His  disciples  the  wine,  saying,  This  is  My  Blood; 


Ko.  706.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER 


955 


and  wine  signifies  Divine  Truth  ;  wherefore  it  is  also  called 
the  blood  of  grapes  (Gen.  xlix.  11  ;  Deut.  xxxii.  14).  This 
is  still  more  manifest  from  the  Lord's  words  :  Verily,  verily, 
I  say  unto  you,  Except  ye  eat  the  Flesh  of  the  So?i  of  Man, 
and  drink  His  Blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you  ;  for  My  Flesh 
is  meat  indeed,  and  My  Blood  is  drink  indeed.  He  that  catcth 
My  Flesh  and  drinketh  My  Blood,  dwelleth  in  Me  and  I  in 
him  (John  vi.  53-58).  That  Blood  here  means  the  Divine 
Truth  of  the  Word  is  very  manifest,  for  it  is  said,  that  he 
who  drinketh  it  hath  life  in  him,  and  dwelleth  in  the  Lord 
and  the  Lord  in  him  ;  that  this  is  effected  by  Divine  Truth 
and  a  life  according  to  it,  and  that  the  Holy  Supper  con- 
firms it,  may  be  known  in  the  Church.  Inasmuch  as  blood 
signified  the  Lord's  Divine  Truth,  which  is  also  the  Divine 
Truth  of  the  Word  (and  this  is  the  real  Covenant  and 
Testament,  Old  and  New),  therefore  blood  was  the  holiest 
representative  in  the  church  among  the  children  of  Israel, 
in  which  all  things  together  and  singly  were  correspond- 
ences of  natural  with  spiritual  things.  For  example  :  They 
iv ere  to  take  of  the  paschal  blood,  and  strike  it  on  the  side-posts 
and  on  the  upper  doorposts  of  the  houses,  lest  the  plague  should 
come  upon  them  (Ex.  xii.  7,  13,  22);  and  the  blood  of  the 
burnt-offering  was  to  be  sprinkled  upon  the  altar  at  its  founda- 
tions, on  Aaron  and  his  sons,  and  on  their  garments  (x\ix. 
12,  16,  20,  21  ;  Lev.  i.  5,  n,  15  ;  iii.  2,  8,  13  ;  iv.  25,  30, 
34;  viii.  15,  24;  xvii.  6;  Num.  xviii.  17  ;  Deut.  xii.  27); 
also  on  the  veil  over  the  ark,  on  the  mercy-seat  thereon,  and 
on  the  horns  of  the  altar  of  incense  (Lev.  iv.  6,  7,  17,  18  ;  xvi. 
12-15).  The  Blood  of  the  Lamb,  in  the  Apocalypse,  has  a 
similar  signification  :  These  have  washed  their  robes,  and 
made  them  white  in  the  Blood  of  the  Lamb  (vii.  14).  Also 
in  the  following  passages:  There  was  war  in  heaven; 
Michael  and  his  angels  fought  against  the  dragon,  and  they 
overcame  him  by  the  Blood  of  the  Lamb  and  by  the  Word  of 
their  testimony  (xii.  7,  11).  For  it  cannot  be  thought  that 
Michael  and  his  angels  overcame  the  dragon  by  any  tiling 


956       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII 


else  than  the  Lord's  Divine  Truth  in  the  Word  j  for  the 
angels  in  heaven  cannot  think  of  any  blood,  nor  can  they 
think  of  the  Lord's  passion,  but  of  Divine  Truth  and  of 
His  Resurrection.  Wherefore  when  man  thinks  of  the 
Lord's  Blood,  the  angels  have  a  perception  of  the  Divine 
Truth  of  His  Word ;  and  when  men  think  of  the  Lord's 
passion,  they  have  a  perception  of  His  Glorification,  and 
then  of  His  Resurrection  only.  It  has  been  given  me  to 
know  that  this  is  so,  by  much  experience.  That  blood 
signifies  Divine  truth  is  manifest  also  from  the  following 
passages  in  David  :  God  shall  save  the  souls  of  the  needy ; 
precious  shall  their  blood  be  in  His  sight ;  and  they  shall  live, 
a?id  He  will  give  them  of  the  gold  of  Sheba  (Ps.  lxxii.  13- 
15);  the  blood  precious  in  the  sight  of  God,  means  the 
Divine  truth  with  them ;  the  gold  of  Sheba,  is  the  wisdom 
from  it.  And  in  Ezekiel  :  Gather  yourselves  to  the  great 
sacrifice  upon  the  mountains  of  Israel,  that  ye  may  eat  flesh 
and  drink  blood  ;  ye  shall  drink  the  blood  of  the  princes  of  the 
earth,  and  ye  shall  drink  blood  till  ye  be  drunken  ;  and  I  will 
set  My  glory  among  the  nations  (xxxix.  17-21).  This  treats 
of  the  Church  which  the  Lord  was  about  to  establish 
among  the  nations.  That  blood  cannot  here  mean  blood, 
but  truth  from  the  Word  with  them,  may  be  seen  just 
above. 

707.  That  bread  has  a  similar  meaning  with  flesh,  is 
clearly  evident  from  the  Lord's  words  :  yesus  took  bread, 
and  brake,  and  gave  it,  saying,  This  is  My  Body  (Matt.  xxvi. ; 
Mark  xiv.  j  Luke  xxii.).  And  again  :  The  bread  that  I  will 
give  is  My  Flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world 
(John  vi.  51).  And  He  also  says  that  He  is  the  bread  of 
life,  and  that  if  any  man  eat  of  this  bread  he  shall  live  for 
ever  (vi.  48,  51,  58).  It  is  this  bread  also  that  is  meant  by 
the  sacrifices  that  are  called  bread  [or  food]  in  the  follow- 
ing passages:  The  priest  shall  burn  it  upon  the  altar;  it  is 

the  BREAD  OF  THE  OFFERING  MADE  BY  FIRE  UNTO  JEHOVAH 

(Lev.  iii.  1 1 ;  also  verse  16).    The  sons  of  Aaron  shall  be  holy 


Kd.  70S-] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


957 


unto  their  God,  and  not  profane  the  name  of  their  God,  for  the 
offerings  of  Jehovah  made  by  fire,  the  bread  of  their  God, 
they  do  offer.  Thou  sha/t  sanct/fy  him,  for  he  offereth  the 
bread  of  thy  God.  JVo  man  that  hath  a  blemish,  of  the 
seed  of  Aaron,  shall  come  nigh  to  offer  the  bread  of  his 
God  (xxi.  6,  8,  17,  21).  Command  the  children  of  Israel,  and 
say  imto  them,  My  offering,  My  bread,  for  offerings  made  by 
fire  for  an  odor  of  rest,  shall  ye  observe  to  offer  unto  Me  in 
their  due  season  (Num.  xxviii.  2).  Whoever  hath  touched  an 
uncleaji  thing  shall  not  eat  of  the  holy  things,  but  shall  wash 
his  flesh  with  water,  and  shall  afterward  eat  of  the  holy 
things,  because  it  is  his  bread  (Lev.  xxii.  6,  7).  To  eat  of 
the  holy  things,  was  to  eat  of  the  flesh  of  the  sacrifices, 
which  also  is  here  called  bread,  as  also  in  Malachi  (i.  7). 
The  meat-offerings  in  the  sacrifices  which  were  of  fine 
wheaten  flour,  and  were  therefore  bread,  had  no  other  signi- 
fication (Lev.  ii.  1-11 ;  vi.  14-18;  vii.  9-13  ;  and  elsewhere)  ; 
nor  had  the  bread  on  the  table  in  the  tabernacle,  which 
was  called  the  bread  of  faces  and  the  shew-bread  (of  which 
in  Ex.  xxv.  30;  xl.  23;  Lev.  xxiv.  5-9).  That  by  bread  is 
not  meant  natural  but  heavenly  bread,  is  manifest  from  the 
following  passages  :  Man  doth  ?iot  live  by  bread  only,  but  by 
every  thing  that proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  Jehovah  doth 
man  live  (Deut.  viii.  3).  I  will  send  a  famine  in  the  laud, 
not  a  famine  of  bread,  nor  a  thirst  for  water,  but  of  hearing 
the  words  of  Jehovah  (Amos  viii.  11).  Moreover,  bread 
means  all  food  (Lev.  xxiv.  5-9  ;  Ex.  xxv.  30 ;  xl.  23  ;  Num. 
far.  7  ;  1  Kings  vii.  48).  That  it  also  means  spiritual  food 
is  plain  from  these  words  of  the  Lord  :  Labor  not  for  the 
meat  which  perishcth,  but  for  that  meat  which  cndurct/i  unto 
everlasting  life,  which  the  Son  of  Man  shall  give  unto  you 
(John  vi.  27). 

708.  That  wine  has  a  similar  meaning  with  blood,  is 
clearly  manifest  from  the  Lord's  words :  Jesus  taking  the 
cup  said,  This  is  My  Blood  (Matt.  xxvi. ;  Mark  xiv. ;  Luke 
xxii.).    Also  from  the  following:  He  washeth  His  gm  W&U 


958       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap  XIII. 


in  wine,  and  His  covering  in  the  blood  of  grapes  (Gen. 
xlix.  n);  this  refers  to  the  Lord.  Jehovah  Zebaoth  shall 
make  irnto  all  people  a  feast  of  fat  things,  a  feast  of  wines  on 
the  lees,  or  of  sweet  wine  (Isa.  xxv.  6) ;  this  refers  to  the 
sacrament  of  the  Holy  Supper  to  be  instituted  by  the  Lc  id. 
And  in  Isaiah  again:  Ho  /  every  o?ie  that  thirsteth,  come  ye 
to  the  waters,  ajid  he  that  hath  no  money,  come  ye,  buy  and 
eat;  yea,  come,  buy  wine  (lv.  i).  The  fruit  of  the  vine  which 
they  were  to  drink  new  in  the  heavenly  kingdom  (Matt, 
xxvi.  29  ;  Mark  xiv.  25  ;  Luke  xxii.  18),  means  no  other 
than  the  truth  of  the  New  Church  and  of  heaven.  There- 
fore also  the  church  in  many  places  in  the  Word  is  called  a 
vineyard  (as  in  Isa.  v.  1-4 ;  Matt.  xx.  1-8) ;  and  the  Lord 
calls  Himself  the  true  Vine,  and  men  who  are  ingrafted 
into  Him,  the  bra?iches  (John  xv.  1-6 ;  besides  many  other 
passages). 

709.  From  this  may  now  be  evident  what  is  meant  by 
the  Lord's  Flesh  and  Blood,  also  by  bread  and  wine,  in  the 
threefold  sense,  natural,  spiritual,  and  heavenly  [celestial]. 
Every  man  imbued  with  religion  in  Christendom  may  know, 
and  if  he  does  not,  may  learn,  that  there  is  natural  nourish- 
ment and  spiritual  nourishment,  and  that  natural  nourish- 
ment is  for  the  body,  but  spiritual  nourishment  for  the  soul ; 
for  Jehovah  the  Lord  says  in  Moses,  Man  doth  not  live  by 
bread  only,  but  by  every  thing  that proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth 
of  Jehovah  doth  man  live  (Deut.  viii.  3).  Now  because  the 
body  dies,  and  the  soul  lives  after  death,  it  follows  that 
spiritual  nourishment  is  for  eternal  salvation.  Who  can- 
not see  from  this,  that  these  two  kinds  of  nourishment  are 
by  no  means  to  be  confounded  ?  and  that  if  any  one  con- 
founds them,  he  cannot  but  acquire  to  himself  natural  and 
sensual  ideas  (which  are  material,  corporeal,  and  carnal) 
respecting  the  Lord's  Flesh  and  Blood  and  the  bread  and 
wine,  which  ideas  suffocate  spiritual  ideas  concerning  this 
most  holy  sacrament  ?  If,  however,  any  one  is  so  simple  as 
to  be  unable  to  think  from  the  understanding  any  thing  else 


No.  711.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


959 


than  what  he  sees  with  the  eye,  I  advise  him  when  he  takes 
the  bread  and  the  wine,  and  then  hears  them  called  the 
Lord's  Flesh  and  Blood,  to  think  within  himself  of  the 
Holy  Supper  as  being  the  holiest  thing  of  worship,  and  to 
keep  in  remembrance  Christ's  passion,  and  His  love  for 
man's  salvation;  for  He  says,  This  do  in  remembrance  of 
Me  (Luke  xxii.  19) ;  and  The  Son  of  Man  ca??ie  to  give  His 
life  a  ra?isom  for  many  (Matt.  xx.  28;  Mark  x.  45);  I  lay 
down  My  life  for  the  sheep  (John  x.  15,  17  ;  xv.  13). 

710.  This  may  also  be  illustrated  by  comparisons.  Who 
does  not  remember  and  love  him,  who  from  the  zeal  of 
love  for  his  country  fights  with  the  enemy  even  unto  death, 
that  he  may  thereby  free  her  from  the  yoke  of  servitude  ? 
And  who  does  not  remember  and  love  him,  who,  when  he 
sees  his  fellow-citizens  in  extreme  want,  —  with  death  from 
grievous  famine  before  their  eyes,  — then  out  of  pity  brings 
forth  all  his  silver  and  gold  from  his  house,  and  distributes 
it  freely  ?  And  who  does  not  remember  and  love  him,  who 
out  of  love  and  friendship  takes  the  only  lamb  he  possesses, 
kills  it,  and  sets  it  before  his  guests  ?  and  so  on. 

III.  From  understanding  what  has  been  already 
shown,  it  may  be  comprehended  that  the  holy 
Supper  contains  all  things  of  the  Church 
and  all  things  of  heaven,  universally  and 
severally. 

711.  It  was  shown  in  the  preceding  article  that  the  Lord 
Himself  is  in  the  Holy  Supper,  that  flesh  and  bread  are  the 
Lord  as  to  the  Divine  Good  of  Love,  and  that  blood  and 
wine  are  the  Lord  as  to  the  Divine  Truth  of  Wisdom  ; 
wherefore  the  Holy  Supper  involves  three  [universals], 
namely,  the  Lord,  His  Divine  Good,  and  His  Divine  Truth. 
Since,  therefore,  the  Holy  Supper  includes  and  contains 
these  three,  it  follows  that  it  also  includes  and  contains  the 
universals  of  heaven  and  the  church.    And  as  all  single 


g6o      THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIIL 

particulars  depend  on  universalis,  as  contents  on  their  con- 
tainers, it  also  follows  that  the  Holy  Supper  includes  and 
contains  all  the  several  particulars  of  heaven  and  the  church. 
From  this  it  is  first  manifest  that  as  by  the  Lord's  Flesh  and 
Blood,  and  in  like  manner  by  the  bread  and  wine,  are  meant 
Divine  Good  and  Divine  Truth,  both  from  the  Lord  and 
both  being  the  Lord,  the  Holy  Supper  contains  all  things 
of  heaven  and  the  church  universally  and  severally. 

712.  It  is  also  known  that  the  essentials  of  the  church 
are  three,  namely,  God,  charity,  and  faith,  and  that  all 
things  in  the  church  have  relation  to  those  three  as  their 
universals.  These  are  the  same  as  those  named  above ; 
for  God  is  in  the  Holy  Supper  the  Lord,  charity  is  the 
Divine  Good,  and  faith  the  Divine  Truth.  What  is  charity 
but  the  good  that  man  does  from  the  Lord  ?  and  what  is 
faith  but  the  truth  that  man  believes  from  the  Lord  ? 
Hence  there  are  three  [essentials]  in  man  as  to  his  inter- 
nal, namely,  the  soul  or  mind,  the  will,  and  the  under- 
standing; these  three  are  the  receptacles  of  those  three 
universals ;  the  soul  itself  or  the  mind  is  the  receptacle  of 
the  Lord,  for  thence  it  lives ;  the  will  is  the  receptacle 
of  love  or  good ;  and  the  understanding  is  the  receptacle 
of  wisdom  or  truth.  Wherefore  in  the  soul  or  mind  all 
things  and  every  single  thing  not  only  have  relation  to 
those  universals  of  heaven  and  the  church,  but  also  pro- 
ceed from  them.  Mention  any  thing  that  proceeds  from 
man  in  which  there  are  not  mind,  will,  and  understanding; 
if  any  one  of  these  were  taken  away,  would  the  man  be 
more  than  an  inanimate  thing  ?  In  like  manner  there  are 
three  things  in  man  as  to  his  external,  to  which  again  all 
things  and  every  single  thing  have  relation,  namely,  the 
body,  the  heart,  and  the  lungs.  These  three  belonging  to 
the  body  also  correspond  to  the  three  belonging  to  the 
mind,  the  heart  corresponding  to  the  will,  and  the  lungs  or 
respiration  to  the  understanding.  That  there  is  such  a 
correspondence  has  been  fully  shown  in  former  treatises. 


No.  7 IS-] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


961 


Thus  now,  all  things  and  every  thing  in  man  have  been 
formed,  both  universally  and  as  to  the  particulars  severally, 
as  receptacles  of  those  three  universals  of  heaven  and  the 
church.  This  is  because  man  has  been  created  an  image 
and  likeness  of  God,  consequently  that  he  may  be  in  the 
Lord  and  the  Lord  in  him. 

713.  By  contrariety,  there  are  three  [universals]  opposite 
to  the  universals  that  have  been  described ;  these  are  the 
devil,  evil,  and  falsity.  The  devil  (by  this  is  meant  hell)  is 
directly  opposite  to  the  Lord,  evil  is  directly  opposite  to 
good,  and  falsity  to  truth  \  these  three  make  one,  for  where 
the  devil  is,  evil  and  the  falsity  from  it  are  there  also. 
These  three  also  contain  all  things  of  hell  and  also  all 
things  of  the  world,  universally  and  severally,  these  being 
contrary  to  heaven  and  the  church.  But  as  they  are  oppo- 
sites,  they  are  therefore  entirely  separate,  but  yet  are  held 
in  a  connection  by  a  wonderful  subjection  of  all  hell  to 
heaven,  of  evil  to  good,  and  of  falsity  to  truth ;  which  sub- 
jection is  treated  of  in  the  work  on  11  Heaven  and  Hell." 

714.  That  the  several  particulars  may  be  held  in  their 
order  and  connection,  it  is  necessary  that  there  should  be 
universals  from  which  they  exist  and  in  which  they  subsist ; 
and  it  is  also  necessary  that  the  several  particulars  should 
in  a  certain  image  answer  to  their  universals  ;  otherwise 
the  whole  would  perish  with  the  parts.  It  is  owing  to  this 
relationship  that  all  things  of  the  universe  have  been  pre- 
served in  their  integrity  from  the  first  clay  of  creation  until 
now,  and  will  be. still  further.  That  all  things  in  the  uni- 
verse have  relation  to  good  and  truth,  is  known  ;  they  have 
this  relation  because  all  things  were  created  by  God  from 
the  Divine  Good  of  Love  by  means  of  the  Divine  Truth  of 
Wisdom.  Take  any  thing  you  please,  an  animal,  a  shrub, 
a  stone ;  those  three  most  comprehensive  universals  are 
inscribed  in  some  relationship  upon  them  all. 

715.  Since  Divine  good  and  Divine  Truth  are  the  most 
universal  of  all  the  things  of  heaven  and  the  church,  thcre- 

vol.  111.  6 


962      THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII. 

fore  Melchizedek,  who  represented  the  Lord,  brought  forth 
bread  and  wine  to  Abram  and  blessed  him.  Concerning 
Melchizedek  we  thus  read :  Melchizedek  king  of  Salem 
brought  forth  bread  and  wine  to  Abram,  and  he  was  the 
priest  of  the  most  high  God,  and  he  blessed  him  (Gen.  xiv. 
18,  19).  That  Melchizedek  represented  the  Lord,  is  evi- 
dei.t  from  these  words  in  David  :  Thou  art  a  Priest  for  ever 
after  the  order  of  Melchizedek  (Ps.  ex.  4).  That  this  is  con- 
cerning the  Lord  may  be  seen  in  Hebrews  (v.  6,  10  ;  vi. 
20  j  vii.  1,  10,  11,  15,  17,  21).  He  brought  forth  bread  and 
wine,  because  those  two  included  all  things  of  heaven 
and  the  church,  thus  all  things  of  blessing,  like  the  bread 
and  wine  in  the  Holy  Supper. 

IV.  The  Lord  is  in  the  Holy  Supper  in  His  fulness, 
with  His  whole  Redemption. 

716.  That  the  Lord  is  in  the  Holy  Supper  in  His  ful- 
ness, both  as  to  the  glorified  Human  and  as  to  the  Divine 
from  Which  the  Human  came,  is  evident  from  His  own 
express  words.  -That  His  Human  is  present  in  the  Holy 
Supper,  is  evident  from  the  following :  Jesus  took  bread 
and  brake,  and  gave  to  the  disciples,  and  said,  This  is  My 
Body  ;  and  He  took  the  cup,  and  gave  to  them,  saying,  This 
is  My  Blood  (Matt.  xxvi.  ;  Mark  xiv.  ;  Luke  xxii).  And 
in  John  :  I  am  the  bread  of  life :  if  any  one  eat  of  this  bread 
he  shall  live  for  ever :  the  bread  that  I  will  give  is  My  Flesh. 
Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Whoso  eateth  My  Flesh  and 
driiiketh  My  Blood  hath  eternal  life,  and  dwelleth  in  Me  and 
I  in  him  (vi.).  From  these  words- it  is  clearly  evident  that 
the  Lord  is  in  the  Holy  Supper  as  to  His  glorified  Human. 
That  the  Lord  is  present  in  the  Holy  Supper  in  His  fulness, 
—  as  to  His  Divine  also,  from  Which  was  the  Human,  —  is 
evident  from  this,  that  He  is  the  bread  which  came  down 
from  heaven  (John  vi.).  He  came  down  from  heaven  with 
the  Divine  ;  for  it  is  said,  The  Word  was  with  God,  and  the 


No.  718.]  THE  HOLY  SUPPER.  963 


Word  was  God;  all  things  were  made  by  Him ;  and  the 
Word  was  made  Flesh  (John  i.  1,  3,  14),  and  further,  that 
He  and  the  Father  are  one  (John  x.  30),  that  ail  things  be- 
longing to  the  Father  are  His  (iii.  35  ;  xvi.  15),  that  He  is  in 
the  Father  and  the  Father  in  Him  (xiv.  10,  11);  and  so 
forth.  Moreover  His  Divine  can  no  more  be  separated 
from  His  Human  than  the  soul  from  the  body ;  wherefore 
when  it  is  said  that  the  Lord  is  present  in  the  Holy  Supper 
in  His  fulness  as  to  His  Human,  it  follows  that  His  Divine 
from  Which  the  Human  was,  also  is  there  at  the  same 
time.  Now  since  His  Flesh  signifies  the  Divine  Good  of 
His  Love,  and  His  Blood  the  Divine  Truth  of  His  Wisdom, 
it  is  manifest  that  the  Lord  in  His  fulness,  both  as  to  the 
Divine  and  the  glorified  Human,  is  omnipresent  in  the 
Holy  Supper ;  consequently,  that  there  is  a  spiritual  eat- 
ing. 

717.  That  the  whole  of  the  Lord's  redemption  is  in  the 
Holy  Supper,  follows  from  what  has  just  been  said,  for 
where  the  Lord  is  in  His  fulness  there  also  is  His  whole 
redemption ;  for  as  to  the  Human  He  is  the  Redeemer, 
and  consequently  is  Redemption  itself  j  no  part  of  redemp- 
tion can  be  absent  where  He  is  in  His  fulness  ;  therefore 
all  who  go  to  the  Holy  Communion  worthily  become  His 
redeemed.  And  since  redemption  means  deliverance  from 
hell,  conjunction  with  the  Lord,  and  salvation  (of  which 
hereafter  in  this  chapter,  and  more  fully  in  the  chapter  on 
Redemption),  therefore  these  fruits  are  ascribed  to  man  ; 
not  indeed,  so  far  as  the  Lord  wills  (because  from  His 
Divine  Love  He  wishes  to  ascribe  all  things  to  man),  but 
so  far  as  man  receives ;  and  he  who  receives  is  redeemed 
in  the  degree  in  which  he  receives.  From  which  it  is  evi- 
dent that  the  effects  and  fruits  of  the  Lord's  redemption 
return  to  those  who  worthily  approach. 

718.  In  every  man  of  sound  mind  there  is  a  faculty  of 
receiving  wisdom  from  the  Lord,  that  is,  of  multiplying  the 
truths  from  which  it  is,  to  eternity  ;  also  a  faculty  of  re- 


964       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII. 


ceiving  love,  that  is,  of  yielding  an  increase  of  the  goods 
from  which  it  is,  likewise  to  eternity.  There  is  this  perpet- 
ual increase  of  good  and  thence  of  love,  and  that  perpetual 
multiplication  of  truth  and  thence  of  wisdom,  with  the 
angels,  and  also  with  men  who  are  becoming  angels ;  and 
as  the  Lord  is  Love  itself  and  Wisdom  itself,  it  follows  that 
man  has  the  faculty  of  conjoining  himself  with  the  Lord 
and  the  Lord  with  himself  for  ever.  But  still,  as  man  is 
finite,  the  Lord's  Divine  itself  cannot  be  conjoined  to  him, 
but  only  adjoined ;  as^  for  the  sake  of  illustration,  the  light 
of  the  sun  cannot  be  conjoined  to  the  eye,  or  the  sound  of 
the  air  to  the  ear,  but  only  adjoined  to  them,  and  thus 
give  the  ability  to  see  and  hear.  For  man  is  not  Life  in 
himself,  as  the  Lord  is  even  as  to  the  Human  (John  v.  26), 
but  is  a  receptacle  of  life ;  and  it  is  Life  itself  which  is 
adjoined  to  man,  but  not  conjoined.  This  has  been  added 
in  order  that  it  may  be  understood  in  what  way  the  Lord 
in  His  fulness  with  His  whole  redemption  is  present  in  the 
Holy  Supper. 

V.  The  Lord  is  present  and  opens  Heaven  to  those 

WHO  APPROACH  THE  HOLY  SUPPER  WORTHILY  ;  AND 
HE  IS  ALSO  PRESENT  WITH  THOSE  WHO  APPROACH 
UNWORTHILY,  BUT  DOES  NOT  OPEN  HEAVEN  TO  THEM  ; 
CONSEQUENTLY,   AS    BAPTISM   IS  AN  INTRODUCTION 

into  the  Church,  so  the  Holy  Supper  is  an 

INTRODUCTION  INTO  HEAVEN. 

719.  Who  they  are  that  approach  the  Holy  Supper  wor- 
thily, will  be  shown  in  the  two  following  articles,  which  at  the 
same  time  will  tell  of  those  who  approach  it  unworthily ;  for 
from  what  is  affirmed  of  the  one  class,  there  is  a  cognition  of 
the  other  from  their  being  opposite.  The  Lord  is  present 
both  with  the  worthy  and  the  unworthy,  from  His  being 
omnipresent  both  in  heaven  and  in  hell,  and  also  in  the 
world,  consequently  with  the  evil  as  well  as  with  the  good. 


No.  720.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


965 


But  with  the  good,  that  is,  the  regenerate,  He  is  present 
both  universally  and  individually ;  for  He  is  in  them  and 
they  are  in  Him,  and  where  the  Lord  is  there  is  heaven. 
Heaveny  moreover,  constitutes  the  Lord's  body  ;  where- 
fore to  be  in  His  body  is  to  be  at  the  same  time  in  heaven. 
But  the  Lord's  presence  with  those  who  approach  the  Holy 
Supper  unworthily,  is  His  universal  but  not  His  individual 
presence,  or,  what  is  the  same,  it  is  external  and  not  at  the 
same  time  internal  presence.  And  His  universal  or  exter- 
nal presence  causes  man  to  live  as  man,  to  enjoy  the  fac- 
ulty of  knowing,  understanding,  and  speaking  rationally 
from  the  understanding  j  for  man  is  born  for  heaven,  and 
therefore  also  spiritual,  and  not  like  the  beast,  only  natural. 
He  also  enjoys  the  faculty  of  willing  and  doing  those  things 
which  his  understanding  can  know,  understand,  and  hence 
speak  rationally.  But  if  the  will  refuse  the  truly  rational 
things  of  the  understanding,  which  are  also  intrinsically 
spiritual,  the  man  then  becomes  external  ;  wherefore  with 
those  who  only  understand  what  truth  and  good  are,  the 
Lord's  presence  is  universal  or  external,  while  with  those 
who  also  will  and  do  the  truth  and  good,  the  Lord's  pres- 
ence is  both  universal  and  individual,  or  both  internal  and 
external.  They  who  merely  understand  and  talk  about 
truths  and  goods,  are  like  the  foolish  virgins  who  had 
Limps  but  no  oil  ;  while  they  who  not  only  understand  and 
t.ilk  about  them  but  also  will  and  do  them,  are  the  wise 
v  irgins  who  were  admitted  to  the  wedding  ;  the  former 
stood  at  the  door  and  knocked,  but  were  not  admitted 
(  .Matt.  xxv.  1-12).  From  this  it  is  evident  that  the  Lord 
is  present  and  opens  heaven  to  those  who  approach  the 
Holy  Supper  worthily,  and  that  He  is  also  present  frith 
those  who  approach  unworthily,  but  does  not  open  heaven 
with  them. 

720.  Hut  still  it  is  not  to  be  believed  that  the  Lord  shut  - 
heaven  to  those  who  approach  unworthily;  this  He  does  to 
no  man,  even  to  the  end  of  his  life  in  the  world  ;  but  it  b> 


966 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII. 


to  be  believed  that  the  man  shuts  it  against  himself,  which 
he  does  by  rejection  of  faith  and  by  evil  of  life.  But  still 
man  is  being  kept  continually  in  a  state  in  which  repent- 
ance and  conversion  are  possible,  for  the  Lord  is  constantly 
present  and  urging  to  be  received;  for  He  says,  I  stand  at 
the  door  and  knock  ;  if  any  man  hear  My  voice  and  open  the 
door ,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup  with  him  and  he 
with  Me  (Apoc.  iii.  20).  Wherefore  the  man  himself  who 
does  not  open  the  door,  is  in  fault.  It  is  otherwise  after 
death  ;  then  heaven  is  shut,  and  is  not  to  be  opened  to 
those  who,  even  to  the  end  of  life,  have  approached  the 
Holy  Supper  unworthily ;  for  the  interiors  of  their  minds 
have  then  been  fixed  and  established. 

721.  That  Baptism  is  an  introduction  into  the  church 
has  been  shown  in  the  chapter  on  Baptism  ;  but  that  the 
Holy  Supper  is  an  introduction  into  heaven,  is  evident  from 
the  things  above  said,  and  to  perception.  These  two  sacra- 
ments, Baptism  and  the  Holy  Supper,  are  like  two  gates  to 
eternal  life.  By  Baptism,  which  is  the  first  gate,  every 
Christian  is  intromitted  and  introduced  into  what  the 
church  teaches  from  the  Word  respecting  the  other  life; 
all  of  which  serves  as  means  by  which  man  may  be  pre- 
pared for  heaven  and  led  to  it.  The  other  gate  is  the 
Holy  Supper ;  through  this,  every  man  who  has  suffered 
himself  to  be  prepared  and  led  by  the  Lord  is  intromitted 
and  introduced  into  heaven.  There  are  no  other  univer- 
sal gates.  These  two  sacraments  may  be  compared  with 
[what  takes  place  with]  a  prince  born  heir  to  the  throne  : 
first  he  is  introduced  into  a  cognition  of  matters  that  belong 
to  governing;  second  follow  his  coronation  and  govern- 
ment. They  may  also  be  compared  with  [what  takes  place 
with]  a  son  born  to  a  great  inheritance  :  first  he  must  learn 
and  become  imbued  with  such  things  as  pertain  to  the  proper 
management  of  possessions  and  wealth ;  second  is  the  pos- 
session, and  control.  They  may  also  be  compared  to  the 
building  of  a  house,  and  the  living  in  it;  also  to  the  course 


No.  722.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


96; 


of  a  man's  instruction  from  infancy  even  to  the  age  when 
he  comes  under  his  own  control  and  judgment,  and  his 
subsequent  rational  and  spiritual  life  :  one  period  must  nec- 
essarily precede  in  order  that  the  other  may  be  attained,  for 
the  latter  cannot  be  given  without  the  former.  These  things 
serve  to  illustrate  that  Baptism  and  the  Holy  Supper  are 
like  two  gates  through  which  man  is  introduced  to  eternal 
life;  that  beyond  the  first  gate  is  a  plain  which  he  must 
pass  over;  and  that  the  second  is  the  goal  where  l'.es  the 
prize  to  which  he  has  directed  his  course.  For  the  palm  is 
not  given  until  after  a  combat,  nor  the  reward  until  the 
contest  is  decided. 

VI.  They  approach  the  Holy  Supper  worthily,  who 

HAVE  FAITH  IN  THE  LORD  AND  ARE  IN  CHARITY 
TOWARD  THE  NEIGHBOR,  THUS  WHO  ARE  REGEN- 
ERATE. 

722.  That  God,  charity,  and  faith  are  the  three  univer- 
sal of  the  church,  because  they  are  the  universal  means  of 
salvation,  is  known,  acknowledged,  and  perceived  by  every 
Christian  who  studies  the  Word.  That  God  must  be  ack?iowl- 
edged  in  order  that  one  may  have  religion,  and  that  any 
thing  of  the  church  may  be  in  him,  reason  itself  (if  there 
is  any  thing  spiritual  in  it)  dictates.  Wherefore  he  who 
approaches  the  Holy  Supper  and  does  not  acknowledge 
God,  profanes  it ;  for  he  sees  the  bread  and  wine  with  the 
eye  and  tastes  them  with  the  tongue,  but  the  thought  of  his 
mind  is,  " What  is  this  but  a  mere  ceremony?  and  wherein 
do  these  differ  from  similar  things  on  my  own  table  ?  But 
I  do  this,  lest  I  should  be  charged  by  the  priesthood,  and 
consequently  by  people  of  a  lower  class,  with  the  infamy  of 
being  an  atheist."  That  after  the  acknowledgment  of  God, 
charity  is  the  second  means  which  fits  one  to  approach  the 
Holy  Supper  worthily,  is  evident  both  from  the  Word  and 
from  the  exhortations  read  throughout  the  Christian  world 


g6S       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII 


before  coming  to  the  Supper.  It  appears  from  the  Word  in 
this,  that  the  first  commandment  and  precept  is  that  men 
should  love  God  above  all  things,  and  the  neighbor  as  them- 
selves (Matt.  xxh\  34-39 ;  Luke  x.  25-28).  Again,  in  Paul 
it  is  said  that  there  are  three  things  which  contribute  to 
salvation,  and  that  the  greatest  of  these  is  cha?'ity  (1  Cor. 
xiii.  13),  Also  from  these  passages :  We  know  that  God 
heareth  not  sinners,  but  if  any  man  is  a  worshipper  of  God 
and  doeth  His  will,  him  He  heareth  (John  ix.  31).  Every 
tree  that  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down  and  cast 
into  the  fire  (Matt.  vii.  19,  20;  Luke  iii.  8,  9).  It  appears 
also  from  the  exhortations  read  throughout  the  whole  Chris- 
tian wo7'ld  before  coming  to  the  Holy  Supper;  everywhere  men 
are  thereby  earnestly  admonished  to  be  in  charity  by  recon- 
ciliation and  repentance.  Of  these  I  will  here  quote  only 
the  following  passage  from  the  exhortation  read  to  com- 
municants in  England  :  "The  way  and  means"  to  become 
worthy  partakers  of  the  Holy  Supper  "  is,  first  to  examine 
your  lives  and  conversations  by  the  rule  of  God's  command- 
ments ;  and  whereinsoever  ye  shall  perceive  yourselves  to 
have  offended,  either  by  will,  word,  or  deed,  there  to  bewail 
your  own  sinfulness,  and  to  confess  yourselves  to  Almighty 
God,  with  full  purpose  of  amendment  of  life.  And  if  ye 
shall  perceive  your  offences  to  be  such  as  are  not  only 
against  God  but  also  against  your  neighbors,  then  ye  shall 
reconcile  yourselves  unto  them,  being  ready  to  make  resti 
tution  and  satisfaction,  according  to  the  uttermost  of  yoiu 
powers,  for  all  injuries  and  wrongs  done  by  you  to  an} 
other  ;  and  being  likewise  ready  to  forgive  others  that  hav< 
offended  you,  as  ye  would  have  forgiveness  of  your  offences 
at  God's  hand  ;  for  otherwise  the  receiving  of  the  Holy 
Communion  doth  nothing  else  but  increase  your  damna- 
tion. Therefore  if  any  of  you  be  a  blasphemer  of  God,  a 
hinderer  or  slanderer  of  His  Word,  [an  adulterer,]  or  be  in 
malice  or  envy,  or  in  any  other  grievous  crime,  repent  ye 
of  your  sins,  or  else  come  not  to  that  holy  table,  lest,  after 


No.  723.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


969 


the  taking  of  that  holy  sacrament,  the  devil  enter  into  you 
as  he  entered  into  Judas,  and  fill  you  full  of  all  iniquities, 
and  bring  you  to  destruction  both  of  body  and  soul."  Faith 
in  the  Lord  is  the  third  means  of  worthily  enjoying  the  Holy 
Supper,  because  charity  and  faith  make  a  one,  like  heat  and 
light  in  the  spring  time,  from  which  two  in  conjunction  every 
tree  is  born  anew ;  so  from  spiritual  heat,  which  is  charity, 
and  from  spiritual  light,  which  is  the  truth  of  faith,  every 
man  lives.  That  faith  in  the  Lord  does  this,  is  evident  from 
the  following  passages  :  He  that  believeth  in  Me  shall  never 
die,  but  shall  live  (John  xi.  25,  26).  This  is  the  will  of  the 
Father,  That  every  one  that  believeth  on  the  Son  should  have 
eternal  life  (vi.  40).  God  so  loved  the  world  that  He  gave  His 
Only-begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  Him  should 
have  eternal  life  (iii.  16).  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath 
eternal  life,  and  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life, 
hit  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him  (iii.  36).  We  are  in  the 
Truth,  in  the  Son  of  God,  Jesus  Christ ;  this  is  the  true  God 
and  eternal  life  (1  John  v.  20). 

723.  That  man  is  regenerated  by  these  three,  the  Lord, 
charity,  and  faith,  as  one,  and  that  unless  one  is  becoming 
regenerate  he  cannot  come  into  heaven,  was  shown  in  the 
chapter  on  Reformation  and  Regeneration  ;  wherefore 
the  Lord  cannot  open  heaven  to  any  but  the  regenerate, 
and  after  natural  death  introduction  into  heaven  is  given 
to  no  others.  By  the  regenerate  who  approach  the  Holy 
Supper  worthily,  are  meant  those  who  are  interiorly  in 
those  three  essentials  of  the  church  and  heaven,  but  not 
those  who  are  so  exteriorly  only  ;  for  these  latter  confess 
the  Lord  not  with  the  soul  but  with  the  tongue  only,  and 
exercise  charity  toward  the  neighbor  not  with  the  heart  bi  t 
only  with  the  body.  Such  arc  all  who  work  iniquity.  1C- 
cording  to  these  words  of  the  Lord  :  Then  shall  ye  begin  f<> 
say,  Lord,  We  have  eaten  and  drunk  in  Thy  presence ;  but 
J  shall  say  unto  you,  L  know  you  not  whence  ye  are  ;  depart 
from  Me,  all  ye  workers  of  iniquity  (Luke  xiii.  26,  27V 

6* 


9/0       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII. 


724.  These  like  former  things  may  be  illustrated  by 
various  things  which  accord  with  them,  and  which  also  cor- 
respond, as  for  example  the  following  :  None  are  admitted 
to  the  table  of  an  emperor  or  a  king,  but  those  who  are  in 
high  office  and  rank ;  and  even  these,  before  they  go, 
clothe  themselves  in  becoming  garments,  and  appear  with 
the  proper  decorations,  so  as  to  be  received  and  favored 
at  their  coming.  What  should  not  be  done  for  the  Table 
of  the  Lord,  of  Him  Who  is  Lord  of  lords,  and  King  of 
kings  (Apoc.  xvii.  14),  to  which  table  all  are  called  and 
invited  ?  But  only  those  who  are  spiritually  worthy,  and 
are  clothed  in  honorable  apparel,  after  they  rise  from  the 
table  are  admitted  within  the  palaces  of  heaven  and  into 
the  joys  there,  and  are  honored  as  princes  because  they 
are  sons  of  the  Great  King,  and  afterward  sit  down  daily 
with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  (Matt.  viii.  11),  by  whom 
is  meant  the  Lord  as  to  the  Divine  celestial,  the  Divine 
spiritual,  and  the  Divine  natural.  The  same  things  may 
also  be  compared  to  weddings  on  earth,  to  which  only  the 
relatives,  connections,  and  friends  of  the  bridegroom  and 
the  bride  are  invited  ;  if  any  other  person  is  entering,  he  is 
admitted  indeed,  but  as  he  has  no  place  at  the  table  he 
withdraws.  So  it  is  with  those  who  have  been  called  to 
the  marriage"  of  the  Lord  as  the  Bridegroom  with  the 
Church  as  the  Bride  ;  and  among  them  are  connections, 
kindred,  and  friends,  —  those  who  derive  their  common 
origin  from  the  Lord  by  regeneration.  Furthermore,  who 
is  initiated  into  another's  friendship  in  the  world,  but  he 
who  is  faithful  to  him  with  a  sincere  heart,  and  does  his 
will  ?  Such  a  one,  and  no  others,  he  numbers  among  his 
friends,  and  trusts  him  with  his  goods. 


No.  726.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


971 


VII.  They  who  approach  the  Holy  Supper  worthily, 

ARE  IN   THE  LORD  AND  THE  LORD  IS  IN   THEM  J  . 
CONSEQUENTLY  CONJUNCTION   WITH  THE  LORD  IS 
EFFECTED   BY  THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 

725.  That  they  approach  the  Holy  Supper  worthily  who 
have  faith  in  the  Lord  and  are  in  charity  toward  the  neigh- 
bor, and  that  the  truths  of  faith  establish  the  Lord's  pres- 
ence, and  the  goods  of  charity  together  with  faith  establish 
conjunction,  has  been  demonstrated  above  in  several  chap- 
ters. Whence  it  follows  that  they  who  approach  the  Holy 
Supper  worthily,  are  being  conjoined  with  the  Lord  ;  and 
they  who  are  conjoined  with  Him  are  in  Him  and  He  in 
them.  That  this  takes  place  with  those  who  approach 
worthily,  the  Lord  Himself  declares  in  John,  as  follows : 
He  that  eateth  My  Flesh  and  drinketh  My  Blood,  dwelleth  in 
Me  and  I  in  him  (vi.  56).  That  this  is  conjunction  with 
the  Lord,  He  also  teaches  elsewhere  in  John  :  Abide  in 
Me,  and  I  in  yon.  He  that  abideth  in  Me,  and  I  in  him,  the 
same  17'ingeth  forth  much  fruit  (xv.  4,  5  ;  also  Apoc.  iii. 
20).  What  is  conjunction  with  the  Lord  but  being  among 
those  who  are  in  His  body?  and  they  who  believe  in  Him 
and  do  His  will  constitute  His  body.  His  will  is  the  exer- 
cise of  charity  according  to  the  truths  of  faith. 

726.  That  eternal  life  and  salvation  cannot  be  given 
without  conjunction  with  the  Lord,  is  because  He  is  both 
of  these.  That  He  is  eternal  life  is  clearly  evident  from 
passages  in  the  Word  ;  also  from  the  following  in  John  : 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  true  God  a?id  eternal  life  (1  John  v.  20). 
He  is  also  Salvation,*  because  this  and  eternal  life  are 
one.  His  name  Jesus  also  signifies  Salvation*  and  from 
this  He  is  called  Saviour  throughout  the  whole  Christian 
world.  But  still  none  approach  the  Holy  Supper  worthily 
but  those  who  are  interiorly  conjoined  with  the  Lord,  and 

*  Salus.    See  p.  251,  note. 


C-J       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIIL 


they  are  interiorly  conjoined  with  Him  who  are  regenerate ; 
but  who  the  regenerate  are,  has  been  shown  in  the  chapter 
on  Reformation  and  Regeneration.-,  Moreover,  there 
are  many  who  confess  the  Lord  and  wHo  do  good  to  the 
neighbor ;  but  unless  they  do  so  from  love  toward  the 
neighbor  and  from  faith  in  the  Lord,  they  are  not  regen- 
erate |  for  they  do  good  to  the  neighbor  only  for  reasons 
that  regard  the  world  and  themselves,  but  not  the  neighbor 
as  the  neighbor.  Their  works  are  merely  natural,  which 
do  not  inwardly  have  in  store  within  them  any  thing  spirit- 
ual ;  for  such  persons  confess  the  Lord  with  the  mouth 
and  lips  only,  from  which  the  heart  is  far  away.  Love 
toward  the  neighbor  and  faith  are  themselves  from  the 
Lord  alone,  and  both  are  given  to  man  when  he  from  his 
free-will  does  good  to  the  neighbor  naturally,  believes 
truths  rationally,  and  looks  to  the  Lord,  doing  these  three 
on  account  of  the  commandments  in  the  Word.  Then  the 
Lord  implants  charity  and  faith  in  the  midst  of  him,  and 
makes  both  spiritual.  Thus  the  Lord  conjoins  man  to 
Himself,  and  man  conjoins  himself  to  the  Lord ;  for  there 
is  no  conjunction  unless  it  is  effected  reciprocally.  But 
all  this  has  been  fully  shown  in  the  chapters  on  Charity, 
Faith.  Free-Will.  and  Regenerati  on. 

727.  It  is  known  that  .conjunctions  and  consociations 
are  brought  about  in  the  world  by  invitations  to  the  table 
and  by  feasts ;  for  one  who  gives  an  invitation,  thereby  in- 
tends something  conducive  to  some  end  looking  to  agree- 
ment or  friendship.  Much  more  so  the  invitations  which 
have  spiritual  things  for  their  end.  The  feasts  in  the  an- 
cient churches  were  feasts  of  charity,  as  also  in  the  prim- 
itive Christian  church  ;  at  these  feasts  they  strengthened 
one  another  to  abide  in  the  worship  of  the  Lord  from 
sincere  hearts.  That  the  children  of  Israel  ate  together 
of  the  sacrifices  near  the  tabernacle,  signified  nothing  else 
than  unanimity  in  the  worship  of  Jehovah  :  therefore  the 
flesh  that  they  ate  was  called  holy  (Jer.  xi.  15  ;  Hag.  ii.  12  ; 


\o.  727.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


973 


and  frequently  so  elsewhere),  because  it  was  part  of  the 
sacrifice.  Why  not,  then,  the  bread  and  the  wine,  and 
the  paschal  flesh  at  the  Supper  of  the  Lord,  Who  offered 
Himself  a  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  all  the  world  ?  Moreover, 
conjunction  with  the  Lord  by  means  of  the  Holy  Supper 
maybe  illustrated  by  the  conjunction  of  families  descended 
from  a  common  father;  from  him  descend  those  who  are 
related  by  blood,  kindred  and  connections  in  their  order,. 
and  they  all  draw  something  from  the  first  stock  ;  they  do 
not,  however,  thus  derive  the  flesh  and  the  blood  [of  the 
first  father]  j  but  they  draw  from  the  flesh  and  blood, 
thus  a  soul,  and  hence  an  inclination  to  similar  things 
whereby  they  are  conjoined.  Also  the  conjunction  is  itself 
apparent  in  a  general  way  in  their  faces  and  also  in  their 
manners,  and  they  are  therefore  called  one  flesh  (as  in 
Gen.  xxix.  14;  xxxvii.  27  ;  2  Sam.  v.  1  ;  xix.  12,  13  ;  and 
elsewhere).  It  is  similar  in  respect  to  conjunction  with 
the  Lord,  Who  is  the  Father  of  all  the  faithful  and  blessed  ; 
conjunction  with  Him  is  effected  by  love  and  faith  j  and 
by  these  two  they  are  called  one  flesh.  Therefore  the 
Lord  said,  He  that  eateth  My  Flesh  and  drinketh  My  blood, 
dwdleth  in  Me  and  I  in  him  (John  vi.  56).  Who  does  not 
see  that  the  bread  and  wine  do  not  effect  this,  but  the 
good  of  love  which  is  meant  by  the  bread,  and  the  truth 
of  faith  which  is  meant  by  the  wine,  and  which  are  the 
Lord's  own,  and  proceed  and  are  communicated  from  Him 
only  ?  Moreover,  all  conjunction  is  effected  by  love,  and 
love  is  not  love  without  trust.  Let  those  who  believe  that 
the  bread  is  the  Flesh  and  that  the  wine  is  the  Blood,  and 
who  are  unable  to  elevate  their  thought  further,  remain  in 
their  belief,  yet  not  without  this  view,  —  that  what  is  most 
holy,  and  that  which  effects  conjunction  with  the  Lord,  is 
what  is  attributed  and  appropriated  to  man  as  his,  although 
it  remains  continually  the  Lord's. 


9/4       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  XIII. 


VIII.  The  Holy  Supper,  to  those  who  approach  it 

WORTHILY,  IS  LIKE  A  SIGNATURE  AND  SEAL  THAT 
THEY  ARE  SONS  OF  GOD. 

728.  That  the  Holy  Supper,  to  those  who  approach  it 
worthily,  is  like  a  signature  and  seal  that  they  are  sons  of 
God,  is  because,  as  before  said,  the  Lord  is  then  present 
and  intromits  into  heaven  those  who  have  been  born  of 
Him,  that  is,  the  regenerate.  The  Holy  Supper  does  this 
because  the  Lord  is  then  present  even  as  to  His  Human, 
for  it  was  shown  above  that  the  Lord  is  present  in  the 
Holy  Supper  in  His  fulness,  and  with  His  whole  redemp- 
tion ;  for  He  says  of  the  bread,  This  is  My  Body,  and  of 
the  wine,  This  is  My  Blood ;  consequently  He  then  admits 
them  into  His  Body,  and  the  church  and  heaven  constitute 
His  Body.  While  man  is  regenerated  the  Lord  is  indeed 
present,  and  by  His  Divine  operation  prepares  man  for 
heaven  ;  but  in  order  that  he  may  actually  enter  he  must 
actually  present  himself  to  the  Lord ;  and  because  the 
Lord  actually  presents  Himself  to  man,  man  must  actually 
receive  Him,  not,  however,  as  He  hung  upon  the  cross, 
but  as  He  is  in  His  glorified  Human,  in  which  He  is  pres- 
ent :  and  the  Body  of  this  is  Divine  Good,  and  the  Blood 
is  Divine  Truth  ;  these  are  given  to  man,  and  by  means  of 
them  man  is  regenerated,  and  is  in  the  Lord  and  the  Lord 
in  him ;  for  as  shown  above,  the  eating  which  is  brought 
to  view  in  the  Holy  Supper,  is  a  spiritual  eating.  From 
this  rightly  understood,  it  is  evident  that  the  Holy  Supper 
is  like  a  signature  and  seal  that  they  who  approach  it 
worthily  are  sons  of  God. 

729.  But  those  who  die  in  infancy  or  childhood,  and 
so  do  not  attain  such  an  age  that  they  can  worthily  ap- 
proach the  Holy  Supper,  are  introduced  by  the  Lord 
through  Baptism  ;  for,  as  was  shown  in  the  chapter  on 
Baptism,  Baptism  is  an  introduction  into  the  Christian 


No.  730.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


975 


Church,  and  at  the  same  time  an  insertion  among  Christians 
in  the  spiritual  world ;  and  the  church  and  heaven  are  one 
there  ;  wherefore  to  those  who  are  there,  introduction  into 
the  church  is  also  introduction  into  heaven  j  and  they,  be- 
cause they  are  educated  under  the  auspices  of  the  Lord, 
are  regenerated  more  and  more,  and  become  His  children  ; 
for  they  know  no  other  father.  But  the  infants  and  chil- 
dren born  outside  of  the  Christian  Church,  by  other  means 
than  Baptism  are  introduced  into  the  heaven  assigned  to 
their  religion  after  they  have  received  faith  in  the  Lord, 
but  they  are  not  commingled  with  those  who  are  in  the 
Christian  heaven.  For  there  is  not  a  nation  in  all  the 
world  which  cannot  be  saved  if  they  acknowledge  God 
and  live  well ;  for  the  Lord  has  redeemed  all  of  these,  and 
man  is  born  spiritual,  whereby  he  has  the  faculty  of  receiv- 
ing the  gift  of  redemption.  They  who  receive  the  Lord, 
that  is,  who  have  faith  in  Him  and  are  not  in  evils  of  life, 
are  called  sons  of  God,  and  born  of  God  (John  i.  12,  13; 
xi.  52)  ;  also  sons  of  the  kingdom  (Matt.  xiii.  38);  and  again 
heirs  (xix.  29  ;  xxv.  34)  ;  the  Lord's  disciples  are  also  called 
sons  (John  xiii.  33) ;  and  so  are  all  the  angels  (Job  i.  6  ; 

ii.  1). 

730.  It  is  with  the  Holy  Supper  as  with  a  covenant, 
which,  after  the  articles  are  settled,  is  agreed  to,  and 
finally  signed  and  sealed.  That  the  Lord's  Blood  is  a  cov- 
enant, He  Himself  teaches  ;  for  when  He  took  the  cup  and 
gave  it  [to  the  disciples],  He  said,  Drink  ye  all  of  it :  this 
is  My  Blood,  that  of  the  new  testament  (Matt.  xxvi.  28  ; 
Mark  xiv.  24;  Luke  xxii.  20).  The  new  testament  is  the 
new  covenant ;  therefore  the  word  written  by  the  prophets 
before  the  Coming  of  the  Lord  is  called  the  Old  Testament 
and  Covenant,  while  that  written  after  His  Coming  by  the 
evangelists  and  apostles,  is  called  the  New  Testament  or 
Covenant.  That  the  Divine  truth  of  the  Word  is  meant 
by  blood  and  likewise  by  the  wine  in  the  Holy  Supper, 
may  be  seen  above  (in  the  seventh  and  ninth  paragraphs 


9/6       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII. 

of  Article  n.  [n.  706,  708]  );  and  the  Word  is  the  Cove- 
nant itself  which  the  Lord  made  with  man  and  man  with 
the  Lord  ;  for  the  Lord  descended  as  the  Word,  that  is,  as 
Divine  Truth  ;  and  as  this  is  His  Blood,  therefore  in  the 
Israelitish  church  which  was  representative  of  the  Christian 
church,  blood  was  called  the  blood  of  the  covenant  (Ex.  xxiv. 
8  ;  Zech.  ix.  1 1)  j  and  the  Lord,  the  Covenant  of  the  people 
(Isa.  xlii.  6  ;  xlix.  8  ;  see  also  Jer.  xxxi.  31-34 ;  Ps.  cxi.  9). 
That  there  ought  by  all  means  to  be  a  signing  in  order 
that  there  may  be  some  certainty,  and  that  this  follows 
after  the  matter  has  been  fully  considered,  is  also  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  order  in  the  world.  What  is  a  commis- 
sion or  a  will  without  signature  ?  What  is  judging  in  law, 
without  a  decree  signed  to  ratify  the  judgment  ?  What  is 
a  high  office  in  a  kingdom  without  a  warrant  ?  What  is  pro- 
motion to  any  office  without  confirmation  ?  What  is  the 
possession  of  a  house  without  purchase  or  agreement  with 
the  owner?  What  is  the  progression  to  any  end,  or  the 
running  to  any  goal,  and  thus  for  a  reward,  if  there  is  no 
end  or  goal  where  the  reward  is  to  be  obtained,  or  if  the 
proper  officer  has  not  in  some  manner  made  his  promise 
sure  ?  But  these  last  have  been  added  merely  for  illustra- 
tion, in  order  that  even  the  simple  may  perceive  that  the 
Holy  Supper  is  like  a  signature,  a  seal,  a  pledge,  and  evi- 
dence of  commission,  even  to  the  angels,  that  they  [who 
approach  it  worthily]  are  sons  of  God ;  and,  moreover,  it  is 
like  a  key  to  the  house  in  heaven  where  they  will  dwell 
for  ever. 

731.  An  angel  was  once  seen  by  me  flying  beneath  the 
eastern  heaven,  who  held  a  trumpet  in  his  hand  and  to  his 
mouth,  and  sounded  it  toward  the  north,  the  west,  and  the 
south.  He  was  clad  in  a  robe  which  flowed  behind  him  as 
he  flew,  and  he  was  girdled  with  a  belt,  blazing  as  it  were, 
and  shining  with  carbuncles  and  sapphires.  He  was  flying 
downward,  and  he  alighted  gently  upon  the  earth  not  far 
from  me.    As  he  touched  the  ground  he  walked  hither  and 


No.  731.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


977 


thither  erect  upon  his  feet,  and  then,  seeing  me,  directed 
his  steps  toward  me.  I  was  in  the  spirit,  and  in  it  was 
standing  on  a  hill  in  the  southern  quarter  j  and  when  he 
came  near,  I  addressed  him  and  inquired,  "What  now?  I 
heard  the  sound  of  your  trumpet,  and  saw  your  descent 
through  the  air."  The  angel  replied,  "  I  am  sent  to  con- 
voke, from  among  those  in  this  land  who  are  from  the 
kingdoms  of  the  Christian  world,  such  men  as  are  most 
celebrated  for  learning,  most  acute  in  genius,  and  most 
eminent  in  reputation  for  wisdom,  that  they  may  come 
together  on  this  hill  where  you  are  staying,  and  freely  ex- 
press their  minds,  and  tell  what  thought,  understanding,  and 
wisdom  they  had  in  the  world  concerning  heavenly  joy 
and  eternal  happiness.  The  cause  of  my  being  sent  was 
this :  Some  new-comers  from  the  world  having  been  ad- 
mitted into  our  heavenly  society  which  is  in  the  east,  related 
that  not  even  one  person  in  the  whole  Christian  world  knows 
what  heavenly  joy  and  eternal  happiness  are,  and  so  what 
heaven  is.  At  this  my  brethren  and  companions  were  much 
astonished,  and  said  to  me,  *  Go  down,  make  proclamation, 
and  call  together  the  wisest  men  in  the  world  of  spirits  into 
which  all  mortals  are  first  gathered  after  their  departure 
from  the  natural  world,  in  order  that  we  may  know  with 
certainty  from  the  mouths  of  many  whether  it  is  the  truth 
that  such  thick  darkness  or  cloudy  ignorance  prevails  among 
Christians  respecting  the  future  life.' "  The  angel  then  said, 
"Wait  a  little,  and  you  will  see  companies  of  wise  ones 
flocking  hither;  the  J^ord  will  prepare  for  them  a  house  to 
meet  in."  I  waited,  and  behold,  after  half  an  hour  I  saw 
two  troops  coming  from  the  north,  two  from  the  west,  and 
two  from  the  south ;  and  as  they  arrived  they  were  intro- 
duced by  the  angel  with  the  trumpet  into  the  house  pre- 
pared for  them,  and  there  they  occupied  places  assigned 
them  according  to  the  quarters  [whence  they  came]. 
There  were  six  troops  or  companies ;  and  there  w  is  ,i 
seventh  from  the  east,  which  on  account  of  the  light  w.is 


978       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  XIII. 


not  seen  by  the  others.  After  they  had  assembled,  the 
angel  made  known  the  reason  of  their  convocation,  and 
asked  that  the  companies  in  their  order  would  set  forth 
their  wisdom  respecting  heavenly  joy  and  eternal  hap- 
piness. Each  company  then  formed  a  circle,  standing  face 
to  face,  that  they  might  recall  the  subject  from  the  ideas 
acquired  in  the  former  world,  might  then  examine  it,  and 
after  consultation  present  the  result  of  their  examination. 

732.  After  consultation,  the  first  company,  which  was  from 
the  north,  said  :  "  Heavenly  joy  and  eternal  happiness  are 
one  with  the  very  life  of  heaven  ;  wherefore  one  who  enters 
heaven,  as  to  the  life  enters  into  its  festivities,  just  as  one 
who  goes  to  a  wedding  enters  into  its  festivities.  Is  not 
heaven  before  our  sight,  above  us,  and  so  in  a  place  ?  and 
there,  and  only  there,  is  good  fortune  on  good  fortune  and 
there  are  pleasures  on  pleasures.  A  man  is  admitted  into 
these  as  to  every  perception  of  the  mind  and  every  sensa- 
tion of  the  body,  owing  to  the  fulness  of  the  joys  of  that 
place,  when  he  is  admitted  into  heaven.  Therefore  heav- 
enly happiness,  which  is  also  eternal,  is  nothing  else  than 
admission  into  heaven,  and  admission  from  Divine  Grace." 
When  they  had  ended,  the  other  company  from  the  north 
from  their  wisdom  expressed  this  opinion  :  "  Heavenly  joy 
and  eternal  happiness  are  nothing  else  than  most  gladsome 
companionship  with  angels,  and  the  sweetest  conversations 
with  them,  whereby  the  countenance  is  continually  expanded 
in  gladness,  and  the  faces  of  the  whole  company  are  kept 
sweetly  smiling  from  courteous  discourse  and  pleasantry. 
What  are  heavenly  joys  but  the  variations  of  such  pleasures 
to  eternity  ?  "  The  third  company,  which  was  the  first  of  the 
wise  from  the  western  quarter,  from  the  thoughts  of  thejr 
affections  uttered  this  :  "  What  are  heavenly  joy  and  eternal 
happiness  but  feasting  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob? 
on  whose  tables  there  will  be  delicate  and  costly  food,  with 
generous  and  noble  wines ;  and  the  feasts  will  be  followed 
by  sports  and  dances  of  virgins  and  young  men  to  the  music 


No.  732  ] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


979 


of  symphonies  and  flutes,  and  in  the  intervals  the  sweetest 
songs  will  be  sung.  And  then  in  the  evening  there  will  be 
dramatic  exhibitions,  after  these  feasting  again,  and  so  every 
day  for  ever."  When  they  had  ended,  the  fourth  company, 
which  was  the  second  from  the  western  quarter,  thus  de- 
clared their  opinion  :  "We  have  entertained  many  ideas  of 
heavenly  joy  and  eternal  happiness ;  we  have  also  exam- 
ined various  joys,  comparing  them  with  one  another ;  and 
we  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  heavenly  joys  are 
paradisal  joys.  What  is  heaven  but  a  paradise,  reaching 
from  the  east  to  the  west  and  from  the  south  to  the  north, 
and  containing  fruit  trees  and  delightful  flowers  ?  And  in 
the  midst  of  these  is  the  magnificent  tree  of  life,  around 
which  the  blessed  will  sit,  eating  delicious  fruit  and  adorned 
with  garlands  of  sweetest  flowers.  And  [we  have  thought] 
that  these,  under  the  breath  of  a  perpetual  spring,  are  pro- 
duced and  come  forth  anew  daily  with  infinite  variety  ;  and 
that  the  minds  of  those  who  are  there,  being  continually 
renewed  by  this  perpetual  growth  and  flower,  and  also  from 
the  ever  vernal  temperature,  cannot  but  draw  to  themselves 
and  respire  new  joys  daily ;  and  that  they  cannot  but  be 
restored  thereby  to  the  bloom  of  life,  and  through  this  to 
the  primitive  state  into  which  Adam  and  his  wife  were 
created,  and  so  be  readmitted  into  their  paradise,  trans- 
ferred from  earth  to  heaven."  The  fifth  company,  which 
was  the  first  of  the  ingenious  ones  from  the  southern 
quarter,  spoke  as  follows :  "  Heavenly  joys  and  eternal 
happiness  are  nothing  but  supereminent  dominion,  bound- 
less wealth,  and  hence  more  than  royal  magnificence  and 
most  dazzling  splendor.  That  the  joys  of  heaven  (and 
their  continual  fruition,  which  is  eternal  happiness)  are 
these  things,  we  saw  clearly  from  those  in  the  former  world 
who  possessed  them;  and,  moreover,  from  this,  —  that  the 
happy  are  to  reign  in  heaven  with  the  Lord,  and  to  be  kings 
and  princes,  because  they  are  the  sons  of  Him  Who  is  King  of 
kings  and  Lord  of  lords  j  and  that  they  are  to  sit  on  thrones, 


980       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  XIII. 


and  that  angels  are  to  minister  unto  them.  The  magnifi- 
cence of  heaven  we  clearly  saw  from  this,  —  that  the  New 
Jerusalem,  by  which  the  glory  of  heaven  is  described,  is  to 
have  gates  each  of  which  will  be  one  pearl,  and  streets  of 
pure  gold,  and  a  wall  with  foundations  of  precious  stones; 
consequently,  that  every  one  who  is  received  into  heaven 
has  his  palace  glittering  with  gold  and  precious  things,  and 
dominion  that  will  follow  in  order  from  one  to  another. 
And  because  we  know  that  joys  are  inborn  in  such  things, 
and  that  happiness  is  inherent  in  them,  and  that  God's 
promises  cannot  fail,  we  have  not  been  able  to  attribute 
the  most  happy  state  of  heavenly  life  to  any  other  source." 
After  this  the  sixth  company,  which  was  the  second  from 
the  southern  quarter,  said  with  a  loud  voice  :  "  The  joy  of 
heaven  and  its  eternal  happiness  are  nothing  else  than  the 
perpetual  glorification  of  God,  a  never-ceasing  festival,  and 
most  blissful  worship  with  songs  and  jubilee ;  thus  a  con- 
stant uplifting  of  the  heart  to  God,  with  full  trust  in  His 
acceptance  of  the  prayers  and  praises  because  of  the  Divine 
munificence  in  their  blessedness."  Some  of  the  company 
added  that  this  glorification  would  be  attended  with  mag- 
nificent illuminations,  with  most  fragrant  incense,  and  with 
grand  processions,  headed  by  the  chief  priest  with  a  great 
trumpet,  who  would  be  followed  by  primates  and  the  keep- 
ers of  the  keys,  great  and  small,  and  that  after  these  would 
follow  men  bearing  palms,  and  women  with  golden  images 
in  their  hands. 

733.  The  seventh  company,  which  was  not  seen  by  the 
others  on  account  of  the  light,  was  from  the  east  in  heaven. 
They  were  angels  from  the  same  society  from  which  the 
angel  with  the  trumpet  was  sent.  When  they  heard  in 
heaven  that  not  a  single  person  in  the  Christian  world  knew 
what  the  joy  of  heaven  and  eternal  happiness  were,  they 
said  one  to  another,  "  Surely  this  cannot  be  true ;  there 
cannot  be  such  thick  darkness  and  such  stupor  of  mind 
with  Christians ;  let  us  go  down  ourselves  also,  and  hear 


No.  734  ] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


whether  it  is  the  truth  j  and  if  it  is  indeed  the  truth,  it  cer- 
tainly is  a  wonder."  Then  those  angels  said  to  the  angel 
with  the  trumpet,  "You  know  that  every  man  who  had 
before  his  death  desired  heaven  and  had  had  any  certain 
thought  of  the  joys  therein,  is  afterward  introduced  into 
the  joys  of  his  imagination ;  and  that  after  such  have  found 
by  trial  what  is  the  quality  of  those  joys,  that  they  are  ac- 
cording to  the  vain  ideas  of  the  mind  and  the  delusions  of 
their  fantasy,  they  are  then  led  out  of  them  and  instructed  ; 
this  takes  place  with  most  of  those  in  the  world  of  spirits 
who  in  the  former  life  meditated  about  heaven,  and  formed 
some  conclusions  respecting  the  joys  there  so  far  as  to 
desire  them."  On  hearing  this,  the  angel  with  the  trumpet 
said  to  the  six  companies  called  together  from  the  wise  of 
the  Christian  world,  "  Follow  me,  and  I  will  introduce  you 
into  your  joys,  and  thus  into  heaven." 

734.  When  the  angel  had  thus  spoken,  he  led  the  way; 
and  the  first  company  that  followed  him  was  of  those  who 
had  persuaded  themselves  that  heavenly  joys  were  only 
most  gladsome  companionship  with  angels,  and  the  sweet- 
est conversations.  These  the  angels  introduced  to  an  as- 
sembly in  the  northern  quarter,  who  in  the  former  world 
had  held  the  joys  of  heaven  to  be  of  this  character. 
There  was  a  spacious  house  there,  in  which  such  were 
gathered  j  in  the  house  were  more  than  fifty  rooms,  distinct 
according  to  the  various  kinds  of  conversation.  In  certain 
rooms  they  conversed  about  what  they  had  seen  and  heard 
in  the  public  places  of  resort  and  on  the  streets  j  in  some 
they  said  many  agreeable  things  about  the  fair  sex,  with 
occasional  pleasantry,  more  and  more  until  every  face  in 
the  company  expanded  with  merry  laughter.  In  other 
rooms  they  talked  about  the  news  relating  to  courts,  pub- 
lic ministers,  state-policy,  and  various  things  that  had 
transpired  from  privy  councils,  together  with  reasonings 
and  conjectures  about  events;  in  other  rooms  they  talked 
about  business  ;  in  others  on  subjects  connected  with  liter- 


982       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII. 


ature ;  in  others  on  matters  pertaining  to  civil  prudence 
and  to  moral  life ;  in  others  concerning  church  matters, 
the  sects,  and  so  on.  It  was  granted  me  to  look  into  that 
house,  and  I  saw  people  running  from  room  to  room,  seek- 
ing companionship  in  their  affection  and  thence  in  their 
joy ;  and  among  those  in  such  companionship  I  saw  three 
classes,  some  panting,  as  it  were,  to  speak,  some  eager  to 
ask  questions,  and  some  greedy  to  hear.  There  were  four 
doors  to  the  house,  one  toward  each  quarter;  and  I  ob- 
served that  many  released  themselves  from  the  companies 
and  hastened  to  go  out.  I  followed  some  to  the  eastern 
door,  and  saw  those  who  were  sitting  near  it  with  sad 
faces.  I  went  near,  and  asked  why  they  sat  so  sad. 
They  answered,  "  The  doors  of  this  house  are  kept  shut 
against  those  who  would  go  out ;  it  is  now  the  third  day 
since  we  entered,  and  we  have  exhausted  the  life  of  our 
desire  in  company  and  conversation,  and  we  have  become 
so  weary  with  continual  talk  that  we  can  hardly  bear  to  hear 
the  murmur  of  the  voices  of  those  whom  we  have  left. 
Therefore,  owing  to  the  irksomeness,  we  came  to  this  door 
and  . knocked  ;  but  we  are  answered  that  the  doors  of  this 
house  are  not  opened  to  let  people  out,  but  to  let  them  in, 
and  we  are  told  to  stay  and  find  enjoyment  in  the  joys  of 
heaven.  From  this  reply  we  have  concluded  that  we  are 
to  remain  here  for  ever ;  therefore  sadness  has  seized  our 
minds,  and  now  our  breasts  begin  to  feel  oppressed  and 
anxiety  is  coming  upon  us."  Then  the  angel  addressed 
them  and  said :  "  This  state  is  the  death  of  those  joys 
ot  yours  which  you  believed  to  be  the  only  heavenly 
joys,  whereas  they  are  but  the  accessories  of  heavenly 
joys."  And  they  asked  the  angel,  "What  then  is  heav- 
enly joy  ?  "  The  angel  answered  briefly,  "  It  is  the  enjoy- 
ment in  doing  something  useful  to  oneself  and  to  others  ; 
and  the  enjoyment  in  use  draws  its  essence  from  love  and 
its  existence  from  wisdom.  Enjoyment  in  use  arising 
from  love  through  wisdom  is  the  soul  and  life  of  all  heav- 


No.  735-1 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


983 


enly  joys.  In  the  heavens  there  are  most  gladsome  com- 
panionships, which  exhilarate  the  minds  of  the  angels, 
cheer  their  spirits  \animi\  fill  their  bosoms  with  enjoyment, 
and  refresh  their  bodies;  but  they  have  these  after  they 
have  fulfilled  their  uses  in  their  functions  and  their  work ; 
from  these  are  the  soul  and  life  in  all  their  gladness  and 
their  pleasures.  But  if  you  take  away  that  soul  or  life, 
the  accessory  joys  gradually  become  no  joys ;  they  first 
become  matters  of  indifference,  then  worthless,  and  finally 
they  bring  sadness  and  anxiety."  After  these  words  the 
door  was  opened,  and  those  who  sat  near  it  sprung  out ; 
and  they  fled  to  their  homes,  each  to  his  function  and  his 
work,  and  were  warmed  into  new  life. 

735.  After  this  the  angel  addressed  those  who  had  em- 
braced the  idea  respecting  the  joys  of  heaven  and  eternal 
happiness,  that  they  were  feasts  with  Abraham,*  Isaac,  and 
Jacob,  followed  by  sports  and  exhibitions,  and  then  feast- 
ing again,  and  so  on  eternally.  And  he  said  to  them. 
"  Follow  me,  and  I  will  introduce  you  into  the  felicity  of 
your  joys."  And  he  led  them  through  grove  and  meadow 
to  a  plain  staked  out,  on  which  were  set  tables,  fifteen  on 
either  side.  They  asked  why  there  were  so  many  tables ; 
and  the  angel  replied,  "The  first  table  is  Abraham's,  the 
second  Isaac's,  the  third  Jacob's,  and  near  them  in  order 
are  the  tables  of  the  twelve  apostles  ;  on  the  other  side  are 
as  many  tables  for  their  wives  ;  the  three  first  of  these  are 
for  Sarah  Abraham's  wife,  Rebecca  Isaac's  wife,  and  Leah 
and  Rachel  Jacob's  wives  ;  the  other  twelve  are  for  the 
wives  of  the  twelve  apostles."  After  a  little  delay,  all  the 
tables  appeared  loaded  with  dishes,  while  the  spaces  be- 
tween them  were  decorated  with  little  pyramids  of  sweet- 
meats. The  guests  stood  around  the  tables,  waiting  to 
see  those  who  were  to  preside  at  the  tables.  After  they 
had  waited  for  them  a  little  while,  they  saw  them  enter  in 
procession,  from  Abraham  to  the  last  of  the  apostles  ;  and 

*  Throughout  this  number  the  Latin  reads  Aif»mMtt  Al>i  ,;m. 


984      THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII. 

each  of  these  going  at  once  to  his  own  table,  took  his  place 
upon  the  couch  at  the  head  of  it;  and  from  their  places 
they  said  to  those  standing  around,  "  Take  your  places  also 
with  us."  And  the  men  took  places  with  those  Fathers, 
and  the  women  with  their  wives,  and  ate  and  drank  in 
gladness  and  with  veneration.  After  the  repast  the  Fathers 
went  out;  and  then  sports  were  introduced,  dances  of 
maidens  and  young  men,  and  then  exhibitions.  When 
these  were  ended,  they  were  again  invited  to  the  feasting, 
but  with  the  regulation  that  on  the  first  day  they  should 
eat  with  Abraham,  on  the  second  with  Isaac,  on  the  third 
with  Jacob,  on  the  fourth  with  Peter,  on  the  fifth  with 
James,  on  the  sixth  with  John,  on  the  seventh  with  Paul, 
and  with  the  others  in  order  up  to  the  fifteenth  day,  when 
they  were  to  renew  the  feasting  again  in  the  same  order, 
changing  seats,  and  so  on  to  eternity.  After  this  the  angel 
called  together  the  men  of  his  company,  and  said  to  them ; 
"  All  those  whom  you  saw  at  the  tables  had  been  in  simi- 
lar imaginary  thought  with  yourselves  concerning  the  joys 
of  heaven  and  eternal  happiness  therefrom  ;  and  in  order 
that  they  may  see  the  vanity  of  their  ideas  and  be  led  out 
of  them,  these  seeming  feasts  were  instituted,  and  were 
permitted  by  the  Lord.  Those  chief  men  whom  you  saw 
at  the  head  of  the  tables  merely  personated  old  men  ;  most 
of  them  were  rustics,  having  their  beards,  and  puffed  up  by 
some  little  wealth,  upon  whom  has  been  induced  the  fan- 
tasy that  they  were  those  ancient  Fathers.  But  follow  me 
to  the  ways  that  lead  from  this  school  of  practice."  They 
followed  him ;  and  they  saw  fifty  here  and  fifty  there  who 
had  loaded  their  stomachs  with  food  until  they  were  nau- 
seated, and  longed  to  return  to  the  familiar  scenes  of  their 
own  homes,  some  to  their  offices,  some  to  their  business, 
and  some  to  their  trades.  But  many  were  retained  by  the 
keepers  of  the  grove,  and  questioned  as  to  the  days  of  their 
feasting,  and  whether  they  had  yet  eaten  at  the  tables  with 
Peter  and  Paul ;  and  they  were  told  that  it  would  bring 


No.  735.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


985 


disgrace  upon  them  to  go  away  before  eating  with  them, 
as  it  would  be  unbecoming.  But  most  of  them  answered, 
"We  are  surfeited  with  our  joys,  food  has  lost  its  relish, 
our  palate  too  is  parched,  the  stomach  revolts,  we  cannot 
bear  those  drinks ;  we  have  spent  several  days  and  nights 
in  that  luxury,  and  we  earnestly  beg  to  be  let  out."  And 
being  dismissed,  with  panting  breath  and  hurried  steps 
they  fled  home.  Then  the  angel  called  the  men  of  his 
company,  and  on  the  way  he  taught  them  this  concerning 
heaven  :  "  In  heaven  as  well  as  in  the  world  there  are 
food  and  drink,  there  is  eating  together  and  there  are  con- 
vivial parties  ;  on  the  tables  of  those  who  are  chief  there, 
are  the  choicest  food,  rarities,  and  delicacies,  whereby 
their  minds  \ammt\  are  exhilarated  and  refreshed  ;  there 
are,  besides,  sports  and  exhibitions  ;  and  also  music,  in- 
strumental and  vocal ;  and  all  in  the  highest  perfection. 
Such  things  are  even  joys  to  those  who  are  there,  but  they 
are  not  happiness ;  happiness  must  be  in  the  joys,  and 
hence  from  the  joys.  Happiness  in  joys  makes*them  joys, 
enriches  them,  and  sustains  them  so  that  they  do  not  be- 
come worthless  and  loathsome  ;  and  this  happiness  each 
one  has  from  use  in  his  employment.  There  is  a  sort  of 
latent  current  in  the  affection  of  every  angel's  will,  that 
draws  his  mind  to  the  doing  of  something,  whereby  it  is 
tranquillized  and  finds  satisfaction.  This  satisfaction  and 
tranquillity  form  a  state  of  mind  capable  of  receiving  from 
the  Lord  the  love  of  use  ;  from  the  reception  of  this  love 
is  heavenly  happiness,  which  is  the  life  of  those  joys  already 
mentioned.  Heavenly  food  in  its  essence  is  no  other  than 
love,  wisdom,  and  use  together ;  that  is,  use  from  love,  by- 
wisdom.  For  this  reason,  food  for  the  body  is  given  to 
every  one  in  heaven  according  to  the  use  that  he  promotes  ; 
the  most  excellent  to  those  who  are  in  eminent  use  ;  food 
of  a  less  excellent  quality  but  of  exquisite  relish  to  tho.se 
who  are  in  use  of  a  middle  grade  ;  inferior  to  those  who 
are  in  low  use  ;  but  none  to  the  indolent." 
vol.  nr.  7 


gS6       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII 


736.  The  angel  afterward  called  to  him  that  company  of 
so-called  wise  men  who  had  placed  heavenly  joys  and  eter- 
nal happiness  therefrom  in  exalted  dominion,  with  most 
abundant  treasures,  also  in  more  than  royal  magnificence 
and  most  dazzling  splendor ;  because  it  is  said  in  the  Word 
that  they  should  be  kings  and  princes,  should  reign  for  ever 
with  Christ,  and  be  ministered  unto  by  the  angels ;  with 
many  other  things.  To  them  the  angel  said,  "  Follow  me, 
and  I  will  introduce  you  into  your  joys."  Then  he  led 
them  into  a  portico  constructed  of  columns  and  pyramids. 
In  front  of  it  was  a  porch,  through  which  lay  the  entrance 
to  the  portico.  Through  this  porch  he  introduced  them. 
And  lo !  there  were  twenty  persons  seen  there ;  and  they 
were  waiting.  And  then  suddenly  there  was  present  one 
who  personated  an  angel ;  and  he  said  to  them,  "  The  way 
to  heaven  is  through  this  portico.  Wait  awhile,  and  make 
yourselves  ready ;  for  the  elder  among  you  are  to  be  kings, 
and  the  younger  princes."  When  he  had  said  this,  there 
appeared  near  each  column  a  throne,  and  on  this  a  robe  of 
silk,  and  on  the  robe  a  sceptre  and  crown ;  and  near  each 
pyramid  appeared  a  seat  raised  three  cubits  from  the  ground, 
and  on  the  seat  a  chain  made  of  small  links  of  gold,  and  the 
ensigns  of  an  order  of  knighthood  fastened  at  the  ends  with 
rings  of  diamonds.  It  was  then  proclaimed,  "  Go  now  and 
robe  yourselves,  take  your  seats,  and  wait."  And  forthwith 
the  older  ones  ran  to  the  thrones,  and  the  younger  to  the 
seats,  robed  themselves,  and  sat  down.  And  then  appeared 
as  it  were  a  mist,  coming  up  from  the  lower  regions ;  and 
when  this  was  drawn  to  those  who  sat  upon  the  thrones 
and  seats,  their  faces  began  to  swell  and  their  breasts  to 
puff  up,  and  they  began  to  be  filled  with  confidence  that 
they  were  now  kings  and  princes.  The  mist  was  an  aura 
of  the  fantasy  that  inspired  them.  And  suddenly  young 
men  flew  to  them  as  if  from  heaven,  and  stood  two  behind 
each  throne,  and  one  behind  each  seat,  to  minister.  And 
♦i>en  oroclamation  was  made,  in  turn,  by  a  herald,  "Ye  kings 


No.  736.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


987 


and  princes,  wait  yet  a  little  while  j  your  palaces  in  heaven 
are  now  being  made  ready;  very  soon  the  courtiers  will 
come  with  the  guards,  and  introduce  you."  They  waited 
and  waited  until  their  spirits  panted  and  they  grew  weary 
with  desire.  After  three  hours  the  heaven  above  their 
heads  was  opened,  and  the  angels  looked  down,  and  pity- 
ing them  said,  "  Why  do  you  sit  there  so  foolish,  assuming 
characters  which  do  not  belong  to  you  ?  They  have  played 
tricks  upon  you,  and  have  changed  you  from  men  into  idols, 
because  you  have  fixed  it  in  your  hearts  that  you  are  to 
reign  with  Christ  as  kings  and  princes,  and  that  angels  are 
then  to  minister  unto  you.  Have  you  forgotten  the  Lord's 
words,  that  he  who  would  be  great  in  heaven  must  become 
a  servant  ?  Therefore  learn  what  is  meant  by  kings  and 
princes  and  reigning  with  Christ,  that  it  is  to  be  wise  and 
do  uses ;  for  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  which  is  heaven,  is  a 
kingdom  of  uses ;  for  the  Lord  loves  all,  and  thence  wills 
good  to  all,  and  good  is  use.  And  because  the  Lord  does 
goods  or  uses  mediately  by  the  angels,  and  in  the  world  by 
men,  to  those  who  do  uses  faithfully  He  therefore  gives  the 
love  of  use,  and  its  reward  which  is  internal  blessedness, 
and  this  is  eternal  happiness.  In  the  heavens  as  on  earth 
there  are  exalted  dominion  and  most  abundant  treasures ; 
for  there  are  governments,  and  forms  of  government,  and 
thus  there  are  powers  and  dignities,  greater  and  less ;  and 
those  who  are  in  the  highest  stations  have  palaces  and  courts, 
which  surpass  those  of  emperors  and  kings  on  earth  in  mag- 
nificence and  splendor ;  and  honor  and  glory  surround  them 
from  the  number  of  the  courtiers,  ministers,  and  attendants, 
and  the  splendid  vestments  in  which  these  are  clad.  But 
those  who  are  highest  are  chosen  from  among  those  whose 
hearts  are  in  the  public  welfare,  while  only  the  senses  of  the 
body  are  in  the  grandeur  of  magnificence  for  the  sake  of 
obedience.  And  because  it  pertains  to  the  public  wvit.ue 
that  every  one  should  be  of  some  use  in  society  as  in  a 
common  body,  and  because  all  use  is  from  the  Lord  and  is 


988       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  XIIL 

effected  through  angels  and  through  men  as  if  by  them,  it 
is  manifest  that  this  is  to  reign  with  the  Lord."  When 
this  had  been  heard  from  heaven,  those  who  had  personated 
kings  and  princes  descended  from  the  thrones  and  seats, 
and  threw  away  the  sceptres,  crowns,  and  robes ;  and  the 
mist  in  which  was  the  aura  of  fantasy  receded  from  them, 
and  a  bright  cloud  encompassed  them,  in  which  was  the 
aura  of  wisdom;  and  from  this,  sanity  returned  to  their 
minds. 

737.  After  this  the  angel  returned  to  the  house  where 
the  wise  from  the  Christian  world  were  assembled,  and 
called  to  him  those  who  had  embraced  the  belief  that  the 
joys  of  heaven  and  eternal  happiness  were  paradisal  de- 
lights. To  them  he  said,  "Follow  me,  and  Twill  introduce 
you  into  paradise,  your  heaven,  that  you  may  enter  upon 
the  blessings  of  your  eternal  happiness."  And  he  con- 
ducted them  through  a  lofty  gate-way,  formed  of  the  inter- 
woven branches  and  twigs  of  noble  trees ;  after  they  had 
entered  he  led  them  about  through  winding  paths  from 
quarter  to  quarter.  It  was  actually  a  paradise  at  the  first 
entrance  to  heaven,  into  which  they  are  sent  who  in  the 
world  had  believed  all  heaven  to  be  one  paradise,  because 
it  is  called  paradise,  and  had  impressed  upon  themselves 
the  idea  that  after  death  there  is  complete  rest  from  labor, 
and  that  this  rest  is  nothing  else  than  breathing  the  very 
soul  of  delights,  walking  upon  roses,  being  gladdened  by 
the  most  delicate  juice  of  the  grape,  and  banqueting ;  and 
that  this  life  is  to  be  found  only  in  a  heavenly  paradise. 
As  they  followed  the  angel  they  saw  a  great  multitude  of 
old  men  and  young,  also  of  boys,  and  also  of  women  and 
girls,  sitting  in  groups  of  three  and  in  groups  of  ten  on 
flower-beds,  where  they  wreathed  garlands  to  decorate  the 
heads  of  the  old  men  and  the  arms  of  the  young,  and  to 
encircle  the  bosoms  of  the  children  *  others  were  pressing 
juice  from  grapes,  cherries,  and  mulberries,  into  cups,  and 
drinking  it  in  a  genial  way;  others  were  inhaling  the  fra- 


No.  737.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


grance  breathed  forth  and  diffused  from  flowers,  fruit,  and 
odorous  leaves ;  others  were  singing  sweet  songs  that 
soothed  the  ears  of  the  listeners  j  others  sat  at  fountains, 
turning  the  waters  of  the  gushing  stream  into  various 
forms ;  some  were  walking  about,  talking  together,  and  scat- 
tering their  pleasantry ;  some  entered  into  little  garden- 
houses,  to  recline  on  couches  j  and  they  saw  many  other 
paradisal  forms  of  gladness.  After  they  had  seen  these 
things,  the  angel  conducted  his  companions  here  and  there 
by  circuitous  routes,  and  at  last  to  some  persons  seated  on 
a  most  beautiful  flower-bed,  which  was  surrounded  by  olive, 
orange,  and  citron  trees ;  they  sat  swaying  themselves  to 
and  fro,  their  faces  resting  on  their  hands,  wailing  and 
weeping.  The  companions  of  the  angel  addressed  them 
and  asked,  "Why  do  you  sit  so?'"  They  replied,  "It  is 
now  seven  days  since  we  came  into  this  paradise.  When 
we  entered,  our  minds  seemed  to  be  as  if  elevated  into 
heaven,  and  introduced  into  the  inmost  favors  of  its  joys ; 
but  after  three  days  those  favors  began  to  grow  dim,  to  fade 
from  our  minds,  to  become  imperceptible,  and  so  to  become 
naught.  And  when  our  imaginary  joys  thus  expired,  we 
feared  the  loss  of  all  that  makes  our  life  enjoyable,  and 
began  to  doubt  about  eternal  happiness,  even  whether  there 
be  any.  And  afterward  we  wandered  through  paths  and 
plots  in  search  of  the  gate  by  which  we  entered.  But  we 
wandered  through  winding  paths,  round  and  round,  making 
enquiries  of  those  we  met.  Some  of  them  said  that  the 
gate  is  not  found  because  this  paradisal  garden  is  a  vast 
labyrinth,  which  is  such  that  any  one  wishing  to  go  out 
enters  more  deeply  in ;  and  they  added,  '  You  must  there- 
fore necessarily  remain  here  to  eternity  ;  you  are  now  in  the 
midst  of  the  paradise,  where  all  delights  centre.' "  They 
further  said  to  the  companions  of  the  angel :  "  We  have- 
now  sat  here  for  a  day  and  a  half ;  and  as  we  are  now 
without  hope  of  finding  the  way  out,  we  have  been  rcsti:i_: 
ourselves  on  this  flower-bed,  and  look  around  us  upon 


990       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [CiiAr  XIIL 


olives,  grapes,  oranges,  and  citrons  in  abundance.  But  the 
more  we  look  at  them  the  more  is  our  sight  wearied  with 
seeing,  our  smell  with  smelling,  and  our  taste  with  tasting. 
This  is  the  cause  of  the  sadness  in  which  you  find  us,  and 
of  our  wailing  and  weeping."  On  hearing  this,  the  angel 
of  the  company  said  to  them,  "  This  paradisal  labyrinth  is 
really  an  entrance  to  heaven.  I  know  the  way  out,  and 
will  lead  you  forth."  At  these  words  those  who  were  seated 
arose  and  embraced  the  angel,  and  went  with  him  joining 
his  company.  And  on  their  way  the  angel  taught  them 
what  heavenly  joy  and  its  eternal  happiness  are,  —  that 
they  are  not  external  paradisal  delights,  unless  together 
with  these  there  are  internal  paradisal  delights.  "Exter- 
nal paradisal  delights,"  said  he,  "  are  only  delights  of  the 
senses  of  the  body,  but  internal  paradisal  delights  are  those 
of  the  soul's  affections ;  unless  these  latter  are  in  the  others, 
there  is  no  heavenly  life  in  them,  because  there  is  no  soul 
in  them ;  and  every  delight  without  its  correspondent  soul, 
languishes  continually  and  becomes  torpid,  and  it  wearies 
the  mind  [animus]  more  than  labor.  There  are  paradisal 
gardens  everywhere  in  heaven,  and  the  angels  also  have 
joys  from  them ;  and  so  far  as  the  soul's  delight  is  within 
these,  the  joys  are  joys  to  them."  Hearing  this  they  all 
asked,  "What  is  the  soul's  delight,  and  whence  comes  it?" 
The  angel  replied,  "The  soul's  delight  is  from  love  and 
wisdom  from  the  Lord ;  and  because  love  is  effective,  and 
is  effective  through  wisdom,  they  both  have  their  seat  in 
the  effect,  and  the  effect  is  use.  This  delight  flows  into 
the  soul  from  the  Lord,  descends  through  the  higher  and  the 
lower  regions  of  the  mind  into  all  the  senses  of  the  body, 
and  fills  itself  full  in  them ;  hence  joy  becomes  joy,  and  it 
becomes  eternal  from  the  Eternal  from  Whom  it  is.  You 
have  seen  paradisal  scenes  j  and  I  declare  to  you  that  there- 
is  not  one  thing  there,  not  even  a  little  leaf,  that  is  not 
from  the  marriage  of  love  and  wisdom  in  use.  Wherefore 
if  man  is  in  this  marriage  he  is  in  a  heavenly  paradise,  and 
so  in  heaven." 


No.  738-] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


738.  After  this  the  angel-guide  returned  to  the  house 
[of  assembly],  to  those  who  had  firmly  persuaded  them- 
selves that  heavenly  joy  and  eternal  happiness  were  a 
perpetual  glorification  of  God  and  an  endless  festival ; 
and  this,  because  they  had  believed  when  in  the  world  that 
they  should  then  see  God,  and  because  the  life  of  heaven 
from  the  worship  of  God  is  called  a  perpetual  Sabbath. 
To  them  the  angel  said,  "  Follow  me,  and  I  will  introduce 
you  into  your  joy."  And  he  introduced  them  into  a  small 
city,  in  the  midst  of  which  was  a  temple,  and  where  all 
the  houses  were  called  sacred  buildings.  In  this  city  they 
saw  a  gathering  of  the  people  from  every  corner  of  the 
surrounding  land,  and  among  them  a  number  of  priests 
who  received  them  as  they  came,  saluted  them,  and  taking 
them  by  the  hand  led  them  to  the  gates  of  the  temple,  and 
from  them  to  some  sacred  buildings  round  about  the  tem- 
ple, and  initiated  them  into  the  perpetual  worship  of  God ; 
saying,  "  This  city  is  an  entrance-court  to  heaven,  and  the 
temple  of  this  city  is  the  entrance  to  a  magnificent  and 
most  spacious  temple  which  is  in  heaven,  where  God  is 
glorified  by  angels  with  praises  and  prayers  for  ever.  It 
is  ordered  both  here  and  there  that  those  who  come  are 
first  to  enter  the  temple  and  remain  there  for  three  days 
and  three  nights,  and  after  this  initiation  are  to  enter  the 
houses  of  this  city  which  are  so  many  buildings  conse- 
crated by  us,  and  going  from  one  sacred  house  to  another, 
in  communion  with  those  assembled  there,  shall  pray,  and 
shout,  and  repeat  what  has  been  preached.  Be  very  care 
ful  to  think  of  nothing  within  yourselves,  and  to  speak 
of  nothing  with  your  companions,  but  what  is  holy,  pious, 
and  religious."  After  this  the  angel  introduced  his  cum 
pany  into  the  temple,  which  was  full  and  crowded  with 
many  who  had  enjoyed  high  dignity  in  the  world,  and  ftjsd 
with  many  of  the  common  people  ;  and  guards  were  st.i 
tioned  at  the  gates,  to  prevent  any  one  from  going  out 
before  he  had  stayed  three  days.    And  the  angel  said, 


992       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIIL 


"  This  is  the  second  day  since  those  who  are  now  here 
came  in ; "observe  them,  and  you  will  see  their  glorification 
of  God."  And  they  looked  at  them  ;  and  they  saw  most 
of  them  asleep,  and  those  who  were  awake  continually 
yawning ;  some,  in  consequence  of  the  continual  elevation 
of  their  thoughts  to  God,  without  allowing  them  to  come 
down  at  all  into  the  body,  seemed  like  faces  apart  from 
the  body  (for  so  they  appeared  to  themselves,  and  there- 
fore to  others  also)  ;  the  eyes  of  some  looked  wild  from 
being  constantly  turned  away  [from  things  below]  ;  in  a 
word,  the  breasts  of  all  were  oppressed,  and  they  were 
weary  in  their  spirits  ;  they  turned  away  from  the  pulpit 
and  cried  out,  "  Stop  preaching,  our  ears  are  stunned  j  we 
no  longer  hear  a  word,  the  very  sound  of  your  voices  be- 
gins to  be  more  than  we  can  bear."  And  then  they  arose, 
rushed  in  a  mass  to  the  gates,  broke  them  open,  pressed 
upon  the  guards  and  drove  them  away.  Seeing  this  the 
priests  followed,  keeping  close  to  them,  teaching  and  teach- 
ing, praying,  sighing,  and  saying,  "  Celebrate  the  festival, 
glorify  God,  sanctify  yourselves  \  in  this  entrance-court  of 
heaven  we  will  inaugurate  you  into  the  eternal  glorification 
of  God  in  a  magnificent  and  most  spacious  temple  that 
is  in  heaven,  and  so  into  the  enjoyment  of  eternal  happi- 
ness." These  words,  however,  were  not  understood,  and 
were  scarcely  heard  by  them,  owing  to  the  dulness  of  their 
minds  from  a  two  days'  suspension  and  detention  from  ordi- 
nary business  within  and  outside  of  their  houses.  But  when 
they  endeavored  to  tear  themselves  away  from  the  priests, 
the  priests  caught  them  by  the  arms  and  also  their  cloth- 
ing, urging  them  to  the  houses  where  they  were  to  preach  ; 
but  in  vain ;  they  cried  out,  "  Leave  us ;  we  feel  as  if  we 
should  faint."  At  these  words,  lo,  there  appeared  four 
men  in  white  garments,  and  with  mitres.  One  of  them 
had  been  an  archbishop  in  the  world,  and  the  other  three 
had  been  bishops  ;  they  had  now  become  angels.  They 
called  the  priests  together,  and  addressing  them  said,  "  We 


No.  739.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


993 


saw  you  from  heaven  with  these  sheep,  and  saw  how  you 
teed  them.  You  feed  them  even  to  madness.  You  do 
not  know  what  glorification  of  God  means.  It  means  to 
bring  forth  the  fruits  of  love,  that  is,  to  discharge  faithfully, 
sincerely,  and  diligently  the  work  of  one's  calling,  for  this 
is  of  the  love  of  God  and  of  the  love  of  the  neighbor  ;  and 
it  is  the  bond  of  society,  and  its  good.  By  this  God  is 
glorified,  and  then  by  worship  at  stated  times.  Have  you 
not  read  these  words  of  the  Lord,  Herein  is  My  Father 
glorified,  that  ye  bear  much  fruit :  so  shall  ye  be  My  disciples 
(John  xv.  8)  ?  You  priests  are  able  to  be  in  the  glorifica- 
tion of  worship,  because  to  be  so  is  your  office,  and  you 
have  honor,  glory,  and  recompense  therefrom  ;  but  still 
you  could  be  in  that  glorification  no  more  than  they,  unless 
honor,  glory,  and  recompense  were  united  with  your  office." 
Having  thus  said,  the  bishops  charged  the  keepers  of  the 
gate  to  admit  all,  and  to  let  all  pass  out :  "for,"  said  they, 
"  there  are  very  many  who  have  not  been  able  to  think  of 
any  other  heavenly  joy  than  the  perpetual  worship  of  God, 
because  they  have  known  nothing  of  the  state  of  heaven." 

739.  After  this  the  angel  returned  with  his  companions 
to  the  place  of  meeting,  from  which  the  companies  of  wise 
men  had  not  yet  gone  ;  and  there  he  called  to  him  those 
who  believed  heavenly  joy  and  eternal  happiness  to  be 
merely  admittance  into  heaven,  and  who  believed  that 
admittance  is  from  Divine  grace  ;  also  that  those  who  are 
admitted  have  joy  at  once,  like  those  who  in  the  world  enter 
the  palaces  of  kings  on  days  of  festivity,  or  come  by  invita- 
tion to  a  marriage.  To  them  the  angel  said,  "  Wait  here 
awhile  ;  I  will  sound  my  trumpet,  and  those  who  have 
high  reputation  for  wisdom  in  the  spiritual  things  of  the 
church  will  come  hither."  After  some  hours  nine  men 
presented  themselves,  each  wearing  a  laurel  wreath  to 
mark  his  fame.  These  were  introduced  by  the  an^el  into 
the  house  of  assembly  where  all  those  were  waiting  who 
were  convoked  before.    In  the  presence  of  these  latter  the 


994       THE  TR^E  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIIL 


angel  addressed  the  nine  wearing  the  laurel  wreaths,  and 
said  :  "  I  know  that  in  accordance  with  your  wish,  and  fol- 
lowing out  your  ideas,  it  was  granted  you  to  ascend  into 
heaven  ■  and  that  you  have  returned  to  this  lower  or  sub- 
celestial  earth  with  a  full  knowledge  of  the  state  of  heaven  j 
tell  us  therefore  how  heaven  appeared  to  you."  And  they 
replied  in  order.  The  first  said  :  "  My  idea  of  heaven, 
from  earliest  boyhood  even  to  the  end  of  my  life  in  the 
world,  was,  that  it  was  a  place  of  all  blessings  and  favors, 
of  all  that  promotes  enjoyment  and  is  charming,  and  of  all 
pleasures  ;  and  that  if  I  were  admitted  there,  I  should  be 
surrounded  with  an  aura  of  such  felicities,  inhaling  them 
with  full  breast,  as  surrounds  a  bridegroom  when  he  cele- 
brates his  marriage  and  when  he  enters  the  marriage- 
chamber  with  his  bride.  With  this  idea  I  ascended  to 
heaven ;  I  passed  the  first  guards,  and  the  second  also ; 
but  when  I  came  to  the  third,  the  officer  of  the  guard  ad- 
dressed me  and  said,  1  Who  are  you,  friend  ? '  I  answered, 
'  Is  not  this  heaven  ?  I  have  ascended  hither  at  my  earnest 
wish  ;  admit  me,  I  entreat  you.'  And  he  admitted  me. 
And  I  saw  angels  in  white  garments,  who  walked  around 
me,  and  looked  at  me,  and  murmured,  '  Here  is  a  new  guest 
who  is  not  clothed  with  the  raiment  of  heaven.'  I  heard 
these  words,  and  thought,  '  This  seems  to  me  to  be  as  it 
was  with  him  of  whom  the  Lord  says  that  he  came  to  the 
wedding  not  having  a  wedding-garment.'  And  I  said, 
'  Give  me  such  garments  ; '  but  they  laughed.  And  then 
one  came  running  from  the  court  with  the  order,  ;  Strip  J 
him  naked,  cast  him  out,  and  throw  his  clothes  after  him 
and  so  I  was  cast  out."  The  second  in  order  then  said  : 
My  belief  also,  like  his,  was,  that  if  I  were  only  admitted 
into  heaven  which  was  above  my  head,  joys  would  flow 
around  me,  and  that  I  should  breathe  them  for  ever.  I  also 
obtained  my  wish.  But  when  the  angels  saw  me  they  fled, 
and  said  to  one  another,  '  What  portent  is  this  ?  How 
did  this  bird  of  night  come  hither  ? '    And  I  actually  felt 


No.  739.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


995 


myself  changed  from  being  a  man,  although  I  was  not 
changed.  This  happened  to  me  from  my  inhaling  the 
heavenly  atmosphere.  But  presently  one  ran  from  the 
court,  with  the  order  'that  two  servants  should  lead  me  out, 
and  conduct  me  back  by  the  way  I  ascended  even  to  my 
own.  house.  And  when  I  was  at  home  I  appeared  to  myself 
and  to  others  as  a  man."  The  third  said  :  My  idea  of 
heaven  was  always  from  place,  and  not  from  the  love ;  so 
when  I  came  into  this  world,  I  longed  for  heaven  with  a 
great  desire  \  and  seeing  some  ascending,  I  followed  them 
and  was  admitted,  but  only  a  few  steps.  But  when  I  wished 
to  gladden  my  mind  [animus]  by  the  idea  of  the  joys  and 
blessings  there,  owing  to  the  light  of  heaven  (which  was 
white  like  snow,  and  the  essence  of  which  is  said  to  be 
wisdom),  stupor  seized  my  mind,  and  from  it  thick  dark- 
ness came  over  my  eyes,  and  I  began  to  be  insane ;  and 
presently,  owing  to  the  heat  of  heaven  (which  corresponded 
to  the  brightness  of  that  light,  and  the  essence  of  which 
is  said  to  be  love),  my  heart  palpitated,  anxiety  took  pos- 
session of  me,  I  was  tortured  with  interior  pain,  and  threw 
myself  on  the  ground  there  upon  my  back ;  and  while  I  lay 
there,  an  attendant  came  from  the  court  with  an  order  to 
carry  me  carefully  into  my  own  light  and  heat  ;  and  when  I 
came  into  them,  my  breath  and  my  heart  returned  to  me.  The 
fourth  said  that  he  also  had  been  in  the  idea  of  place,  and 
not  in  the  idea  of  the  love,  in  respect  to  heaven.  He  said 
further  :  "  As  soon  as  I  came  into  the  spiritual  world  I  asked 
wise  men  whether  it  was  allowable  to  ascend  into  heaven. 
They  said  that  any  one  was  at  liberty  to  ascend,  but  that 
those  who  go  up  must  be  careful  lest  they  be  cast  down  a-ain. 
I  laughed  at  this,  and  went  up,  believing  like  others  th.it 
all  in  the  whole  world  were  capable  of  receiving  the  joys  of 
heaven  in  their  fulness.  But  truly,  as  soon  as  I  was  within, 
I  became  almost  dead  ;  and  from  the  pain  and  its  torture 
in  my  head  and  body,  I  prostrated  myself  on  the  ground, 
writhed  like  a  serpent  near  the  fire,  crawled  even  to  the 


99$       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIIL 

brink,  and  in  that  way  threw  myself  down.  I  was  after- 
ward taken  up  by  some  who  stood  below,  and  carried  to 
an  inn,  where  I  became  well  again."  The  other  five  also 
gave  wonderful  accounts  of  their  ascents  to  heaven ;  and 
they  compared  the  changes  in  the  states  of  their  life  with 
the  state  of  fishes  when  lifted  from  the  water  into  the  air, 
and  that  of  birds  when  in  the  ether.  And  they  said  that  after 
those  hard  experiences,  they  no  longer  had  a  desire  for 
heaven,  but  only  for  a  life  in  company  with  their  like  wher- 
ever they  were  ;  and  that  they  know  that  in  the  world  of 
spirits,  where  we  then  were,  all  first  undergo  a  preparation, 
the  good  for  heaven  and  the  evil  for  hell,  and  that  when 
prepared  they  see  ways  opened  for  them  to  societies  of 
those  like  themselves,  with  whom  they  are  to  remain  for 
ever ;  also  that  they  then  enter  these  ways  with  enjoyment 
because  they  are  the  ways  of  their  love.  When  they  of 
the  first  assembly  heard  these  things,  they  all  confessed 
that  they,  too,  had  entertained  no  other  idea  of  heaven 
than  as  of  a  place  where  with  full  mouth  they  should  for 
ever  drink-in  the  joys  flowing  around  them.  The  angel 
with  the  trumpet  then  said  to  them  :  "  You  now  see  that 
the  joys  of  heaven  and  eternal  happiness  do  not  pertain  to 
place,  but  to  the  state  of  man's  life  j  and  the  state  of  heav- 
enly life  is  from  love  and  wisdom  ;  and  as  use  is  the  con- 
tainant  of  these  two,  the  state  of  heavenly  life  is  from  the 
conjunction  of  love  and  wisdom  in  use.  It  is  the  same  if 
we  say  charity,  faith,  and  good  work  j  inasmuch  as  charity 
is  love,  faith  is  truth  from  which  comes  wisdom,  and  good 
work  is  use.  Moreover,  in  our  spiritual  world  there  are 
places  as  in  the  natural  world  j  otherwise  there  would  not 
be  places  to  live  in,  and  distinct  mansions ;  but  still  place 
in  this  world  is  not  place,  but  is  an  appearance  of  place 
according  to  the  state  of  love  and  wisdom  or  charity  and 
faith.  Every  one  who  becomes  an  angel  carries  his  heaven 
within  him,  because  he  carries  the  love  belonging  to  his 
heaven  ;  for  man  from  creation  is  the  least  effigy,  image. 


No.  740.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


997 


and  type  of  the  great  heaven  j  the  human  form  is  nothing 
else  ;  wherefore  every  one  comes  into  that  society  in  heaven 
of  which  he  is  a  form  in  his  individual  effigy.  Therefore 
when  he  enters  into  that  society,  he  enters  into  a  form 
correspondent  with  himself  :  thus  as  from  himself  he  enters 
into  that  which  is  a  [more  general]  self,  and  as  from  this 
he  enters  into  it  [as  it  is]  in  himself;  and  he  dra\vs-?n  its 
life  as  his  life,  and  his  life  as  its.  Every  society  is  as  what 
is  general,  and  the  angels  therein  are  as  similar  parts  from 
which  the  general  co-exists.  From  this  it  now  follows  that 
they  who  are  in  evils  and  thence  in  falsities,  have  formed 
in  themselves  an  effigy  of  hell ;  and  this  suffers  torment 
in  heaven  from  the  influx  and  the  violence  in  the  activity 
of  one  opposite  upon  another  j  for  infernal  love  is  opposite 
to  heavenly  love,  and  consequently  the  enjoyments  be 
longing  to  those  two  loves  come  into  collision  with  each 
other  like  hostile  forces,  and  destroy  each  other  when  they 
meet." 

740.  After  this  a  voice  was  heard  out  of  heaven  saying 
to  the  angel  with  the  trumpet,  "  Select  ten  out  of  the  whole 
assembly,  and  introduce  them  to  us  ;  we  have  heard  from 
the  Lord  that  He  will  prepare  them  so  that  the  heat  and 
light,  or  the  love  and  wisdom,  of  our  heaven  may  be  borne 
by  them  without  injury  for  three  days."  Then  ten  were 
chosen,  who  followed  the  angel.  And  they  ascended  by  a 
steep  path  to  a  certain  hill,  and  from  this  to  a  mountain  on 
which  was  the  heaven  of  those  angels,  which  had  before 
appeared  to  them  at  a  distance  like  an  expanse  in  the 
clouds.  The  gates  were  opened  for  them  ;  and  after  they 
had  passed  the  third,  the  introducing  angel  ran  to  the 
prince  of  that  society  or  heaven  and  announced  their 
arrival.  And  the  prince  said  in  reply,  M  Take  some  of  my 
attendants,  and  carry  back  word  to  them  that  their  arrival 
is  pleasing  to  me,  and  introduce  them  into  my  ante-court, 
and  give  to  each  his  own  room  with  his  bed-chamber;  and 
take  some  of  my  courtiers,  and  servants  also,  to  wait  on 


998       THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII. 


them  and  to  render  them  all  the  service  they  desire."  And 
it  was  done.  But  when  they  were  conducted  in  by  the 
angel,  they  asked  whether  it  was  allowable  to  go  and  see 
the  prince  \  and  the  angel  answered  them,  "  It  is  now  morn- 
ing, and  he  cannot  be  seen  before  noon  \  until  that  time  all 
are  engaged  in  fulfilling  their  own  part  in  offices  and  in 
theii  work.  But  you  are  invited  to  dinner;  and  then  you 
will  sit  at  table  with  our  prince.  Meanwhile  I  will  intro- 
duce you  into  his  palace,  where  you  will  see  magnificent 
and  splendid  things." 

When  they  had  come  to  the  palace,  they  first  viewed  it 
from  without.  It  was  spacious,  built  of  porphyry,  with  the 
substructure  of  jasper ;  and  before  the  gate  were  six  lofty 
columns  of  lapis  lazuli,  the  roof  was  of  plates  of  gold,  the 
high  windows  were  of  the  clearest  crystal,  and  their  frames 
also  of  gold.  They  were  afterward  introduced  into  the 
interior  of  the  palace,  and  conducted  from  room  to  room  ; 
and  they  saw  ornaments  of  inexpressible  beauty,  and  on 
the  ceilings  decorations  of  inimitable  sculpture ;  placed 
against  the  walls  they  saw  tables  of  silver  fused  with  gold, 
on  which  were  various  utensils  of  precious  stones,  and  of 
entire  gems  in  heavenly  forms.  And  they  saw  many  other 
things  which  no  eye  on  earth  had  ever  seen ;  and  no  one 
therefore  had  been  able  to  believe  that  there  are  such 
things  in  heaven.  While  they  were  amazed  at  the  sight  of 
such  magnificence,  the  angel  said :  "  Do  not  wonder ;  the 
things  which  you  see  were  not  fashioned  and  wrought  by 
any  angelic  hand,  but  were  formed  by  the  Builder  of  the 
universe,  and  presented  to  our  prince ;  wherefore  here  we 
have  architectural  art  in  its  own  perfection,  and  from  it  are 
all  the  rules  of  that  art  in  the  world."  The  angel  said 
further:  "You  may  possibly  imagine  that  such  things  fas- 
cinate our  eyes,  and  infatuate  them  so  far  that  we  believe 
them  to  be  the  joys  of  our  heaven ;  but  because  our  hearts 
are  not  in  them,  they  are  only  accessory  to  the  joys  of  our 
hearts ;  therefore  so  far  as  we  contemplate  them  as  acces* 


No.  741  •] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


999 


sory,  and  as  the  workmanship  of  God,  we  contemplate  in 
them  the  Divine  omnipotence  and  clemency." 

741.  After  this  the  angel  said  to  them,  "  It  is  not  yet 
noon  ;  come  with  me  into  the  garden  of  our  prince,  which 
adjoins  this  palace."  They  went,  and  at  the  entrance  the 
angel  said,  "  Behold  the  most  magnificent  garden  in  this 
heavenly  society."  But  they  replied,  "  What  do  you  say  ? 
There  is  no  garden  here ;  we  see  only  one  tree,  and  on  its 
branches  and  on  its  top  what  seem  like  fruits  of  gold,  and 
leaves  of  silver  with  their  edges  adorned  with  emeralds ; 
and  under  the  tree  little  children  with  their  nurses."  To 
this  the  angel  with  inspired  voice  replied :  "  This  tree  is  in 
the  midst  of  the  garden,  and  is  called  by  us  the  tree  of  our 
heaven,  and  by  some  the  tree  of  life.  But  proceed  and 
draw  nearer,  and  your  eyes  will  be  opened  and  you  will  see 
the  garden."  And  they  did  so,  and  their  eyes  were  opened, 
and  they  saw  trees  laden  with  delicious  fruit,  with  vines 
entwining  their  tendrils  about  them,  and  their  tops  bend- 
ing with  the  fruit  toward  the  tree  of  life  in  the  centre. 
These  trees  were  planted  in  a  continued  series  which  came 
cut  and  went  on  in  endless  circles  or  curves  like  those  of  a 
perpetual  spiral ;  it  was  a  perfect  spiral  of  trees,  in  which 
one  species  followed  another  continually,  according  to  the 
excellence  of  their  fruit.  A  broad  space  lay  between  the 
beginning  of  the  spiral  and  the  tree  that  was  in  the  midst; 
and  this  space  gleamed  with  beaming  light  that  made  the 
trees  of  the  spiral  glow  with  a  radiance  which  was  gradu- 
ated but  unbroken  from  the  first  to  the  last.  The  first  tret? 
were  the  noblest  of  all,  luxuriant  with  the  rarest  fruit;  these 
were  called  trees  of  paradise,  being  nowhere  seen  in  any 
land  of  the  natural  world,  for  they  do  not  and  cann.-t  exist 
there.  After  these  followed  olive-trees,  then  those  that 
yielded  wine,  then  trees  yielding  fragrance,  and  last  of  all 
those  useful  to  workmen  for  the  wood.  Here  and  there  in 
this  coil  of  trees,  or  this  spiral,  were  seats  formed  ot  bra; 
of  the  trees  behind  them  drawn  forward  and  interlaced,  md 


1000     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIIL 


enriched  and  adorned  with  their  fruits.  In  that  perpetual 
circle  of  trees  were  passages  which  opened  into  flower- 
plots,  and  from  these  into  lawns  laid  out  in  areas  and  beds. 
Seeing  these  things,  the  companions  of  the  angel  exclaimed, 
"  Behold  heaven  in  form  !  Wherever  we  turn  our  eyes,  some- 
thing heavenly  and  paradisal  meets  them,  which  is  inexpres- 
sible." The  angel  rejoiced  on  hearing  this,  and  said:  "All 
the  gardens  of  our  heaven  are  representative  forms  or  types 
of  heavenly  beatitudes  in  their  origin  ;  and  because  an  influx 
of  these  beatitudes  elevated  your  minds,  you  exclaimed, 
'  Behold  heaven  in  form.'  But  they  who  do  not  receive  that 
influx,  look  on  these  things  of  paradise  only  as  they  look 
on  those  of  a  forest.  All  those  receive  the  influx  who  are 
in  the  love  of  use ;  while  they  do  not  receive  it  who  are  in 
the  love  of  glory,  and  a  glory  that  is  not  from  use."  He 
afterward  explained  and  taught  what  was  represented  and 
signified  by  the  several  things  in  the  garden. 

742.  While  they  were  thus  engaged,  there  came  a'  mes- 
senger from  the  prince,  who  invited  them  to  eat  bread  with 
him ;  and  at  the  same  time  two  attendants  of  the  court 
brought  garments  of  fine  linen,  and  said,  "  Put  these  on,  for 
no  one  is  admitted  to  the  prince's  table  unless  he  is  clothed 
with  the  garments  of  heaven."  And  they  made  themselves 
ready,  and  accompanied  their  angel.  They  were  introduced 
into  a  corridor,  the  walk  of  the  palace,  and  waited  for  the 
prince.  And  there  the  angel  introduced  them  to  compan- 
ionship with  great  men  and  rulers  who  also  were  waiting 
for  the  prince.  And  behold,  in  less  than  an  hour  the  doors 
were  opened,  and  through  one  wider  than  the  rest,  on  the 
western  side,  they  saw  him  enter  in  the  order  and  pomp  of 
procession.  Before  him  came  his  privy  counsellors  (con- 
siliarii  a  latere),  after  these  the  chamberlains  (consiliarii  a 
cameris),  and  after  these  the  chief  officers  of  his  court ;  the 
prince  was  in  the  midst  of  the  latter  ;  after  him  came  court- 
iers of  various  rank,  and  last  of  all  the  guards.  In  all,  they 
numbered'  one  hundred  and  twenty.    The  angel  standing 


No.  743.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


IOO I 


in  front  of  the  ten  new-comers,  who  from  their  dress  now 
appeared  as  inmates  of  the  place,  advanced  with  them  to 
the  prince,  and  reverently  presented  them  ;  and  the  pr'nce, 
without  stopping  the  procession,  said  to  them,  "  Come  with 
me  to  eat  bread."  And  they  followed  him  into  the  dining- 
hall,  where  they  saw  a  table  magnificently  prepared.  In 
the  centre  of  it  was  a  high  pyramid  of  gold,  having  on  its 
forms  in  triple  order  a  hundred  dishes  containing  sweet 
bread,  new  wine  solidified,  with  other  delicacies  made  of 
bread  and  wine  together.  And  through  the  middle  of  the 
pyramid  there  welled  up,  as  it  were,  a  fountain  streaming 
with  wine  like  nectar,  the  flow  of  which  parted  at  the  top 
of  the  pyramid  and  supplied  the  cups.  At  the  sides  of  this 
high  pyramid  were  various  heavenly  forms  of  gold,  on  which 
were  dishes  and  plates  loaded  with  all  kinds  of  food.  The 
heavenly  forms  on  which  were  the  dishes  and  plates,  were 
forms  of  art  derived  from  wisdom,  such  as  cannot  be  por- 
trayed in  the  world  by  any  art,  or  described  by  any  language. 
The  dishes  and  plates  were  of  silver,  engraved  around  with 
forms  similar  to  those  on  their  supports ;  the  cups  were  of 
pellucid  gems.    So  was  the  table  furnished. 

743.  But  the  dress  of  the  prince  and  his  ministers  was 
this :  The  prince  was  clad  in  a  long  robe  of  a  purple  color, 
decorated  with  silver  stars  of  needlework  ;  under  the  robe 
he  wore  a  tunic  of  shining  silk  of  a  violet  color.  This  was 
open  at  the  breast,  where  was  seen  the  front  part  of  a  belt, 
bearing  the  ensign  of  his  society ;  this  was  an  eagle  brood- 
ing her  young  at  the  top  of  a  tree  ;  it  was  of  shining  gold 
set  round  with  diamonds.  The  privy  counsellors  were  clad 
in  a  somewhat  similar  way,  but  without  the  ensign  ;  UlSte  id 
of  it  they  had  carved  sapphires  hanging  from  their  necks 
by  golden  chains.  The  courtiers  wore  gowns  of  a  bnn  n 
color,  in  which  were  interwoven  flowers  encircling  youn» 
eagles  ;  the  tunics  under  these  were  of  silk  of  the  color  of 
the  opal,  as  were  their  breeches  and  stockings.  Such  was 
their  clothing. 


1002     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII. 


744.  The  privy  counsellors,  the  chamberlains,  and  the 
rulers  stood  around  the  table ;  and  at  the  order  of  the 
prince  they  clasped  their  hands>  and  uttered  together  in  a 
low  tone  a  prayer  of  praise  to  the  Lord  j  and  then  at  a  nod 
from  the  prince,  they  took  their  places  on  the  cushioned 
seats  at  the  table.  And  the  prince  said  to  the  ten  strangers, 
"  Sit  you  down  also  with  me ;  your  seats  are  there."  And 
they  sat  down.  The  court-attendants  before  sent  by  the 
prince  to  wait  upon  them  stood  behind  them.  The  prince 
then  said  to  them,  "  Take,  each  one  of  you,  a  plate  from  its 
stand,  and  then  a  little  dish  from  the  pyramid."  They  did 
so  ;  and  lo,  there  instantly  appeared  new  plates  and  little 
dishes  in  the  place  of  those  taken  away.  Their  cups  were 
filled  with  wine  from  the  fountain  streaming  from  the  great 
pyramid,  and  they  ate  together.  When  they  were  moder- 
ately satisfied,  the  prince  addressed  the  ten  guests  and  said : 
"  I  have  heard  that  you  were  called  together  on  the  earth 
that  is  beneath  this  heaven,  to  disclose  your  thoughts  con- 
cerning the  joys  of  heaven  and  the  eternal  happiness  there- 
from ;  and  that  you  expressed  your  views  variously,  each 
according  to  the  enjoyments  of  the  senses  of  his  body. 
But  what  are  the  enjoyments  of  the  senses  of  the  body 
without  those  of  the  soul  ?  It  is  the  soul  that  makes  them 
to  be  enjoyments.  The  enjoyments  of  the  soul  are  in  them- 
selves imperceptible  beatitudes  ;  but  they  become  more  and 
more  perceptible  as  they  descend  into  the  thoughts  of  the 
mind,  and  from  these  into  the  sensations  of  the  body.  In 
the  thoughts  of  the  mind  they  are  perceived  in  the  con- 
sciousness of  being  highly  favored,  in  the  sensations  of  the 
body  in  a  sense  of  enjoyment,  and  in  the  body  itself  as 
pleasures.  From  these  when  all  together,  comes  eternal 
happiness  ;  but  from  the  latter  alone,  the  happiness  is  not 
eternal  but  temporal,  which  comes  to  an  end  and  passes 
away,  and  sometimes  becomes  unhappiness.  You  have 
now  seen  that  all  your  joys  are  also  joys  of  heaven,  and 
more  excellent  than  you  have  ever  been  able  to  conceive; 


No.  745.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


IOO3 


but  yet  these  do  not  affect  our  minds  [animt]  interiorly. 
There  are  three  things  which  as  one  flow  from  the  Lord 
into  our  souls ;  these  three  as  one,  or  this  trine,  are  love, 
wisdom,  and  use :  but  the  love  and  wisdom  do  not  exist 
except  ideally,  because  only  in  the  affection  and  thought  of 
the  mind;  but  they  exist  in  use  really,  because  simultane- 
ously in  the  act  and  work  of  the  body  j  and  where  they 
exist  really,  there  they  also  subsist.  And  as  love  and  wis- 
dom exist  and  subsist  m  use,  it  is  use  which  affects  us ; 
and  use  is,  to  discharge  the  works  of  one's  function  faith- 
fully, sincerely,  and  diligently.  The  love  of  use,  and  con- 
sequent earnest  application  in  use,  holds  the  mind  together, 
and  prevents  its  dissipating  itself,  and  wandering  about,  and 
drinking-in  all  the  cupidities  which  with  their  allurements 
flow-in  through  the  senses  from  the  body  and  from  the 
world,  and  from  which  the  truths  of  religion  and  the  truths 
of  morality  with  their  goods  are  scattered  to  every  wind. 
But  the  earnest  application  of  the  mind  in  use,  holds  and 
binds  these  together,  and  disposes  the  mind  into  a  form 
receptive  of  wisdom  from  these  truths,  and  then  it  banishes 
to  the  sides  the  illusions  and  mockeries  both  of  falsities 
and  vanities.  But  on  this  subject  you  will  hear  more  from 
the  wise  men  of  our  society,  whom  I  will  send  to  you  this 
afternoon."  So  saying  the  prince  arose,  and  with  him  his 
guests  ;  and  wishing  them  peace,  he  directed  the  angel  who 
had  them  in  charge  to  lead  them  back  to  their  rooms,  and 
to  show  them  all  honor  and  every  civility ;  and  also  to  invite 
courteous  and  affable  men  to  entertain  them  with  conversa- 
tion respecting  the  various  joys  of  the  society. 

745.  When  they  had  returned  to  their  rooms  all  this  wa> 
done.  Men  invited  from  the  city  came  to  entertain  them 
with  conversation  on  the  various  joys  of  the  society  ;  and 
after  salutations,  conversed  with  them  as  they  walked, 
very  pleasantly.  But  their  angel-guide  said,  "These  ten 
men  were  invited  to  this  heaven  to  see  its  joys,  and  thus 
to  receive  a  new  idea  of  eternal  happiness.  Recount. 


1004    TIIE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII 


therefore,  some  of  its  joys  which  affect  the  senses  of  the 
bod}' ;  some  wise  men  are  to  come  afterward  who  will  re- 
late some  things  that  render  those  joys  satisfactory  and 
happy."  Hearing  this,  the  men  invited  from  the  city  re- 
lated the  following:  "  i.  There  are  here  days  of  festivity 
appointed  by  the  prince,  that  the  mind  [animus]  by  relax- 
ation may  recover  from  the  weariness  which  the  zeal  of 
emulation  may  have  brought  upon  some.  On  these  days 
there  are  concerts  of  instrumental  and  vocal  music  in 
places  of  public  resort,  and  outside  of  the  city  there  are 
games  and  shows.  At  such  times  orchestras  are  raised  in 
the  places  of  public  resort,  surrounded  by  lattice-work  of 
interwoven  vines,  from  which  hang  clusters  of  grapes ; 
within  the  lattices,  in  three  rows  one  above  another,  sit 
the  musicians  with  stringed  and  wind  instruments,  high- 
toned  and  low-toned,  some  powerful  and  some  sweet ;  at 
the  sides  are  singers  of  both  sexes  ;  and  they  delight  the 
citizens  with  the  sweetest  jubilees  and  songs,  choruses  and 
solos,  varied  in  character  at  intervals.  On  these  days  of 
festivity  this  is  continued  from  morning  until  noon,  and 
then  again  till  evening.  2.  Moreover,  every  morning  there 
are  heard  from  the  houses  around  the  public  places  the 
sweetest  songs  of  virgins  and  young  girls,  with  which  the 
v.hole  city  resounds.  There  is  some  one  affection  of  spirit- 
ual love  that  is  sung  every  morning,  that  is  sounded  forth 
by  modifications  or  modulations  of  the  musical  voice  ;  and 
that  affection  is  perceived  in  the  singing,  as  if  this  were 
the  affection  itself.  It  fiows-in  into  the  souls  of  the 
hearers,  and  excites  them  to  correspondence  [with  it]. 
Such  is  heavenly  song.  These  singers  say  that  the  sound 
of  their  singing  draws  as  it  were  an  inspiration  and  ani- 
mation from  within,  and  exalts  itself  joyously,  according 
to  its  reception  by  the  hearers.  When  the  singing  ceases, 
the  windows  of  the  houses  on  a  public  square  are  closed, 
and  at  the  same  time  those  of  the  houses  on  the  streets, 
and  the  doors  also,  and  then  the  whole  city  is  still ; 


No.  746.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


IOO5 


there  is  no  noise  anywhere,  nor  are  any  wandering  idlers 
seen,  but  all,  girt  for  their  work,  enter  upon  the  duties 
of  their  respective  employments.  3.  But  at  noon  the  doors 
are  opened,  and  in  the  afternoon  in  some  places  the  win- 
dows also,  and  the  boys  and  girls  are  seen  playing  in  the 
streets,  while  their  nurses  and  their  teachers  sit  in  the 
porches  of  the  houses,  overseeing  them.  4.  In  the  out- 
skirts of  the  city,  there  are  various  games  of  the  boys  and 
young  men  j  there  are  foot-races,  and  games  of  ball,  and 
the  game  in  which  the  ball  is  struck  back  and  forth,  called 
tennis.  There  are  trials  of  skill  among  the  boys,  to  de- 
termine who  is  quick  and  who  is  slow  in  speaking,  acting, 
and  perceiving ;  and  to  the  quick,  some  laurel  leaves  are 
given  as  a  reward ;  and  there  are  many  other  ways  of 
calling  forth  the  latent  abilities  of  the  boys.  5.  More- 
over, there  are  theatrical  exhibitions  outside  of  the  city, 
where  players  represent  the  various  proprieties  and  virtues 
of  moral  life  ;  among  them  are  also  players  of  lower  parts, 
for  the  sake  of  relations."  And  one  of  the  ten  asked, 
"  How  for  the  sake  of  relations  ?  "  They  replied  :  "  No 
virtue  can  be  presented  to  the  life,  together  with  what  is 
honorable  and  becoming  pertaining  to  it,  except  by  means 
of  relatives,  from  the  greatest  to  the  least  of  them.  The 
players  of  the  lower  parts  represent  the  virtues,  and  the 
honorable  and  becoming  things  pertaining  to  them  as  they 
are  when  least,  even  till  they  become  none ;  but  it  is 
decreed  by  law  that  nothing  opposite  (which  is  called  dis- 
konorable  and  unbecoming)  shall  be  exhibited  except  fig- 
uratively and  as  it  were  remotely.  It  is  so  provided,  be- 
cause nothing  that  is  honorable  and  good  in  any  v.rtue 
passes  by  successive  steps  to  what  is  dishonorable  and  evil, 
but  to  the  very  least  of  it  even  till  it  perishes  ;  and  when 
it  perishes,  the  opposite  begins.  Therefore  heaven,  where 
all  things  are  honorable  and  good,  has  nothing  in  common 
with  hell,  where  all  things  are  dishonorable  and  evil." 
746.  While  they  were  talking,  a  servant  ran  to  them  and 


1006    THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII. 

announced  the  arrival  of  eight  wise  men  who  had  come  by 
the  order  of  the  prince,  and  wished  to  enter ;  hearing  this, 
the  angel  went  and  received  them,  and  introduced  them. 
And  the  wise  men,  as  soon  as  the  usual  and  proper  forms 
of  introduction  were  over,  first  spoke  with  them  about  the 
beginnings  and  growth  of  wisdom,  mingling  with  their  con- 
versation various  remarks  respecting  its  progress,  show- 
ing that  with  the  angels  wisdom  nowhere  has  an  end  and 
ceases,  but  grows  and  is  increased  to  eternity.  Hear- 
ing this,  the  angel  of  the  company  said  to  the  wise  men, 
"  Our  prince  spoke  at  table  with  these  men  concerning  the 
seat  of  wisdom,  as  being  in  use.  Do  you  also,  if  you 
please,  talk  with  them  on  the  same  subject."  And  they 
said :  "  Man  as  first  created  was  imbued  with  wisdom  and 
its  love,  not  for  the  sake  of  himself,  but  for  the  sake  of  its 
communication  with  others  from  himself ;  hence  it  is  in- 
scribed in  the  wisdom  of  the  wise,  that  no  one  should  be 
wise  and  live  for  himself  alone  but  for  others  at  the  same 
time  ;  hence  society,  which  otherwise  would  not  exist.  To 
live  for  others  is  to  do  uses.  Uses  are  the  bonds  of  society  ; 
there  are  just  as  many  of  these  bonds  as  there  are  good 
uses,  and  these  are  infinite  in  number.  There  are  spiritual 
uses,  which  pertain  to  love  to  God  and  love  toward  the 
neighbor  ;  there  are  moral  and  civil  uses,  which  pertain  to 
the  love  of  the  society  and  state  in  which  a  man  is,  and  of 
the  companions  and  citizens  with  whom  he  is ;  there  are 
natural  uses,  which  pertain  to  the  love  of  the  world  and  its 
necessities ;  and  there  are  bodily  uses,  which  pertain  to 
the  love  of  self-preservation  for  the  sake  of  higher  uses. 
All  these  uses  are  inscribed  on  man,  and  follow  in  order 
one  after  another;  and  when  they  exist  simultaneously, 
one  is  within  the  other.  They  who  are  in  the  first'  uses, 
which  are  spiritual,  are  also  in  those  that  follow,  and  they 
are  wise ;  but  they  who  are  not  in  the  first,  and  yet  are  in 
the  second  and  hence  in  those  that  follow,  are  not  wise 
thus,  but  only  appear  to  be  so  owing  to  external  morality 


No.  746.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


IOO7 


and  orderly  civil  life  \  they  who  are  not  in  the  first  and 
second  but  are  in  the  third  and  fourth,  are  any  thing  but 
wise,  for  they  are  satans,  as  they  love  the  world  only,  and 
themselves  from  the  world  ;  but  they  who  are  in  the  fourth 
only;  are  the  least  wise  of  all,  for  they  are  devils  because 
they  live  for  themselves  alone,  or  if  for  others  it  is  solely 
for  the  sake  of  self.  And  further :  every  love  has  its  own 
enjoyment,  for  by  this  the  love  lives  j  and  the  enjoyment 
in  the  love  of  uses  is  a  heavenly  enjoyment  which  enters 
succeeding  enjoyments  in  order,  and  according  to  their 
order  of  succession  exalts  them  and  makes  them  eternal." 
They  afterward  enumerated  heavenly  delights  proceeding 
from  the  love  of  use,  and  said  that  there  are  myriads  of 
myriads  of  them,  and  that  they  enter  into  them  who  enter 
into  heaven.  And  moreover,  in  discourses  of  wisdom  con- 
cerning the  love  of  use,  they  pass  the  day  with  them  even 
till  evening. 

But  towards  evening  there  came  a  footman  clothed  in 
linen  to  the  ten  visitors,  companions  of  the  angel,  and 
invited  them  to  a  wedding  to  be  celebrated  the  next  day. 
The  visitors  were  very  glad  that  they  were  also  to  see  a 
wedding  in  heaven.  After  this  they  were  conducted  to 
one  of  the  privy  counsellors,  and  supped  with  him  ;  and 
after  supper  they  returned  and  separated  from  one  another, 
and  retired  each  to  his  own  bed-chamber,  and  slept  till 
morning.  And  then,  having  wakened  they  heard  the  song 
of  the  virgins  and  young  girls  from  the  houses  round  the 
place  of  public  assembly,  which  was  mentioned  above. 
The  affection  of  conjugial  love  was  sung  at  that  time  ; 
deeply  affected  and  moved  by  the  sweetness  of  which,  they 
perceived  a  blessed  charm  implanted  in  their  joys,  which 
exalted  and  renewed  them.  When  the  time  came,  the 
angel  said,  "Make  yourselves  ready,  putting  on  the  gar- 
ments of  heaven  which  our  prince  sent  to  you  ;"  ami  tlu-v 
put  them  on;  and  behold  their  garments  shone  us  fr<>m 
flamy  light.    And  they  asked  the  angel,  "  Whence  i .  this  J  " 


IOOS     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Cm.  XIII 


He  replied,  "It  is  because  you  are  going  to  a  wedding; 
with  us  our  garments  then  shine  and  become  wedding 

garments." 

747.  Atter  this  the  angel  conducted  them  to  the  house 
of  the  wedding,  and  the  porter  opened  the  door.  They 
were  received  near  the  threshold  and  saluted  by  an  angel 
sent  by  the  bridegroom,  conducted  in.  and  taken  to  seats 
set  apart  for  them  :  and  soon  after  they  were  invited  into 
an  ante-room  of  the  bridal  chamber  ;  in  the  centre  of  this 
they  saw  a  table  on  which  was  placed  a  magnificent  candle- 
stick with  seven  branches  and  bowls  of  gold  :  on  the  walls 
hung  lamps  of  silver ;  when  these  were  lighted,  the  atmos- 
phere had  a  golden  appearance.  And  they  saw  two  tables, 
at  the  sides  of  the  candlestick,  on  which  were  loaves  in 
triple  order;  and  in  the  four  corners  of  the  room,  tables 
upon  which  were  crystal  cups.  While  they  were  examin- 
ing these  things,  behold  a  door  was  opened  from  an  apart- 
ment next  the  bridal  chamber,  and  they  saw  six  virgins 
come  out,  and  following  them  the  bridegroom  and  bride 
holding  each  other  by  the  hand,  and  leading  each  other  to 
their  seat  which  had  been  placed  directly  opposite  the 
candlestick  j  they  took  their  seats,  the  bridegroom  on  the 
left  and  the  bride  on  his  right,  and  the  six  virgins  stood  at 
the  side  of  the  seat  near  the  bride.  The  bridegroom  was 
dressed  in  a  robe  of  glowing  purple  and  a  coat  of  shining 
linen,  with  an  ephod  on  which  was  a  golden  plate  set  round 
with  diamonds  ;  a  young  eagle,  the  nuptial  badge  of  this 
society  of  heaven,  was  engraved  on  the  plate  :  on  his  head 
he  wore  a  mitre.  But  the  bride  was  dressed  in  a  scarlet 
mantle,  and  under  it  an  embroidered  dress  reaching  from 
the  neck  to  the  feet ;  beneath  her  bosom  was  a  golden 
girdle,  and  upon  her  head  a  crown  of  gold  set  with  rubies. 
While  they  thus  sat  together,  the  bridegroom  turned  to 
the  bride,  and  placed  on  her  finger  a  golden  ring ;  and  he 
drew  forth  bracelets  and  a  necklace  of  great  pearls,  fasten- 
ing the  bracelets  on  her  wrists,  and  the  necklace  about  her 


No.  74S.J 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


IOO9 


neck,  and  saying,  "  Accept  these  pledges."  And  while 
she  took  them,  he  kissed  her,  and  said,  "  Now  you  are 
mine,"  and  he  called  her  his  wife.  When  this  had  been 
done,  the  guests  cried  out,  "  A  blessing  upon  you !  "  First 
each  one  said  this  by  himself,  and  then  all  together  j  one 
sent  by  the  prince  in  his  stead,  joined  in  the  cry;  and  at 
that  moment  the  ante-room  was  filled  with  an  aromatic 
smoke,  which  was  a  sign  of  blessing  from  heaven.  And 
then  the  servants  in  waiting  took  loaves  from  the  two 
tables  near  the  candlestick,  and  cups,  now  filled  with  wine, 
from  the  tables  in  the  corners  of  the  room,  and  gave  to 
each  of  the  guests  his  bread  and  his  cup,  and  they  ate  and 
drank.  After  this  the  husband  and  his  wife  arose,  the  six 
virgins  following  them  to  the  threshold  with  the  now  lighted 
silver  lamps  in  their  hands  ;  and  the  married  pair  entered 
the  bridal  chamber  j  and  the  door  was  shut. 

748.  The  angel-guide  afterward  talked  with  the  guests 
about  his  ten  companions,  saying  that  he  had  introduced 
them  by  command,  had  shown  them  the  magnificent  things 
of  the  prince's  palace  and  the  wonderful  things  it  contained, 
that  they  had  dined  with  him,  and  had  afterward  conversed 
with  the  wise  of  the  society.  And  he  asked,  "  May  they 
be  permitted  to  converse  a  little  with  yourselves  also  ? " 
And  they  approached,  and  entered  into  conversation.  And 
one  wise  man  of  the  wedding  guests  said  to  them,  "  Do 
you  understand  what  is  signified  by  the  things  which  you 
have  seen  ?  "  They  replied  that  they  understood  a  little. 
And  then  they  asked  him,  "  Why  was  the  bridegroom,  now 
a  husband,  so  clothed  ? "  He  answered,  M  The  bride- 
groom, now  a  husband,  represented  the  Lord  ;  and  the 
bride,  now  a  wife,  represented  the  Church  ;  because  nup- 
tials in  heaven  represent  the  Lord's  marriage  with  the 
Church.  It  was  for  this  reason  that  the  bridegroom  had 
a  mitre  on  his  head,  and  was  clad  in  a  robe,  coat,  and 
ephod,  like  Aaron  ;  and  that  the  bride,  now  a  wife,  had  a 
crown  on  her  head,  and  was  dressed  with  a  mantle  like  a 
vol.  in.  8 


IOIO     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII. 

queen.  But  to-morrow  they  will  be  clothed  differently, 
because  this  representation  lasts  only  to-day."  Again  they 
asked,  "  Since  he  represented  the  Lord,  and  she  the  Church, 
why  did  she  sit  at  his  right  ?  "  The  wise  man  replied  : 
"  Because  there  are  two  things  which  make  the  marriage 
of  the  Lord  and  the  Church,  Love  and  Wisdom,  and  the 
Lord  is  Love,  and  the  Church  is  Wisdom  ;  and  Wisdom  is 
at  the  right  of  Love  ;  for  the  man  of  the  church  is  wise  as 
of  himself,  and  as  he  becomes  wise  he  receives  love  from 
the  Lord.  The  right  hand  also  signifies  power,  and  love 
has  power  through  wisdom.  But  as  before  said,  after  the 
nuptials  the  representation  is  changed  ;  for  the  husband 
then  represents  wisdom,  and  the  wife  the  love  of  his  wis- 
dom. This  latter  love,  however,  is  not  the  prior  love,  but 
it  is  a  secondary  love  which  the  wife  has  from  the  Lord 
through  the  wisdom  of  the  husband  ;  the  love  of  the  Lord 
which  is  the  prior  love,  is  the  love  of  becoming  wise,  [and 
this  is]  with  the  husband  :  wherefore,  after  the  nuptials, 
both  together  (the  husband  and  his  wife)  represent  the 
church."  Again  they  asked,  "Why  did  not  you  men  stand 
beside  the  bridegroom,  now  a  husband,  as  the  six  virgins 
stood  beside  the  bride,  now  a  wife  ? "  The  wise  man  re- 
plied :  "  Because  to-day  we  ourselves  are  counted  among 
the  virgins,  and  the  number  six  signifies  all  and  the  com- 
plete." But  they  said,  "  How  is  that  ?  "  He  replied  : 
"  Virgins  signify  the  church  ;  and  the  church  is  of  both 
sexes  ;  wherefore  we,  too,  are  virgins  in  relation  to  the 
church  ;  that  this  is  so  is  evident  from  these  words  in  the 
Apocalypse,  These  are  they  who  were  not  defiled  with  7aome/i1 
for  they  are  virgins  ;  and  they  follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever 
He  goeth  (xiv.  4).  And  because  virgins  signify  the  church, 
the  Lord  likened  it  to  ten  virgins  invited  to  a  marriage 
(Matt,  xxv.  1-13).  And  because  Israel,  Zion,  and  Jerusa- 
lem signify  the  church,  mention  is  so  often  made  in  the 
Word  of  the  virgin  and  daughter  of  Israel,  Zion,  and 
Jerusalem.  The  Lord  also  describes  His  marriage  with  the 


No.  7  50. J 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


IOII 


Church  by  these  words  in  David  :  Upon  Thy  right  hand 
did  stand  the  queen  in  fine  gold  of  Ophir  ;  her  clothing  is  of 
wrought  gold  ;  she  shall  be  brought  unto  the  King  in  raiment  of 
needle-work  ;  the  virgins  her  companions  that  follow  her  shall 
come  into  the  King's  palace  "  (Ps.  xlv.  9-14).  Afterward  they 
said,  "  Is  it  not  proper  that  a  priest  should  be  present  and 
minister  at  nuptials  ?  "  The  wise  man  answered,  "  This 
is  proper  on  earth,  but  not  in  the  heavens,  on  account  of 
the  representation  of  the  Lord  Himself  and  the  Church. 
On  earth  they  do  not  know  this.  Yet  with  us  a  priest 
ministers  at  the  betrothments,  and  hears,  receives,  confirms, 
and  consecrates  the  consent.  Consent  is  the  essential 
of  marriage,  and  all  other  succeeding  ceremonies  are  its 
formalities." 

749.  After  this  the  angel-guide  went  to  the  six  virgins, 
and  told  them  also  of  his  companions,  and  requested  that 
they  would  honor  them  with  their  company.  And  they 
approached,  but  when  they  were  near  they  suddenly  went 
back  and  entered  the  women's  apartment,  where  their 
virgin  friends  also  were.  On  seeing  this,  the  angel-guide 
followed  them  and  asked  why  they  had  withdrawn  so  sud- 
denly without  speaking  with  them.  They  replied,  "  We 
could  not  go  near  them."  He  said,  "  Why  so  ?  "  And 
they  answered,  "  We  do  not  know ;  but  we  perceived  some- 
thing that  repelled  and  drove  us  back  j  they  must  excuse 
us."  And  the  angel  returned  to  his  companions,  and  told 
them  this  answer,  and  added,  "  I  suspect  that  your  love  of 
the  sex  is  not  chaste ;  in  heaven  we  love  virgins  for  their 
beauty  and  the  elegance  of  their  manners,  and  we  love 
them  dearly,  but  chastely."  At  this  his  companions  smiled 
and  said,  "  Your  suspicion  is  correct ;  who  can  see  such 
beauties  near,  and  not  feel  some  desire  ? " 

750.  After  this  social  festivity,  all  those  invited  to  the 
nuptials  departed,  and  also  the  ten  men  in  company  with 
their  angel.  The  evening  was  far  advanced,  and  they  went 
to  bed.    At  dawn  they  heard  it  proclaimed,  "To  day  is  the 


10 1 2     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIII. 


Sabbath ; "  and  they  arose,  and  asked  the  angel  what  it 
meant.  He  replied,  "  It  is  a  call  to  the  worship  of  God, 
which  returns  at  stated  times,  and  is  proclaimed  by  the 
priests  ;  it  is  celebrated  in  our  temples,  and  lasts  about  two 
hours.  Come  with  me,  therefore,  if  you  like,  and  I  will 
introduce  you."  They  made  themselves  ready,  accompanied 
the  angel,  and  entered  the  temple.  And  behold,  the  temple 
was  large,  capable  of  seating  about  three  thousand  persons, 
semicircular  in  form,  with  benches  or  seats  extending  con- 
tinuously around,  following  the  figure  of  the  temple.  The 
pulpit  in  front  of  the  seats  was  drawn  back  a  little  from 
the  centre  ;  the  door  was  back  of  the  pulpit,  at  the  left. 
The  ten  strangers  entered  with  their  angel-guide,  and  he 
told  them  where  they  were  to  sit,  saying,  "  Every  one  who 
enters  the  temple  knows  his  place  ;  he  knows  it  from  some- 
thing within,  nor  can  he  sit  anywhere  else ;  if  he  sits  else- 
where, he  hears  nothing  and  perceives  nothing,  and  also  he 
disturbs  the  order ;  and  when  this  is  done,  the  priest  is  not 
inspired." 

751.  When  the  congregation  had  assembled,  the  priest 
ascended  the  pulpit,  and  preached  a  sermon  full  of  the 
spirit  of  wisdom.  The  sermon  was  concerning  the  holiness 
of  the  Sacred  Scripture,  and  the  conjunction  of  the  Lord 
by  means  of  it  with  both  worlds,  the  spiritual  and  the  nat- 
ural. In  the  enlightenment  in  which  he  was,  he  fully  proved 
that  that  Holy  Book  was  dictated  by  Jehovah  the  Lord,  and 
that  consequently  He  is  in  it,  even  so  that  He  is  the  Wis- 
dom there  ;  but  that  the  Wisdom  which  is  Himself  therein, 
lies  concealed  under  the  sense  of  the  letter,  and  is  opened 
to  none  but  those  who  are  in  truths  of  doctrine  and  at  the- 
same  time  in  goods  of  life,  and  who  thus  are  in  the  Lord 
and  have  the  Lord  in  them.  To  the  sermon  he  subjoined 
a  prayer,  and  descended.  As  the  audience  were  leaving, 
the  angel  asked  the  priest  to  speak  a  few  words  of  peace 
to  his  ten  companions ;  and  he  came  to  them,  and  they 
conversed  together  for  half  an  hour,  and  he  spoke  concern- 


No.  752.] 


THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


10)  5 


ing  the  Divine  Trinity  as  being  in  Jesus  Christ,  in  Whom 
dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  (or  Divinity)  bodily, 
according  to  the  saying  of  the  Apostle  Paul ;  and  he  after- 
ward spoke  of  the  union  of  charity  and  faith,  but  he  said 
the  union  of  charity  and  truth,  because  faith  is  truth. 

752.  After  expressing  their  thanks,  they  went  home. 
And  the  angel  said  to  them,  "This  is  the  third  day  since 
you  came  up  to  this  heavenly  society,  and  you  were  pre- 
pared by  the  Lord  to  remain  here  three  days ;  the  time  has 
therefore  come  for  us  to  part.  So  put  off  the  clothes  sent 
you  by  the  prince,  and  put  on  your  own."  And  as  soon  as 
they  were  in  their  own  clothes,  they  were  inspired  with  a 
desire  to  depart;  and  they  departed,  and  descended,  the 
angel  accompanying  them  all  the  way  to  the  place  of  the 
assembly.  And  there  they  gave  thanks  to  the  Lord  for  hav- 
ing vouchsafed  to  bless  them  with  knowledge  and  thence 
with  intelligence  respecting  heavenly  joys  and  eternal  hap- 
piness. 


CHAPTER  FOURTEENTH. 


CONCERNING  THE  CONSUMMATION  OF  THE  AGE ; 
CONCERNING  THE  COMING  OF  THE  LORD;  AND 
CONCERNING  THE  NEW  HEAVEN  AND  THE  NEW 
CHURCH. 

I.  The  Consummation  of  the  Age  is  the  last  time  or 

THE  END  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

753.  There  have  been  several  churches  on  this  earth, 
and  in  the  course  of  time  they  have  all  been  consummated, 
and  after  their  consummation  new  churches  have  come  into 
existence;  and  so  it  has  been  up  to  the  present  time.  The 
consummation  of  a  church  takes  place  when  there  remains 
no  Divine  truth  except  what  is  falsified  or  rejected  j  and 
while  there  is  no  genuine  truth  no  genuine  good  can  be 
given,  inasmuch  as  all  the  quality  of  good  is  formed  by 
means  of  truths ;  for  good  is  the  essence  of  truth,  and  truth 
is  the  form  of  good,  and  without  form  there  is  no  quality. 
Good  and  truth  can  no  more  be  separated  than  the  will  and 
the  understanding,  or,  what  is  the  same  thing,  than  love's 
affection  and  the  thought  therefrom.  Therefore  when  truth 
is  consummated  in  a  church,  good  is  also  consummated 
there ;  and  when  this  is  done,  the  church  then  has  an  end, 
that  is,  then  is  its  consummation. 

754.  A  church  is  consummated  by  various  means,  espe- 
cially by  such  things  as  cause  falsity  to  appear  as  truth  ; 
and  when  falsity  appears  to  be  truth,  then  the  good  which 
in  itself  is  good  and  is  called  spiritual  good,  is  found  no 
more.  The  good  which  is  then  believed  to  be  good,  is  only 
the  natural  good  which  a  moral  life  produces.    The  cause 


No.  755.]    THE  CONSUMMATION  OF  THE  AGE.  1015 

that  truth  and  together  with  it  good  are  consummated,  is 
found  chiefly  in  the  two  natural  loves  that  are  diametrically 
opposed  to  the  two  spiritual  loves,  and  are  called  the  love 
of  self  and  the  love  of  the  world.  The  love  of  self  when 
it  reigns,  is  opposed  to  love  to  God,  and  the  love  of  the 
world  when  it  reigns  is  opposed  to  love  toward  the  neighbor. 
The  love  of  self  is  to  wish  well  to  oneself  alone,  and  not  to 
another  unless  for  the  sake  of  self ;  similar  things  may  be 
said  of  the  love  of  the  world ;  and  these  loves,  where  they 
have  been  fed,  spread  like  gangrene  through  the  body,  and 
consume  all  things  thereof  one  after  another.  That  such 
love  has  invaded  churches,  is  clearly  manifest  from  Baby- 
lonia and  the  description  of  it  (Gen.  xi.  1-9  j  Isa.  xiii.,  xiv., 
xlvii. ;  Jer.  1. ;  also  Dan.  ii.  31-47;  ill.  1-7,  and  subsequent 
verses  ;  v. ;  vi.  8-28  ;  vii.  1-14 ;  and  in  the  Apocalypse,  xvii. 
and  xviii.,  in  both  from  beginning  to  end) ;  for  Babylonia 
has  at  last  exalted  itself  to  such  a  degree  as  not  only  to 
have  transferred  the  Lord's  Divine  power  to  itself,  but  also 
to  be  striving  with  the  utmost  zeal  to  grasp  all  the  riches  of 
the  world.  That  similar  loves  would  break  forth  from  many 
of  the  leaders  of  the  churches  outside  the  pale  of  Babylonia 
if  their  power  were  not  limited  and  thus  curbed,  may  be 
inferred  from  signs  and  appearances  not  wholly  without 
meaning.  What  else  follows,  then,  but  that  such  a  man 
regards  himself  as  God,  and  the  world  as  heaven,  and  per- 
verts all  the  truth  of  the  church  ?  for  that  truth  which  in 
itself  is  truth  cannot  be  recognized  and  acknowledged  by  a 
merely  natural  man,  nor  can  it  be  given  him  by  God  because 
it  falls  into  the  inverse,  and  becomes  falsity.  Beside  thfiM 
two  loves  there  are  still  other  causes  of  the  consummation 
of  truth  and  good,  and  hence  of  the  church,  but  these  causes 
are  secondary  and  subordinate  to  those  two. 

755.  That  the  consummation  of  the  age  is  the  last  time 
of  the  church,  is  evident  from  the  passages  in  the  Word 
where  it  is  mentioned  ;  as  in  the  following:  /  hare  h  >• 
from  Jehovah  a  consummation  and  decision  upon  the 


I0l6     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIV. 


whole  earth  (Isa.  xxviii.  22).  The  consummation  is  decreed, 
overflowing  with  righteousness,  for  the  Lord  Jehovih  Zebaoth 
shall  make  a  consummation  a?id  decision  in  the  whole  land 
(x.  22,  23).  The  whole  land  shall  be  devoured  in  the  fire  of 
the  zeal  of  Jehovah,  for  He  shall  make  a  speedy  consumma- 
tion with  all  them  that  dwell  in  the  land  (Zeph.  t.  18).  By 
earth  (or  land)  in  these  passages  is  signified  the  church, 
because  the  land  of  Canaan  is  meant,  where  the  church  was. 
That  the  earth  (or  land)  signifies  the  church,  may  be  seen 
confirmed  by  many  passages  from  the  Word  in  the  "  Apoc- 
alypse Revealed  "  (n.  285,  902).  At  length  upon  the  bird 
of  abominations  there  shall  be  desolation,  and  eveti  to  a 
consummation  and  decision  shall  it  drop  upon  the  devast- 
ation (Dan.  ix.  27).  That  these  words  were  spoken  by 
Daniel  concerning  the  end  of  the  present  Christian  church, 
may  be  seen  in  Matthew  (xxiv.  15).  The  whole  earth  shall 
be  a  waste,  yet  will  I  not  make  a  consummation  (Jer.  iv. 
27).  The  iniquity  of  the  Amorites  is  not  yet  consummated 
(Gen.  xv.  16).  Jehovah  said,  I  will  go  down  and  see  whether 
they  have  made  a  consummation,  altogether  according  to  the 
cry  which  is  come  unto  Me  (xviii.  21);  spoken  of  Sodom. 
The  last  time  of  the  present  Christian  church  is  also  meant 
by  the  Lord  by  the  consummation  of  the  age  in  the  follow- 
ing passages  :  The  disciples  asked  Jesus,  What  shall  be  the 
sign  of  Thy  Coming,  and  of  the  consumma  tion  of  the  age  ? 
(Matt.  xxiv.  3.)  In  the  time  of  harvest  I  will  say  to  the 
reapers,  Gather  ye  together  first  the  tares  to  burn  them  ;  gather 
the  wheat  into  my  barn.  So  shall  it  be  in  the  CONSUMMATION 
ok  the  age  (Matt.  xiii.  30,  40).  In  the  consummation  of 
the  age  the  angels  shall  come  fnrth,  and  sever  the  wicked 
from  among  the  just  (xiii.  49).  Jesus  said  to  His  disciples, 
Lo,  I  am  with  you  even  to  the  consummation  of  the  age 
(xxviii.  2c).  It  is  to  be  known  that  devastation,  desolation, 
and  decision  have  a  similar  signification  with  consumma- 
tion ;  but  desolation  signifies  the  consummation  of  truth, 
devastation  the  consummation  of  good,  and  decision  the 


No.  756  ]    THE  CONSUMMATION  OF  THE  AGE.  1017 


full  consummation  of  both  ;  and  that  the  fulness  of  time, 
in  which  the  Lord  came  into  the  world,  and  in  which  He 
is  to  come,  is  also  a  consummation. 

756.  The  consummation  of  the  age  may  be  illustrated 
by  various  things  in  the  natural  world \  for  here  the  things 
that  are  upon  earth  one  and  all  grow  old  and  are  consumed, 
but  by  alternate  changes  that  are  called  the  circles  of 
things.  Times,  in  general  and  in  particular,  run  through 
these  circles.  In  general,  the  year  passes  from  spring  to 
summer,  through  this  to  autumn,  then  ends  in  winter,  and 
from  this  returns  to  spring  again  ;  but  this  is  the  circle  of 
heat :  in  particular,  the  day  passes  from  morning  to  noon, 
through  this  to  evening,  ends  in  night,  and  from  this  returns 
again  to  morning  ;  but  this  is  the  circle  of  light.  Every 
man  also  runs  through  the  circle  of  nature ;  he  begins  life 
in  infancy,  from  that  advances  to  youth  and  early  man- 
hood, from  this  to  old  age,  and  dies.  So  likewise  every 
bird  of  the  air  and  every  beast  of  the  earth.  Ever}-  tree 
also  begins  with  the  germ,  goes  on  to  full  stature,  and 
gradually  declines,  even  till  it  falls.  So  it  is  with  every 
bush  and  every  twig,  yes,  with  every  leaf  and  flower,  and 
even  with  the  soil  itself,  which  in  time  becomes  barren  ; 
So  it  is  also  with  all  still  water,  which  gradually  becomes 
foul.  All  these  are  alternate  consummations  that  are  natu- 
ral and  temporal,  but  still  are  periodical ;  for  when  one 
thing  has  passed  from  its  origin  to  its  end,  another  like  it 
arises  ;  thus  even' thing  is  born  and  dies,  and  is  born  again, 
in  order  that  creation  may  be  continued.  What  is  similar 
takes  place  with  the  church,  because  man  is  a  church,  and 
man  in  general  constitutes  the  church  ;  and  one  genera- 
tion follows  another,  and  there  is  the  variety  of  all  minds 
\animi\  ;  and  iniquity  once  enrooted  is  transmitted  to  pos- 
terity so  far  as  to  give  an  inclination  thereto,  and  is  extir- 
pated only  by  regeneration  which  is  effected  by  the  Lord 
alone. 

8» 


I0l8     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIV. 


II.  The  present  day  is  the  last  time  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  which  was  foretold  and  described 
by  the  Lord  in  the  Evangelists  and  in  the 
Apocalypse. 

757.  That  the  consummation  of  the  age  signifies  the 
last  time  of  the  church  was  shown  in  the  preceding  article ; 
from  which  it  is  manifest  what  is  meant  by  the  consumma- 
tion of  the  age  of  which  the  Lord  spoke  in  the  Evangelists 
(Matt.  xxiv. ;  Mark  xiii. ;  Luke  xxi).  For  we  read  that  as 
Jesus  sat  upon  the  mount  of  Olives,  the  disciples  came  unto 
Him  privately,  saying,  What  shall  be  the  sign  of  Thy  Coming, 
and  of  the  consummation  of  the  age  1  (Matt.  xxiv.  3.)  And 
the  Lord  beginning  then,  foretold  and  described  the  con- 
summation, what  would  be  its  character  successively  even 
to  His  Coming;  and  that  He  then  should  come  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and  glory,  and  should  gather 
together  His  elect,  beside  many  other  things  (verses  30,  31) 
which  by  no  means  occurred  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem. These  things  the  Lord  described  there  in  prophetic 
discourse,  in  which  every  single  word  has  weight.  What 
these  things  each  involve,  has  been  explained  in  the 
"Arcana  Ccelestia"  (n.  3353~3356>  3486-3489,  3650-3655* 
375I~3757>  3898-39OI>  4057-4060,  4229-4231,  4332-4335, 
4422-4424). 

758.  That  all  these  things  which  the  Lord  spake  with 
the  disciples  were  said  concerning  the  last  time  of  the 
Christian  church,  is  very  manifest  from  the  Apocalypse  in 
which  there  are  similar  predictions  concerning  the  con- 
summation of  the  age  and  concerning  His  Coming ;  all  of 
which  are  particularly  explained  in  the  "Apocalypse  Re- 
vealed," published  in  the  year  1766.  Now,  since  what  the 
Lord  said  in  presence  of  His  disciples  respecting  the  con- 
summation of  the  age  and  concerning  His  Coming  coin- 
cides with  what  He  afterward  revealed  through  John  in 


No.  759-1    THE  CONSUMMATION  OF  THE  AGE.  IOIQ 

the  Apocalypse  on  the  same  subjects,  it  is  very  clear  that 
He  meant  no  other  consummation  than  that  of  the  present 
Christian  church.  Moreover,  there  is  also  a  prophecy  in 
Daniel  respecting  the  end  of  this  church;  therefore  the 
Lord  says,  When  ye  therefore  shall  see  the  abo7?iination  of 
desolation,  spoken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet,  stand  in  the  holy 
plar,  whoso  readeth  let  hi?n  note  it  well  (Matt.  xxiv.  15  ; 
Dai.,  he*  27;  and  there  is  what  is  similar  in  the  other 
prophets).  That  such  abomination  of  desolation  exists 
to-day  in  the  Christian  church  will  be  still  more  manifest 
from  the  Appendix ;  in  which  it  will  be  seen  that  there  is 
not  a  single  genuine  truth  remaining  in  the  church,  and 
also  that  unless  a  new  church  be  raised  up  in  place  of  the 
present,  no  flesh  ea?i  be  saved,  according  to  the  Lord's  words 
in  Matthew  (xxiv.  22).  That  the  Christian  church  as  it  is 
to-day  is  so  far  consummated  and  devastated,  cannot  be 
seen  by  those  on  earth  who  have  confirmed  themselves  in 
its  falsities  ;  this  is  because  the  confirmation  of  falsity  is 
the  denial  of  truth  ;  it  therefore  veils,  as  it  were,  the  under- 
standing, and  thereby  guards  against  the  secret  entrance 
of  any  thing  else  to  pull  up  its  cords  and  its  stakes,  by 
which  it  has  builded  and  fashioned  its  system  like  a  strong 
tent.  Add  to  this,  that  the  natural  rational  can  confirm 
whatever  it  likes,  thus  falsity  equally  as  well  as  truth  ;  and 
when  it  is  confirmed,  both  appear  in  a  similar  light,  nor 
is  it  cognized  whether  the  light  is  fatuous  like  that  in  a 
dream,  or  true  like  that  of  day.  But  the  spiritual  rational, 
in  which  they  are  who  look  to  the  Lord  and  from  Him  are 
in  the  love  of  truth,  is  wholly  different. 

759.  It  is  owing  to  this  that  ever}-  church  built  up  of  those 
who  see  by  confirmations,  appears  [to  them]  as  if  it  alone 
were  in  the  light,  and  all  others  which  dissent  from  it 
appear  to  be  in  darkness.  For  they  who  see  by  confirma- 
tions are  not  unlike  owls,  which  see  light  in  the  shade  of 
night,  and  in  the  daytime  see  the  sun  and  its  rays  as  thick 
darkness.    Such  has  been  and  such  also  is  every  church  in 


1020     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIV. 


falsities,  when  once  founded  by  leaders  who  seem  to  them- 
selves as  lynx-eyed,  who  have  made  for  themselves  a  morn- 
ing light  from  their  own  intelligence  and  an  evening  light 
from  the  Word.  Did  not  the  Jewish  church  when  it  was 
wholly  devastated  (this  was  when  our  Lord  came  into  the 
world),  cry  aloud  by  its  scribes  and  those  skilled  in  the 
lav/,  that  because  it  had  the  Word  it  alone  was  in  heavenly 
light  [lumen],  when  yet  they  crucified  the  Messiah  or  Christ 
Who  was  the  Word  itself  and  the  All  in  all  thereof  ?  What 
is  the  cry  of  the  church  meant  by  Babylonia  in  the  prophets 
and  in  the  Apocalypse,  but  that  she  is  the  queen  and  mother 
of  all  churches,  and  that  those  which  withdraw  from  her  are 
spurious  offspring  that  must  be  excommunicated  ?  and  this 
although  she  has  thrust  the  Lord  the  Saviour  from  the 
throne  and  altar,  and  placed  herself  thereon.  Does  not 
every  church,  even  the  most  heretical,  when  once  received, 
fill  country  and  town  with  the  cry  that  it  alone  is  orthodox 
and  oecumenical,  and  that  it  possesses  the  gospel  which  the 
angel  flying  in  the  midst  of  heaven  announced  ?  (Apoc. 
xiv.  6.)  And  who  does  not  hear  an  echo  from  the  crowd, 
that  this  is  so  ?  Did  the  whole  Synod  of  Dort  view  pre- 
destination otherwise  than  as  a  star  descending  from  heaven 
above  their  heads,  and  did  they  not  kiss  that  dogma  as  the 
Philistines  kissed  the  image  of  Dagon  in  the  temple  of 
Eben-ezer  at  Ashdod,  and  as  the  Greeks  kissed  the  Palla- 
dium in  the  temple  of  Minerva  ?  For  they  called  that  the 
palladium  of  religion,  not  knowing  that  the  falling  star  is  a 
meteor  from  fatuous  light,  which,  when  it  falls  upon  the  brain 
can  confirm  every  falsity  (which  is  done  by  fallacies),  until  it 
is  believed  to  be  the  true  light,  and  decreed  to  be  a  fixed  star, 
and  finally  sworn  to  be  the  star  of  stars.  Who  speaks  with 
fuller  persuasion  of  the  certain  truth  of  his  fantasy  than  the 
atheistic  naturalist  ?  Does  he  not  laugh  most  heartily  at 
the  Divine  things  of  God,  the  celestial  things  of  heaven, 
and  the  spiritual  things  of  the  church  ?  What  lunatic  does 
not  believe  his  folly  to  be  wisdom,  and  wisdom  to  be  folly? 


No.  760.]    THE  CONSUMMATION  OF  THE  AGE.  IG2I 

Who  by  the  sight  of  the  eye  distinguishes  the  illusive  light 
of  decaying  wood  from  the  light  of  the  moon  ?  Who  that 
loathes  balsamic  odors  (as  those  do  who  are  afffxted  with 
uterine  disease),  does  not  repel  them  from  the  nostrils  and 
prefer  ill-smelling  odors  to  them  ?  And  so  on.  These  things 
have  been  presented  for  the  sake  of  illustration,  that  it  may 
be  known  that  by  natural  light  [Iu?nen~\  alone  it  is  not  rec- 
ognized that  the  church  is  consummated,  that  is,  that  it  is 
in  mere  falsities,  until  truth  from  heaven  beams  forth  in  its 
own  light.  For  falsity  does  not  see  truth,  but  truth  sees 
falsity  ;  and  even'  man  is  such  that  he  can  see  and  compre- 
hend truth  while  he  hears  it ;  but  a  man  confirmed  in  falsi- 
ties cannot  bring  truth  into  the  understanding  so  as  to 
remain,  since  it  finds  no  room ;  and  if  it  happens  to  enter, 
the  assembled  troop  of  falsities  ejects  it  as  heterogeneous. 

III.  This  last  time  of  the  Christian  Church  13  the 
very  Night  into  which  former  Churches  have 
gone  down. 

760.  That  there  have  been  four  churches  in  general  on 
this  earth  since  its  creation,  one  succeeding  another,  may 
be  evident  from  both  the  Historical  and  the  Prophetical 
Word,  especially  in  Daniel,  where  the  four  churches  are 
described  by  the  statue  which  Nebuchadnezzar  saw  in  a 
dream  (chap,  ii.),  and  afterward  by  the  four  beasts  [which 
Daniel  saw]  coming  up  out  of  the  sea  (chap.  vii.).  The 
first,  which  is  to  be  called  the  Most  Ancient  Church,  ex- 
isted before  the  flood  ;  its  consummation  or  end  is  described 
by  the  flood.  The  second,  which  is  to  be  called  the  Ancient 
Church,  existed  in  Asia,  and  part  of  it  in  Africa  ;  it  was  con- 
summated and  perished  by  idolatries.  The  third  church 
was  the  Israelitish,  beginning  with  the  promulgation  of  the 
Decalogue  upon  mount  Sinai,  continued  through  the  Word 
written  by  Moses  and  the  prophets,  and  consummated  or 
ended  by  the  profanation  of  the  Word  which  was  full  at  the 


1022     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIV. 


time  of  the  Lord's  coming  into  the  world ;  therefore  they 
crucified  Him  Who  was  the  Word.  The  fourth  is  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  established  by  the  Lord  through  the  evangelists 
and  apostles.  Of  this  church  there  have  been  two  epochs, 
one  extending  from  the  time  of  the  Lord  to  the  Council  of 
Nice,  and  the  other  from  that  Council  to  the  present  day. 
As  it  has  gone  on,  however,  this  church  has  been  divided 
into  three,  the  Greek,  the  Roman  Catholic,  and  the  Re- 
formed ;  but  still,  all  these  have  been  called  Christian. 
Moreover,  within  each  general  church  there  have  been 
several  particular  ones,  which  although  they  have  seceded 
have  still  retained  the  name  from  the  general  one,  as  the 
heresies  in  the  Christian  church. 

761.  That  the  last  time  of  the  Christian  church  is  the 
very  night  into  which  the  former  churches  went  down,  is 
evident  from  the  Lord's  prediction  respecting  it  in  the 
Evangelists  and  in  Daniel :  in  the  Evangelists  from  the 
following :  They  were  to  see  the  abomination  of  desolation ; 
also,  Then  shall  be  great  affliction,  such  as  was  not  since  the 
beginning  of  the  world  to  this  time,  no,  nor  ever  shall  be  ;  also, 
Except  those  days  should  be  shortened,  there  should  no  flesh  be 
saved ;  and  finally,  The  sun  shall  be  darkened,  and  the  moon 
shall  not  give  her  light,  and  the  stars  shall  fall  from  heaven 
(Matt.  xxiv.  15,  21,  22,  29).  In  other  places  in  the  Evan- 
gelists, that  time  is  also  called  night ;  as  in  Luke  :  In  that 
night  there  shall  be  two  men  in  one  bed  ;  the  one  shall  be  taken 
and  the  other  left  (xvii.  34).  And  in  John  :  I  must  work  the 
works  of  Him  That  sent  Me  ;  the  night  cometh  when  no  man 
can  work  (ix.  4).  Inasmuch  as  all  light  departs  at  mid- 
night, and  the  Lord  is  the  true  Light  (John  i.  4-9  ;  viii. 
12  ;  xii.  35,  36,  46),  therefore  when  the  Lord  ascended  to 
heaven  He  said  to  the  disciples,  I  am  with  you  even  to  the 
consummatioji  of  the  age  (Matt,  xxviii.  20) ;  and  then  He  de- 
parts from  them  to  the  New  Church.  That  this  last  time  of 
the  church  is  the  very  night  into  which  the  former  churches 
went  down,  is  evident  also  from  the  following  passages  in 


No.  762.]    THE  CONSUMMATION  OF  THE  AGE.  IO23 

Daniel :  At  length  upon  the  bird  of  abo77iinations  there  shall 
be  desolation,  a?id  eve?i  to  a  consummation  and  decision  shall 
it  drop  upon  the  devastation  (ix.  27)  ;  that  this  is  a  predic- 
tion concerning  the  end  of  the  Christian  church  is  clearly 
manifest  from  the  Lord's  words  in  Matthew  (xxiv.  15).  The 
same  is  also  evident  from  what  is  said  in  Daniel  respecting 
the  fourth  kingdom  or  the  fourth  church  represented  by 
Nebuchadnezzar's  statue  :  And  whereas  thou  sawest  iron 
mixed  with  miry  clay,  they  shall  mingle  themselves  with  the 
seed  of  man,  but  they  shall  not  cohere  the  one  with  the  other, 
even  as  iron  is  not  mixed  with  clay  (ii.  43)  ■  the  seed  of  man 
is  the  truth  of  the  Word.  And  again,  from  the  following 
respecting  the  fourth  church  represented  by  the  fourth 
beast  coming  up  out  of  the  sea  :  I  saw  in  the  night  visions, 
and  behold  a  fourth  beast,  dreadful  and  terrible;  it  shall 
devour  the  whole  earth,  and  shall  tread  it  down,  and  break  it 
in  pieces  (vii.  7,  23)  \  this  means  that  it  will  consummate 
all  the  truth  of  the  church,  and  then  will  be  night  because 
the  truth  of  the  church  is  light.  Many  other  similar  pre- 
dictions are  made  concerning  this  church  in  the  Apoc- 
alypse, especially  in  the  sixteenth  chapter  which  treats  of  the 
vials  of  the  wrath  of  God  poured  out  upon  the  earth  ;  and 
by  these  are  signified  the  falsities  which  were  then  to  inun- 
date and  destroy  the  church.  So  likewise  in  many  places 
in  the  prophets,  as  in  the  following  :  Shall  not  the  day  of 
Jehovah  be  darkness  and  ?iot  light  ?  eve?i  very  dark  and  no 
brightness  in  it ?  (Amos  v.  18,  20;  Zeph.  i.  15.)  Again: 
In  that  day  Jehovah  will  look  down  upon  the  earth,  which, 
behold,  is  darkness,  and  the  light  shall  grow  dark  in  its  ruins 
(Isa.  v.  30;  see  also  viii.  22).  The  day  of  Jehovah  is  the 
day  of  the  Lord's  Coming. 

762.  That  four  churches  have  existed  on  this  earth  since 
the  creation  of  the  world,  is  according  to  Divine  order ; 
which  is,  that  there  is  a  beginning  and  its  end  before  a 
new  beginning  has  its  rise.  Hence  it  is  that  every  day 
begins  wif  h  morning,  progresses,  and  ends  in  night,  and  aftei 


1024     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIV, 

this  is  a  new  beginning ;  also  that  every  year  begins  with 
spring,  progresses  through  summer  to  autumn,  ends  in 
winter,  and  after  this  is  a  new  beginning.  In  order  that  these 
changes  may  take  place,  the  sun  rises  in  the  east,  has  its 
progress  therefrom  through  the  south  to  the  west,  and 
finishes  its  course  in  the  north,  from  which  point  it  rises 
again.  It  is  similar  with  churches :  the  first  of  these, 
which  was  the  Most  Ancient,  was  as  the  morning,  the 
spring,  and  the  east ;  the  second  or  Ancient  was  as  the 
day,  the  summer,  and  the  south;  the  third  was  as  even- 
ing, the  autumn,  and  the  west ;  and  the  fourth,  as  night, 
winter,  and  the  north.  From  these  progressions  according 
to  order,  the  wise  men  of  ancient  times  inferred  four  ages 
of  the  world,  the  first  of  which  they  were  accustomed  to 
call  the  golden  age,  the  second  the  silver  age,  the  third  the 
age  of  copper,  and  the  fourth  the  iron  age  ;  by  which 
metals  also  the  churches  themselves  were  represented  in 
Nebuchadnezzar's  statue.  Furthermore,  the  church  ap- 
pears before  the  Lord  as  one  man  ;  and  this  greatest  man 
must  pass  through  his  several  ages  like  an  individual,  that 
is  to  say,  from  infancy  to  youth,  from  this  to  early  man- 
hood, and  at  length  to  old  age,  and  then,  when  he  dies,  he 
will  rise  again.  The  Lord  says  :  Except  a  grain  of  wheat 
fall  i?ito  the  gromid  and  die  it  abideth  [alone],  but  if  it  die,  it 
bringeth  forth  much  fruit  (John  xii.  24). 

763.  It  is  according  to  order  that  a  first  should  proceed 
to  its  last,  both  in  general  and  in  particular,  in  order  that 
variety  may  exist  in  all  things,  and  by  means  of  varieties 
every  quality;  for  quality  is  perfected  by  relative  differ- 
ences of  the  more  and  the  less  opposite.  Who  cannot  see 
that  truth  acquires  its  quality  by  there  being  falsity,  and 
good  likewise  by  there  being  evil,  as  light  acquires  a  quality 
by  there  being  thick  darkness,  and  heat  by  there  being 
cold  ?  What  would  color  be  if  there  were  white  only,  and 
not  black  ?  The  quality  of  the  intermediate  colors  is  but 
imperfect  without  it.    What  is  sensation  without  relation ? 


No.  764.] 


THE  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


1025 


And  what  is  relation  except  to  opposites  ?  Is  not  the  eye- 
sight darkened  by  white  alone,  and  quickened  by  a  color 
that  inwardly  takes  something  from  black,  such  as  green  ? 
Is  not  the  ear  deafened  from  the  continual  strain  of  one 
tone  upon  its  organs,  and  excited  by  modulation  that  is 
varied  by  relations  ?  What  is  the  beautiful  without  rela- 
tion to  the  unbeautiful  ?  Wherefore  in  order  to  present 
vividly  the  beauty  of  a  virgin,  in  some  pictures  an  ugly 
image  is  placed  at  the  side.  What  are  enjoyment  and 
good  fortune  without  relation  to  the  unenjoyable  and  the 
unfavorable  ?  Who  does  not  become  mad  if  he  dwells  on 
one  idea  only,  with  no  relief  from  the  variety  that  comes 
from  such  things  as  have  an  opposite  tendency?  It  is 
similar  with  the  spiritual  things  of  the  church,  the  opposites 
of  which  have  relation  to  evil  and  falsity,  which  neverthe- 
less are  not  from  the  Lord  but  from  man  who  has  free-will 
which  he  can  turn  to  good  use  or  to  evil  use  ;  comparatively 
as  it  is  with  darkness  and  with  cold,  which  are  not  from 
the  sun  but  from  the  earth,  which  by  its  revolutions  succes- 
sively withdraws  itself  and  turns  ;  and  yet  without  its  turn- 
ing and  its  withdrawal  there  would  be  neither  day  nor  year, 
consequently  no  person  and  no  thing  on  the  earth.  I  have 
heard  that  churches  which  are  in  dilferent  goods  and  truths, 
provided  their  goods  have  relation  to  love  to  the  Lord  and 
their  truths  to  faith  in  Him,  are  like  so  many  jewels  in  the 
King's  crown. 

IV.  After  this  night  follows  Morning,  and  the  G  ..- 
ing  of  the  Lord  is  the  Morning. 

764.  Inasmuch  as  the  sucessive  states  of  the  church  in 
general  and  in  particular  are  described  in  the  Word  by  the 
four  seasons  of  the  year,  spring,  summer,  autumn,  and 
winter,  and  by  the  four  divisions  of  the  day,  morning 
noon,  evening,  and  night,  and  because  the  present  church 
of  Christendom  is  the  night,  it  follows  that  the  morning, 


1026     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIV. 


that  is,  the  first  of  a  new  church,  is  now  at  hand.  That 
the  successive  states  of  the  church  are  described  in  the 
Word  by  the  four  states  of  the  light  of  day,  is  evident  from 
the  following  passages  :  Until  the  evening  and  the  morn- 
ing two  thousand  three  himdred,  then  shall  the  Holy  be  justi- 
fied;  the  vision  of  the  evening  and  the  morning,  it  is  truth 
(Dan.  viii.  14,  26).  He  calleth  tome  out  of  Seir,  Watchman, 
watchman,  what  of  the  night  ?  The  watchmaii  said,  The 
morning  cometh  and  also  the  night  (Isa.  xxi.  11,  12).  An 
end  is  co?ne,  the  morning  is  come  unto  thee,  O  thou  that 
dwellest  in  the  land ;  behold  the  day  is  come,  the  morning  is 
gone  forth  (Ez.  vii.  6,  7,  10).  Jehovah  in  the  morning,  in 
the  morning  will  He  bring  His  judgment  to  light,  He  faileth 
not  (Zeph.  iii.  5).  God  is  in  the  midst  of  her,  God  shall  help 
her  when  the  morning  appeareth  (Ps.  xlvi.  5).  I  have  waited 
for  Jehovah  ;  my  soul  waiteth  for  the  Lord  more  than  they 
that  watch  for  the  morning,  that  watch  for  //^morning; 
for  with  Hi?n  is  plenteous  redemption,  and  He  will  redeem 
Israel  (Ps.  exxx.  5-8).  In  these  passages  evening  and 
night  mean  the  last  time  of  the  church,  and  morning  the 
first  of  it.  The  Lord  Himself  is  also  called  the  Morning 
in  the  following  passages  :  The  God  of  Israel  said,  the  Rock 
of  Israel  spake  to  ?ne,  He  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the  morn- 
ing, a  morning  without  clouds  (2  Sam.  xxiii.  3,  4).  /  am 
the  Root  and  the  Offspring  of  David,  and  the  bright  and 
morning  Star  (Apoc.  xxii.  16).  From  the  womb  of  the 
morning  thou  hast  the  dew  of  thy  youth  (Ps.  ex.  3).  These 
passages  are  concerning  the  Lord.  Because  the  Lord  is 
the  Morning,  He  arose  from  the  sepulchre  early  in  the 
morning,  for  He  was  about  to  begin  a  new  church  (Mark 
xvi.  2,  9).  That  the  Coming  of  the  Lord  is  to  be  expected, 
is  clearly  manifest  from  His  prediction  respecting  it  in 
Matthew :  And  as  He  sat  upon  the  mount  of  Olives,  the 
disciples  came  unto  Him,  saying,  Tell  us  what  shall  be  the 
Sign  of  Thy  Coming,  and  of  the  consummation  of  the  age 
(xxiv.  3).    After  the  afflictio?i  of  those  days  shall  the  sun  be, 


No.  766.]         THE  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


1027 


darkened,  and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her  light,  and  the  stars 
shall  fall  from  heaven,  and  the  powers  of  the  heavens  shall  be 
shakeji ;  and  then  shall  appear  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  Man  ; 
and  they  shall  see  the  Son  of  Man  coming  in  the  clouds 

OF  HEAVEN  WITH  POWER  AND  GLORY  (xxiv.  29,  30  j  Mark 

xiii.  26  ;  Luke  xxi.  27).  As  the  days  of  Noe  were,  so  shall 
also  the  Coming  of  the  Son  of  Man  be;  therefore  be  ye 
also  ready,  for  in  such  a?i  hour  as  ye  think  not,  the  Son  of 
Man  will  come  (verses  37,  44).  In  Luke  :  When  the  Son 
of  Man  cometh,  shall  He  find  faith  on  the  earth  ?  (xviii 
8.)  In  John  :  Jesus  said  of  John,  If  I  will  that  he  tarry 
till  I  come  (xxi.  22).  In  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  :  While 
they  saw  Jesus  taken  up  into  heaven,  Behold  two  men  stood 
by  them  in  white  apparel,  who  also  said,  Jesus,  Who  is  taken 
up  from  you  into  heaven,  shall  so  come  in  like  manner 

AS  YE  HAVE  SEEN  HlM  GO  INTO  HEAVEN  (j.  IO,  II).     In  the 

Apocalypse  :  The  lord  God  of  the  holy  prophets  sent  His 
angel  to  show  unto  His  servants  the  things  which  must  shortly 
be  done.  Behold  I  come  ;  blessed  is  he  that  keepeth  the  say- 
ings of  the  prophecy  *  of  this  book.  And  behold  I  come  : 
and  My  reward  is  with  Me,  to  give  every  man  according  as 
his  work  shall  be  (xxii.  6,  7,  12).  And  again  :  I  Jesus  have 
sent  Mine  angel  to  testify  unto  you  these  things  in  the  churches. 
I  am  the  Root  and  the  Offspring  of  David,  and  the  bright  and 
morning  Star.  The  Spirit  and  the  Bride  say,  COME  ;  and 
let  him  that  heareth  say,  Come  ;  and  let  him  that  thirsteth 
come,  and  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely 
(xxii.  16,  17).  And  still  further:  He  Who  testifieth  these 
things  sailh,  surely  I  come.  Amen;  even  so,  come  Lord 
Jesus.  The  grace  of  our  lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  all. 
Amen  (verses  20,  21). 

766.  The  Lord  is  present  with  every  man,  urging  and 
pressing  to  be  received;  and  when  a  man  receives  Him, 
which  he  does  when  he  acknowledges  Him  as  his  God, 

*  The  Latin  reads,  mandata,  the  commandments,  instead  of  the 
sayings  of  the  prophecy. 


1028     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIV. 

Creator,  Redeemer,  and  Saviour,  then  is  His  first  Coming 
which  is  called  the  dawn.  From  this  time  the  man  begins 
to  be  enlightened,  as  to  the  understanding,  in  spiritual 
things,  and  to  advance  into  wisdom  more  and  more  inte- 
rior ;  and  as  he  receives  this  wisdom  from  the  Lord,  so  he 
advances  through  morning  into  day,  and  this  day  lasts  with 
him  into  old  age,  even  to  death  ;  and  after  death  he  passes 
into  heaven,  to  the  Lord  Himself,  and  there,  although  he 
died  an  old  man,  he  is  restored  to  the  morning  of  his  life, 
and  he  develops  to  eternity  the  beginning  of  the  wisdom 
that  was  implanted  while  in  the,  natural  world. 

767.  A  man  who  is  in  faith  in  the  Lord  and  in  charity 
toward  the  neighbor  is  a  church  in  particular;  the  church 
in  general  is  composed  of  such.  It  is  wonderful  that  every 
angel,  in  whatever  direction  he  turns  his  body  and  his  face, 
looks  to  the  Lord  before  him  ;  for  the  Lord  is  the  Sun  of 
the  angelic  heaven  •  this  is  what  appears  before  their  eyes 
when  they  are  in  spiritual  meditation.  What  is  similar  takes 
place  with  a  man  in  the  world  in  whom  the  church  is,  as  to 
the  sight  of  his  spirit;  but  this  state  of  his  spirit  is  not 
known,  because  the  sight  of  the  spirit  is  veiled  over  by  the 
natural  sight,  to  which  the  other  senses  add  their  allure- 
ments, and  the  objects  of  these  senses  are  such  things  as 
pertain  to  the  body  and  the  world.  This  aspect  of  the 
Lord,  whatever  the  direction  may  be,  has  its  origin  from 
this,  —  that  all  truth  (from  which  are  wisdom  and  faith) 
and  all  good  (through  which  are  love  and  charity)  are  from 
the  Lord,  and  are  the  Lord's  in  the  man ;  and  hence  every 
truth  of  wisdom  is  like  a  mirror  in  which  the  Lord  [may  be 
seen],  and  every  good  of  love  is  an  image  of  the  Lord. 
Hence  this  wonderful  circumstance.  But  an  evil  spirit  per- 
petually turns  away  from  the  Lord,  and  looks  continually  to 
his  own  love,  and  this  also  in  whatever  direction  he  turns 
his  body  and  face  ;  the  cause  is  the  same,  but  reversed  ;  for 
every  evil  is  in  a  certain  form  an  image  of  his  reigning  love, 
and  falsity  therefrom  presents  that  image  as  in  a  mirror 


No.  768.] 


THE  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


IO29 


That  something  like  this  is  also  implanted  in  nature  may 
be  inferred  from  certain  plants  that  grow  amid  surrounding 
herbage,  in  their  shooting  up  high  above  it,  that  they  may 
look  at  the  sun ;  also  from  some  of  them  turning  to  the 
sun,  from  his  rising  to  the  end  of  day,  that  so  they  may 
ripen  under  his  auspices.  Nor  do  I  doubt  that  there  is  a 
similar  endeavor  and  effort  in  all  the  twigs  and  branches  of 
every  tree ;  but  because  they  have  not  elasticity  to  render 
them  able  to  bend  and  turn,  the  act  is  checked.  Moreover 
it  is  obvious  to  the  inquiring  observer  that  all  whirlpools 
and  ocean  sand-banks  spontaneously  follow  in  their  motion 
the  general  course  of  the  sun.  Why  should  not  man,  who 
was  created  in  the  image  of  God  [turn  to  Him],  unless  by 
his  gift  of  free-will  he  turn  that  endeavor  and  effort  im- 
planted by  the  Creator  into  another  direction  ?  This  may 
also  be  likened  to  a  bride's  constantly  carrying  something 
of  the  image  of  the  bridegroom  in  the  sight  of  her  spirit, 
and  seeing  him  in  his  gifts  as  in  mirrors,  longing  for  his 
coming,  and  when  he  comes  receiving  him  with  the  joy  in 
which  her  bosom's  love  exults. 

V.  The  Coming  of  the  Lord  is  not  His  Coming  to 
destroy  the  visible  heaven  and  the  habitable 
Earth,  and  to  create  a  new  Heaven  and  a  new 
Earth,  as  many,  from  not  understanding  the 
spiritual  sense  of  the  word,  have  hitherto 
supposed. 

768.  The  opinion  at  this  day  prevailing  in  the  churches 
is,  that  when  the  Lord  comes  to  the  last  judgment,  He  is 
to  appear  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  angels  and  the  sound 
ot  trumpets  ;  that  He  will  gather  together  all  who  still  dwell 
on  the  earth,  together  with  all  who  have  died  ;  will  separate 
the  wicked  from  the  good,  as  a  shepherd  separates  the  goats 
from  the  sheep ;  will  then  cast  the  wicked  or  the  goats  into 
hell,  and  raise  the  good  or  the  sheep  into  heaven ;  that  He 


f030     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  XIV. 


will  at  the  same  time  create  a  new  visible  heaven  and  a  new 
habitable  earth,  and  upon  this  latter  will  send  down  the  city 
called  the  New  Jerusalem,  the  structure  of  which  will  be 
according  to  the  description  in  the  twenty-first  chapter  of 
the  Apocalypse  (that  is  to  say,  it  will  be  of  jasper  and  gold, 
and  the  foundations  of  its  wall  will  be  of  every  precious 
stone,  while  its  height,  breadth,  and  length  will  be  equal, 
each  twelve  thousand  furlongs) ;  that  into  this  city  will  be 
gathered  all  the  elect,  both  those  who  are  living  and  those 
who  have  died  since  the  beginning  of  the  world  ;  that  these 
will  return  into  their  bodies,  and  in  that  magnificent  city,  as 
in  their  heaven,  will  enjoy  eternal  blessedness.  This  is  the 
opinion  that  at  this  day  reigns  in  the  Christian  churches 
respecting  the  Coming  of  the  Lord  and  concerning  the  last 
judgment. 

769.  Respecting  the  state  of  souls  after  death,  at  this  day 
the  churches  believe  universally  but  each  in  its  own  way  as 
follows:  That  human  souls  after  death  are  ghosts  (of  which 
they  entertain  an  idea  as  of  a  breath  of  wind),  and  that 
because  they  are  such  they  are  reserved  till  the  day  of  the 
last  judgment,  it  may  be  in  the  centre  of  the  earth,  where 
some  fix  the  abode  of  departed  spirits,  or  it  may  be  in  the 
limbus  of  the  fathers.  But  on  these  points  they  differ : 
some  are  of  the  opinion  that  souls  are  ethereal  or  aerial 
forms,  and  so  that  they  are  as  phantoms  and  spectres,  and 
that  some  of  these  dwell  in  the  air,  some  in  the  forests,  and 
some  in  the  waters ;  but  others  think  that  the  souls  of  the 
dead  are  transferred  to  the  planets  or  to  the  stars,  and  have 
habitations  given  them  there ;  and  some  that  after  thou- 
sands of  years  they  return  into  bodies  j  but  the  greater  part 
are  of  the  opinion  that  they  are  reserved  for  the  time  when 
the  whole  firmament  together  with  the  terraqueous  globe  is 
to  perish,  which  will  take  place  by  fire  that  will  either  break 
forth  from  the  centre  of  the  earth,  or  be  hurled  down  like 
universal  lightning  from  heaven  ;  and  that  the  graves  will 
then  be  opened,  the  reserved  souls  clothed  again  with  their 


No.  77i  ]         THE  COMING  OF  THE  LORD.  103I 

own  bodies,  and  transferred  to  that  holy  city  Jerusalem, 
and  so  will  dwell  together  on  another  earth  in  lustrous 
bodies,  some  lower  down  in  that  city,  some  higher  up,  for 
its  height,  like  its  length  and  breadth,  is  to  be  twelve 
thousand  furlongs  (Apoc.  xxi.  16). 

"70.  When  clergymen  and  laymen  are  asked  whether 
thjy  firmly  believe  all  these  things,  as  that  the  antedilu- 
vians together  with  Adam  and  Eve,  and  the  postdiluvians 
together  with  Noah  and  his  sons,  also  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob  together  with  all  the  prophets  and  the  apostles,  as 
well  as  the  souls  of  all  other  men,  are  still  reserved  in  the 
middle  of  the  earth,  or  are  flying  about  in  the  ether  or  the 
air ;  as  also  whether  they  believe  that  souls  will  again  put 
on  their  bodies  and  unite  with  them,  which  yet  are  dead 
bodies  eaten  by  worms  and  mice  and  fishes,  or  Egyptian 
bodies  which  as  mummies  have  been  consumed  by  men, 
and  others  mere  skeletons  dried  up  by  the  sun  and  crum- 
bled to  dust ;  also  whether  they  believe  that  the  stars  of 
heaven  will  then  fall  upon  the  earth,  which  yet  is  smaller 
than  a  single  one  of  them  j  and  whether  such  things  are 
not  paradoxes  which  reason  itself  dissipates,  as  it  does 
things  contradictory;  to  these  things  some  make  no  reply; 
some  answer,  "These  things  are  matters  of  faith,  to  which 
we  keep  the  understanding  in  obedience  ; "  some,  that  not 
only  these  but  many  more  beside  which  are  above  reason, 
are  of  the  Divine  omnipotence.  And  when  they  name  faith 
and  omnipotence,  reason  is  exiled,  and  then  sound  reason 
either  disappears  and  becomes  as  nothing,  or  becomes  as  a 
spectre,  and  is  called  insanity.  They  add,  "  Are  not  those 
things  according  to  the  Word?  Is  not  one  to  think  and 
speak  from  that  ?  " 

771.  That  the  Word  in  the  letter  is  written  by  appear- 
ances and  correspondences,  and  that  there  is  therefore  in 
all  its  particulars  a  spiritual  sense  in  which  the  truth  is  in 
its  light,  while  the  sense  of  the  letter  is  in  the  shade,  w.is 
shown  in  the  chapter  concerning  the  Sacred  Scripture. 


IO32     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIV. 


Lest  the  man  of  the  New  Church,  therefore,  like  the  man 
of  the  old,  should  wander  in  the  shade  in  which  the  sense 
of  the  letter  of  the  Word  is,  especially  respecting  heaven 
and  hell,  and  respecting  his  life  after  death,  and  here  in 
relation  to  the  Coming  of  the  Lord,  it  has  pleased  the  Lord 
to  open  the  sight  of  my  spirit,  and  so  to  intromit  me  into 
the  spiritual  world,  and  not  only  to  give  me  to  speak  with 
spirits  and  angels,  with  relatives  and  friends,  and  also  with 
kings  and  princes,  who  have  run  their  course  in  the  natural 
world,  but  also  to  see  the  wondrous  things  of  heaven  and 
the  lamentable  things  of  hell,  and  thus  to  see  that  man 
does  not  abide  in  some  unknown  part  of  the  earth,  nor  fly 
about  blind  and  dumb  in  the  air  or  in  empty  space,  but  that 
he  lives  a  man  in  a  substantial  body,  in  a  much  more  per- 
fect state  (if  he  comes  among  the  blessed)  than  that  in 
which  he  formerly  lived  when  in  the  material  body.  And 
therefore,  lest  man  should  from  ignorance  sink  himself 
deeper  in  this  opinion  concerning  the  destruction  of  the 
visible  heaven  and  the  habitable  earth,  and  thus  concern- 
ing the  spiritual  world,  [and  lest]  from  it  naturalism  together 
with  atheism,  which  among  the  learned  has  at  this  day  begun 
to  take  root  in  the  interior  rational  mind,  should  spread 
still  further,  like  mortification  in  the  flesh,  even  into  his 
external  mind  from  which  he  speaks,  it  has  been  enjoined 
upon  me  by  the  Lord  to  make  public  various  things  from 
what  I  have  seen  and  heard,  both  concerning  Heaven  and 
Hell,  and  concerning  the  Last  Judgment,  and  also  to  explain 
the  Apocalypse  in  which  the  Coming  of  the  Lord,  the  former 
heaven,  the  new  heaven,  and  the  holy  Jerusalem  are  treated 
of.  From  these  when  read  and  understood,  any  one  may- 
see  what  is  meant  there  by  the  Coming  of  the  Lord,  the 
new  heaven,  and  the  New  Jerusalem. 


No.  773-1 


THE  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


1033 


VI.  This  Coming  of  the  Lord,  which  is  the  second, 

TAKES  PLACE  IN  ORDER  THAT  THE  EVIL  MAY  BE 
SEPARATED  FROM  THE  GOOD,  ALSO  THAT  THOSE  MAY 
BE  SAVED  WHO  HAVE  BELIEVED  AND  DO  BELIEVE  IN 

Him,  and  also  that  a  New  Angelic  Heaven  MAY 

BE  FORMED  FROM  THEM,  AND  A  NEW  CHURCH  ON 
EARTH  ;    AND  WITHOUT  THIS   NO   FLESH  COULD  BE 

saved  (Matt  xxiv.  22). 

772.  That  this  second  Coming  of  the  Lord  does  not 
take  place  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  the  visible  heaven 
and  the  habitable  earth,  was  shown  in  the  preceding  article. 
That  it  is  not  to  destroy  any  thing  but  to  build  up,  conse 
quently  is  not  to  condemn,  but  to  save  those  who  since 
His  first  Coming  have  believed  in  Him  and  who  shall 
hereafter  believe,  is  evident  from  these  words  of  the  Lord  : 
God  sent  not  His  Son  into  the  world  to  judge  the  world,  but 
that  the  world  through  Him  might  be  saved :  he  that  bclirveth 
on  Him  is  not  judged,  but  he  that  belirceth  not  is  judged 
already,  because  he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  Only- 
begotten  Son  of  God  (John  iii.  17,  18).  And  elsewhere  :  If 
any  man  hear  My  words  and  believe  not,  I  judge  him  not ; 
for  I  came  not  to  judge  the  world  but  to  save  the  world ;  he 
that  despiseth  Me  and  receiveth  not  My  words  hath  one  that 
judgeth  him ;  the  Word  that  I  have  spoken,  the  same  shall 

•  judge  hi™  (xn-  47)  4&).  That  the  last  judgment  took  place 
in  the  spiritual  world  in  the  year  1757,  is  shown  in  a  little 
work  on  the  "Last  Judgment,"  published  at  London  in 
1758;  and  further  in  the  "Continuation  concerning  the 
Last  Judgment,"  published  at  Amsterdam  in  1763  ;  which 
I  attest  because  I  saw  it  with  my  own  eyes  in  a  state  of 
full  wakefulness. 

773.  That  the  Coming  of  the  Lord  is  for  the  purpose  of 
forming  a  new  heaven  of '  those  who  have  believed  in  Him, 
and  of  establishing  a  new  church  of  those  who  believe  in 

vol.  in.  9 


1034     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIV. 


Him  hereafter,  is  because  these  two  are  the  ends  for  which 
He  came.  The  very  end  for  which  the  universe  was  created 
was  no  other  than  that  an  angelic  heaven  should  be  formed 
from  men,  where  all  who  believe  in  God  shall  live  in  eternal 
blessedness  ;  for  Divine  Love  which  is  in  God  and  essen- 
tially is  God  cannot  intend  any  thing  else,  and  Divine 
Wisdom  which  is  also  in  God  and  is  God  cannot  produce 
any  thing  else.  Since  the  creation  of  the  universe  had  for 
its  end  an  angelic  heaven  from  the  human  race,  and  at 
the  same  time  a  church  on  earth  (for  man  is  to  pass 
through  the  church  into  heaven),  and  since  the  salvation 
of  men  (accomplished  among  those  who  should  be  born  in 
the  world)  is  thus  a  continuation  of  creation,  therefore 
throughout  the  Word  use  is  made  of  the  term  to  create,  and 
its  meaning  is  to  form  for  heaven ;  as  in  the  following  pas- 
sages :  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God,  and  renew  a 
right  spirit  within  me  (Ps.  li.  10).  Thou  openest  Thine  hand, 
they  are  filled  with  good ;  Thou  sendest  forth  Thy  Spirit, 
they  are  created  (civ.  28,  30).  The  people  which  shall  be 
created  shall  praise  Jah  (cii.  18).  Thus  said  Jehovah 
That  created  thee,  O  Jacob,  and  He  That  formed  thee,  O 
Israel ;  I  have  redee?ned  thee,  I  have  called  thee  by  thy  * 
name  ;  every  one  that  is  called  by  My  name,  I  have  created 
him  unto  My  glory  (Isa.  xliii.  1,  7).  They  were  prepared  in 
thee  in  the  day  that  thou  wast  created  ;  thou  wast  perfect 
in  thy  ways  in  the  day  that  thou  wast  created,  till  perversity 
was  found  in  thee  (Ez.  xxviii.  13,  15);  this  is  said  of  the* 
king  of  Tyre.  That  they  may  see,  and  know,  and  consider, 
and  understand  together,  that  the  hand  of  Jehovah  hath  done 
this,  and  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  hath  created  it  (Is.  xli.  20). 
From  this  it  may  be  evident  what  is  meant  by  create  in  the 
following :  Jehovah,  creating  the  heavens,  spreading  forth 
the  earth,  giving  breath  unto  the  people  upon  it,  and  spirit  to 
them  that  walk  therein  (xlii.  5  ;  see  also  xlv.  12,  18).  Be- 

*  The  Latin  reads  tneo,  my.    In  the  "  Arcana  Ccelestia,"  n.  282^ 
and  elsewhere,  we  find  luo,  thy,  which  agrees  with  the  Hebrew. 


No.  775-1  THE  COMING  OF  THE  LORD.  IO35 
hold  I  CREATE  A  NEW  HEAVEN  AND  A  NEW  EARTH  J  be  ye 

glad  for  ever  in  that  which  I  create  ;  behold  I  shall  create 
Jerusalem  an  exultation  (lxv.  17,  18).  ' 

774.  The  Lord's  presence  is  perpetual  with  every  man 
both  evil  and  good,  for  without  His  presence  no  man  lives  ; 
but  His  Coming  is  with  those  only  who  receive  Him,  and 
these  are  they  who  believe  in  Him  and  do  His  command- 
ments. The  Lord's  perpetual  presence  causes  man  to 
become  rational,  and  renders  him  able  to  become  spirit- 
ual \  this  is  effected  by  the  light  which  proceeds  from  the 
Lord  as  the  Sun  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  which  man 
receives  in  his  understanding ;  that  light  is  truth,  and  by 
this  he  has  rationality.  But  the  Coming  of  the  Lord  takes J 
place  with  him  who  conjoins  heat  with  that  light,  that  is, 
love  with  truth  ;  for  the  heat  proceeding  from  that  same 
Sun  is  love  to  God  and  toward  the  neighbor.  The  mere 
presence  of  the  Lord,  and  the  enlightenment  of  the  under- 
standing thereby,  may  be  compared  to  the  presence  of  solar 
light  in  the  world ;  unless  this  light  is  conjoined  with  heat, 
all  things  on  earth  become  desolate.  But  the  Coming  of 
the  Lord  may  be  compared  to  the  coming  of  heat,  which 
takes  place  in  spring  \  and  because  the  heat  then  conjoins 
itself  with  light,  the  earth  is  softened,  seeds  sprout  and 
bear  fruit.  Such  is  the  parallelism  between  the  spiritual 
things  amid  which  man's  spirit  is  and  the  natural  things  in 
which  his  body  is. 

775.  It  is  the  same  with  the  man  of  the  church  viewed 
collectively  or  in  the  composite  form,  as  with  an  individual 
or  man  in  the  particular  form.  Man  viewed  collectively 
or  in  the  composite  form  is  the  church  among  many  ;  while 
man  as  an  individual  or  particularly,  is  the  church  in  each 
one  among  those  many.  It  is  according  to  Divine  order 
that  there  should  be  generals  and  particulars,  and  that 
both  should  be  together  in  every  single  thing,  and  that 
otheiwise  particulars  do  not  exist  and  subsist ;  just  as 
there  are  no  particulars  within  man  without  there  being 


IO36     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIV 

generals  to  surround  them.  The  particulars  in  man  are 
the  viscera  and  their  parts  ;  and  the  generals  are  the 
coverings  which  not  only  surround  the  whole  man,  but 
also  the  viscera  severally  and  every  single  part  of  them. 
So  it  is  in  every  beast,  bird,  and  worm  \  also  in  every 
tree,  shrub,  and  seed ;  nor  is  it  possible  for  a  tone  to 
be  produced,  from  strings  or  by  the  breath,  without  there 
being  what  is  most  general  from  which  the  particulars 
that  enter  into  the  modulation  derive  their  general,  that 
they  may  have  existence.  And  so  it  is  with  every  sense 
of  the  body,  as  with  sight,  hearing,  smell,  taste,  and  touch ; 
and  so  it  is  also  with  all  the  internal  senses  which  belong 
•to  the  mind.  These  things  have  been  presented  by  way 
of  illustration,  so  that  it  may  be  known  that  in  the  church, 
too,  there  are  generals  and  particulars,  and  also  things 
most  general;  and  that  it  is  in  consequence  of  this  that  four 
churches  have  gone  before,  in  order,  from  which  progres- 
sion what  is  most  general  in  the  church  has  had  its  rise, 
and  in  succession  the  general  and  the  particular  of  each  of 
the  churches.  In  man  also  there  are  two  most  general 
things  from  which  all  the  generals  and  the  several  particu- 
lars in  him  draw  their  existence  *  in  the  body  the  two  most 
general  things  are  the  heart  and  lungs  ;  in  his  spirit,  they 
are  the  will  and  understanding ;  on  these  and  the  other 
two  depend  all  things  of  his  life,  both  in  general  and  par- 
ticular 1  without  them  they  would  fall  asunder  and  die. 
And  so  it  would  be  with  the  whole  angelic  heaven  and  with 
the  whole  human  race,  yes,  with  the  whole  created  universe, 
if  all  things  in  general  and  every  single  thing  in  particular 
did  not  depend  on  God,  His  Love  and  Wisdom. 

VII.  This  Second  Coming  of  the  Lord  is  not  in  Per- 
son, but  is  in  the  Word,  which  is  from  Him 
and  is  Himself. 

776.  We  read  in  many  places  that  the  Lord  will  come  in 
the  clouds  of  heaven  (as  in  Matt.  xxiv.  30;  xxvi.  64;  Mark 


No.  776.]         THE  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


1037 


xiv.  62;  Luke  xxi.  27;  Apoc.  i.  7;  xiv.  14;  Dan.  vii.  13: 
see  also  Matt.  xvii.  5  ;  Luke  ix.  34,  35).  But  hitherto  no 
one  has  known  what  was  meant  by  the  clouds  of  heaven  ; 
they  have  believed  that  He  is  to  appear  in  them  in  Person. 
But  that  by  the  clouds  of  heaven  is  meant  the  Word  in  the 
sense  of  the  letter,  and  by  the  glory  and  power  in  which 
also  He  is  then  to  come  (Matt.  xxiv.  30)  is  meant  the  spirit- 
ual sense  of  the  Word,  has  been  heretofore  concealed, 
because  hitherto  no  one  has  even  by  conjecture  reached 
the  conclusion  that  there  is  a  spiritual  sense  in  the  Word 
such  as  this  sense  is  in  itself.  Now  because  the  Lord  has 
opened  to  me  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  and  because 
it  has  been  granted  me  to  be  together  with  angels  and 
spirits  in  their  world  as  one  of  them,  it  has  been  disclosed 
that  by  the  cloud  of  heaven  is  meant  the  Word  in  the  nat- 
ural sense,  and  by  glory  the  Word  in  the  spiritual  sense,  and 
by  power  (or  virtue)  the  Lord's  power  through  the  Word. 
That  this  is  the  signification  of  the  clouds  of  heaven, 
may  be  seen  from  the  following  passages  in  the  Word : 
There  is  Jione  like  unto  the  God  of  Jeshurun  Who  ridcth  in 
the  heaven,  and  in  magnificence  upon  the  clouds  (Deut. 
xxxiii.  26).  Sing  unto  God,  sing  praises  to  His  name,  extol 
Him  That  rideth  upon  the  clouds  (Ps.  lxviii.  4).  Jehovah 
riding  upon  a  swift  cloud  (Isa.  xix.  1).  To  ride  signifies 
to  instruct  in  Divine  truths  from  the  Word,  for  a  horse 
signifies  the  understanding  of  the  Word  (see  "  Apocalypse 
Revealed,"  n.  298).  Who  does  not  see  that  God  does  not 
ride  upon  the  clouds?  Again  :  God  roile  upon  the  cherubs y 
and  put  for  His  tent  the  clouds  of  the  heavens  (Ps.  xviii. 
10,  1 1).  Cherubs  also  signify  the  Word,  as  may  be  Seen  in 
the  "  Apocalypse  Revealed  "  (n.  239,  672).  Jehovah  bind,/// 
up  the  waters  in  His  clouds,  and  He  spreadr/h  out  His 
cloud  over  the  throne  (Job  xxvi.  8,  9).  Ascribe  ye  Strength 
unto  God;  *  His  strength  is  in  the  CLOUDS  (Ps.  lxviii.  34)^ 
Jehovah  created  over  every  dwelling  place  of  Zion  a  cloud 
*  The  T  1  tin  here  has  Je!nK\ih. 


IO38     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIV. 


by  day,  for  upon  all  the  glory  shall  be  a  covering  (Isa.  iv.  5). 
The  Word  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  was  also  represented 
by  the  cloud  in  which  Jehovah  descended  upon  mount  Sinai, 
when  He  promulgated  the  Law :  the  things  of  the  Law 
which  were  then  promulgated  were  the  first  fruits  of  the 
Word.  In  confirmation  the  following  also  may  be  added : 
There  are  clouds  in  the  spiritual  world  as  well  as  in  the 
natural,  but  from  different  origin.  In  the  spiritual  world 
there  are  sometimes  bright  clouds  over  the  angelic  heavens, 
but  dusky  clouds  over  the  hells.  The  bright  clouds  over 
the  angelic  heavens  signify  obscurity  there,  from  the  literal 
sense  of  the  Word ;  but  when  those  clouds  are  dispersed, 
this  signifies  that  they  are  in  its  clear  light  *  from  the  spirit- 
ual sense  :  but  the  dusky  clouds  over  the  hells  signify  the 
falsification  and  profanation  of  the  WTord.  The  origin  of  this 
signification  of  the  clouds  in  the  spiritual  world  is,  that  the 
light  which  proceeds  from  the  Lord  as  the  Sun  there,  signi- 
fies Divine  truth  ;  wherefore  He  is  called  the  Light  (John 
i.  9  ;  xii.  35).  It  is  owing  to  this  that  the  Word  itself  which 
is  kept  in  the  shrines  of  the  temples,  appears  encompassed 
with  a  clear  white  light ;  and  its  obscurity  is  induced  by 
clouds. 

777.  That  the  Lord  is  the  Word,  is  clearly  evident  from 
the  following  in  John :  /;/  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and 
the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God,  and  the 
Word  was  7nade  Flesh  (John  i.  1,  14).  That  the  Word  here 
means  Divine  Truth,  is  because  Christians  have  Divine 
truth  from  no  other  source  than  the  Word,  which  is  the 
fountain  from  which  all  churches  named  from  Christ  draw 
living  waters  in  their  own  fulness,  although  [that  church] 
in  which  the  sense  of  the  Word  is  natural  is  as  in  a  cloud, 
while  [the  church]  in  which  is  its  spiritual  and  its  heavenly 
[celestial]  sense,  is  in  glory  and  power.  That  there  a  e 
three  senses  in  the  Word,  a  natural,  a  spiritual,  and  a  heav- 

*  The  Latin  here  reads  Charitate.  This  has  been  regarded  as  a 
misprint  for  Claritate. 


No.  777.]         THE  COMING  OF  THE  LORD.  IO39 


enly  [celestial],  one  more  interior  than  another^  was  shown 
in  the  chapter  on  the  Sacred  Scripture,  and  in  that  on 
the  Decalogue  or  Catechism.  It  is  manifest  from  this 
that  by  the  Word  in  John  is  meant  Divine  Truth.  John 
also  bears  witness  to  this  in  his  first  Epistle  :  We  kitow  that 
the  Son  of  God  is  come,  and  hath  given  us  an  understanding 
that  we  may  know  Him  that  is  true,  and  we  are  in  Him  that 
is  true,  even  i?i  His  Son  Jesus  Christ  (v.  20).  And  there- 
fore the  Lord  so  often  said  A?ne?i  (or  Verily)  I  say  unto  you  ; 
and  amen  in  the  Hebrew  language  means  truth ;  and  that 
He  is  the  Amen  may  be  seen  in  the  Apocalypse  (iii.  14); 
and  that  He  is  the  Truth,  in  John  (xiv.  6).  When  also  the 
learned  of  the  present  age  are  asked  what  they  understand 
by  the  Word  in  John  i.  1,  they  say  that  they  understand  the 
Word  in  its  pre-eminence  j  and  what  is  the  Word  in  its  pre- 
eminence but  Divine  Truth  ?  From  all  this  it  is  manifest 
that  now  also  the  Lord  will  appear  in  the  Word.  He  is 
not  to  appear  in  Person,  because  since  He  ascended  into 
heaven  He  is  in  the  glorified  Humanity,  and  in  this  He 
cannot  appear  to  any  man  unless  He  first  opens  the  eyes 
of  his  spirit,  and  this  cannot  be  done  with  any  one  who  is 
in  evils  and  thence  in  falsities,  thus  not  with  any  of  the 
goats  whom  He  sets  on  His  left.  Wherefore  when  He 
manifested  Himself  to  His  disciples,  He  first  opened  their 
eyes  ;  for  we  read,  And  their  eyes  were  opened,  and  they  knew 
Him,  and  He  vanished  out  of  their  sight  (Luke  xxiv.  31). 
The  same  thing  took  place  with  the  women  who  were  at 
the  sepulchre  after  the  resurrection,  who  therefore  then  saw 
angels  sitting  in  the  sepulchre  and  talking  with  them  ;  and 
no  one  can  see  angels  with  the  material  eye.  That  neither 
did  the  apostles  see  the  Lord  in  the  glorified  Human  before 
His  resurrection  with  the  eyes  of  the  body,  but  in  spirit 
(which  appears,  after  returning  to  [bodily]  wakefulness,  as 
if  in  sleep),  is  evident  from  His  transfiguration  before  Peter, 
James,  and  John,  for  it  is  said  that  they  were  thm  inary 
with  sleep  (Luke  ix.  32).    It  is  therefore  a  vain  thing  to 


1040     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIV 


believe  that^the  Lord  will  appear  in  a  cloud  of  heaven  in 
Person;  but  He  is  to  appear  in  the  Word,  which  is  from 
Him  and  thus  is  Himself. 

778.  Every  man  is  his  own  love  and  his  own  intelligence, 
and  whatever  proceeds  from  him  derives  essence  from  those 
two  essentials  or  properties  of  his  life.  Therefore  angels 
recognize  of  what  quality  a  man  essentially  is  from  a  brief 
intercourse  with  him ;  they  have  cognition  of  his  love  from 
the  sound  of  his  voice,  and  of  his  intelligence  from  his 
speech.  This  is  because  there  are  two  universals  of  every 
man's  life,  the  will  and  the  understanding ;  and  the  will  is 
the  receptacle  and  abode  of  his  love,  and  the  understand- 
ing the  receptacle  and  abode  of  his  intelligence.  Wherefore 
all  things  that  proceed  from  man,  whether  action  or  speech, 
make  the  man  and  are  the  man  himself.  In  a  similar  man- 
ner, but  in  a  supereminent  degree,  the  Lord  is  Divine  Love 
and  Divine  Wisdom,  or  what  is  the  same,  Divine  Good  and 
Divine  Truth  •  for  His  Will  is  of  the  Divine  Love,  and 
Divine  Love  is  of  His  Will ;  and  His  Understanding  is  [of] 
the  Divine  Wrisdom,  and  Divine  Wisdom  is  of  His  Under- 
standing ;  the  Human  Form  is  their  containant.  From 
this  it  can  be  thought  out  how  the  Lord  is  the  Word.  But 
on  the  contrary,  he  who  is  opposed  to  the  Word,  that  is, 
to  the  Divine  truth  therein,  consequently  to  the  Lord  and 
His  church,  is  his  own  evil  and  his  own  falsity,  both  as  to 
the  mind  and  as  to  its  effects  proceeding  from  the  body, 
which  refer  themselves  to  actions  and  words. 

VIII.  This  Second  Coming  of  the  Lord  takes  place 

BY  MEANS  OF  A  MAN  BEFORE  WHOM  He  HAS  MANI- 
FESTED Himself  in  Person,  and  whom  He  has 

FILLED  WITH  HlS  SPIRIT,  TO  TEACH  THE  DOC- 
TRINES of  the  New  Church  through  the 
Word,  from  Him. 

779.  Since  the  Lord  cannot  manifest  Himself  in  Person, 
as  just  shown  above,  and  nevertheless  has  foretold  that  He 


No.  780.]         THE  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


IO4I 


will  come  and  found  a  new  church  which  is  the  New  Jeru- 
salem, it  follows  that  He  will  do  this  by  means  of  a  man 
who  can  not  only  receive  the  doctrines  of  this  church  with 
the  understanding  but  can  also  publish  them  by  the  press 
That  the  Lord  manifested  Himself  before  me  His  servant, 
and  sent  me  to  this  office,  and  that  He  afterward  opened 
the  sight  of  my  spirit,  and  so  has  intromitted  me  into  the 
spiritual  world,  and  has  granted  me  to  see  the  heavens  and 
the  hells,  also  to  converse  with  angels  and  spirits,  and  this 
now  uninterruptedly  for  many  years,  I  testify  in  truth ;  like- 
wise, that  from  the  first  day  of  that  call  I  have  not  received 
any  thing  which  pertains  to  the  doctrines  of  that  church 
from  any  angel,  but  from  the  Lord  alone  while  I  have  read 
the  Word. 

780.  For  the  sake  of  the  end  that  the  Lord  might  be 
constantly  present,  He  has  disclosed  to  me  the  spiritual 
sense  of  His  Word,  in  which  Divine  truth  is  in  its  light, 
and  in  this  light  He  is  continually  present.  For  His  pres- 
ence in  the  Word  comes  only  by  means  of  the  spiritual 
sense  ;  through  the  light  of  this,  He  passes  into  the  shade 
in  which  the  sense  of  the  letter  is ;  comparatively,  as  it  is 
with  the  light  of  the  sun  in  the  day-time,  passing  through 
a  cloud  that  is  interposed.  That  the  sense  of  the  letter 
of  the  Word  is  as  a  cloud,  while  the  spiritual  sense  is  the 
glory,  and  the  Lord  Himself  is  the  Sun  from  which  the 
light  comes,  and  that  so  the  Lord  is  the  Word,  was  demon- 
strated above.  That  the  glory  in  which  He  is  to  come 
(Matt.  xxiv.  30)  signifies  Divine  truth  in  its  light,  in  Which 
the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  is,  is  clearly  evident  from 
Ihese  passages:  The  voice  of  hi?n  that  cricth  in  the  wilder- 
ness,  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  Jehovah  :  the  glory  of  Jehovah 
shall  be  revealed,  and  all  flesh  shall  see  it  together  (Isa.  xl.  3, 
5).  [Arise,]  shine,  for  thy  light  is  come,  and  the  glory  of 
Jehovah  it  risen  upon  thee  (be.  1  to  the  end).  /  WtUgWi 
Thee  for  a  covenant  of  the  people,  for  a  light  of  THI  ( rlN- 
tiles,  and  My  glory  will  I  not  give  to  another  j  xlii.  6,  8  ; 

9* 


1042      THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  XIV. 


see  also  xlviii.  1 1).  Thy  light  shall  break  forth  as  the  morn- 
ing, the  glory  of  Jehovah  shall  gather  thee  (lviii.  8).  All 
the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  glory  of  Jehovah  (Num. 
xiv.  21  ;  Isa.  VL  i,  2,  3  ;  lxvi.  18).  In  the  beginning  was  the 
Word ;  in  Him  was  life,  and  the  life  was  the  light  of  men. 
That  was  the  true  Light.  And  the  Word  was  made  Flesh, 
and  we  beheld  His  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  Only-be- 
gotten of  the  Father  (John  i.  1,  4,  9,  14).  The  heavens 
will  declare  the  glory  of  God  (Ps.  xix.  1).  The  glory  of 
God  will  enlighten  the  holy  Jerusalem,  and  the  Lamb  is  the 
light  thereof ;  and  the  nations  that  are  saved  shall  walk  in 
the  light  of  it  (Apoc.  xxi.  23,  24).  So  also  in  many 
other  places.  Glory  signifies  Divine  truth  in  its  fulness, 
because  all  that  is  magnificent  in  heaven  is  from  the  light 
which  proceeds  from  the  Lord,  and  the  light  proceeding 
from  Him  as  the  Sun  there,  is  in  its  essence  Divine  truth. 

IX.  This  is  meant  in  the  Apocalypse  by  the  New 
Heaven  and  the  New  Earth  and  the  New 
Jerusalem  descending  therefrom. 

781.  We  read  in  the  Apocalypse  :  I  saw  a  new  heaven 
and  a  new  earth,  for  the  first  heaven  and  the  first  earth  were 
passed  away.  And  I  John  saw  the  holy  city  New  Jerusalem 
corning  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride 
adorned  for  her  husband  (xxi.  1,  2).  So,  too,  we  read  in 
Isaiah  :  Behold,  I  create  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth  ;  be 
ye  glad  and  rejoice  for  ever :  for  behold  I  create  Jerusalem 
a  rejoici?ig  and  her  people  a  joy  (lxv.  17,  18).  That  the 
Lord  is  at  this  day  forming  a  new  heaven  from  Christians 
who  acknowledged  in  the  world,  and  after  their  departure 
out  of  it  were  able  to  acknowledge,  that  He  is  the  God 
of  heaven  and  earth  according  to  His  words  in  Matthew 
(xxviii.  18),  has  been  disclosed  above  in  this  chapter. 

782.  That  a  new  church  is  meant  by  the  New  Jerusalem 
coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven  (Apoc.  xxi.),  is  be- 


No.  782.]    NEW  HEAVEN  AND  NEW  CHURCH. 


1043 


cause  Jerusalem  was  the  metropolis  in  the  land  of  Canaan 
and  the  temple  and  the  altar  were  the^e,  the  sacrifices  were 
offered  there,  and  thus  the  Divine  worship  itself,  to  which 
every  male  of  the  whole  land  was  commanded  to  come 
three  times  a  year  j  and  further,  because  the  Lord  was  in 
Jerusalem,  and  taught  in  His  temple,  and  afterward  glori- 
fied His  Human  there.  It  is  from  this  that  Jerusalem 
signifies  the  church.  That  Jerusalem  means  the  church,  is 
clearly  evident  from  the  prophecies  in  the  Old  Testament 
respecting  the  new  church  to  be  established  by  the  Lord, 
as  this  is  there  called  Jerusalem.  Only  those  passages 
shall  be  adduced  fr,om  which  any  one  endowed  with  inte 
rior  reason  can  see  that  Jerusalem  there  means  the  church. 
Let  only  these  be  cited  :  Behold  I  create  a  new  heaven  and 
a  new  earth  ;  the  former  shall  not  be  remembered ;  behold  I 
create  Jerusalem  a  rejoicing  a?id  her  people  a  joy,  that  /  may 
rejoice  i?i  Jerusalem  and  joy  in  My  people.  Then  the  wolf 
and  the  lamb  shall  feed  together ;  they  shall  not  hurt  in  all 
My  holy  moimtaiii  (Isa.  lxv.  17,  18,  19,  25).  For  Zion's 
sake  will  I  not  hold  ??ty  peace,  and  for  Jerusalem's  sake  I 
will  ?iot  rest,  until  the  righteousness  thereof  go  forth  as  bright- 
ness, a?id  the  salvation  thereof  as  a  lamp  that  burnetii.  Then 
the  gentiles  shall  see  thy  righteousness,  and  all  kings  thy  glory, 
a?id  thou  shall  be  called  by  a  new  name  which  the  mouth  of 
Jehovah  shall  name.  Thou  shall  also  be  a  crown  of  glory 
iii  the  hand  of  Jehovah,  and  a  royal  diadem  in  the  hand  of 
thy  God.  Jehovah  shall  delight  in  thee,  and  thy  land  shall 
be  married.  Behold  thy  Salvation  cornel 'h ;  behold  His  re- 
ward is  with  Him  ;  a?id  they  shall  call  them  the  people  of 
holiness,  the  redeemed  of  Jehovah  ;  and  thou  shall  be  called  a 
city  sought  out,  and  not  forsaken  (Isa.  lxii.  1-4,  11,  12). 
Azvakc,  awake :  put  on  thy  strength,  O  Zion ;  put  on  thy 
beautiful  garments,  O  Jerusalem,  the  holy  city ;  for  hence- 
forth there  shall  no  more  come  into  thee  the  unci  rat  m,  istd  and 
the  unclean.  Shake  thyself  from  the  dust ;  arise  and  sit  li  NM, 
O  Jerusalem.    My  people  shall  know  My  name  in  that  day  ; 


1044     THE  TRVE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIV. 


for  I  am  He  that  doth  speak,  behold,  it  is  I.  Jehovah  hath 
comforted  His  people,  He  hath  redeemed  Jerusalem  (Hi.  i,  2, 
6,  9).  Shout,  O  daughter  of  Zion  ;  be  glad  with  all  the 
heart,  O  daughter  of  Jerusalem  ;  the  King  of  Israel  is  in 
the  midst  of  thee ;  fear  not  evil  a?iy  more ;  He  will  rejoice 
over  thee  with  joy,  He  shall  rest  in  thy  love  ;  He  will  joy 
over  thee  with  shouting  ;  I  will  make  you  a  ?iame  and  a  praise 
to  all  the  people  of  the  earth  (Zeph.  iii.  14-17,  20).  Thus 
saith  Jehovah  thy  Redeemer,  That  saith  to  Jerusalem,  Thou 
shall  be  inhabited  (Isa.  xliv.  24,  26).  Thus  said  Jehovah, 
I  will  retur7i  unto  Zion,  and  will  dwell  in  the  midst  of  Jeru- 
salem ;  whence  Jerusalem  shall  be  called  the  City  of  Truth, 
and  the  Mountain  of  Jehovah  Zebaoth,  the  mountain  of 
holiness  (Zech.  viii.  3  ;  see  also  verses  20-23).  Then  shall 
•  ye  know  that  I  am  Jehovah  your  God,  dwelling  in  Zion  the 
mountain  of  holiness  ;  the?i  shall  Jerusalem  be  holiness  ;  and 
it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day  that  the  mountains  shall  drop 
down  new  wine,  and  the  hills  shall  flow  with  milk;  and 
Jerusalem  shall  dwell  to  generation  and  generation  (Joel  iii. 
17,  18,  20).  In  that  day  shall  the  bra7ich  of  Jehovah  be 
beautiful  and  glorious  ;  and  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  he  that 
is  left  in  Zio?i  a?id  he  that  remaineth  in  Jerusalem  shall  be 
called  holy,  every  one  that  is  written  to  life  i?i  Jerusalem 
(Isa.  iv.  2,  3).  It  the  last  days  shall  the  mountain  of  the 
house  of  Jehovah  be  established  at  the  top  of  the  mountains, 
for  out  of  Zion  shall  go  forth  the  law,  and  the  Word  of 
Jehovah  from  Jerusalem  (Mich.  iv.  1,  2  ;  see  also  verse 
8).  At  that  time  they  shall  call  Jerusalem  the  throne  of 
Jehovah,  and  all  nations  shall  be  gathered  together  at  Jeru- 
salem to  the  name  of  Jehovah,  neither  shall  they  walk  any 
more  after  the  imagi?iation  of  their  evil  heart  (Jer.  iii.  17). 
Look  upon  Zion,  the  city  of  our  solemnities  ;  thine  eyes  shall 
see  Jerusalem  a  quiet  habitatio?i,  a  tabernacle  that  shall  not 
be  taken  down;  the  stakes  thereof  shall  never  be  removed, 
neither  shall  the  cords  thereof  be  broken  (Isa.  xxxiii.  20).  So 
also  elsewhere  (as  in  Isa.  xxiv.  23  ;  xxxvii.  32  ;  lxvi.  10-14; 


Ho.  782.]    NEW  HEAVEN  AND  NEW  CHURCH.  IO45 


Zech.  xii.  3,  6-to;  xiv.  8,  11,  12,  21;  Mai.  iii.  4;  Ps. 
cxxii.  1-7  ;  cxxxvii.  5-7).  That  Jerusalem  here  means  a 
church  about  to  be  established  by  the  Lord,  and  not  the 
Jerusalem  inhabited  by  the  Jews,  is  manifest  from  the  sev- 
eral particulars  of  its  description  in  the  passages  quoted : 
as  that  Jehovah  God  would  create  a  new  heaven  and  a  new 
earth,  and  would  then  create  Jerusalem  also  j  that  this 
would  be  a  crown  of  glory  and  a  royal  diadem ;  that  it  was 
to  be  called  holiness,  the  city  of  truth,  Jehovah's  throne,  a 
quiet  habitation,  a  tabernacle  that  shall  not  be  taken  down  ; 
that  there  the  wolf  and  the  lamb  will  feed  together  ;  also 
that  the  mountains  there  will  drop  new  wine,  and  the  hills 
flow  with  milk,  and  that  Jerusalem  shall  abide  from  gen- 
eration to  generation ;  and  other  things  besides  are  also 
said  of  the  people  there,  that  it  is  a  holy  people,  that  every 
onejs  written  for  life,  that  they  are  to  be  called  the  re- 
deemed of  Jehovah.  Moreover,  in  all  these  passages  the 
Coming  of  the  Lorcb  is  treated  of,  especially  His  Second 
Coming,  when  Jerusalem  is  to  be  such  as  is  there  described, 
for  before  His  Coming  she  was  not  married,  that  is,  made 
the  Bride  and  Wife  of  the  Lamb,  as  the  New  Jerusalem  is 
said  to  be  in  the  Apocalypse.  The  former  church  (that  of 
the  present  day)  is  meant  by  Jerusalem  in  Daniel  ;  and  its 
beginning  is  there  described  as  follows  :  Know  there/on 
and  understand  that  from  the  going  forth  of  the  word  to  restore 
and  build  Jerusalem,  unto  the  Messiah  the  Prince  shall  be 
seven  weeks  ;  after  threescore  and  two  weeks  the  street  shall  be 
built  again  and  the  wall,  but  in  troublous  times  (ix.  25).  At 
length  upon  the  bird  of  abominations  there  shall  be  desolation, 
and  even  to  a  consummation  and  decision  shall  it  drop  upon 
the  devastation  (ix.  27).  This  last  is  referred  to  by  these 
words  of  the  Lord  in  Matthew  :  When  ye  shall  see  the  abom- 
ination of  desolation  foretold  by  Daniel  the  prophet  stand  ;n 
the  holy  place,  whoso  readeth  let  him  note  it  7velt  (xxiv.  15). 
That  by  Jerusalem  in  the  passages  that  have  lu-cn  qu«'ti  d 
is  not  meant  the  Jerusalem  inhabited  by  the  b  us,  m  iy  he 


IO46     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.   [Chap.  XIV 


evident  from  those  passages  in  the  Word,  where  this  is 
said  to  be  utterly  lost,  and  that  it  was  to  be  destroyed  (as 
in  Jer.  v.  1  ;  vi.  6,  7;  vii.  17-34;  viii.  6-22;  ix.  10-22; 
xiii.  g,  10,  14;  xiv.  16;  Lam.  i.  8,  9,  17  ;  Ez.  iv. ;  v.  9-17  ; 
xii.  18,  19  ;  xv.  6,  7,  8  ;  xvi. ;  xxiii.  ;  Matt,  xxiii.  37,  38  ; 
Luke  xix.  41-44  ;  xxi.  20-22  ;  xxiii.  28-30  ;  besides  many 
other  passages) ;  and  also  where  it  is  called  Sodom  (Isa. 
iii.  9 ;  Jer.  xxiii.  14  ;  Ez.  xvi.  46,  48  ;  and  elsewhere). 

783.  That  the  church  is  the  Lord's,  and  that  from  the 
spiritual  marriage,  which  is  that  of  good  and  truth,  the  Lord 
is  called  the  Bridegroom  and  Husband,  and  the  church  the 
Bride  and  Wife,  is  well  known  to  Christians  from  the  Word, 
especially  from  these  things  therein  :  John  said  concerning 
the  Lord,  He  that  hath  the  Bride  is  the  Bridegroom,  but 
the  frie?id  of  the  Bridegroom,  who  standeth  and  heareth  Hi?n, 
rejoiceth  greatly  because  of  the  Bridegroom's  voice  (John  iii. 
29).  Jesus  said,  The  children  of  the  bridech amber  cannot 
mourn  as  long  as  the  Bridegroom  is  with  them  (Matt  ix.  15  / 
Mark  ii.  19,  20  ;  Luke  v.  34,  35).  I  saw  the  holy  city,  New 
Jerusalem,  coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  prepared 
as  a  Bride  adorned  for  her  Husband  (Apoc.  xxi.  2).  The 
angel  said  to  John,  "  Come  hither ;  I  will  show  thee  the 
Bride,  the  Lamb's  Wife  ;  and  from  a  mountain  he  showed 
him  the  holy  city  Jerusalem  (xxi.  9,  10).  The  marriage  of 
the  Lamb  is  come,  and  His  Wife  hath  made  herself  ready ; 
blessed  are  they  who  are  called  unto  the  marriage-supper  of 
the  Lamb  (xix.  7,  9).  I  am  the  Root  and  the  Offspring  of 
David,  the  bright  and  morning  Star;  and  the  Spirit  and 
the  Bride  say,  Come;  and  let  him  that  is  athirst  come ;  and 
whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely  (xxii.  16, 
17)- 

784.  It  is  in  accordance  with  Divine  order  that  a  new 
heaven  should  be  formed  before  a  new  church  on  earth  , 
for  the  church  is  internal  and  external,  and  the  internal 
church  makes  one  with  the  church  in  heaven,  and  thus  with 
heaven  ;  and  the  internal  must  be  formed  before  the  exter- 


No.  785.]    NEW  HEAVEN  AND  NEW  CHURCH.  IO47 


nal,  and  the  external  must  afterward  be  formed  cy  means 
of  the  internal ;  that  this  is  so  is  known  among  the  clergy 
in  the  world.  Just  so  far  as  this  new  heaven,  which  con- 
stitutes the  internal  of  the  church  with  man,  grows,  so  far 
does  the  New  Jerusalem,  that  is,  the  New  Church  come 
down  from  that  heaven.  This,  therefore,  cannot  take  place 
in  a  moment,  but  it  takes  place  as  the  falsities  of  the  former 
church  are  removed ;  for  what  is  new  cannot  enter  where 
falsities  have  been  previously  ingenerated,  unless  these  are 
eradicated,  which  will  take  place  with  the  clergy,  and  so 
with  the  laity;  for  the  Lord  said,  Aro  one putteth  new  wine 
into  old  bottles ;  else  the  bottles  break  and  the  wine  rwmcth 
out;  but  they  put  new  wine  into  new  bottles,  and  both  are 
preserved  (Matt,  ix,  17  ;  Mark  ii.  22  j  Luke  v.  37,  38).  That 
these  things  take  place  only  in  the  consummation  of  the 
age,  by  which  is  meant  the  end  of  the  church,  is  evident 
from  these  words  of  the  Lord  :  Jesus  said,  The  kingdom  of 
the  heavens  is  likened  unto  a  man  who  sowed  good  seed  in  his 
field ;  but  while  men  slept,  his  e?iemy  came  and  sowed  tares, 
aiid  went  away ;  but  when  the  blade  was  sprung  up,  thru 
appeared  the  tares  also.  The  servants  came  and  said  unto  him, 
Wilt  thou  that  we  go  and  gather  them  up  ?  But  he  said,  Nay, 
lest  while  ye  gather  up  the  tares  ye  root  up  also  the  ivheat  with 
them  ;  let  both  grow  together  until  the  harvest ;  and  in  the  time 
of  harvest  I  will  say  to  the  reapers,  Gather  ye  together  first 
the  tares,  and  bifid  them  in  bundles  to  burn  ;  but  gather  the 
wheat  into  my  barn.  77ie  harvest  is  the  consummation  of  the 
dge  ;  as  therefore  the  tares  are  gathered  and  burned  in  the  fire, 
so  shall  it  be  in  the  consummation  of  the  age  (Matt.  xiii.  24-30, 
39,  40).  Wheat  here  means  the  truths  and  goods  of  the 
new  church,  and  tares  the  falsities  and  evils  of  the  former 
church.  That  the  consummation  of  the  age  means  the 
end  of  the  church,  may  be  seen  in  the  first  article  of  this 
chapter. 

785.  That  there  is  an  internal  and  an  external  in  every 
thing,  and  that  the  external  depends  on  the  Intern*!  U  thl 


IO48     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIV. 

body  on  its  soul,  is  evident  from  every  single  thing  in  the 
world  when  rightly  considered.  In  man  this  is  manifest  j 
his  whole  body  is  from  his  mind,  and  consequently  in  each 
thing  that  proceeds  from  man  there  is  an  internal  and  an 
external ;  in  every  action  of  his,  there  is  the  mind's  will,  and 
in  all  that  he  says  is  the  mind's  understanding;  so,  too,  in 
each  of  his  senses.  In  every  bird  and  beast,  yes,  in  every 
insect  and  worm,  there  is  an  internal  and  an  external ;  and 
again  in  every  tree,  plant,  and  germ,  and  even  in  every 
stone  and  particle  of  the  ground.  A  few  things  relating  to 
the  silkworm,  the  bee,  and  the  dust,  are  sufficient  to  illus- 
trate this.  The  internal  of  the  silkworm  is  that  whereby  its 
external  is  moved  to  weave  its  cocoon,  and  afterward  to  fly 
forth  as  a  butterfly.  The  internal  of  the  bee  is  that  whereby 
its  external  is  moved  to  suck  the  honey  from  flowers,  and 
to  build  its  cells  in  wonderful  forms.  The  internal  of  a 
particle  of  soil,  whereby  its  external  is  moved,  is  its  en- 
deavor to  fecundate  seeds  ;  it  exhales  from  its  little  bosom 
something  which  introduces  itself  into  the  inmosts  of  a  seed 
and  produces  this  effect ;  and  that  internal  follows  its  vege- 
tation even  to  new  seed.  The  same  takes  place  in  things 
of  opposite  character,  in  which  also  there  is  an  internal  and 
an  external ;  as  in  the  spider,  whose  internal,  whereby  its 
external  is  moved,  is  the  faculty  and  consequent  inclination 
to  construct  its  ingenious  web,  at  the  centre  of  which  it  lies 
in  wait  for  the  flies  that  come  into  it,  which  it  eats.  This 
is  equally  so  with,  every  noxious  worm,  in  every  serpent, 
and  in  every  wild  beast  of  the  forest;  as  also  in  every 
impious,  crafty,  and  deceitful  man. 

X.  This  New  Church  is  the  Crown  of  all  the  Churches 

THAT  HAVE  HITHERTO  EXISTED  ON  EARTH. 

786.  That  four  churches  in  general  have  existed  on  this 
earth  from  the  beginning,  one  before  the  flood,  another 
after  it,  the  Israelitish  church  third,  and  that  called  Chris- 


No.  786.]    NEW  HEAVEN  AND  NEW  CHURCH.  IO49 


tian  fourth,  was  shown  above ;  and  as  all  churches  depend 
on  the  cognition  and  acknowledgment  of  one  God  with 
Whom  the  man  of  the  church  may  be  conjoined,  and  as  all 
the  four  churches  have  not  been  in  that  truth,  it  follows 
that  a  church  is  to  succeed  the  four  which  will  be  in  the 
cognition  and  acknowledgment  of  one  God.  God's  Divine 
Love  had  no  other  end  when  He  created  the  world,  than 
to  conjoin  man  to  Himself  and  Himself  to  man,  and  so 
dwell  with  man.  The  former  churches  were  not  in  this 
truth  ;  because  the  Most  Ancient  Church,  which  was  before 
the  flood,  worshipped  the  invisible  'God,  with  Whom  there 
can  be  no  conjunction  ;  so  also  did  the  Ancient  Church, 
which  existed  after  the  flood ;  the  Israelitish  Church  wor- 
shipped Jehovah,  Who  in  Himself  is  the  invisible  God 
(Ex.  xxxiii.  18-23),  but  under  a  human  form  which  Jehovah 
God  put  on  by  means  of  an  angel,  and  in  which  He  appeared 
to  Moses,  Abraham,  Sarah,  Hagar,  Gideon,  Joshua,  and 
sometimes  to  the  prophets.  And  this  human  form  was 
representative  of  the  Lord  Who  was  to  come ;  and  because 
tin's  was  representative,  therefore  the  things  of  their  church 
were  one  and  all  made  representative.  That  the  sacrifices 
and  all  else  that  belonged  to  their  worship  represented  the 
Lord  Who  was  to  come,  and  that  when  He  came  they  were 
abrogated,  is  well  known.  The  fourth  church,  however, 
which  was  called  the  Christian,  acknowledged  one  God 
indeed  with  the  mouth,  but  in  three  persons,  each  one  of 
whom  singly  or  by  himself  was  God  ;  and  so,  a  divided 
trinity,  and  not  a  Trinity  united  in  one  Person.  Hence  the 
idea  of  three  Gods  adhered  to  the  mind,  although  the  ex- 
pression "One  God"  was  on  their  lips.  Furthermore,  the 
Doctors  of  the  church  from  that  doctrine  of  theirs  which 
they  concocted  after  the  Nicene  Council,  teach  that  men 
must  believe  in  God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and  God  the 
Holy  Spirit,  all  invisible,  because  existent  in  like  Divine 
essence  before  the  world  was  (and  yet,  as  said  above,  with 
an  invisible  God  there  can  be  no  conjunction) ;  not  know- 


IO50     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIV. 


ing  as  yet,  that  the  one  God  Who  is  invisible  came  into  the 
world  and  assumed  the  Human,  not  only  that  He  might 
redeem  men,  but  also  that  He  might  become  visible,  and 
thus  capable  of  conjunction.  For  we  read,  The  Word  was 
with  God  and  the  Word  was  God,  and  the  Word  was 
•made  Flesh  (John  i.  i,  14);  and  in  Isaiah,  Unto  us  a  Child 
is  boi?ii  unto  us  a  Son  is  given,  and  His  name  shall  be  called 
God,  the  Mighty,  Father  of  Eternity  (ix.  6) ;  it  is  also 
frequently  stated  in  the  prophets  that  Jehovah  Himself 
would  come  into  the  world  and  would  be  the  Redeemer, 
which  He  also  became  in  the  Human  which  He  assumed. 

787.  That  this  New  Church  is  the  Crown  of  all  the 
churches  that  have  hitherto  existed  on  earth,  is  because  it 
will  worship  one  visible  God  in  Whom  is  the  invisible,  like 
the  soul  in  the  body.  That  thus  and  not  otherwise  there 
can  be  conjunction  of  God  with  man,  is  because  man  is 
natural  and  hence  thinks  naturally,  and  the  conjunction 
must  be  in  his  thought  and  thus  in  his  love's  affection, 
which  is  the  case  when  he  thinks  of  God  as  man.  Con- 
junction with  an  invisible  God  is  like  the  conjunction  of 
the  eye's  vision  with  the  expanse  of  the  universe,  of  which 
it  sees  no  end ;  it  is  also  like  vision  in  mid-ocean,  which 
falls  upon  air  and  sea  and  is  lost.  But  conjunction  with  a 
visible  God,  on  the  other  hand,  is  like  seeing  a  man  in  the 
air  or  on  the  sea,  spreading  forth  his  hands  and  inviting  to 
his  arms.  For  all  conjunction  of  God  with  man  must  also 
be  a  reciprocal  conjunction  of  man  with  God,  and  there 
cannot  be  this  reciprocation  on  the  other  part  except  with 
a  visible  God.  That  God  was  not  visible  before  the  assump- 
tion of  the  Human,  the  Lord  Himself  also  teaches  in  John : 
Ye  have  neither  heard  the  Father's  voice  at  any  time,  nor  seen 
His  shape  (v.  37)  \  and  in  Moses  it  is  said  that  no  one  can  set 
God  a?id  live  (Ex.  xxxiii.  20).  But  that  He  is  seen  through 
His  Human  is  taught  in  John  :  No  one  hath  seen  God  at  any 
time,  the  Only-begotten  Son  Who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father, 
He  hath  decla?'cd  Hi?n  (i.  18).    And  in  the  same  :  Jesus  said, 


♦ 


No  788.]    NEW  HEAVEN  AND  NEW  CHURCH.  IO51 


I  am  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life.  No  one  cometh  to 
the  Father  but  by  Me.  He  that  knoweth  Me  knoweth  the 
Father,  and  he  that  seeth  Me  seeth  the  Father  (xiv.  6,  7,  9). 
That  there  is  conjunction  with  the  invisible  God  through 
Himself  visible,  that  is,  through  the  Lord,  He  Himself 
teaches  in  these  passages  :  Jesus  said,  Abide  in  Me  and  I 
in  you  ;  he  thai  abideth  in  Me  and  fin  him,  the  same  bringeth 
forth  much  fruit  (xv.  4,  5).  At  that  day  ye  shall  know  that 
T  am  in  My  Father,  and  ye  i?i  Me,  and  I  in  you  (xiv.  20). 
And  the  glo?y  which  Thou  gavest  Me,  I  have  given  the?n,  that 
they  may  be  one,  even  as  we  are  o?ie ;  I  in  them,  attd  Thou  in 
Me  ;  that  the  love  wherewith  Thou  hast  loved  Me  may  be  in 
them,  and  I  in  them  (xvii.  22,  23,  26 ;  see  also  vL  56).  More- 
over, it  is  taught  that  He  and  the  Father  are  one,  and  that 
in  order  to  have  eternal  life  one  must  believe  in  Him. 
That  salvation  depends  on  conjunction  with  God,  has  been 
frequently  shown  above. 

788.  That  this  church  is  to  succeed  those  which  have 
existed  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  that  it  is  to  endure 
for  ages  of  ages,  and  is  thus  to  be  the  crown  of  all  the 
churches  that  have  gone  before  it,  was  prophesied  by  Daniel ; 
first  when  he  narrated  and  explained  to  Nebuchadnezzar 
his  dream  of  the  four  kingdoms  (which  mean  the  four 
churches  represented  by  the  statue  that  he  saw),  saying  t 
///  the  days  of  these  the  God  of  the  heavens  shall  cause  a  king- 
dom to  arise  which  shall  not  perish  for  ages  ;  it  shall  consume 
all  these  kingdoms,  but  it  shall  stand  for  ages  (ii.  44)  j  and  it  is 
said  that  this  should  be  done  by  a  stone  becoming  a  great  rock 
and filing  all  the  earth  (verse  35).  By  a  rock  in  the  Word  is 
meant  the  Lord  as  to  Divine  truth.  And  the  same  prophet 
says  in  another  place  :  I  saw  in  the  visions  of  the  night,  and 
behold,  there  was  One  like  the  Son  of  Man  coming  with  the 
clouds  of  heaven  ;  and  to  Him  was  g/rcu  dominion,  and  glory, 
and'kingdom  ;  and  all  peoples,  nations,  and  tongues  shall  wor- 
ship Him ;  His  dominion  is  the  dominion  of  an  age  which 
shall  not  pass  away,  and  His  kingdom  that  which  shall  not 


IO52     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIV. 


perish  (vii.  13,  14).  And  this  he  says  after  seeing  the  four 
great  beasts  coming  up  out  of  the  sea  (verse  3),  which 
beasts  also  represented  the  four  former  churches.  That 
these  things  were  said  by  Daniel  prophetically  respecting 
this  time,  is  evident  from  his  words  in  chapter  xii.  4,  as 
also  from  the  Lord's  words  in  Matthew  xxiv.  15,  30. 
Similar  things  are  said  in  the  Apocalypse  :  The  seventh 
angel  sounded ;  theft  there  were  great  voices  out  of  heaven 
sayings  The  kingdoms  [of  the  world  are  become  the  kingdoms'] 
of  our  Lord  and  of  His  Christ,  and  He  shall  reign  for  ages 
of  ages  (xi.  15). 

789.  Furthermore,  the  other  prophets  made  predictions 
in  many  passages  respecting  this  church,  and  of  what  its 
character  will  be  ;  from  which  these  few  will  be  adduced. 
In  Zechariah  :  //  shall  be  one  day,  which  shall  be  know?i  to 
yehovah,  not  day  nor  night,  for  at  evening-time  it  shall  be 
light.  And  it  shall  be  in  that  day  that  living  waters  shall  go 
out  fro?n  yerusalem ;  and  yehovah  shall  be  Ki?ig  over  all 
the  earth ;  in  that  day  shall  yehovah  be  one,  a?id  His  na?ne 
one  (xiv.  7-9).  In  Joel :  It  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day  that 
the  mountains  shall  drop  down  new  wine,  a?id  the  hills  shall 
flow  with  milk  ;  and  yerusale?n  shall  abide  from  generation 
to  generation  (iii.  18,  20).  In  Jeremiah:  At  that  time  they 
shall  call  yerusalem  the  throne  of  yehovah,  a?id  all  nations 
shall  be  gathered  together  at  yencsalem  to  the  name  of  yeho- 
vah, neither  shall  they  walk  any  more  after  the  imagination 
of  their  evil  heart  (iii.  17  ;  see  also  Apoc.  xxi.  24,  26).  In 
Isaiah  :  Thine  eyes  shall  see  yerusalem  a  quiet  habitation, 
a  tabernacle  that  shall  not  be  taken  down  ;  the  stakes  thereof 
shall  never  be  removed,  neither  shall  the  cords  thereof  be  broken 
(xxxiii.  20).  In  these  passages  Jerusalem  means  the  holy 
New  Jerusalem  described  in  the  Apocalypse  (xxi.),  by 
which  is  meant  the  New  Church.  Again  in  Isaiah  :  There 
shall  come  forth  a  Rod  out  of  the  stem  of  ycsse,  and  righteous- 
ness shall  be  the  girdle  of  His  loins,  and  truth  the  girdle  of 
His  thighs ;  wherefore  the  7colf  shall  dwell  with  the  lamb, 


No.  790.]    NEW  HEAVEN  AND  NEW  CHURCH.  1053 


and  the  leopard  shall  lie  down  with  the  kid,  the  calf  and  the 
young  lion  and  the  fatling  together,  and  a  little  child  shall 
lead  them  ;  the  cow  and  the  bear  shall  feed,  their  young  ones 
shall  lie  down  together  ;  and  the  sucking  child  shall  play  on 
the  hole  of  the  asp,  and  the  weaned  child  shall  put  his  hand 
on  the  cockatrice'  deft ;  they  shall  not  do  evil  nor  corrupt  them- 
selves in  all  the  mountain  of  My  holiness  ;  for  the  earth  shall 
be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  Jehovah.  And  it  shall  come  to 
pass  in  that  day  that  the  ?iations  shall  seek  the  Root  of  Jesse, 
which  standeth  for  an  ensign  of  the  people,  and  His  rest  shall 
be  glory  (xi.  1,  5-10).  That  such  things  have  not  yet  had 
existence  in  the  churches,  least  of  all  in  the  last,  is  known. 
In  Jeremiah :  Behold  the  days  come  i?i  which  I  will  make 
a  new  covena?it ;  and  this  shall  be  the  covena?it,  I  will  put  My 
law  in  the  midst  of  them  and  write  it  upoii  the  heart,  and  will 
be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  My  people  ;  they  shall  all  know 
Me,  from  the  least  of  them  unto  the  greatest  of  them  (xxxi.  31- 
34 ;  Apoc.  xxi.  3).  That  these  things  have  not  hitherto 
been  in  the  churches,  is  also  known.  This  has  been  be- 
cause men  have  not  approached  the  visible  God  Whom  all 
shall  know,  and  because  He  is  the  Word  or  the  Law  which 
He  will  put  in  the  midst  of  them  and  write  upon  the  heart. 
In  Isaiah  :  For  Jerusalem^  sake  I  will  not  rest,  until  the 
righteousness  thereof  go  forth  as  brightness,  and  the  salvation 
thereof  as  a  lamp  that  burnetii  ;  and  thou  shalt  be  called 
by  a  new  name  which  the  mouth  of  Jehovah  shall  71a  vie. 
Thou  shalt  also  be  a  crown  of  glory,  and  a  royal  diadem 
in  the  hand  of  thy  God  ;  Jehovah  shall  delight  in  //ire,  and 
thy  land  shall  be  married.  Behold  thy  Salvation  comcth  ; 
behold  His  reward  is  with  Him  ;  and  they  shall  call  them  the 
people  of  holiness,  the  redee?ned  of  Jehovah  ;  and  tliou  shalt 
be  called  a  city  sought  out,  and  not  forsaken  (lxii.  1-4, 
11,  12). 

790.  What  the  quality  of  this  church  is  to  be,  is  fully 
described  in  the  Apocalypse,  where  the  end  of  the  former 
church  and  the  rise  of  the  new  are  treated  of.    This  New 


[054     THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [Chap.  XIV. 


Church  is  described  by  the  New  Jerusalem,  by  its  magnifi- 
cent things,  and  that  it  is  to  be  the  Bride  and  Wife  of  the 
Lamb  (xix.  7  ;  xxi.  2,  9).  In  addition  I  will  take  only  the 
following  from  the  Apocalypse.  When  the  New  Jerusalem 
was  seen  to  descend  from  heaven,  it  is  said  :  Behold  the 
tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  He  will  dwell  with  them, 
and  they  shall  be  His  people,  and  God  Himself  shall  be  with 
them,  their  God.  And  the  nations  of  them  that  are  saved 
shall  walk  in  the  light  of  it,  and  there  shall  be  110  night 
there.  I  yesns  have  sent  Mine  angel  to  testify  unto  you  these 
things  in  the  churches.  I  am  the  Root  and  the  Offspring  of 
David,  the  bright  and  morning  Star.  And  the  Spirit  and 
the  Bride  say,  Come;  and  let  him  that  heareth  say,  Co?ne ; 
and  let  him  that  is  athirst  come  ;  a?id  whosoever  will,  let  hi7n 
take  the  water  of  life  freely.  Even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus. 
Amen.  (xxi.  3,  24,  25  ;  xxii.  16,  17,  20). 


A  Memorandum. 

791.  After  this  work  was  finished  the  Lord  called  to- 
gether His  twelve  disciples  who  followed  Him  in  the 
world ;  and  the  next  day  He  sent  them  all  forth  into  the 
whole  Spiritual  World  to  preach  the  Gospel  that  the  Lord 
God  Jesus  Christ  reigns,  Whose  kingdom  shall  be  for 
ages  of  ages,  according  to  the  prediction  by  Daniel  (vii. 
13,  14),  and  in  the  Apocalypse  (xi.  15)  ;  and  that  blessed 
are  they  who  come  unto  the  marriage  supper  of  the  La?nb 
(Apoc.  xix.  9).  This  took  place  on  the  nineteenth  day  of 
June,  in  the  year  1770.  This  is  what  is  meant  by  these 
words  of  the  Lord  :  He  will  send  His  angels,  and  they  shall 
gather  together  His  elect  from  one  end  of  the  heavens  even  to 
the  other  (Matt.  xxiv.  31). 


SUPPLEMENT. 


CONCERNING  THE  SPIRITUAL  WORLD. 

792.  The  spiritual  world  has  been  treated  of  in  a  special 
work  concerning  "  Heaven  and  Hell,"  in  which  many  things 
belonging  to  that  world  are  described ;  and  because  every 
man  enters  into  that  world  after  death,  the  state  of  men 
there  is  also  described.  Who  does  not  know,  or  may  not 
know,  that  man  lives  after  death,  because  he  is  born  a  man, 
created  an  image  of  God,  and  because  the  Lord  teaches  it 
in  His  Word  ?  But  what  the  character  of  his  life  is  to  be, 
has  been  hitherto  unknown.  It  has  been  believed  that  he 
would  then  be  a  soul  j  and  of  this  men  have  entertained 
no  other  idea  than  that  of  ether  or  air,  regarding  it  thus  as 
a  breath,  such  as  man  breathes  from  his  mouth  when  he 
dies,  in  which,  however,  his  vitality  resides  ;  regarding  it 
also  as  without  sight  like  that  of  the  eye,  without  hearing 
like  that  of  the  ear,  and  without  speech  like  that  of  the 
mouth;  when  yet,  man  after  death  is  none  the  less  a  man, 
and  such  a  man  as  not  to  know  that  he  is  not  still  in  the 
former  world ;  he  sees,  hears,  and  speaks  as  in  the  former 
world ;  he  walks,  runs,  and  sits  as  in  the  former  world ;  he 
lies  down,  sleeps,  and  awakes  as  in  the  former  world ;  he 
eats  and  drinks  as  in  the  former  world  ;  he  enjoys  conjugial 
delight  as  in  the  former  world ;  in  a  word,  he  is  a  man  in  all 
things  and  in  every  particular.  From  which  it  is  manifest 
that  death  is  not  the  extinction  of  life,  but  its  continuation, 
and  that  it  is  only  a  passage  across. 

793.  That  man  is  as  much  a  man  after  death  as  before, 
although  he  does  not  then  appear  to  the  eyes  of  the  material 
body,  may  be  evident  from  the  angels  seen  by  Abraham, 


IO56         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [No.  794. 

Hagar,  Gideon,  Daniel,  and  some  of  the  prophets,  from  the 
angels  seen  in  the  Lord's  sepulchre,  and  many  times  after- 
ward by  John  (concerning  whom  in  the  Apocalypse),  and 
especially  from  the  Lord  Himself,  Who  showed  by  touch 
and  by  eating  that  He  was  a  Man,  and  yet  became  invisible 
to  the  eyes  of  His  disciples.  Who  can  be  so  crazy  as  not 
to  acknowledge  •  that  although  invisible  He  was  just  as 
much  a  Man  ?  He  was  seen  because  the  eyes  of  the  spirit 
were  opened  with  them  who  saw  Him  ;  and  when  these  are 
opened,  the  things  that  are  in  the  spiritual  world  appear  as 
clearly  as  those  which  are  in  the  natural  world.  The  differ- 
ence between  man  in  the  natural  world  and  man  in  the 
spiritual  world  is,  that  the  latter  is  clothed  with  a  substan- 
tial body,  but  the  former  with  a  material  body,  in  which 
inwardly  is  his  substantial  body  •  and  the  substantial  man 
sees  the  substantial  man  just  as  clearly  as  the  material  man 
sees  the  material.  But  the  substantial  man  cannot  see  the 
material  man,  nor  the  material  man  the  substantial,  owing 
to  the  difference  between  what  is  material  and  what  is  sub- 
stantial, the  nature  of  which  difference  may  be  described, 
but  not  in  few  words. 

794.  From  what  I  have  seen  for  so  many  years  I  can 
relate  the  following :  In  the  spiritual  world  there  are  lands 
just  as  in  the  natural  world,  and  there  are  plains  and  val- 
leys, mountains  and  hills,  as  also  springs  and  rivers ;  there 
are  paradises,  gardens,  groves,  and  forests  ;  there  are  cities, 
with  palaces  and  houses  in  them ;  there  are  writings  and 
books  j  there  are  employments  and  business ;  there  are 
gold,  silver,  and  precious  stones ;  in  a  word,  there  are  all 
things  whatever  that  there  are  in  the  natural  world ;  but 
the  things  in  heaven  are  more  perfect  beyond  measure. 
But  the  difference  is,  that  all  things  which  are  seen  in  the 
spiritual  world  are  instantaneously  created  by  the  Lord,  as 
houses,  paradises,  food,  and  the  rest;  and  that  they  are 
created  in  correspondence  with  the  interiors  of  angels  and 
spirits,  which  are  their  affections  and  the  thoughts  there- 


No.  796.] 


LUTHER. 


IO57 


from  j  while  all  things  that  are  seen  in  the  natural  world 
exist  and  grow  from  seed. 

795.  This  being  the  case,  and  as  I  have  there  been  in 
daily  conversation  with  the  nations  and  peoples  of  this 
world,  thus  not  only  with  those  who  are  in  Europe,  but 
also  with  those  who  are  in  Asia  and  Africa,  thus  with  those 
of  different  religions,  as  a  conclusion  to  this  work  I  will 
add  a  brief  description  of  the  state  of  some  of  them.  It  is 
to  be  held  in  mind  that  in  the  spiritual  world  the  state  of 
every  nation  and  people  in  general,  as  well  as  of  individuals 
severally,  is  according  to  their  acknowledgment  of  God  and 
their  worship  of  Him ;  and  that  all  who  in  heart  acknowl- 
edge God,  and  henceforth  all  who  acknowledge  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  as  God,  Redeemer  and  Saviour,  are  in  heaven  ; 
that  they  who  do  not  acknowledge  Him,  are  beneath  heaven, 
and  are  there  instructed ;  that  they  who  receive  are  raised 
up  into  heaven,  and  that  they  who  do  not  are  cast  down 
into  hell.  Among  the  latter  come  those  also  who,  like  the 
Socinians,  have  approached  God  the  Father  only,  and  who, 
like  the  Arians,  have  denied  the  Divinity  of  the  Lord's 
Human.  For  the  Lord  said,  I  am  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and 
the  Life ;  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  Me :  and  to 
Philip  who  wished  to  see  the  Father,  He  said  that  he  who 
seeth  and  knoweth  Him  seeth  and  knoweth  the  Father 
(John  xiv.  6-9). 

I.  Concerning  Luther,  Melancthon,  and  Calvin  in 

THE  SPIRITUAL  WORLD. 

796.  I  have  frequently  conversed  with  these  three  cham- 
pions, Reformers  of  the  Christian  Church,  and  have  thus 
been  instructed  as  to  what  has  been  the  state  of  their  life, 
from  the  beginning  to  the  present  time.  As  regards 
Luther  :  From  the  time  when  he  first  entered  the  spirit- 
ual world,  he  was  a  most  vehement  propagator  and  de- 
fender of  his  dogmas,  and  his  zeal  for  them  grew  as  the 

VOL.  III.  10 


IO58         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [No.  796. 

multitude  increased  of  those  coming  from  the  earth  who 
agreed  with  and  favored  him.  A  house  was  given  him 
there,  such  as  he  had  had  in  the  life  of  the  body  at  Eisle- 
ben  ;  and  there  in  its  midst  he  erected  a  sort  of  throne 
somewhat  elevated,  where  he  sat.  He  admitted  hearers 
through  the  open  door,  and  arranged  them  in  classes  ;  to 
the  class  nearest  himself  he  invited  those  who  were  the 
more  favorable,  behind  those  he  placed  those  less  favor- 
able, and  then  he  spoke  right  on,  occasionally  permitting 
questions,  in  order  that  he  might  from  some  new  point 
take  up  the  thread  of  the  discourse  that  was  ended. 
Owing  to  this  general  favor,  he  at  length  became  imbued 
with  the  power  of  persuasion,  which  is  so  effective  in  the 
spiritual  world  that  no  one  can  resist  it  or  speak  against 
what  is  said.  But  as  this  was  a  kind  of  incantation  used 
by  the  ancients,  he  was  strictly  forbidden  to  speak  from 
that  persuasive  power  any  more  j  and  thereafter,  as  be- 
fore, he  taught  from  the  memory  and  the  understanding 
together.  This  persuasion,  which  is  a  kind  of  incantation, 
springs  from  the  love  of  self ;  and  from  this  it  at  length 
becomes  such  that  when  any  one  contradicts,  it  not  only 
attacks  the  matter  of  the  question  that  is  made,  but  the  per- 
son [making  it].  This  was  the  state  of  Luther's  life  up  to 
the  time  of  the  Last  Judgment,  which  took  place  in  the 
spiritual  world  in  the  year  1757;  but  a  year  after  that,  he 
was  brought  from  his  first  house  to  another,  and  then  at 
the  same  time  into  a  different  state.  And  because  he 
heard  here  that  I,  who  am  in  the  natural  world,  spoke  with 
those  in  the  spiritual  world,  he  among  others  came  to  me ; 
and  after  some  inquiries  and  answers,  he  perceived  that 
there  is  at  this  day  an  end  of  the  former  church  and  the 
beginning  of  the  New  Church,  of  which  Daniel  prophe- 
sied, and  which  the  Lord  Himself  foretold  in  the  Evange- 
lists ;  he  also  perceived  that  this  New  Church  is  meant  by 
the  New  Jerusalem  in  the  Apocalypse,  and  by  the  ever- 
lasting Gospel  which  the  angel  flying  in  the  midst  of 


No.  796.] 


LUTHER. 


IO59 


heaven  preached  unto  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  (Apoc. 
xiv.  6).  He  became  exceedingly  indignant  and  scolded 
away.  But  as  he  perceived  that  the  New  Heaven  [in- 
creased] (which  was  formed  and  is  still  forming  of  those 
who  acknowledge  the  Lord  alone  as  the  God  of  heaven 
and  earth,  according  to  His  words  in  Matthew,  xxviii.  18), 
and  as  he  observed  that  the  number  of  those  who  resorted 
to  him  daily  diminished,  his  scolding  stopped  ;  and  then 
he  came  nearer  to  me,  and  began  to  talk  with  me  more 
familiarly.  And  when  he  was  convinced  that  he  had  not 
taken  his  principal  dogma  of  justification  by  faith  alone 
from  the  Word,  but  from  his  own  intelligence,  he  suffered 
himself  to  be  instructed  respecting  the  Lord,  charity,  true 
faith,  free-will,  and  redemption  also,  and  this  solely  from 
the  Word.  At  length,  after  being  convinced,  he  began  to 
favor  more  and  more  those  truths  from  which  the  New 
Church  is  made  to  stand  firm,  and  afterward  to  confirm 
himself  in  them  more  and  more.  At  this  time  he  was  with 
me  daily ;  and  then,  as  often  as  he  gathered  these  truths 
together,  he  began  to  laugh  at  his  former  dogmas  as  being 
diametrically  opposed  to  the  Word.  And  I  heard  him 
say,  "  Do  not  wonder  that  I  seized  upon  faith  alone  as 
justifying,  excluding  charity  from  its  spiritual  essence,  also 
taking  away  from  men  all  free-will  in  things  spiritual,  and 
holding  many  other  things  that  depend  on  faith  alone  once 
accepted,  as  links  on  a  chain,  inasmuch  as  my  end  was  to 
break  away  from  the  Roman  Catholics,  and  this  end  I 
could  not  otherwise  follow  out  and  attain.  I  therefore 
do  not  wonder  that  I  erred,  but  I  do  wonder  that  one 
crazy  man  could  make  so  many  others  crazy  (and  he 
looked  at  sjine  dogmatical  writers  at  his  side,  men  of 
celebrity  in  his  time,  faithful  followers  of  his  doctrine),  so 
that  they  did  not  see  in  the  Sacred  Scripture  things  on  the 
other  side,  which  nevertheless  are  very  manifest."  It  was 
told  me  by  the  examining  angels  that  this  leader  was  in  a 
state  of  conversion  above  many  others  who  confirmed  them- 


1060         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    iNo.  797. 

selves  in  justification  by  faith  alone,  because  in  his  child- 
hood, before  he  entered  on  the  reformation,  he  was  imbued 
with  the  dogma  of  the  pre-eminence  of  charity ;  for  which 
reason  also,  both  in  his  writings  and  in  his  discourses,  he 
taught  of  charity  so  excellently ;  and  it  resulted  from  this 
that  the  faith  of  justification  with  him  was  implanted  in  his 
external  natural  man,  but  was  not  enrooted  in  his  internal 
spiritual  man.  The  case  is  different,  however,  with  those  who 
in  their  childhood  confirm  themselves  against  the  spiritual- 
ity of  charity,  which  is  also  done  of  itself  while  by  confir- 
mations they  are  establishing  justification  by  faith  alone. 
I  have  conversed  with  the  prince  of  Saxony  with  whom 
Luther  had  been  associated  in  the  world ;  he  told  me  that 
he  often  reproved  Luther,  especially  for  separating  charity 
from  faith,  and  declaring  faith  to  be  saving  and  not  charity, 
when,  nevertheless,  not  only  does  the  Sacred  Scripture 
join  together  those  two  universal  means  of  salvation,  but 
Paul  even  sets  charity  above  faith  when  he  says  that  there 
are  the  three,  faith,  hope,  and  charity,  and  that  the  greatest  of 
these  is  charity  (1  Cor.  xiii.  13) ;  but  he  added  that  Luther 
as  often  replied  that  he  could  not  do  otherwise  because  of 
the  Roman  Catholics.    This  prince  is  among  the  happy. 

797.  As  regards  Melancthon  :  Concerning  his  lot,  what 
it  was  when  he  first  entered  the  spiritual  world,  and  what 
was  its  character  afterward,  it  has  been  granted  me  to 
know  many  things,  not  only  from  the  angels  but  also  from 
himself;  for  I  have  conversed  with  him  several  times,  but 
not  so  often  as  with  Luther,  nor  so  near  to  him.  I  have 
not  conversed  with  him  so  often  or  so  near,  because  he 
could  not  approach  me  as  Luther  did,  inasmuch  as  he 
spent  his  study  on  justification  by  faith  alone  so  fully,  and 
not  on  charity ;  and  I  was  surrounded  by  angelic  spirits 
who  are  in  charity,  and  they  were  in  the  way  of  his  ap- 
proach to  me.  I  have  heard  that  when  he  first  entered 
the  spiritual  world,  a  house  was  prepared  for  him  like  that 
in  which  he  had  lived  in  the  world.    This  also  is  done  with 


No.  797.] 


MELANCTHON. 


I06l 


the  most  of  new-comers,  owing  to  which  they  do  not  know 
that  they  are  not  still  in  the  natural  world,  and  the  time 
which  has  passed  since  their  death  seems  to  them  merely  as 
sleep.  The  things  in  his  room,  also,  were  all  like  those  he  had 
before,  a  similar  table,  a  similar  desk  with  compartments, 
nnd  also  a  similar  library ;  so  that  as  soon  as  he  came  to  it 
as  if  he  had  just  awakened  from  sleep,  he  seated  himself  at 
the  table  and  continued  his  writing,  and  this  on  the  subject 
of  justification  by  faith  alone,  and  so  on  for  several  days, 
and  writing  nothing  whatever  concerning  charity.  As  the 
angels  perceived  this,  he  was  asked  through  messengers 
why  he  did  not  write  about  charity  also.  He  replied  that 
there  was  nothing  of  the  church  in  charity,  for  if  that  were 
to  be  received  as  in  any  way  an  essential  attribute  of  the 
church,  man  would  also  ascribe  to  himself  the  merit  of 
justification  and  consequently  of  salvation,  and  so  also  he 
would  rob  faith  of  its  spiritual  essence.  When  the  angels 
who  were  over  his  head  perceived  this,  and  when  the  angels 
who  were  associated  with  him  while  he  was  outside  of  his 
house  heard  it,  they  withdrew  ;  for  angels  are  associated 
with  every  new-comer  at  the  beginning.  A  few  weeks 
after  this,  the  things  which  he  used  in  his  room  began  to 
be  obscured,  and  at  length  to  disappear,  until  at  last  there 
was  nothing  left  there  but  the  table,  paper  and  inkstand  ; 
and,  moreover,  the  walls  of  his  room  seemed  to  be  plas- 
tered with  lime,  and  the  floor  to  be  covered  with  a  yellow, 
biick-like  material,  and  he  himself  seemed  to  be  more 
coarsely  clad.  When  he  wondered  at  this,  and  inquired 
of  those  around  him  why  it  was,  he  was  answered  that  it 
was  because  he  removed  charity  from  the  church,  which 
v.  as  nevertheless,  its  heart.  But  as  he  so  often  contra- 
dicted this,  and  continued  to  write  about  faith  as  the  one 
only  essential  of  the  church,  and  the  means  of  salvation, 
and  to  remove  charity  more  and  more,  he  suddenly  seemed 
to  himself  to  be  under  ground  in  a  sort  of  work-house, 
where  there  were  others  like  him.    And  when  he  wished 


1062 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  797. 


to  go  out  he  was  detained,  and  it  was  announced  to  him 
that  no  other  lot  awaits  those  who  thrust  charity  and  good 
works  outside  of  the  doors  of  the  church.  But  inasmuch  as 
he  was  one  of  the  Reformers  of  the  church,  he  was  taken  out, 
and  sent  back  to  his  former  chamber,  where  there  was  noth- 
ing but  the  table,  paper,  and  inkstand.  But  still,  owing  to 
his  confirmed  ideas,  he  bedaubed  the  paper  with  the  same 
error,  so  that  he  could  not  be  kept  from  being  alternately 
let  down  to  his  captive  fellows  and  sent  back  again.  When 
sent  back,  he  appeared  clad  in  a  hairy  skin,  because  faith 
without  charity  is  cold.  He  told  me  himself  that  there 
was  another  room  adjoining  his  own  in  the  rear,  in  which 
there  were  three  tables,  at  which  sat  men  like  himself,  who 
also  cast  charity  into  exile,  and  that  a  fourth  table  also 
sometimes  appeared  there,  on  which  were  seen  monstrous 
things  in  various  forms,  by  which,  however,  they  were  not 
frightened  from  their  work.  He  said  that  he  conversed 
with  them,  and  was  confirmed  by  them  day  by  day.  But 
after  some  time,  smitten  with  fear- he  began  to  write  some- 
thing about  charity ;  but  what  he  wrote  on  the  paper  one 
day,  he  did  not  see  the  next ;  for  this  happens  to  every 
one  there  when  he  commits  any  thing  to  paper  from  the 
external  man  only,  and  not  at  the  same  time  from  the  in- 
ternal, thus  from  compulsion  and  not  from  freedom  j  it  is 
obliterated  of  itself.  But  after  the  New  Heaven  began  to 
be  established  by  the  Lord,  from  the  light  out  of  this 
heaven  he  began  to  think  that  perhaps  he  might  be  in 
error ;  therefore  owing  to  anxiety  on  account  of  his  lot,  he 
felt  impressed  upon  him  some  interior  ideas  respecting 
charity.  In  this  state  he  consulted  the  Word,  and  then 
his  eyes  were  opened,  and  he  saw  that  it  was  all  filled  with 
Love  to  God  and  love  toward  the  neighbor,  so  that 
it  was  as  the  Lord  says,  that  on  these  two  commandments 
hang  the  law  and  the  prophets,  that  is,  the  whole  Word. 
From  this  time  he  was  transferred  interiorly  into  the  south, 
towards  the  west,  and  so  to  another  house,  from  which  he 


No.  79S.] 


CALVIN. 


conversed  with  me,  saying  that  now  his  writing  concerning 
charity  did  not  vanish  as  before,  but  appeared  obscurely 
the  next  day.  I  have  wondered  at  this,  that  when  he 
walks  his  steps  have  a  thumping  sound,  like  the  steps  of 
those  who  walk  with  iron  heels  on  a  stone  pavement.  To 
this  must  be  added  that  when  any  novitiates  from  the 
world  entered  his  room  to  talk  with  him  and  to  see  him, 
he  called  one  of  the  spirits  given  to  magic,  who  by  fantasy 
could  produce  various  beautiful  shapes,  and  who  then  ad- 
orned his  room  with  ornaments  and  flowered  tapestry,  and 
also  with  what  seemed  to  be  a  library  in  the  centre.  But 
as  soon  as  the  visitors  were  gone,  these  shapes  vanished, 
and  the  former  plastering  and  emptiness  returned,  but 
this  was  when  he  was  in  the  former  state. 

798.  Of  Calvin  I  have  heard  the  following  :  1.  When 
he  first  entered  the  spiritual  world,  he  fully  believed  that 
he  was  still  in  the  world  where  he  was  born  ;  and  although 
he  heard  from  the  angels  who  were  associated  with  him 
at  the  beginning  that  he  was  now  in  their  world  and  not 
in  his  former  world,  he  said,  "  I  have  the  same  body,  the 
same  hands,  and  similar  senses."  But  the  angels  instructed 
him  that  he  was  now  in  a  substantial  body,  and  that  before 
he  was  not  only  in  this  but  also  in  a  material  body  which 
invested  the  substantial  ;  and  that  the  material  body  had 
been  cast  off,  while  the  substantial  body,  from  which  a  man 
is  man,  still  remained.  At  first  he  understood  this  ;  but  the 
next  day  he  returned  to  his  former  belief,  that  he  was  still  in 
the  world  where  he  was  born.  This  was  because  he  was 
a  sensual  man,  believing  nothing  that  he  could  not  derive 
from  the  objects  of  the  senses  of  the  body  ;  it  resulted  from 
this  that  he  drew  all  the  dogmas  of  his  faith  as  conclusions 
from  his  own  intelligence  and  not  from  the  Word.  His 
quoting  the  Word  was  for  the  purpose  of  winning  the 
assent  of  the  common  people.  2.  After  this  first  period, 
having  left  the  angels  he  wandered  about  inquiring  for 
those  who  in  ancient  times  believed  in  Predestination  ;  and 


IO64         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  798. 


he  was  told  that  they  were  removed  from  that  place,  and 
shut  up,  and  covered  over;  and  that  there  was  no  way 
open  to  them  except  on  the  back  side  under  ground  ;  but 
yet  that  the  disciples  of  Godoschalcus  still  go  about  freely, 
and  sometimes  congregate  in  a  place  called  in  spiritual 
language,  Pyris.  And  as  he  earnestly  desired  their  com- 
pany, he  was  conducted  to  an  assembly  where  some  of 
them  were  standing ;  and  when  he  came  among  them  he 
was  in  his  heart's  enjoyment,  and  bound  himself  to  them 
in  interior  friendship.  3.  But  after  the  followers  of  Godos- 
chalcus were  led  away  to  their  brethren  in  the  cavern,  he 
became  weary ;  he  therefore  sought  here  and  there  for  an 
asylum,  and  was  at  last  received  into  a  certain  society  where 
they  were  merely  simple-minded,  with  some  among  them 
who  were  religious  also ;  and  when  he  saw  that  they  knew 
nothing  about  predestination,  and  were  not  able  to  under- 
stand any  thing  about  it,  he  betook  himself  to  one  corner 
of  the  society,  and  there  he  concealed  himself  for  a  long 
time  ;  nor  did  he  open  his  mouth  on  any  church  matter. 
This  was  so  provided,  in  order  that  he  might  recede  from 
his  error  respecting  predestination,  and  that  the  ranks  of 
those  who  after  the  Synod  of  Dort  adhered  to  that  detes- 
table heresy,  might  be  filled  up ;  and  these  were  all  sent  in 
their  order  into  the  cavern,  to  their  fellows.  4.  At  length 
when  it  was  asked  by  the  modern  Predestinarians,  "  Where 
is  Calvin  ?  "  after  a  search  for  him,  he  was  found  on  the 
confines  of  a  society  consisting  merely  of  the  simple-minded. 
He  was  therefore  called  forth  from  it,  and  conducted  to  a 
certain  governor  who  had  swallowed  similar  dregs.  This 
governor  therefore  received  him  into  his  house  and  guarded 
him,  and  this  until  the  New  Heaven  began  to  be  estab- 
lished by  the  Lord  ;  and  then,  as  his  guardian  governor 
was  cast  out  together  with  his  band,  Calvin  betook  himself 
to  a  certain  house  of  ill-repute,  and  stayed  there  for  some 
time.  5.  And  as  he  then  enjoyed  the  liberty  of  wander- 
ing about,  and  also  of  coming  nearer  to  the  place  where  J 


No.  798.] 


CALVIN. 


IO65 


was  stopping,  it  was  granted  me  to  converse  with  him  ;  and 
to  speak  first  concerning  the  New  Heaven  which  at  this 
day  is  forming  of  those  who  acknowledge  the  Lord  alone 
as  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  according  to  His  words  in 
Matthew  (xxviii.  18);  and  to  say  that  these  believe  that 
He  and  the  Father  are  one  (John  x.  30),  that  He  is  in  the 
Father  and  the  Father  in  Him,  and  that  he  that  seeth  and 
knoweth  Him,  seeth  and  knoweth  the  Father  (xiv.  6-1 1), 
and  thus  that  there  is  one  God  in  the  church  as  in  heaven. 
At  first  when  I  said  this,  he  was  silent,  as  usual ;  but  after 
half  an  hour  he  broke  the  silence  and  said  :  "  Was  not 
Christ  a  man,  the  son  of  Mary  who  was  married  to  Joseph  ? 
Flow  can  a  man  be  adored  as  God  ? "  And  I  said,  "  Is 
not  Jesus  Christ  our  Redeemer  and  Saviour  God  and 
Man  ?  "  To  which  he  replied,  "  He  is  God  and  man ; 
nevertheless  the  Divinity  is  not  His,  but  the  Father's."  I 
asked,  "  Where  then  is  Christ  ?  "  He  answered,  "  In  the 
lowest  parts  of  heaven  ; "  and  he  confirmed  this  by  His 
humiliation  before  the  Father,  and  by  His  suffering  Him- 
self to  be  crucified.  To  this  he  added  some  witty  remarks 
directed  against  His  worship,  that  stole  from  the  world 
into  his  memory,  the  sum  of  which  was,  that  the  worship 
of  Him  was  nothing  but  idolatry,  and  he  wished  to  add 
things  unfit  to  be  spoken  about  that  worship  j  but  the  angels 
who  were  with  me  shut  his  lips.  But  from  a  zeal  to  con- 
vert him,  I  said  that  the  Lord  our  Saviour  is  not  only 
God  and  Man,  but  that  in  Him,  moreover,  God  is  Man 
and  Man  is  God.  And  I  confirmed  this  by  Paul's  saying 
that  in  Him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  (or 
Divinity)  bodily  (Col.  ii.  9)  ;  and  also  from  John,  that  He 
is  the  true  God  and  Eternal  Life  (1  Epistle,  v.  20)  ;  and 
also  from  these  words  of  the  Lord  Himself,  that  it  is  the 
will  of  the  Father  that  whosoever  believeth  on  the  Son 
hath  eternal  life,  and  that  he  who  believeth  not  shall  not 
see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him  (John  iii.  36  ; 
vi.  40);  and  furthermore  by  the  declaration  in  the  confes- 

10* 


1066         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  798 

sion  of  faith  that  is  called  the  Athanasian,  that  in  Christ, 
God  and  Man  are  not  two  but  one,  and  are  in  one  Person, 
like  the  soul  and  the  body  in  man.  Hearing  this,  he  re- 
plied :  "  What  are  all  those  things  which  you  have  brought 
forward  from  the  Word  but  empty  sounds  ?  Is  not  the 
Word  the  book  of  all  heresies,  and  so  like  the  weather-cocks 
on  houses  and  ships,  which  turn  every  way  according  to  the 
wind  ?  It  is  Predestination  alone  that  determines  all  things 
of  religion ;  this  is  their  habitation  and  their  tabernacle  of 
co  igregation  \  and  faith,  through  which  justification  and 
salvation  are  effected,  is  the  shrine  and  sanctuary  there. 
Has  any  man  free-will  in  spiritual  things  ?  Are  not  all 
things  of  salvation  a  free  gift?  Arguments  therefore  in 
opposition  to  these  things,  and  so  against  predestination,  I 
listen  to  and  regard  only  as  I  do  eructations  from  the 
stomach  or  the  rumbling  of  the  bowels.  And  as  all  this 
is  so,  I  have  thought  to  myself  that  a  temple  where  they 
teach  about  any  thing  else,  and  from  the  Word,  with  the 
crowd  there  congregated,  is  like  a  pen  of  beasts  containing 
both  sheep  and  wolves  together,  but  the  wolves  are  muzzled 
by  civil  laws  of  justice  lest  they  should  attack  the  sheep 
(by  the  sheep  I  mean  the  predestined)  ;  and  I  have  thought 
that  the  prayer-like  preaching  there,  is  then  only  so  much 
hiccoughing.  But  I  will  give  my  confession  of  faith  ;  it  is 
this  :  There  is  a  God,  and  He  is  omnipotent ;  and  there  is 
no  salvation  for  any  but  those  who  have  been  elected  and 
predestined  to  it  by  God  the  Father ;  and  every  one  else 
is  written  down  for  his  own  lot,  that  is,  for  his  fate."  On 
hearing  this,  in  great  heat  I  rejoined,  "You  say  things 
that  are  too  bad  to  be  spoken.  Begone,  wicked  spirit ! 
Since  you  are  in  the  spiritual  world,  do  you  not  know  that 
there  is  a  heaven  and  a  hell,  and  that  predestination  in 
volves  that  some  have  been  enrolled  for  heaven  and  some 
for  hell  ?  Can  you  then  form  to  yourself  any  other  idea  of 
God  than  as  of  a  tyrant,  who  admits  those  whom  He  favors 
into  the  city,  and  sends  the  rest  to  the  place  where  crim- 


No.  798.] 


CALVIX. 


IO67 


inals  are  tortured  ?  Shame  on  you  !  "  After  this  I  read 
to  him  what  is  written  in  the  dogmatic  work  of  the  Evan- 
gelical, called  Formula  Concordice,  about  the  erroneous 
doctrine  of  the  Calvinists  respecting  the  Worship  of  the 
Lord,  and  Predestination ;  respecting  the  Worship  of  the 
Lord,  as  follows  :  "  That  it  is  'damnable  idolatry,  if  the  trust 
and  faith  of  the  heart  be  placed  in  Christ  not  only  accord- 
ing to  His  Divine  but  also  according  to  His  Human  nature, 
and  the  honor  of  adoration  be  directed  to  both  j "  and 
respecting  Predestination,  as  follows :  "  That  Christ  did 
not  die  for  all  men,  but  only  for  the  elect.  That  God 
created  the  greater  part  of  men  for  eternal  damnation, 
and  is  unwilling  that  the  greater  part  should  be  converted 
and  live.  That  the  elect  and  born  again  cannot  lose 
faith  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  although  they  should  commit 
all  kinds  of  great  sins  and  crimes.  But  that  those  who 
are  not  elected  are  necessarily  damned,  and  cannot  attain 
to  salvation  even  if  they  were  to  be  baptized  a  thousand 
times,  go  to  the  eucharist  every  day,  and  besides  lead  as 
holy  and  blameless  lives  as  it  is  ever  possible  to  live  :  " 
from  the  Leipsic  edition  of  1756,  pp.  S3  7,  838.  After 
reading  this,  I  asked  him  whether  these  things  which  were 
written  in  that  book  were  from  his  doctrine  or  not ;  and 
he  answered  that  they  were  from  his  doctrine,  but  that  he 
did  not  remember  whether  those  very  words  had  flowed  from 
his  pen,  although  they  had  from  his  lips.  On  hearing  this, 
all  the  servants  of  the  Lord  withdrew  from  him,  and  he 
betook  himself  hastily  to  a  way  leading  to  the  cave  where 
they  were  who  have  confirmed  in  themselves  the  execrable 
dogma  of  predestination.  I  afterwards  conversed  with  some 
of  those  imprisoned  in  that  cave,  and  inquired  into  their 
lot.  They  said  that  they  were  compelled  to  labor  for 
food,  that  all  were  enemies  of  each  other,  that  each  sought 
an  occasion  to  do  evil  to  another,  and  that  they  also 
did  it  whenever  they  found  any  trifling  Cause,  ami  that 
this  was  the  enjoyment  of  their  lives.     On   Pi <  (K  stina- 


(068         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  800. 

tion  and  the  Predestinarians,  see  also  what  is  said  above 
(n.  1.85-488). 

799.  I  have  also  conversed  with  many  others,  both  with 
followers  of  those  three  leaders  and  with  heretics  ;  and  con- 
cerning all  of  them  it  was  given  me  to  conclude,  that  who- 
ever among  them  have  lived  a  life  of  charity,  and  still  more 
they  who  have  loved  truth  because  it  is  truth,  in  the  spirit- 
ual world  suffer  themselves  to  be  instructed,  and  accept  the 
doctrinals  of  the  New  Church ;  while  on  the  other  hand 
those  who  have  confirmed  themselves  in  falsities  of  religion, 
and  also  those  who  have  lived  an  evil  life,  do  not  suffer 
themselves  to  be  instructed ;  and  that  these  latter  remove 
step  by  step  from  the  New  Heaven,  and  associate  them- 
selves with  their  like  who  are  in  hell,  where  more  and  more 
they  confirm  themselves  against  the  worship  of  the  Lord 
and  become  obstinately  set  against  it,  even  so  that  they 
cannot  bear  to  hear  the  name  of  Jesus.  But  it  is  the 
reverse  in  heaven,  where  all  with  one  accord  acknowledge 
the  Lord  as  the  God  of  heaven. 

II.  Concerning  the  Dutch  in  the  Spiritual  World. 

800.  In  the  work  on  "  Heaven  and  Hell "  it  is  related 
that  Christians  among  whom  the  Word  is  read  and  among 
whom  there  is  a  knowledge  and  acknowledgment  of  the 
Lord  the  Redeemer  and  Saviour,  are  in  the  middle  of  the 
nations  and  peoples  of  the  whole  spiritual  world,  because 
the  greatest  spiritual  light  is  with  them ;  and  the  light  is 
shed  from  this  as  a  centre  in  all  directions  even  to  the  most 
remote  circumference,  according  to  what  is  shown  in  the 
chapter  on  the  Sacred  Scripture  (see  above,  n.  267-272). 
In  this  Christian  centre  the  Reformed  have  places  allotted 
to  them  according  to  their  reception  of  spiritual  light  from 
the  Lord ;  and  because  the  Dutch  possess  that  light  more 
deeply  and  more  fully  joined-in  with  their  natural  light 
\lumeii\  than  others,  and  from  this  are  more  receptible  of 


No.  802.] 


THE  DUTCH. 


IO69 


such  things  as  pertain  to  reason,  therefore  in  that  Christian 
centre  they  have  obtained  abodes  in  the  east  and  south, — 
in  the  east  owing  to  the  faculty  of  receiving  spiritual  heat, 
and  in  the  south  owing  to  the  faculty  of  receiving  spiritual 
light.  That  the  quarters  in  the  spiritual  world  are  not  like 
those  in  the  natural  world,  and  that  abodes  according  to 
the  quarters  are  abodes  according  to  the  reception  of  faith 
and  love,  and  that  they  are  in  the  east  who  excel  in  love, 
and  they  in  the  south  who  excel  in  intelligence,  may  be 
seen  in  the  work  on  "  Heaven  and  Hell"  (n.  141-153). 

801.  The  Dutch  occupy  those  quarters  of  the  Christian 
centre  for  the  further  reason  that  traffic  is  their  final  love, 
and  money  is  a  mediate  love  subservient  to  this,  and  that 
love  is  spiritual ;  but  where  money  is  the  final  love,  and 
traffic  is  a  mediate  love  subservient  to  it  (as  with  the  Jews), 
that  love  is  natural,  and  it  partakes  of  the  character  of 
avarice.  That  the  love  of  trading  when  final  is  spiritual, 
is  owing  to  its  use,  in  its  being  serviceable  to  the  general 
good  ;  and  with  this  the  man's  own  good  is  indeed  coherent, 
and  this  is  more  apparent  than  the  general  good  because  he 
thinks  from  his  natural  man  ;  but  yet  when  traffic  is  the  end 
it  is  also  the  final  love,  and  every  one  is  regarded  in  heaven 
according  to  that  love.  For  the  final  love  is  like  the  ruler 
of  a  kingdom  or  the  master  of  a  house,  while  the  other 
loves  are  as  subjects  or  servants  of  it ;  the  final  love  also 
has  its  seat  in  the  highest  and  inmost  regions  of  the  mind, 
while  mediate  loves  are  below  and  outside  of  it,  and  serve 
it  at  its  nod.  The  Dutch  are  in  this  spiritual  love  more 
than  others ;  while  the  Jews  are  in  the  love  inverted,  so 
that  their  love  of  trading  is  merely  natural,  in  which  there 
is  inwardly  latent  nothing  from  the  general  good,  but  only 
from  their  own. 

802.  The  Dutch  are  fixed  in  the  principles  of  their  relig- 
ion more  firmly  than  others,  and  they  are  not  parted  from 
them  ;  even  if  they  are  convinced  that  this  or  that  is  not 
accordant,  still  they  do  not  assent,  but  they  turn  back  and 


1070         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  802. 


remain  unmoved ;  thus  they  also  remove  themselves  from 
the  interior  intuition  of  truth,  for  they  keep  their  rational 
dose  under  obedience.  Since  this  is  their  character,  after 
death  when  they  come  into  the  spiritual  world  they  are  pre- 
pared in  a  peculiar  manner  to  receive  the  spiritual  things 
of  heaven,  which  are  Divine  truths.  They  are  not  taught, 
because  they  do  not  receive ;  but  heaven  is  described  to 
them  as  to  its  quality,  and  afterward  it  is  granted  them  to 
ascend  thither  and  see  it;  and  then  whatever  accords  with 
their  genius  is  infused  into  them ;  and  so  being  sent  down, 
they  return  to  their  companions  with  a  full  desire  for  heaven. 
If  they  do  not  then  receive  this  truth,  that  God  is  one  in 
Person  and  in  Essence,  and  that  the  Lord  the  Redeemer 
and  Saviour  is  this  God,  and  that  the  Divine  Trinity  is  in 
Him ;  also  this  truth,  that  faith  and  charity  in  one's  cog- 
nition and  discourse  amount  to  nothing  without  their  life, 
and  that  they  are  given  by  the  Lord  when  men  after  self- 
examination  repent;  if  they  turn  away  from  these  truths 
when  they  are  taught,  and  still  think  of  God  as  being  in 
three  Persons,  and  of  religion  merely  in  acknowledging  its 
existence,  they  are  reduced  to  a  miserable  condition,  and 
their  trade  is  taken  away  from  them,  even  until  they  find 
themselves  reduced  to  extremities.  They  are  then  con- 
ducted to  those  who,  because  they  are  in  Divine  truths, 
abound  in  all  things,  and  with  whom  trade  flourishes ;  and 
there  the  thought  is  insinuated  into  them  from  heaven, 
Why  is  it  that  these  are  so  prosperous  ?  And  at  the  same 
time  they  are  brought  to  reflect  upon  their  faith  and  their 
life,  that  they  are  averse  to  evils  as  sins.  They  also  make 
some  little  inquiry,  and  perceive  a  harmony  with  their  own 
thought  and  reflection.  This  is  done  repeatedly,  at  inter- 
vals. At  length,  of  themselves,  they  think  that,  in  order 
to  be  freed  from  their  misery,  they  must  believe  and  must 
live  in  the  same  way;  and  then,  as  they  receive  that  faith 
and  live  that  life  of  charity,  wealth  is  given  them,  and  they 
are  highly  favored  in  their  lives.     In  this  manner  those 


No.  804.] 


THE  DUTCH. 


1071 


who  led  any  life  of  charity  in  the  world,  are  amended  of 
themselves,  and  prepared  for  heaven.  These  afterward 
become  more,  constant  than  others,  so  that  they  may  well 
be  called  constancies  ;  they  do  not  suffer  themselves  to 
be  led  away  by  any  reasoning,  fallacy,  obscurity  induced 
by  sophistry,  or  by  mere  confirmations  coming  from  some 
preposterous  view ;  for  they  become  more  clear-sighted 
than  before. 

803.  The  doctors  who  instruct  in  their  lyceums,  stud} 
the  mysteries  of  the  present  faith  very  attentively,  espe- 
cially those  there  who  are  called  Cocceians ;  and  because 
the  dogma  of  predestination  springs  inevitably  from  those 
mysteries,  and  this  moreover  was  established  by  the  Synod 
of  Port,  it  also  is  sown  and  implanted,  as  seed  taken  from 
the  fruit  of  any  tree  is  sown  or  planted  in  a  field.  Hence 
it  i;  that  the  laity  talk  much  among  themselves  about  pre- 
destination, but  in  different  ways;  some  grasp  it  with  both 
their  hands,  some  with  one  hand  only  and  laugh  at  it,  and 
some  cast  it  from  them  as  a  snaky  lizard  {anguem  /overturn), 
for  they  know  nothing  of  the  mysteries  of  faith,  from  which 
that  viper  was  hatched.  They  are  ignorant  of  these  mys- 
teries because  they  are  intent  upon  their  business,  and  the 
mysteries  of  that  faith  indeed  touch  their  understanding, 
but  they  do  not  penetrate  into  it.  Wherefore  the  dogma 
of  predestination  with  the  laity,  and  even  with  the  clergy, 
is  like  an  image  in  the  human  form  placed  on  a  rock  in  the 
sea,  with  a  great  shell  shining  like  gold  in  its  hand ;  at  the 
sight  of  which  some  captains  as  they  sail  by,  lower  the  sail 
as  a  mark  of  honor  and  veneration,  some  only  wink  and 
salute  it,  while  some  hiss  at  it  as  an  object  of  ridicule.  It 
is  also  like  an  unknown  bird  from  India  placed  on  a  high 
tower,  which  some  swear  is  a  turtle-dove,  some  guess  is  a 
cock,  while  others  exclaim  with  an  oath,  "It  surely  is  an 
owl." 

804.  The  Dutch  are  readily  distinguished  from  others  in 
the  spiritual  world,  because  they  appear  in  clothing  similar 


10/2         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  805. 

to  that  worn  by  them  in  the  natural  world,  with  the  differ- 
ence that  they  who  have  received  faith  and  spiritual  life 
are  more  finely  clad.  They  appear  in  similar  clothing 
because  they  remain  steadfast  in  the  principles  of  their 
religion,  and  in  the  spiritual  world  all  are  clothed  ac- 
cording to  those  principles.  Therefore  those  there  who 
are  in  Divine  truths  have  white  garments,  and  of  fine 
linen. 

805.  The  cities  in  which  the  Dutch  dwell,  are  guarded 
in  a  manner  peculiar  to  themselves.  All  their  streets  are 
roofed  over,  and  have  gates  in  them,  that  they  may  not  be 
looked-at  from  the  rocks  and  hills  round  about.  This  is 
done  on  account  of  their  innate  prudence  in  concealing 
their  designs  and  not  divulging  their  intentions  ;  for  in  the 
spiritual  world  such  things  are  drawn  out  by  inspection. 
When  any  one  comes  with  a  disposition  to  examine  into 
their  state,  he  is  conducted  on  his  departure  to  gates  of 
the  streets  which  are  shut ;  and  so  he  is  led  back,  and 
conducted  to  others,  and  this  till  he  is  most  thoroughly 
annoyed  ;  and  then  he  is  let  out ;  this  is  done  that  he  may 
not  come  again.  Wives  who  aim  at  authority  over  their 
husbands  dwell  at  one  side  of  the  city,  and  do  not  meet 
their  husbands  except  when  they  are  invited,  which  is  done 
in  a  civil  manner.  The  husbands  then  take  them  to  houses 
where  married  pairs  live  without  exercising  authority  over 
each  other,  and  show  them  how  beautiful  and  clean  their 
houses  are,  and  what  enjoyment  they  have  in  life,  and  that 
they  have  all  this  owing  to  their  mutual  and  conjugal  love. 
Those  wives  who  attend  to  these  things  and  are  affected 
by  them,  cease  from  their  dominion  and  live  together  with 
their  husbands  \  and  then  they  obtain  a  habitation  nearer 
the  centre,  and  are  called  angels.  The  reason  is,  that 
love  truly  conjugal  is  heavenly  love,  which  is  free  from 
dominion. 


No.  808.] 


THE  ENGLISH.  1073 


III.  Concerning  the  English  in  the  Spiritual 
World. 

806.  There  are  two  states  of  thought  in  man,  an  external 
and  an  internal ;  man  is  in  the  external  state  in  the  natural 
world  j  he  is  in  the  internal  state  in  the  spiritual  world. 
These  states  make  one  with  the  good,  but  not  with  the 
wicked.  What  a  man  is  in  quality  as  to  his  internal,  is 
rarely  manifest  in  the  world,  because  from  infancy  he  has 
learned  to  be  moral  and  rational,  and  loves  to  appear  so. 
But  in  the  spiritual  world  it  clearly  appears  what  he  is ;  for 
man  is  then  a  spirit,  and  the  spirit  is  the  internal  man. 
Now  as  it  has  been  granted  me  to  be  in  that  world,  and 
there  to  see  what  is  the  quality  of  the  internal  men  from 
different  kingdoms,  I  ought,  because  it  is  important,  to 
make  it  known. 

807.  As  regards  the  English  nation:  the  better  ones 
among  them  are  in  the  centre  of  all  Christians,  because 
they  have  interior  intellectual  light ;  this  light  is  not  appar- 
ent to  any  one  in  the  natural  world,  but  it  is  quite  con- 
spicuous in  the  spiritual  world  j  they  acquire  it  from  their 
freedom  to  speak  and  to  write,  and  thus  to  think.  With 
others,  who  are  not  in  such  liberty,  that  light  is  wasted, 
because  it  has  no  outlet.  This  light,  however,  is  not  active 
of  itself,  but  is  rendered  active  by  others,  especially  by  men 
of  reputation  and  authority;  as  soon  as  any  thing  is  said 
by  them,  that  light  shines  forth.  For  this  reason  governors 
arc  appointed  over  them  in  the  spiritual  world  and  priests 
are  given  to  them  of  celebrity  and  of  eminent  talent,  in 
whose  decisions,  owing  to  this  natural  disposition  of  theirs, 
they  acquiesce. 

808.  There  is  among  them  a  similarity  of  minds  [>///w/J, 
owing  to  which  they  become  familiarly  attached  to  friends 
who  are  their  own  countrymen,  but  rarely  to  others  ;  they 
also  aid  each  other,  and  love  sincerity ;  they  are  lovers  of 
their  country,  and  zealous  for  its  glory  ;  and  they  regard 


1074         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  809. 


foreigners  much  as  one  from  the  roof  of  his  palace  looks 
with  a  spy-glass  on  persons  dwelling  or  wandering  about 
outside  of  the  city.  The  political  affairs  of  their  kingdom 
occupy  their  minds  and  possess  their  hearts,  sometimes  so 
fax  as  to  withdraw  their  minds  from  the  studies  that  belong 
to  a  loftier  judgment,  by  which  a  higher  intelligence  is 
gained.  These  studies  are  indeed  pursued  eagerly  in  youth, 
by  those  who  give  their  attention  to  such  things  in  the  pub- 
lic seminaries ;  but  they  pass  away,  like  the  phenomena  of 
nature ;  but  still  their  rationality  is  quickened  from  these 
studies,  and  sparkles  with  a  light  from  which  they  form 
beautiful  images,  as  a  crystal  prism  turned  toward  the  sun 
shows  the  rainbow,  and  paints  with  its  glowing  colors  the 
surface  that  lies  ready  to  receive  them. 

809.  There  are  two  great  cities  like  London,  into  which 
most  of  the  English  pass  after  death.  I  have  been  per- 
mitted to  see  the  chief  city,  and  to  walk  through  it.  Where 
in  London  is  the  merchants'  place  of  meeting  called  the 
Exchange,  there  is  the  centre  of  this  city;  here  dwell 
the  governors.  Above  this  centre  is  the  east,  below  it  is 
the  west,  on  the  right  is  the  south,  and  on  the  left  the 
north.  In  the  eastern  quarter  dwell  those  who  more  than 
the  others  have  lived  a  life  of  charity ;  here  are  magnificent 
palaces.  In  the  southern  quarter  dwell  the  wise,  among 
whom  there  is  much  splendor.  In  the  northern  quarter 
d  well  those  who  more  than  others  have  loved  freedom  to 
speak  and  to  write.  In  the  western  quarter  dwell  those 
who  cry  up  justification  by  faith  alone.  On  the  right  in 
this  latter  quarter  is  the  entrance  to  the  city,  also  the  way 
of  exit ;  they  who  live  wickedly  are  sent  out  here.  The 
elders  who  are  in  the  west  and  who  teach  that  faith  alone, 
do  not  dare  to  enter  the  city  by  the  great  streets,  but 
through  the  narrow  alleys,  because  none  but  those  who  are 
in  the  faith  of  charity  are  tolerated  in  the  city  itself.  I 
have  heard  them  complaining  of  the  preachers  from  the 
west,  that  they  compose  their  sermons  with  so  much  art 


No.  810.] 


THE  ENGLISH. 


1075 


and  eloquence,  secretly  weaving  into  them  the  doctrine  of 
justification  by  faith,  that  they  do  not  know  whether  good 
ought  to  be  done  or  not.  They  preach  faith  as  intrinsic 
good,  and  they  separate  this  from  the  good  of  charity  which 
they  call  meritorious,  and  therefore  not  acceptable  to  God, 
But  when  those  who  dwell  in  the  eastern  and  southern 
quarters  of  the  city  hear  such  sermons  they  leave  the 
churches,  and  the  preachers  are  afterward  deprived  of  the 
priestly  office. 

810.  I  afterward  heard  many  reasons  why  those  preachers 
were  deprived  of  the  priestly  office.  I  was  told  that  the  chief 
reason  was,  that  they  did  not  frame  their  sermons  from  the 
Word  and  thus  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  but  from  their  own 
rational  light  \lii?ne?i\,  and  thus  from  their  own  spirit. 
They  do  indeed  take  texts  from  the  Word,  as  a  prelude, 
but  they  merely  touch  these  with  their  lips  and  then  aban- 
don them  as  tasteless  ;  and  presently  they  select  something 
savory  from  their  own  intelligence,  which  they  roll  about 
in  their  mouths  and  turn  over  upon  their  tongues  as  some- 
thing delicious ;  and  in  this  way  they  teach.  It  was  said 
that  there  was  therefore  no  more  spirituality  in  their  ser- 
mons than  in  the  songs  of  warblers;  and  that  they  were 
merely  allegorical  adornments,  much  like  wigs  beautifully 
curled  and  powdered,  on  bald  heads.  The  mysteries  of 
their  discourses  on  justification  by  faith  alone  they  com- 
pared to  the  quails  brought  up  from  the  sea  and  cast  upon 
the  camp  of  the  children  of  Israel,  from  which  several 
thousand  persons  died  (Num.  xi.) ;  but  the  theology  of 
charity  and  faith  together,  they  compared  to  the  manna 
from  heaven.  I  once  heard  their  elders  talking  together 
about  faith  alone;  and  I  saw  a  kind  of  image  formed  by 
them  which  represented  their  faith  alone  ;  in  their  light 
\lumcti\  which  was  that  of  fantasy,  this  appeared  like  a 
great  giant  ;  but  when  light  from  heaven  was  let  in,  it 
looked  like  a  monster  above  and  a  serpent  below.  Seeing 
this  they  withdrew,  and  the  bystanders  threw  the  image 
into  a  stagnant  pool. 


ioj6 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [No.  813 


811.  The  other  great  city,  also  called  London,  is  not  in 
the  Christian  centre,  but  at  some  distance  to  the  north. 
Into  it  those  pass  after  death  who  are  interiorly  evil.  In 
the  middle  of  it  there  is  an  open  communication  with  hell, 
by  which  also  at  times  they  are  swallowed  up. 

Si 2.  From  those  in  the  spiritual  world  who  are  from 
Kngland,  it  was  perceived  that  they  have  a  double  the- 
ology, a  kind  that  is  from  their  doctrine  of  faith,  and 
another  from  the  doctrine  of  charity  ;  the  former  being 
held  by  those  who  are  initiated  into  the  priesthood,  and 
the  latter  by  the  laity,  especially  those  who  dwell  in  Scot- 
land and  on  its  borders.  With  these  the  believers  in  faith 
alone  are  afraid  to  engage  in  argument,  because  they  com- 
bat with  them  both  from  the  Word  and  from  reason.  This 
doctrine  of  charity  is  set  forth  in  the  exhortation  always 
read  in  the  churches  on  the  Sabbath  day  to  those  who  ap- 
proach the  Sacrament  of  the  Holy  Supper,  before  they 
come  to  it ;  in  that  exhortation  it  is  openly  declared  that 
if  they  are  not  in  charity,  and  do  not  shun  evils  as  sins, 
they  cast  themselves  into  eternal  damnation ;  and  that  if 
they  should  come  to  the  Holy  Communion  when  not  in 
charity  and  without  shunning  evils  as  sins,  the  devil  would 
enter  into  them  as  he  did  into  Judas. 

IV.  Concerning  the  Germans  in  the  Spiritual 
World. 

813.  It  is  well  known  that  the  inhabitants  of  every  king- 
dom which  is  divided  into  several  provinces  are  not  alike 
in  genius,  and  that  they  differ  from  each  other  in  their  own 
particular  ways,  as  those  who  dwell  in  the  several  climates 
of  the  globe  differ  from  each  other  in  a  universal  way  ; 
and  yet  that  a  common  genius  reigns  among  those  who 
are  under  one  king,  and  thus  under  the  same  statute  law. 
As  regards  Germany,  it  is  divided  into  separate  governments 
more  than  the  surrounding  kingdoms.    There  is  there  an 


No.  814.] 


HIE  GERMANS. 


IO77 


imperial  government,  under  the  universal  authority  of  which 
they  all  are ;  but  yet  the  prince  of  each  division  enjoys 
despotic  power  in  his  own  dominions  ;  for  there  are  greater 
and  lesser  dukedoms  there,  and  each  duke  is  like  a  mon- 
arch in  his  own  state.  Furthermore,  religion  is  divided 
there  j  in  some  dukedoms  are  the  Evangelical,  so  called  ; 
in  some,  the  Reformed;  and  in  some  they  are  Papists. 
With  such  diversity  of  both  government  and  religion,  the 
minds  \animi\  inclinations,  and  lives  of  the  Germans,  from 
those  seen  in  the  spiritual  world,  are  more  difficult  to  de- 
scribe than  those  of  other  nations  and  peoples.  But  still, 
as  a  common  genius  reigns  everywhere  among  peoples 
speaking  the  same  language,  it  may  be  in  some  measure 
seen  and  described  from  ideas  collected  together. 

814.  Inasmuch  as  the  Germans  are  under  despotic  gov- 
ernment in  each  particular  dukedom,  they  have  not  free- 
dom of  speech  and  of  writing,  as  the  Hollanders  and  the 
people  of  Great  Britain  have ;  and  when  this  freedom  is 
restrained,  freedom  of  thought  also,  •  that  is  to  say,  the 
freedom  of  investigating  matters  in  their  full  extent,  is 
kept  in  restraint  at  the  same  time.  It  is  then  as  if  high 
walls  were  built  as  the  sides  of  the  basin  of  a  fountain,  so 
that  the  water  within  the  basin  rises  even  to  the  level  of  the 
source  of  the  salient  stream,  and  therefore  the  stream  itself 
no  longer  forms  a  jet.  Thought  is  like  the  stream,  and 
speech  therefrom  is  like  the  basin.  In  a  word,  influx 
adapts  itself  to  efflux  ;  and  in  like  manner  the  understand- 
ing from  above  adapts  itself  to  its  measure  of  freedom  to 
utter  and  give  vent  to  the  thoughts.  For  this  reason  that 
noble  nation  devotes  itself  little  to  matters  of  judgment, 
but  rather  to  those  of  memory.  It  is  for  this  reason  that 
they  apply  themselves  especially  to  the  history  of  letters, 
and  in  their  books  they  trust  to  men  of  reputation  ami 
learning  among  them,  quoting  their  opinions  abundantly, 
and  supporting  some  one  of  them.  This  state  of  theirs  is 
represented  in  the  spiritual  world  by  a  man  carrying  books 


IO78         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    [No.  815. 


under  his  arm,  and  when  any  one  disputes  about  any  mat- 
ter of  judgment,  he  says,  "  I  will  give  you  an  answer,"  and 
immediately  he  draws  a  book  from  under  his  arm  and  be- 
gins to  read. 

815.  From  this  state  of  theirs  proceed  many  things,  and 
among  them  this,  that  they  keep  the  spiritual  things  of  the 
church  inscribed  upon  the  memory,  and  seldom  elevate 
them  into  the  higher  understanding,  but  only  admit  them 
into  the  lower,  from  which  they  reason  about  them ;  thus 
they  do  altogether  differently  from  free  nations.  These 
latter,  in  relation  to  the  spiritual  things  of  the  church, 
called  theological,  are  like  eagles  which  rise  to  whatever 
height  they  please,  while  nations  that  are  not  free  are  like 
swans  in  a  river.  And  free  nations  are  like  the  larger  deer 
with  lofty  horns,  that  roam  the  fields,  groves,  and  forests 
in  full  freedom  ;  while  nations  that  are  not  free  are  like 
the  deer  kept  in  parks  for  the  use  of  a  prince.  Moreover, 
free  peoples  are  like  winged  horses,  such  as  the  ancients 
called  Pegasus,  that  fly  not  only  over  the  seas,  but  also 
over  hills  that  they  call  Parnassian,  and  also  over  the  seats 
of  the  Muses  beneath  them  ;  while  peoples  that  have  not 
been  freed  are  like  noble  horses  beautifully  caparisoned 
in  kings'  stables.  There  are  similar  differences  between 
the  judgment  of  one  and  of  the  other  in  the  mystic  matters 
of  theology.  The  clergy  in  Germany,  while. they  are  stu- 
dents, write  out  from  the  lips  of  the  teachers  in  the  semi- 
naries their  dicta,  and  these  they  guard  as  the  tokens  of 
erudition  ;  and  when  they  are  inaugurated  into  the  priest- 
hood, or  are  appointed  lecturers  in  the  schools,  they  draw 
their  official  discourses  (whether  they  are  in  the  desk 
or  in  the  pulpit),  for  the  most  part  from  those  dicta.  Such 
of  their  priests  as  do  not  teach  from  what  is  regarded  as 
orthodox,  usually  preach  about  the  Holy  Spirit  and  His 
wonderful  workings  and  excitation  of  holiness  in  the  heart. 
But  those  who  from  the  orthodoxy  of  the  present  day  teach 
about  faith,  seem  to  the  angels  as  if  they  were  decorated 


No.  818.] 


THE  PAPISTS. 


IO79 


with  wreaths  formed  from  the  leaves  of  the  bay-oak  j  while 
they  who  teach  from  the  Word  concerning  charity  and  its 
works,  appear  to  the  angels  as  if  adorned  with  wreaths 
woven  of  the  odoriferous  leaves  of  the  laurel.  The  Evan- 
gelical there,  in  their  disputes  with  the  Reformed  about 
truths,  appear  to  be  tearing  garments,  because  garments 
signify  truths. 

816.  I  asked  where  the  people  of  Hamburg  are  found 
in  the  spiritual  world,  and  was  told  that  they  do  not  appear 
anywhere  assembled  in  one  society,  still  less  in  a  civil 
community,  but  are  scattered  about  and  intermingled  with 
the  Germans  in  various  quarters.  And  when  the  reason 
was  asked,  it  was  answered  that  it  results  from  this,  that 
their  minds  are  continually  looking  abroad  and  travelling, 
as  it  were,  outside  of  their  city,  and  very  little  within  it ; 
for  as  the  state  of  man's  mind  is  in  the  natural  world,  such 
is  it  in  the  spiritual  world  ;  for  man's  mind  is  his  spirit,  or 
the  posthumous  man  that  lives  after  his  departure  from  the 
material  body. 

V.  Concerning  the  Papists  in  the  Spiritual  World. 

817.  The  Papists  in  the  spiritual  world  appear  round 
about  and  beneath  the  Protestants,  and  they  are  separated 
from  them  by  interspaces  which  they  are  forbidden  to  pass. 
P>ut  yet  the  monks  by  clandestine  arts  procure  a  communi- 
cation for  themselves,  and  also  send  out  emissaries  by  un- 
known paths  to  make  converts  ;  but  they  are  traced  out, 
and  after  being  punished  are  either  sent  back  to  their  com- 
panions or  cast  down. 

818.  Since  the  last  judgment,  which  took  place  in  the 
spiritual  world  in  the  year  1757,  the  state  of  all,  and  there- 
fore of  the  Papists,  is  so  changed  that  they  are  not  allowed 
to  band  themselves  into  companies  as  formerly;  but  for 
every  love,  good  and  evil,  ways  have  been  appointed, 
which  they  who  come  from  the  world  immediately  enter, 


I080         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  819. 

and  pass  to  societies  correspondent  to  their  loves.  Thus 
the  wicked  are  borne  toward  societies  which  are  in  hell, 
and  the  good  toward  societies  which  are  in  heaven.  So 
care  is  taken  that  they  shall  not  form  for  themselves  arti- 
ficial heavens,  as  formerly.  Such  societies  in  the  world  of 
spirits,  which  is  midway  between  heaven  and  hell,  are  very 
numerous,  for  they  are  as  many  as  the  genera  and  species 
cf  the  affections  belonging  to  the  love  of  good  and  of  evil ; 
and  meanwhile,  before  they  are  elevated  into  heaven  or  are 
cast  down  into  hell,  they  are  in  spiritual  conjunction  with 
men  of  the  world,  because  men  too  are  in  the  midst  be- 
tween heaven  and  hell. 

819.  The  Papists  have  a  place  of  council  in  the  southern 
quarter,  toward  the  east,  where  their  chiefs  assemble  and 
consult  on  the  various  matters  pertaining  to  their  religion, 
especially  how  to  keep  the  common  people  in  blind  obedi- 
ence and  how  to  enlarge  their  dominion.  No  one,  how- 
ever, is  admitted  thereto  who  was  a  pope  in  the  world, 
because  a  semblance  of  Divine  authority  has  its  seat  in 
the  mind  [animus]  of  such  a  one,  from  having  arrogated  to 
himself  the  Lord's  power  in  the  world.  Neither  are  any 
cardinals  permitted  to  enter  that  place  of  council,  and  this 
•on  account  of  their  pre-eminence.  Nevertheless  these  lat- 
ter assemble  together  in  a  spacious  conclave  beneath  the 
others,  but  after  staying  there  a  few  days  they  are  taken 
away  ;  whither,  it  was  not  given  me  to  know.  There  is 
also  another  place  of  meeting  in  the  southern  quarter,  but 
toward  the  west ;  the  business  there  is  to  let  the  credulous 
common  people  into  heaven.  Here  they  arrange  round 
about  themselves  several  societies  that  are  in  various  ex- 
ternal enjoyments  ;  in  some  there  are  dances,  in  some 
concerts  of  music,  in  some  processions,  in  some  theatres 
and  scenic  exhibitions  ;  in  some  there  are  persons  who  by 
fantasies  induce  various  forms  of  magnificence ;  in  some 
they  merely  act  like  clowns  and  jest ;  in  some  they  talk 
together  in  a  friendly  way,  here  about  religious  matters. 


NTo.  820.] 


THE  PAPISTS. 


I08l 


there  about  civil  matters,  and  elsewhere  even  lasciviously , 
and  so  on.  Into  some  one  of  these  societies  they  intro- 
duce the  credulous,  each  one  according  to  his  peculiar 
pleasure,  calling  it  heaven.  But  after  they  have  been 
there  a  day  or  two  they  all  become  wear}7  and  go  away,  be- 
cause those  enjoyments  are  external  and  not  internal.  In 
this  way  also  many  are  led  away  from  the  folly  of  their 
belief  about  the  power  to  admit  into  heaven.  As  regards 
their  worship  specially  :  it  is  almost  like  their  worship  in 
the  world ;  it  consists  in  like  manner  of  masses  which  are 
celebrated  not  in  the  common  language  of  spirits,  but  in 
a  language  made  up  of  high-sounding  words  which  inspire 
external  sanctity  and  trembling,  but  which  they  do  not  at 
all  understand. 

820.  All  who  come  from  the  earth  into  the  spiritual 
world  are  kept  at  first  in  the  confession  of  faith  and  the 
religion  of  their  country  j  so  also  are  the  Papists ;  where- 
fore they  always  have  some  representative  pontiff  set  over 
them,  whom  they  also  adore  with  similar  ceremony  to  that 
observed  in  the  world.  It  rarely  happens  that  one  who 
has  been  a  pope  in  the  world  is  placed  over  them,  after  he 
leaves  the  world  ;  yet  he  who  filled  the  pontifical  chair 
thirty  or  forty  years  ago  was  placed  over  them,  because  he 
cherished  in  his  heart  the  idea  that  the  Word  was  holier 
than  it  is  believed  to  be,  and  that  the  Lord  ought  to  be 
worshipped.  It  was  granted  me  to  speak  with  him,  and 
he  said  that  he  adored  the  Lord  alone,  because  He  is  God 
Who  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth,  according  to  His 
words  (Matt,  xxviii.  18).  He  said  also  that  the  invocation 
of  saints  was  an  absurdity  j  also  that  he  had  intended  to 
restore  that  church  when  in  the  world,  but  was  not  able 
for  reasons  that  he  stated.  When  the  great  northern  city, 
which  contained  Papists  and  Reformed  together,  was  de- 
stroyed in  the  day  of  the  last  judgment,  I  saw  him  carried 
out  in  a  litter  and  transferred  to  a  place  of  safety.  On 
the  borders  of  the  great  society  in  which  he  acts  as  pontiff, 
vol.  lit  II 


I082         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  821. 


schools  have  been  instituted,  to  which  those  go  who  are  in 
doubt  respecting  religion  j  and  there  are  converted  monks 
there  who  teach  them  concerning  God  the  Saviour  Christ, 
and  also  concerning  the  holiness  of  the  Word  ;  and  the 
monks  leave  it  to  their  option  to  turn  away  their  minds 
\animi\  from  the  modes  of  sanctification  introduced  into 
the  Roman  Catholic  church.  They  who  receive  instruction 
are  introduced  into  a  large  society  composed  of  those  who 
have  withdrawn  from  the  worship  of  the  pope  and  the 
saints  ;  and  when  they  come  into  that  society  they  are  like 
those  who  having  been  roused  from  sleep  are  fully  awake, 
and  like  those  who  come  from  the  discomforts  of  winter 
into  the  pleasantness  of  early  spring,  and  like  a  sailor  when 
he  reaches  port ;  and  then  they  are  invited  by  those  there  to 
feasts,  and  noble  wine  is  given  them  to  drink  from  crystal 
cups.  I  have  also  heard  that  angels  send  down  from 
heaven  to  their  host  a  plate  containing  manna,  in  form 
and  taste  like  that  sent  down  upon  the  camp  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  in  the  desert,  and  this  plate  is  carried  around 
to  the  guests,  and  to  every  one  is  given  liberty  to  taste  the 
manna. 

821.  All  those  of  the  Catholic  religion  who  in  the  former 
world  thought  more  of  God  than  of  the  papacy,  and  from  a 
simple  heart  did  works  of  charity,  when  they  find  themselves 
living  after  death,  and  have  been  instructed  that  the  Lord 
Himself  the  Saviour  of  the  world  reigns  here,  are  easily  led 
away  from  the  superstitions  of  that  religion.  To  them  the 
transition  from  popery  to  Christianity  is  as  easy  as  to  pass 
through  open  doors  into  a  temple,  or  to  pass  the  guards  in 
the  entrance-hall  and  to  enter  the  court  when  the  king  so 
commands,  or  to  raise  the  countenance  and  look  up  to 
heaven  when  voices  are  heard  therefrom.  But  on  the  other 
hand,  to  lead  away  from  the  superstitions  of  that  religion 
those  who  during  the  course  of  their  life  in  the  world  rarely 
if  ever  thought  of  God,  and  valued  that  worship  merely  for 
its  festivities,  is  as  difficult  as  to  enter  a  temple  through 


No.  822.]  THE  POPISH  SAINTS.  1083 

closed  doors,  or  to  pass  the  guards  in  the  entrance-hall  into 
the  court  when  the  king  forbids,  or  for  a  snake  in  the  grass 
to  raise  its  eyes  to  heaven.  It  is  wonderful  that  none  who 
pass  into  the  spiritual  world  out  of  that  Catholic  religious 
system,  there  see  the  heaven  where  the  angels  are  ;  there 
is  as  it  were  a  dark  cloud  over  them  which  bounds  the  sight ; 
as  soon,  however,  as  any  convert  comes  among  the  con- 
verted, heaven  is  opened;  and  sometimes  they  see  the 
angels  there  in  white  garments,  and  they  are  also  taken 
up  to  them  after  having  completed  the  period  of  prepa- 
ration. 

VI.  Concerning  the  Popish  Saints  in  the  Spiritual 
World. 

822.  It  is  well  known  that  man  has  in  him  from  his 
parents  inherent  or  hereditary  evil,  but  it  is  known  to  few 
where  that  evil  dwells  in  its  fulness ;  it  has  its  dwelling  in 
the  love  of  possessing  the  goods  of  all  others,  and  in  the 
love  of  exercising  dominion,  for  this  latter#love  is  of  such  a 
nature  that,  so  far  as  the  reins  are  given  to  it,  it  rushes  on 
until  it  burns  with  the  desire  of  exercising  dominion  over 
all,  and  finally  wishes  to  be  invoked  and  worshipped  as 
God.  This  love  is  the  serpent  that  deceived  Eve  and 
Adam  ;  for  it  said  to  the  woman,  God  doth  know  that  in  the 
day  ye  eat  of  that  tree,  your  eyes  will  be  opened,  and  ye  will 
then  be  as  God  (Gen.  iii.  5).  So  far,  therefore,  as  man 
rushes  into  this  love  without  restraint,  he  turns  away  from 
God  and  turns  to  himself,  and  becomes  an  adorer  of  him- 
self ;  and  then  he  can  call  upon  God  with  lips  fervent  from 
the  love  of  self,  but  with  the  heart  cold  from  contempt  of 
God.  And  then  also  the  Divine  things  of  the  church  may 
serve  him  as  means;  but  because  dominion  is  his  end.  h€ 
has  the  means  at  heart  only  so  far  as  they  subserve  that 
end.  Such  a  man,  if  exalted  to  the  highest  honors,  is  in 
his  own  imagination  like  Atlas  earning  the  tcrraqu 


IO84         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  824. 

globe  on  his  shoulders,  and  like  Phoebus  with  his  horses 
bearing  the  sun  around  the  globe. 

823.  Since  man  is  such  from  inheritance,  therefore  all 
who  have  been  made  saints  by  papal  bulls,  in  the  spiritual 
world  are  removed  from  the  sight  of  others  and  concealed, 
and  they  are  deprived  of  all  intercourse  with  their  worship- 
pers, lest  that  worst  root  of  evils  should  be  quickened  in 
them,  and  they  should  be  carried  away  into  the  delusions 
of  fantasy,  such  as  there  are  with  demons.  Into  such  delu- 
sions do  they  come,  who  while  they  live  in  the  world  ear- 
nestly aspire  to  be  made  saints  after  death,  that  they  may 
be  invoked. 

824.  Many  from  the  papal  jurisdiction,  especially  the 
monks,  when  they  enter  the  spiritual  world,  search  for  the 
saints,  especially  the  saint  of  their  order,  but  they  do  not 
find  them.  They  are  surprised  at  this,  but  they  are  after- 
wards instructed  that  these  saints  are  intermingled  either 
with  those  who  are  in  heaven  or  with  those  who  are  in  the 
earth  below  (infera  terra),  and  that  in  either  case  they  know 
nothing  of  the  worship  and  invocations  that  are  offered 
them ;  also  that  those  who  do  know,  and  who  wish  to  be 
invoked,  fall  into  delusions  and  talk  like  fools.  The  wor- 
ship of  saints  is  such  an  abomination  in  heaven,  that  when 
it  is  merely  heard  of  it  excites  horror,  since  so  far  as  wor- 
ship is  yielded  to  any  man  it  is  denied  to  the  Lord ;  for  in 
that  case  He  cannot  be  worshipped  alone  ;  and  if  the  Lord 
is  not  worshipped  alone,  there  is  a  division  made,  which 
destroys  communion  and  the  happiness  of  life  that  flows 
from  it.  That  I  might  learn  the  quality  of  the  saints  of  the 
papists,  so  that  I  might  make  it  known,  there  were  brought 
out  from  the  lower  earth  as  many  as  a  hundred  of  them, 
who  knew  that  they  had  been  made  saints.  They  ascended 
behind  me,  only  a  few  before  the  face,  and  I  spoke  with 
one  of  them  who  they  said  was  Xavier.  While  he  was  talk- 
ing with  me,  he  was  like  a  fool ;  nevertheless  he  could  tell 
that  in  his  own  place,  where  he  was  shut  up  with  others,  he 


No.  827.] 


THE  POPISH  SAINTS. 


was  not  a  fool,  but  that  he  becomes  a  fool  as  often  as  he 
thinks  himself  a  saint  and  wishes  to  be  invoked.  - 1  heard 
the  same  thing  murmured  by  those  who  were  behind.  With 
the  saints,  so-called,  who  are  in  heaven,  the  case  is  differ- 
ent j  they  know  nothing  at  all  of  what  is  done  on  earth, 
nor  is  it  given  them  to  converse  with  any  from  the  papal 
jurisdiction  who  are  in  that  superstition,  lest  some  idea  of 
that  thing  should  enter  into  them. 

825.  From  this  state  of  the  saints  any  one  may  conclude 
that  the  invocation  of  them  is  mere  mockery ;  and  further- 
more I  can  affirm  that  they  no  more  hear  the  invocations 
addressed  to  them  on  earth  than  their  images  by  the  way- 
side, or  than  the  walls  of  a  temple,  or  than  the  birds  that 
build  nests  in  the  towers.  It  is  said  by  those  who  pay  them 
service  on  earth,  that  the  saints  reign  in  heaven  together 
with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  but  this  is  a  fiction  and  a  false- 
hood, for  they  no  more  reign  with  the  Lord  than  a  groom 
with  his  king,  or  a  porter  with  a  nobleman,  or  a  courier 
with  a  primate.  For  John  the  Baptist  said  of  the  Lord, 
The  latchet  of  His  shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose  (Mark 
i.  7  ;  John  i.  27);  what  then  are  such  as  these  ? 

826.  There  appears  sometimes  to  the  Parisians  who  in 
the  spiritual  world  are  in  a  society,  at  a  middle  altitude,  a 
certain  woman  in  shining  raiment  and  with  a  face  that 
seems  holy,  and  she  has  said  that  she  is  Genevieve.  But 
when  some  of  them  begin  to  adore  her,  her  face  and  also 
her  clothing  change  instantly,  and  she  becomes  like  an 
ordinary  woman,  and  rebukes  them  for  desiring  to  adore  ;i 
woman  who  among  her  companions  is  no  more  esteemed 
than  a  maid-servant,  wondering  that  the  men  of  the  world 
are  duped  by  such  nonsense. 

827.  To  this  1  will  add  the  following  which  is  most  worthy 
of  note  :  Mary  the  Mother  of  the  Lord  once  passed  by,  and 
appeared  overhead,  in  white  raiment ;  and  then  pausing  1 
little  she  said  that  she  had  been  the  Mother  of  the  Lord,  and 
that  He  was  indeed  born  of  her;  but  that  being  in. id<  God, 


1086         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  829. 


He  put  off  all  the  human  from  her,  and  that  therefore  she 
now  adores  Him  as  her  God,  and  is  unwilling  that  any  one 
should  acknowledge  Him  as  her  son,  inasmuch  as  in  Him 
all  is  Divine. 

VII.  Concerning  the  Mohammedans  in  the  Spiritual 
World. 

828.  The  Mohammedans  in  the  spiritual  world  appear 
behind  the  Papists  in  the  west,  and  form  as  it  were  a 
border  around  them.  They  appear  next  behind  Christians 
for  the  reason  that  they  acknowledge  our  Lord  as  a  very 
great  prophet,  the  wisest  of  all,  who  was  sent  into  the 
world  to  teach  men,  and  also  as  Son  of  God.  In  that 
world  every  one  dwells  at  a  distance  from  the  central 
region  where  the  Christians  are,  according  to  his  confession 
of  the  Lord  and  of  one  God ;  for  that  confession  conjoins 
minds  [am'mi]  with  heaven,  and  makes  the  distance  from 
the  east,  above  which  point  is  the  Lord. 

829.  Inasmuch  as  religion  has  its  seat  in  what  is  highest 
in  man,  and  as  his  lower  things  have  life  and  light  from 
the  highest,  and  because  Mohammed  is  associated  with 
religion  in  the  minds  [antmi]  of  Mohammedans,  some 
Mohammed  is  always  placed  within  their  sight ;  and  that 
they  may  turn  their  faces  toward  the  east,  over  which  is 
the  Lord,  he  is  placed  beneath  the  Christian  centre.  This 
is  not  the  Mohammed  who  wrote  the  Koran,  but  another 
person  who  fills  his  office ;  nor  is  there  always  the  same 
person,  but  he  is  changed.  He  who  formerly  filled  this 
place  was  one  from  Saxony,  who  having  been  taken  pris- 
oner by  the  Algerines,  became  a  Mohammedan.  This 
person,  because  he  had  also  been  a  Christian,-  was  some- 
times moved  to  speak  with  them  concerning  the  Lord,  and 
to  say  that  He  was  not  Joseph's  son,  but  the  Son  of  God 
Himself.  Other  Mohammeds  afterward  succeeded  this 
one.    In  the  place  where  that  representative  Mohammed 


No.  832.] 


THE  MOHAMMEDANS. 


IO87 


has  his  station,  there  appears  a  fire  as  of  a  little  torch  to 
distinguish  him ;  but  that  fire  is  not  visible  to  any  but 
Mohammedans. 

830.  The  Mohammed  who  wrote  the  Koran  is  not  seen 
at  the  present  day.  I  was  told  that  at  first  he  presided 
over  them,  but  that  because  he  wished  to  rule  as  God  over 
all  things  pertaining  to  their  religion,  he  was  ejected  from 
his  seat,  which  he  had  under  the  Papists,  and  sent  down  to 
the  right  side  near  the  south.  A  certain  society  of  Mo- 
hammedans was  once  incited  by  some  malicious  spirits  to 
acknowledge  Mohammed  as  God.  To  quiet  the  disturb- 
ance, Mohammed  was  brought  up  from  the  earth  below 
and  shown  to  them ;  and  I  also  saw  him  at  that  time.  He 
appeared  like  corporeal  spirits,  who  have  no  interior  per- 
ception ;  his  face  inclined  to  black.  And  I  heard  him 
utter  these  words:  "I  am  your  Mohammed;"  and  pres- 
ently he  seemed  to  sink  down. 

831.  The  Mohammedans  are  hostile  to  the  Christians 
chiefly  on  account  of  the  belief  in  three  Divine  persons, 
and  the  consequent  worship  of  three  Gods,  so  many  Crea- 
tors ;  and  to  the  Roman  Catholics,  still  further,  on  account 
of  their  bending  the  knee  before  images.  Therefore  they 
call  these  latter  idolaters,  and  the  others  fanatics,  saying 
that  they  make  a  three-headed  God,  also  that  they  say  one 
and  mutter  three;  consequently  that  they  part  omnipo- 
tence, and  from  and  of  the  one  omnipotence  make  three ; 
and  that  thus  they  are  like  fauni  with  three  horns,  one  for 
each  God,  and  at  the  same  time  three  for  one ;  and  that 
so  they  pray,  so  they  sing,  and  so  they  preac  h. 

832.  The  Mohammedans,  like  all  nations  who  acknowl- 
edge one  God,  and  who  love  justice,  and  do  good  from 
religion,  have  their  own  heaven,  but  it  is  outside  of  the 
Christian.  The  Mohammedan  heaven,  however,  is  divided 
into  two.  In  the  lower  they  live  honorably,  with  more  than 
one  wife;  but  none  are  elevated  from  this  into  the  higher 
heaven  except  those  who  give  up  their  concubines,  and 


1088         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  833, 


acknowledge  the  Lord  our  Saviour,  and  at  the  same  time 
His  dominion  over  heaven  and  hell.  I  have  heard  that  it 
is  impossible  for  them  to  think  that  God  the  Father  and 
our  Lord  are  one,  but  that  it  is  possible  for  them  to 
believe  that  the  Lord  rules  over  the  heavens  and  the  hells 
because  He  is  the  Son  of  God  the  Father.  It  is  by 
means  of  this  belief  with  them,  that  it  is  given  them  by 
the  Lord  to  ascend  into  the  higher  heaven. 

833.  That  the  Mohammedan  religion  is  received  by 
more  kingdoms  than  the  Christian  religion,  may  be  a 
stumbling-block  to  those  who  think  about  the  Divine  Prov- 
idence, and  at  the  same  time  believe  that  no  one  can  be 
saved  except  those  who  are  born  Christians.  But  the 
Mohammedan  religion  is  not  a  stumbling-block  to  those 
who  believe  that  all  things  are  of  the  Divine  Providence ; 
they  ask  in  what  this  is,  and  they  also  find  out ;  it  is  in 
this,  that  the  Mohammedan  religion  acknowledges  the 
Lord  as  a  very  great  prophet,  the  wisest  of  all,  and  also  as 
Son  of  God.  But  as  they  have  made  only  the  Koran  the 
book  of  their  religion,  and  consequently  Mohammed  who 
wrote  it  has  held  his  seat  in  their  thoughts,  and  they 
follow  him  with  some  worship,  they  therefore  think  but 
little  concerning  our  Lord.  That  it  may  be  known  fully 
that  that  religion  was  raised  up  owing  to  the  Lord's 
Divine  Providence,  to  blot  out  the  idolatries  of  many 
nations,  it  shall  be  told  in  some  order.  First,  then,  con- 
cerning the  origin  of  idolatries.  Previous  to  that  religion, 
idolatrous  worship  was  spread  throughout  very  many  king- 
doms of  the  world.  This  was  because  the  churches 
before  the  coming  of  the  Lord  were  all  representative 
churches.  Such,  too,  was  the  Israelitish  church ;  in  it 
the  tabernacle,  Aaron's  garments,  the  sacrifices,  all  things 
belonging  to  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  and  the  statutes 
also,  were  representative.  And  among  the  ancients  there 
was  a  knowledge  of  correspondences,  which  is  also  a 
knowledge  of  representations,  the  very  knowledge  of  knowl« 


No.  833.] 


THE  MOHAMMEDANS. 


IO89 


edges,  which  was  especially  cultivated  by  the  Egyptians ; 
hence  their  hieroglyphics.  From  their  knowledge  of 
correspondences,  they  knew  the  signification  of  animals  of 
every  kind,  also  of  all  kinds  of  trees,  and  of  mountains, 
hills,  rivers,  fountains,  and  also  of  the  sun,  the  moon,  and 
the  stars.  By  means  of  this  knowledge  they  also  had  an 
apprehension  of  spiritual  things,  inasmuch  as  the  things 
represented,  which  were  such  as  pertain  to  spiritual  wis- 
dom among  the  angels  in  heaven,  were  the  origins  [of  the 
representatives].  Now  as  all  their  worship  was  represent- 
ative, consisting  of  mere  correspondences,  therefore  they 
worshipped  on  mountains  and  hills,  and  also  in  groves  and 
gardens  <  and  therefore  they  consecrated  fountains,  and 
moreover  they  made  sculptured  horses,  oxen,  calves,  lambs, 
birds  too,  and  fishes,  also  serpents,  and  placed  them  near 
the  temples,  and  in  their  courts,  and  also  at  their  homes, 
in  an  order  following  the  spiritual  things  of  the  church  to 
which  they  corresponded,  or  which  they  represented,  and 
therefore  signified.  After  a  time,  when  the  knowledge  of 
correspondences  was  obliterated,  their  post,  rity  be,  an  to 
worship  the  sculptured  things  themselves,  as  holy  in  them- 
selves, not  knowing  that  their  fathers  of  ancient  tin  e  did 
not  see  any  holiness  in  them,  but  only  that  accord  ng  to 
correspondences  they  represented  what  was  holy.  I  lence 
arose  the  idolatries  which  filled  so  many  kingdoms  1  f  the 
world.  For  the  extirpation  of  these  idolatries,  fro  n  the 
Lord's  Divine  Providence  it  was  brought  about,  that  1  new 
religion  should  auspiciously  begin,  accommodated  o  the 
genius  of  the  people  of  the  East ;  in  which  there  she  -Id  be 
something  from  the  Word  of  both  Testaments,  and  which 
should  teach  that  the  Lord  came  into  the  world,  an  !  that 
He  was  a  very  great  prophet,  the  wisest  of  all,  and  !  on  of 
God.  This  was  done  through  Mohammed,  from  who  n  that 
religion  was  named.  Jt  is  manifest  from  this  thac  that 
religion  was  raised  up,  from  the  Lord's  Divine  Provi-  a  ice, 
and  accommodated  to  the  genius  of  the  people  1  i  th*» 

11* 


IO9O         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  834. 

East,  as  already  said,  for  the  end  that  it  might  blot  out  the 
idolatries  of  so  many  nations,  and  give  them  some  knowl- 
edge of  the  Lord  before  they  should  come  into  the  spirit- 
ual world,  which  they  do  after  death.  And  this  religion 
would  not  have  been  received  by  so  many  kingdoms,  and 
had  power  to  extirpate  idolatries,  if  it  had  not  been  made 
conformable  to  the  ideas  of  their  thoughts,  and  especially 
if  polygamy  had  not  been  permitted,  for  the  reason  that  the 
Orientals  without  that  permission  would  have  burned  for 
filthy  adulteries  more  than  Europeans,  and  would  have 
perished. 

834.  It  was  once  given  me  to  perceive  of  what  quality  is 
the  heat  of  their  polygamic  love.  I  conversed  with  one 
who  occupied  the  place  of  Mohammed ;  and  this  substi- 
tute, after  some  conversation  with  him  at  a  distance,  sent 
to  me  an  ebony  spoon  and  some  other  things,  which  were 
tokens  that  they  came  from  him;  and  at  the  same  time 
there  was  opened  from  various  places  a  communication  for 
the  heat  of  their  polygamic  love,  which  was  felt  from  some 
places  like  the  heat  in  baths  after  the  washing;  from  some 
like  the  heat  in  kitchens,  where  meats  are  boiling;  from 
some  like  the  heat  in  eating-houses  where  foul-smelling 
eatables  are  exposed  for  sale ;  from  some  like  the  heat  in 
apothecaries'  cellars,  where  emulsions  and  such  things 
are  prepared ;  from  some  like  the  heat  in  stews  and 
brothels  ;  and  from  others  like  the  heat  in  shops  where 
skins,  leather,  and  shoes  are  sold.  There  was  even  some- 
thing rank,  harsh,  and  burning  in  the  heat,  arising  from 
jealousy.  But  the  heat  in  the  Christian  heavens,  when  the 
enjoyment  from  their  love  is  perceived  as  odor,  is  fragrant 
like  the  odor  in  gardens  and  vineyards,  and  like  that  in 
rose-gardens,  and  in  some  places  like  that  where  spices  are 
sold,  and  in  others  like  those  in  wine-presses  and  wine- 
cellars.  That  the  enjoyments  from  loves  in  the  spiritual 
world  are  often  perceived  as  odors,  has  been  shown  every- 
where in  my  Relations,  which  follow  these  chapters. 


No.  836.] 


THE  AFRICANS. 


VIII.  Concerning  the  Africans  in  the  Spiritual 
World  ;  and  also  something  concerning 
Gentiles. 

835.  The  Gentiles  who  have  known  nothing  of  the  Lord, 
in  the  spiritual  world  appear  outside  of  those  who  have 
known  of  Him,  even  sc  that  the  outermost  circumference 
is  formed  by  those  only  who  are  thoroughly  idolaters,  and 
in  the  formei  world  worshipped  the  sun  and  moon.  But 
those  who  acknowledge  one  God,  and  make  such  precepts 
as  are  in  the  decalogue  precepts  of  religion  and  so  of  the 
life,  communicate  more  directly  with  the  Christians  in  the 
central  region  •  for  so  the  communication  is  not  intercepted 
by  the  Mohammedans  and  Papists.  The  Gentiles  are  also 
distinguished  according  to  their  genius  and  their  faculty 
for  receiving  light  through  the  heavens  from  the  Lord,  for 
there  are  among  them  some  interior  and  some  exterior,  and 
this  comes  partly  from  climate,  partly  from  the  stock  from 
which  they  have  sprung,  partly  from  education,  and  partly 
from  religion.  The  Africans  are  more  interior  than  the 
others. 

836.  All  who  acknowledge  and  worship  one  God,  the 
Creator  of  the  universe,  entertain  the  idea  of  God  as  a 
Man  \  they  say  that  no  one  can  have  any  other  idea  of 
Him.  When  they  hear  that  many  entertain  an  idea  re- 
specting God  as  of  ether  or  a  cloud,  they  inquire  where 
such  people  are  ;  and  when  they  are  told  that  they  are 
among  the  Christians,  they  deny  that  it  is  possible.  But 
it  is  answered  that  they  have  such  an  idea  from  this,  that 
God  is  called  a  Spirit  in  the  Word,  and  of  spirit  they  have 
no  other  thought  than  of  ethereal  substance  or  of  some 
form  of  cloud,  not  knowing  that  every  spirit  and  every 
angel  is  a  human  being.  Further  examination  has  been 
made,  however,  to  ascertain  whether  their  spiritual  idea  is 
similar  to  their  natural  ;  and  it  has  been  found  that  it  is 
not  similar  with  those  who  interiorly  acknowledge  the  Lord 


IO92         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  837. 


the  Saviour  as  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth.  I  heard  a 
ceitain  elder  saying  that  no  one  can  have  an  idea  of  Divine 
Human  ;  and  I  saw  him  conveyed  to  various  classes  of 
Gentiles,  to  the  more  and  more  interior,  and  also  to  their 
heavens,  and  at  last  to  the  Christian  heaven  ;  and  every- 
where there  was  given  a  communication  of  their  interioi 
perception  respecting  God  :  and  he  observed  that  they  had 
no  other  idea  of  God  than  that  of  the  Divine  Man ;  and 
that  man,  .who  is  an  image  and  likeness  of  Him,  could  not 
have  been  created  by  any  other. 

837.  As  the  Africans  surpass  the  others  in  interior  judg- 
ment, I  have  had  conversation  with  them  on  matters  of 
loftier  inquiry,  and  lately  concerning  God,  concerning  the 
Lord  the  Redeemer,  and  concerning  the  interior  and  the 
exterior  man.  And  as  they  were  delighted  with  this  con- 
versation, I  will  present  some  of  the  things  which  they 
perceived  from  interior  sight  respecting  these  three  sub- 
jects. Of  God  they  said,  that  He  certainly  did  descend 
and  present  Himself  to  be  seen  by  men,  because  He  is 
their  Creator,  Guardian,  and  Guide,  and  because  the  hu- 
man race  is  His ;  also  that  He  sees,  surveys,  and  provides 
the  things,  one  and  all,  that  are  in  the  heavens  and  on 
earth, — their  goods  as  in  Himself,  and  Himself  in  them; 
this,  because  He  is  the  Sun  of  the  angelic  heaven,  which 
is  seen  as  high  above  the  spiritual  world  as  the  sun  of  the 
earth  is  above  the  natural  world ;  and  He  Who  is  the  Sun, 
sees,  surveys,  and  provides  all  things  and  every  single  thing 
below.  And  because  it  is  His  Divine  Love  which  appears 
as  a  Sun,  it  follows  that  He  provides  for  the  greatest  and 
the  least  such  things  as  pertain  to  life,  and  for  men  such 
things  as  are  of  love  and  wisdom,  —  the  things  which  are 
of  love  by  the  heat  from  that  Sun  and  the  things  which 
are  of  wisdom  by  the  light  therefrom.  If,  therefore,  you 
form  to  yourselves  an  idea  of  God  as  being  the  Sun  of  the 
universe,  you  will  surely  from  that  idea  see  and  acknowl- 
edge His  omnipresence,  omniscience,  and  omnipotence. 


No.  838.] 


THE  AFRICANS. 


IO9  j 


838.  And  further,  I  conversed  with  them  respecting  the 
Lord  the  Saviour.  It  was  said  that  God  in  His  essence  is 
Divine  Love,  and  that  Divine  Love  is  as  purest  fire ;  and 
as  love  viewed  in  itself  can  purpose  only  to  become  one 
with  another  whom  it  loves,  and  Divine  love  to  unite  itself 
to  man  and  man  to  itself  so  that  it  may  be  in  man  and 
man  in  it,  and  because  the  Divine  Love  is  as  purest  fire, — 
it  is  manifest  that  God  being  such  could  not  possibly  be  in 
man  and  cause  man  to  be  in  Him  j  for  He  would  thus 
reduce  the  whole  man  to  the  thinnest  vapor.  Yet  as  God 
from  His  essence  burned  with  the  love  of  uniting  Himself 
with  man,  it  was  necessary  that  He  should  veil  Himself 
over  with  a  Body  adapted  to  reception  and  conjunction. 
Therefore  He  descended  and  assumed  the  Human  accord- 
ing to  the  order  from  Himself  established  from  the  creation 
of  the  world ;  which  order  was,  that,  by  the  power  propa- 
gated from  Himself,  [the  Human]  should  be  conceived,  car- 
ried in  the  womb,  and  born,  and  then  should  grow  in  wisdom 
and  love,  and  so  draw  near  to  union  with  the  Divine  Origin 
thereof,  and  that  thus  God  became  Man,  and  Man  God. 
That  this  is  so,  the  Scripture  respecting  Him  (which  exists 
among  Christians  and  is  called  the  Word)  manifestly  teaches 
and  testifies )  and  God  Himself,  Who  in  His  Human  is 
called  Jesus  Christ,  says  that  the  Father  is  in  Him  and  He 
in  the  Father,  and  that  he  that  seeth  Him  seeth  the  Father  ; 
besides  other  things  to  the  same  purport.  That  God,  Whose 
Love  is  as  purest  fire,  could  not  otherwise  unite  Himself  to 
man  and  man  to  Himself,  reason  also  sees.  Car.  the  sun's 
fire  as  it  is  in  itself  touch  man,  still  less  enter  into  him, 
unless  it  veil  its  rays  with  atmospheres,  and  so  by  a  tem- 
pered heat  present  itself  accommodated  ?  Can  the  pure 
ether  envelop  man,  still  less  enter  his  bronchial  tubes, 
unless  it  become  more  dense  with  air  and  thus  adapt  itself  ? 
A  fish  cannot  even  draw  the  breath  of  life  in  the  air,  but  to 
an  element  suited  to  its  life;  nor  yet  can  a  king  on  earth, 
in  his  own  person  or  immediati sly,  administer  the  affairs 


1094         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  839. 

of  his  kingdom,  one  and  all,  except  by  higher  and  lowei 
officers  who  together  constitute  his  royal  body.  Nor  can 
a  man's  soul  render  itself  visible  to  another,  enter  into 
companionship  with  him,  and  communicate  proofs  of  its 
love,  except  through  a  body.  How  then  could  God  do  so, 
except  through  a  Humanity  of  His  own  ?  The  Africans 
more  than  the  others  had  a  perception  of  these  things 
when  they  heard  them,  because  they  are  more  interiorly 
rational ;  and  each  favored  them  according  to  his  per- 
ception. 

839.  Lastly  we  conversed  respecting  the  intei'ior  and  the 
exterior  man.  And  it  was  said  that  men  who  perceive 
things  interiorly  are  in  the  light  of  truth,  which  is  the  light 
of  heaven,  and  that  those  who  perceive  things  exteriorly 
are  in  no  light  of  truth,  because  they  are  in  the  light  of  the 
world  only ;  that  thus  interior  men  are  in  intelligence  and 
wisdom,  but  exterior  men  are  in  insanity  and  in  preposter- 
ous vision  [see  n.  345]  ;  that  interior  men  are  spiritual,  be- 
cause they  think  from  the  spirit  elevated  above  the  body, 
and  therefore  see  truths  in  light,  but  that  exterior  men  are 
sensual-natural,  because  they  think  from  the  fallacies  of 
the  senses  of  the  body  ;  therefore  they  see  truths  as  in  a 
thick  cloud,  and  when  they  revolve  them  in  their  minds 
they  see  falsities  as  truths  ;  that  internal  men  are  like 
those  who  stand  on  a  mountain  in  a  plain,  or  on  a  tower 
in  a  city,  or  on  a  light-house  in  the  sea ;  while  external 
men  are  like  those  who  stand  in  a  valley  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountain,  or  in  a  vault  beneath  the  tower,  or  in  a  boat 
undei  the  light-house,  and  who  see  only  what  is  nearest  to 
them.  Moreover,  internal  men  are  like  those  who  live  in 
the  second  or  third  story  of  a  house  or  palace,  the  walls 
of  which  are  continuous  windows  of  clearest  glass,  who 
look  round  about  upon  the  city  in  its  whole  extent,  and 
recognize  every  cottage  in  it ;  while  external  men  are  like 
those  who  live  in  the  lowest  story,  the  windows  of  which 
are  of  parchment,  who  cannot  even  see  a  single  street  out- 


No.  840.] 


THE  AFRICANS. 


IO95 


side  of  the  house,  but  only  what  is  within  it,  and  this  only 
by  the  light  of  a  candle  or  of  the  fire.  Furthermore,  in- 
ternal men  are  like  eagles  soaring  on  high,  which  see  all 
things  spread  out  beneath  them  ;  while  external  men,  on 
the  other  hand,  are  like  cocks  that  stand  on  a  post  and 
crow  aloud  before  the  hens  that  are  walking  on  the  ground 
And,  moreover,  internal  men  perceive  that  what  they  know 
compared  with  what  they  do  not  know  is  as  the  water  in  a 
pitcher  compared  to  that  in  a  lake  j  while  external  men  do 
not  perceive  but  that  they  know  all  things.  The  Africans 
were  delighted  with  what  was  said,  because  from  the  in- 
terior sight  in  which  they  excel  they  acknowledged  that  it 
was  so. 

840.  Such  being  the  character  of  the  Africans,  a  revela- 
tion is  therefore  made  among  them  at  this  day,  which  is 
spreading  round  about  from  the  place  where  it  began,  but 
has  not  yet  reached  the  coasts.  They  despise  strangers 
coming  from  Europe,  who  believe  that  man  is  saved  by 
faith  alone,  and  thus  by  merely  thinking  and  speaking, 
and  not  at  the  same  time  by  willing  and  doing ;  they  say 
that  there  is  no  man  with  any  worship  who  does  not 
live  according  to  his  religion,  and  that  if  one  does  not,  he 
cannot  but  become  stupid  and  wicked,  because  he  receives 
nothing  from  heaven.  I  have  several  times  conversed  with 
Augustine,  who  was  bishop  of  Hippo  in  Africa  in  the  third 
century.  He  said  that  he  is  there  at  the  present  day,  and 
is  inspiring  them  with  the  worship  of  the  Lord,  and  that 
there  is  hope  of  the  propagation  of  this  new  gospel  to  the 
surrounding  regions.  I  have  heard  the  angels  rejoicing 
over  that  revelation,  because  by  it  there  is  opening  to  them 
communication  with  the  human  rational,  hitherto  closed  up 
by  the  universal  dogma  that  the  understanding  is  to  be 
under  obedience  to  the  faith  of  the  ecclesiastics. 


IO96         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION      [No.  842. 


IX.  Concerning  the  Jews  in  the  Spiritual  World. 

841.  Previous  to  the  last  judgment,  which  took  place  in 
die  year  1757,  the  Jews  appeared  in  a  valley  at  the  left  side 
of  the  Christian  centre ;  after  that  they  were  transferred 
northward,  and  intercourse  with  Christians,  except  with 
those  wandering  outside  of  the  cities,  was  forbidden  them. 
There  are  in  that  quarter  two  great  cities  into  which  the 
Jews  are  transferred  after  death,  each  of  which  before  the 
judgment  they  called  Jerusalem,  but  afterward  by  another 
name  j  because  since  the  judgment  Jerusalem  means  the 
church  in  which  the  Lord  alone  is  worshipped,  as  to  its 
doctrine.  Converted  Jews  are  placed  over  them  in  their 
cities,  who  warn  them  not  to  speak  contemptuously  of 
Christ,  and  punish  those  who  persist  in  doing  so.  The 
streets  of  their  cities  are  filled  with  mud  ankle-deep,  and 
the  houses  with  uncleanness,  from  which  they  smell  so 
abominably  that  they  cannot  be  approached.  I  afterward 
noticed  that  many  others  of  that  nation  also  obtained  a 
place  of  abode  in  the  southern  quarter;  and  when  I  asked 
who  they  were,  I  was  told  that  they  were  those  who  made 
light  of  the  worship  of  the  others,  and  who  still  questioned 
in  their  own  minds  \animi  \  whether  the  Messiah  would  ever 
come,  and  those  who  in  the  world  thought  from  reason  about 
various  matters,  and  lived  according  to  it.  Those  who  are 
called  the  Portuguese  Jews  constitute  the  greater  part  of 
this  class. 

842.  An  angel  with  a  staff  in  his  hand  sometimes  appears 
to  the  Jews,  above,  at  a  middle  altitude,  and  gives  them  to 
believe  that  he  is  Moses.  He  exhorts  them  to  desist  from 
their  senseless  expectation  of  the  Messiah  even  there,  be- 
cause the  M essiah  is  Christ,  Who  rules  them  and  all  men  \ 
that  he  knows  this,  and  that  he  also  knew  about  Him  while 
he  was  in  the  world.  When  they  hear  this  they  go  away. 
The  greater  part  of  them  forget  it,  but  a  few  keep  it  in 


No.  844.] 


THE  JEWS. 


IO97 


mind.  These  few  are  sent  to  synagogues  composed  of  con- 
verted Jews,  and  are  instructed  j  and  after  they  have  been 
instructed,  new  clothes  are  given  them  instead  of  their  tat- 
tered ones  ;  and  the  Word,  neatly  written,  is  given  to  them, 
also  a  dwelling  in  the  city,  not  inelegant.  But  they  who  do 
not  receive  are  cast  down,  many  of  them  into  forests  and 
c'.eserts,  where  they  steal  from  each  other. 

843.  In  that  world  as  in  the  former  the  Jews  traffic  in 
various  articles,  especially  in  precious  stones,  which  they 
obtain  in  unknown  ways  from  heaven,  where  there  are 
precious  stones  in  abundance.  They  traffic  in  precious 
stones  because  they  read  the  Word  in  the  original  tongue, 
and  hold  the  sense  of  its  letter  holy;  and  precious  stones 
correspond  to  that  sense.  That  the  spiritual  origin  of  those 
stones  is  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  and  that  from 
this  arises  their  correspondence,  may  be  seen  above  in  the 
chapter  on  the  Sacred  Scripture  (n.  217,  218).  They  are 
also  able  to  make  artificial  stones  that  look  like  them,  and 
to  induce  the  fantasy  that  they  are  genuine  ;  but  those  who 
do  so  are  heavily  fined  by  their  rulers. 

844.  The  Jews  are  more  ignorant  than  others  that  they 
are  in  the  spiritual  world,  but  they  believe  that  they  are 
still  in  the  natural  world.  This  is  because  they  are  wholly 
external  men,  and  think  nothing  about  religion  from  the 
interior.  Therefore  they  also  talk  about  the  Messiah  as 
formerly,  and  some  say  that  He  will  come  with  David,  and 
glittering  with  diadems  will  go  before  them  and  introduce 
them  into  the  land  of  Canaan  j  that  on  the  way  He  will  dry 
up  the  rivers  they  are  to  cross  by  raising  His  rod,  and  that 
Christians  (whom  among  themselves  they  also  call  Gentiles) 
will  then  take  hold  of  the  skirts  of  their  garments,  suppli- 
antly  beseeching  permission  to  accompany  them  ;  that  they 
shall  receive  the  rich  according  to  their  abundance,  and 
that  these  also  will  serve  them.  In  all  this  they  confirm 
themselves  by  what  is  read  in  Zechariah  (viiL  23)  and  in 
Isaiah  (Ixvi.  20);  also  by  what  is  said  of  David,  that  he  is 


IO98         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  845. 

to  come  and  be  their  king  and  shepherd  (Jer.  xxx.  9  ;  Ez. 
xxxiv.  23-25 ;  xxxvii.  23-26).  They  are  utterly  unwilling 
to  hear  that  by  David  is  there  meant  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  that  by  Jews  are  there  meant  those  who  will  be  of  His 
church. 

845.  When  asked  whether  they  firmly  believe  that  they 
all  are  to  come  into  the  land  of  Canaan,  they  say  that  all 
are  then  to  come,  and  that  the  Jews  who  are  dead  are  then 
to  rise  again,  and  from  their  sepulchres  are  to  enter  that 
land.  When  it  is  said  in  return  that  they  cannot  possibly 
c®me  out  of  sepulchres,  because  they  themselves  were  liv- 
ing after  death,  they  reply  that  they  are  then  to  descend 
and  enter  their  own  bodies  and  live  so.  When  it  is  said 
that  that  land  cannot  hold  them  all,  they  answer  that  it  will 
then  be  enlarged.  When  told  that  the  kingdom  of  the 
Messiah,  because  He  is  the  Son  of  God,  will  not  be  on 
earth  but  in  heaven,  they  reply  that  the  land  of  Canaan 
will  be  heaven  then.  When  told  that  they  do  not  know 
where  Bethlehem  Ephratah  is,  where  the  Messiah  will  be 
born  according  to  the  prediction  in  Micah  (v.  2),  and  in 
David  (Ps.  cxxxii.  6),  they  answer  that  still  the  mother  of 
the  Messiah  will  give  birth  there  ;  and  some  say  that  where 
she  brings  forth,  there  is  Bethlehem.  When  they  are  asked 
how  the  Messiah  can  dwell  with  such  wicked  people,  and 
it  is  proved  by  many  passages  from  Jeremiah,  and  espe- 
cially by  the  Song  of  Moses  (Deut.  xxxii.),  that  they  are  the 
worst,  they  answer  that  among  the  Jews  there  are  the  good 
as  well  as  the  bad,  and  that  the  bad  are  meant  there.  When 
they  are  told  that  they  sprung  from  a  Canaanitish  woman 
and  from  Judah's  whoredom  with  his  daughter-in-law  (Gen. 
xxxviii.),  they  answer  that  there  was  no  whoredom.  But 
when  the  rejoinder  is  made  that  still  Judah  commanded 
that  she  should  be  brought  and  burned  for  whoredom,  they 
go  away  to  consult  about  it,  and  after  consultation  they  say 
that  he  only  performed  the  part  of  the  husband's  brother, 
an  office  which  neither  his  second  son  Onan  nor  his  third 


No.  846.] 


CONCLUDING  RELATION. 


IO99 


son  Selah  fulfilled.  And  to  this  they  add  that  very  many 
of  them  are  of  the  tribe  of  Levi  who  held  the  priesthood  ■ 
and  they  add,  "It  is  enough  that  we  are  all  from  the  loins 
of  Abraham."  When  they  are  told  that  interiorly  in  the 
Word  there  is  a  spiritual  sense  in  which  the  Christ  or  Mes- 
siah is  much  treated  of,  they  answer  that  this  is  not  so ; 
and  some  of  them  say  that  interiorly  in  the  Word,  or  in  its 
depths,  there  is  nothing  but  gold ;  and  they  say  other  things 
of  the  same  sort. 

846.  I  was  once  taken  up  as  to  my  spirit  into  the  angelic 
heaven,  and  into  one  of  its  societies.  And  then  some  of 
the  wise  ones  there  came  to  me  and  said,  "  What  news  fro?n 
earth  ?  "  I  answered,  "  This  is  new,  that  the  Lord  has  re- 
vealed arcana  which  in  excellence  surpass  those  revealed 
from  the  beginning  of  the  church  even  to  the  present  time." 
They  asked,  "  What  are  they  ?  "    I  replied,  they  are  these  ; 

1.  In  the  whole  WTord  and  in  every  particular  of  it  there  is 
a  Spiritual  Sense  corresponding  to  the  natural  sense  j  by 
means  of  that  sense  the  Word  is  a  conjunction  of  the  men 
of  the  church  with  the  Lord,  and  also  a  consociation  with 
angels  5  and  the  holiness  of  the  Word  resides  in  that  sense. 

2.  The  Correspondences  of  which  the  spiritual  sense  con- 
sists are  disclosed."  The  angels  asked,  "  Did  not  the  in- 
habitants of  the  earth  know  of  correspondences  before  ?  "  I 
answered,  that  they  knew  nothing  whatever  ;  and  that  these 
have  been  hidden  now  for  thousands  of  years,  that  is,  even 
from  the  time  of  Job;  but  that  with  those  who  lived  at  that 
time  and  before  it,  the  knowledge  of  correspondences  was 
the  knowledge  of  knowledges,  from  which  they  had  wis- 
dom, because  by  it  they  had  a  cognition  of  spiritual  things 
which  pertain  to  heaven  and  the  church  ;  but  that  as  that 
knowledge  was  turned  into  an  idolatrous  knowledge,  by 
the  Lord's  Divine  Providence  it  was  so  obliterated  and 
lost  that  no  one  has  seen  any  sign  of  it ;  but  that  yet  it  is 
now  disclosed  by  the  Lord,  that  a  conjunction  of  the  men 
of  the  church  with  Himself  and  a  consociation  with  the 


IIOO         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No  846 


angels  may  be  effected,  and  this  is  done  by  means  of  the 
Word  in  which  all  things  and  every  single  thing  are  cor- 
respondences. The  angels  rejoiced  exceedingly  that  it 
had  pleased  the  Lord  to  reveal  this  great  arcanum,  so 
deeply  hidden  for  thousands  of  years  ;  and  they  said  that 
this  was  done  in  order  that  the  Christian  church  which  is 
founded  on  the  Word,  and  which  is  now  at  its  end,  may 
again  revive  and  draw  spirit  through  heaven  from  the  Lord. 
They  asked  whether,  by  means  of  a  knowledge  of  corre- 
spondences, it  has  at  this  day  been  disclosed  what  is  signi- 
fied by  Baptism,  and  what  by  the  Holy  Supper,  about 
which  there  have  hitherto  been  such  various  views.  And 
I  replied  that  it  has  been.  3.  I  said  further  that  the  Lord 
has  at  this  day  made  a  revelation  concerning  the  life  of 
men  after  death.  The  angel  said,  "  Why  about  the  life 
after  death  ?  Who  does  not  know  that  man  lives  after 
death  ?  "  I  replied,  "  They  know  and  they  do  not  know. 
They  say  that  the  man  does  not  live  after  death,  but  his 
soul,  and  that  this  lives  as  a  spirit ;  and  they  entertain  an 
idea  of  spirit  as  of  wind  or  ether ;  and  they  say  that  one 
does  not  live  as  a  man  until  after  the  day  of  the  last  judg- 
ment, when  the  corporeal  elements  which  were  left  in  the 
world,  although  eaten  up  by  worms,  mice,  and  fishes,  will 
be  collected  together  again,  and  again  formed  into  a  body, 
and  that  in  this  way  men  are  to  rise  again."  The  angels 
said,  "  How  is  this  ?  Who  does  not  know  that  man  lives 
a  man  after  death,  with  the  sole  difference  that  he  then 
lives  a  substantial  man,  not  a  material  man  as  before,  and 
that  the  substantial  man  sees  the  substantial  man  as  much 
as  the  material  man  sees  the  material,  and  that  they  know 
not  a  single  difference  except  that  they  are  in  a  more  per 
feet  state  ?  "  4.  The  angels  asked,  "  What  do  they  know 
of  our  world,  and  of  Heaven  and  Hell  ?  "  I  answered 
that  they  have  known  nothing,  but  that  at  this  day  it  has  been 
disclosed  by  the  Lord  what  is  the  nature  of  the  world  in 
which  angels  and  spirits  live,  thus  what  is  the  nature  of 


No.  846.] 


CONCLUDING  RELATION. 


1 101 


heaven  and  of  hell ;  as  also  that  angels  and  spirits  are  in 
conjunction  with  men,  besides  many  wonderful  things  re- 
specting them.  The  angels  rejoiced  that  it  has  pleased 
the  Lord  to  disclose  such  things,  so  that  man  may  no 
longer  from  ignorance  be  in  doubt  respecting  his  immor- 
tality. 5.  I  said  further,  "  It  has  at  this  day  been  revealed 
by  the  Lord,  that  there  is  in  your  world  a  different  Sun 
from  that  of  our  world ;  that  the  Sun  of  your  world  is  pure 
Love,  and  that  of  ours  pure  fire  ;  that  therefore  all  that 
proceeds  from  your  Sun,  because  it  is  pure  love,  partakes 
of  life,  while  all  that  proceeds  from  our  sun,  because  it  is 
pure  fire,  partakes  not  at  all  of  life ;  and  that  from  this 
comes  the  distinction  between  the  Spiritual  and  the 
Natural,  which  distinction,  hitherto  unknown,  has  also 
been  disclosed.  And  from  these  things  it  has  been  made 
known  whence  comes  the  light  which  illuminates  the  hu- 
man understanding  with  wisdom,  and  whence  the  heat 
which  enkindles  the  human  will  with  love.  6.  Moreover 
it  has  been  disclosed  that  there  are  three  degrees  of  life,  and 
consequently  three  heavens  ;  that  the  mind  of  man  is  dis- 
tinguished into  those  degrees,  and  that  man  therefore  cor- 
responds to  the  three  heavens."  The  angels  asked,  "  Did 
they  not  know  this  before  ?  "  I  answered  that  they  knew 
of  the  degrees  between  more  and  less,  but  nothing  of  the 
degrees  between  the  prior  and  the  posterior.  7.  The 
angels  asked  whether  any  thing  else  has  been  revealed. 
I  answered  that  many  other  things  have  been  revealed  re- 
specting the  Last  Judgment :  respecting  the  Lord  as  being 
the  God  of  heaven  and  earth  \  that  God  is  one  in  Person 
and  in  Essence,  in  Whom  is  a  Divine  Trinity,  and  that  the 
Lord  is  this  God  ;  also  respecting  the  New  Church  about 
to  be  established  by  Him,  and  the  Doctrine  of  this  Church  ; 
concerning  the  Holiness  of  the  Sacred  Scripture ;  that  the 
Apocalypse  also  has  been  revealed ;  and  further,  many 
things  about  the  Lnhabitants  of  the  Planets,  and  about  the 
Earths  in  the   Universe ;  besides  many  memorable  and 


II02         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  848, 


wonderful  things  from  the  spiritual  world,  by  which  many 
things  that  pertain  to  wisdom  have  been  disclosed  from 
heaven. 

847.  After  this,  speaking  with  the  angels,  I  told  them 
that  something  more  has  been  revealed  in  the  world  by  the 
Lord.  They  asked  what.  I  said,  "  Respecting  Love  truly 
conjugal*  and  its  spiritual  delights."  And  the  angels  said, 
"  Who  does  not  know  that  the  delights  of  conjugal  *  love 
surpass  those  of  all  loves  ?  And  who  cannot  conceive  that 
into  some  one  love  (inasmuch  as  it  corresponds  to  the  love 
of  the  Lord  and  the  Church)  are  brought  together  all  the 
varieties  of  blessedness,  satisfaction,  and  enjoyment  that 
can  ever  be  brought  together  by  the  Lord  ?  also  that  Love 
truly  conjugial  is  their  receptacle,  which  can  receive  and 
perceive  them  even  to  a  full  sense?"  I  replied  that  men 
do  not  know  this,  because  they  have  not  approached  the 
Lord,  and  therefore  have  not  shunned  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh,  and  so  could  not  be  regenerated  ;  and  love  truly 
conjugal  *  is  solely  from  the  Lord,  and  is  given  to  those 
who  are  being  regenerated  by  Him ;  and  these,  too,  are 
they  who  are  received  into  the  Lord's  New  Church  which 
is  meant  in  the  Apocalypse  by  the  New  Jerusalem.  To 
this  I  added  that  I  doubt  whether  they  are  willing  to  be- 
lieve at  this  day  in  the  world  .that  this  love  is  in  itself 
spiritual,  and  therefore  from  religion,  because  they  cherish 
a  merely  corporeal  idea  of  it ;  and  so  [whether  they  are 
willing  to  acknowledge  ]  f  that,  because  it  is  according  to 
religion,  it  is  spiritual  with  the  spiritual,  natural  with  the 
natural,  and  merely  carnal  with  adulterers. 

848.  The  angels  rejoiced  exceedingly  in  what  had  been 
said  now  and  before ;  but  they  perceived  sadness  in  me, 

*  The  word  here  used  is  conjugate.  In  this  Relation  as  found  in 
the  treatise  on  "Conjugial  Love,"  n.  534,  the  word  conjugialis  is  used. 
Conjugalis  is  also  found  twice  in  n.  805  of  this  work. 

t  The  words  within  brackets  are  supplied  from  the  treatise  on 
'  Conjugial  Love,"  n.  534. 


No.  849  ]  CONCLUDING  RELATION. 


1 103 


and  asked,  "Whence  comes  your  sadness?"  I  told  them 
that  these  arcana  revealed  by  the  Lord  at  this  day,  although 
in  excellence  and  dignity  they  surpass  all  the  cognitions 
hitherto  divulged,  still  are  regarded  on  earth  as  of  no  value. 
The  angels  wondered  at  this,  and  besought  the  Lord  that  it 
might  be  allowable  for  them  to  look  down  upon  the  world  ; 
and  they  looked  down,  and  lo !  mere  darkness  was  there. 
And  they  were  told  that  these  arcana  should  be  written  on 
paper  and  the  paper  should  be  let  down  to  the  earth,  and 
they  would  see  a  prodigy.  This  was  done ;  and  behold,  the 
paper  on  which  these  arcana  were  written  was  let  down 
from  heaven,  and  in  its  progress  while  it  was  yet  in  the 
spiritual  world  it  shone  as  a  star,  but  when  it  descended 
into  the  natural  world  the  light  waned,  and  in  proportion 
as  it  fell  it  was  darkened.  And  when  it  was  let  down  by 
the  angels  into  assemblies  where  there  were  men  of  learn- 
ing and  erudition  from  among  the  clergy  and  the  laity,  there 
was  heard  a  murmur  from  many,  in  which  were  the  words, 
"  What  is  this  ?  Is  it  any  thing  ?  What  matters  it  whether 
we  know  these  things  or  not  ?  Are  they  not  the  offspring 
of  the  brain  ? 99  And  it  seemed  as  if  some  persons  took  the 
paper,  and  folded  it,  and  rolled  and  unrolled  it  with  their 
fingers,  and  as  if  others  tore  it  in  pieces  and  wished  to 
trample  it  under  foot.  But  they  were  withheld  by  the  Lord 
from  that  outrage ;  and  the  angels  were  directed  to  with- 
draw the  paper  and  guard  it.  And  because  the  angels 
were  made  sad,  and  thought,  "  How  long  will  this  be  ?  "  it 
was  said,  "  For  a  time,  and  times,  and  half  a  time  "  (Apoc. 
xii.  14). 

849.  After  this  I  heard  a  hostile  murmur  from  the  lower 
regions,  and  at  the  same  time  these  words:  "Work  mira- 
cles and  we  will  believe."  And  I  replied,  "Are  not  those 
things  miracles  ?  "  It  was  answered,  "They  are  not."  And 
I  asked,  "What  miracles,  then?"  They  said,  ^ Manifest 
and  reveal  future  events,  and  we  will  have  faith."  Hut  I 
answered,  "Such  things  are  not  granted  by  the  Lord,  be- 


1 104         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  851. 


cause  so  far  as  man  knows  future  events,  his  reason  and 
understanding  together  with  prudence  and  wisdom  sink  into 
inactivity,  become  torpid  and  fall."  And  again  I  asked, 
"  What  other  miracles  shall  I  work  ?  "  Then  arose  the  cry, 
"  Such  as  Moses  wrought  in  Egypt."  And  I  replied,  "  Per- 
haps you  would  harden  your  hearts  to  them,  as  did  Pharaoh 
and  the  Egyptians."  And  they  answered  that  they  should 
not.  And  again  I  said,  "  Assure  me  that  you  will  not  dance 
around  a  golden  calf  and  adore  it,  as  the  posterity  of  Jacob 
did  a  single  month  after  they  saw  all  mount  Sinai  burning, 
and  heard  Jehovah  Himself  speaking  out  of  the  fire,  thus 
after  a  miracle  which  was  the  greatest  of  all  "  (a  golden  calf 
in  the  spiritual  sense  is  the  pleasure  of  the  flesh).  And  it  was 
answered  from  the  lower  regions,  "  We  will  not  be  like  the 
posterity  of  Jacob."  But  at  that  moment  I  heard  it  said 
to  them  from  heaven,  "  If  you  believe  not  Moses  and  the 
prophets,  that  is,  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  you  will  not  believe 
on  account  of  miracles  any  more  than  the  posterity  of  Jacob 
did  in  the  desert ;  or  any  more  than  they  believed  when 
with  their  own  eyes  they  saw  the  miracles  wrought  by  the 
Lord  Himself,  when  He  was  in  the  world." 

850.  After  this  I  saw  some  persons  ascending  from  the 
lower  regions,  from  which  those  things  were  heard,  who 
addressing  me  in  a  grave  tone  said,  "  Why  has  your  Lord 
revealed  the  arcana  that  you  have  just  enumerated  in  a 
long  list,  to  you  who  are  a  layman,  and  not  to  some  one  of 
the  clergy  ?  "  To  which  I  replied  :  "  Such  is  the  good  pleas- 
ure of  the  Lord,  Who  has  prepared  me  for  this  office  from 
earliest  youth.  Nevertheless,  I  will  ask  you  in  return,  Why 
did  the  Lord  when  in  the  world  choose  fishermen  for  His 
disciples,  and  not  some  of  the  lawyers,  scribes,  priests,  or 
rabbis  ?  Discuss  this  among  yourselves,  draw  your  con- 
clusions from  judgment,  and  you  will  discover  the  cause." 
When  they  heard  this,  a  murmur  arose  among  them ;  and 
after  this  there  was  silence. 

851.  I  foresee  that  many  who  read  the  Relations  annexed 


No.  851.]  CONCLUDING  RELATION.  1 105 

to  the  chapters  will  believe  that  they  are  inventions  of  the 
imagination.  But  I  assert  in.  truth  thai  they  are  not  inven- 
tions, but  were  truly  seen  and  heard ;  not  seen  and  heard 
in  anystate  of  the  sleeping  mind,  but  in  a  state  of  full  wake- 
fulness. For  it  has  pleased  the  Lord  to  manifest  Himself 
to  me,  and  to  send  me  to  teach  those  things  which  will 
belong  to  His  New  Church,  which  is  meant  by  the  New 
Jerusalem  in  the  Apocalypse.  For  this  purpose  he  has 
opened  the  interiors  of  my  mind  or  spirit,  whereby  it  has 
been  given  me  to  be  in  the  spiritual  world  with  angels,  and 
at  the  same  time  in  the  natural  world  with  men,  and  this 
now  for  twenty-seven  years.  Who  in  the  Christian  world 
would  have  known  any  thing  of  Heaven  and  Hell,  if  it  had 
not  pleased  the  Lord  to  open  in  some  one  the  sight  of  his 
spirit,  and  to  show  and  teach  ?  That  such  things  as  are 
described  in  the  Relatio?is  do  appear,  is  manifest  from  simi- 
lar things  that  were  seen  by  John  and  described  in  the 
Apocalypse,  as  also  in  the  Word  of  the  Old  Testament  by 
the  prophets.  In  the  Apocalypse  are  these :  John  saw  the 
Son  of  Man  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  candlesticks;  he 
saw  the  tabernacle,  the  temple,  the  ark,  and  the  altar,  in 
heaven ;  he  saw  a  book  sealed  with  seven  seals,  he  saw  it 
opened,  and  horses  going  out  of  it;  four  animals  round 
about  the  throne ;  twelve  thousand  chosen  out  of  each 
tribe  ;  locusts  ascending  out  of  the  pit ;  a  woman  bringing 
forth  a  man-child,  and  fleeing  into  the  desert  on  account  of 
the  dragon  ;  two  beasts,  one  going  up  out  of  the  sea,  and 
the  other  out  of  the  earth  ;  an  angel  rlying  in  the  midst  of 
heaven,  having  the  everlasting  Gospel ;  a  sea  of  glass 
mingled  with  fire ;  seven  angels  having  the  seven  last 
plagues ;  vials  poured  out  by  them  on  the  earth,  the 
sea,  the  rivers,  the  sun,  the  throne  of  the  beast,  the  Eu- 
phrates, and  the  air ;  a  woman  sitting  on  a  scarlet  beast ; 
the  dragon  cast  into  a  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone;  a 
white  horse;  a  «great  supper;  a  new  heaven  and  a  new 
earth  ;  the  holy  Jerusalem  descending  out  of  heaven,  which 

VOL.  III.  12 


1 106         THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.     [No.  851, 


is  described  as  to  its  gates,  wall,  and  foundations ;  also 
the  river  of  the  water  of  life,  and  trees  of  life  bearing 
fruit  every  month  \  besides  other  things,  all  of  which  were 
seen  by  John,  and  seen  when  as  to  his  spirit  he  was  in  the 
spiritual  world  and  in  heaven.  Add  what  was  seen  by  the 
apostles  after  the  Lord's  resurrection,  also  what  was  seen 
later  by  Peter  (Acts  xi.),  and  what  was  seen  and  heard  by 
Paul.  Add  to  this  what  was  seen  by  the  prophets  of  the 
Old  Testament,  as  by  Ezekiel  who  saw  four  animals  which 
were  cherubs  (i.  and  ix.),  a  new  temple  and  a  new  earth, 
and  an  angel  measuring  them  (xl.-xlviii.)  j  he  was  carried 
away  to  Jerusalem  and  saw  the  abominations  there,  and 
also  into  Chaldea  (viii.  and  xi.).  What  was  similar  took 
place  with  Zechariah :  he  saw  a  man  riding  among  myrtle 
trees  (i.  8-1 1);  he  saw  four  horns,  and  afterward  a  man  with 
a  measuring-line  in  his  hand  (i.  and  ii.);  he  saw  a  flying  roll 
and  an  ephah  (v.  1,  6);  he  saw  four  chariots  between  two 
mountains,  also  horses  (vi.  1-8).  So  likewise  with  Daniel ; 
he  saw  four  beasts  coming  up  out  of  the  sea  (vii.  1-8)  ;  he 
saw  the  Son  of  Man  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  Whose 
dominion  shall  not  pass  away,  and  Whose  kingdom  shall 
not  be  destroyed  (vii.  13,  14) ;  he  saw  the  conflict  between 
the  ram  and  the  he-goat  (viii.  1-27)  ;  he  saw  the  angel  Ga- 
briel, and  he  talked  with  him  (ix.).  The  servant  of  Elisha 
saw  horses  and  chariots  of  fire  round  about  Elisha,  and 
saw  them  when  his  eyes  were  opened  (2  Kings  vi.  17). 
From  these  and  many  other  passages  in  the  Word,  it  is 
evident  that  those  things  which  exist  in  the  spiritual  world 
have  appeared  to  many  both  before  and  since  the  Coming 
of  the  Lord.  What  marvel,  then,  that  they  should  be  seen 
now  also,  when  a  New  Church  is  commencing,  or  when  the 
New  Jerusalem  is  descending  from  heaven  ? 


A  THEOREM. 


1 107 


[In  the  original,  what  follows  is  found  appended  to  the  Index  to  the  Relations  } 

a  theorem  proposed  by  a  certain  duke,  an  elector 
in  Germany,  who  also  enjoyed  the  highest  eccle- 
siastical DIGNITY. 

I  once  saw  in  the  spiritual  world  a  certain  duke,  an 
elector  of  Germany,  who  also  enjoyed  the  highest  eccle- 
siastical dignity,  and  near  him  two  bishops  and  also  two 
ministers,  and  from  a  distance  I  heard  their  conversation. 
The  electoral  duke  asked  the  four  bystanders  whether  they 
knew  what  constituted  the  head  of  religion  in  Christendom. 
The  bishops  replied,  "  The  head  of  religion  in  Christendom 
is,  Faith  alone  justifying  and  saving."  Again  he  asked, 
"  Do  you  know  what  lies  inwardly  concealed  in  that  faith  ? 
Open  it,  look  into  it,  and  tell  me."  They  replied  that  there 
is  nothing  inwardly  concealed  in  it  but  the  merit  and  right- 
eousness of  the  Lord  the  Saviour.  To  this  the  electoral  duke 
said,  "  Is  there  not  concealed  in  it,  then,  the  Lord  the 
Saviour  in  His  Human,  in  which  He  is  called  Jesus  Christ, 
because  He  alone  in  His  Human  was  Righteousness  ? " 
To  this  they  replied,  "  This  certainly  and  inseparably  fol- 
lows." The  electoral  duke  persisted,  saying,  "  Open  that 
faith,  look  into  it  further,  search  well,  and  see  whether 
there  is  any  thing  else  in  it."  And  the  minister  said,  "  The 
grace  of  God  the  Father  is  also  concealed  in  it."  To  this 
the  electoral  duke  said,  "  Obtain  a  right  conception  and  per- 
ception, and  you  will  see  that  it  is  the  Son's  grace  with  the 
Father,  for  the  Son  begs  and  intercedes.  Wherefore  I  say 
to  you,  since  you  confess,  venerate,  and  kiss  that  faith 
alone  of  yours,  that  you  ought  by  all  means  to  confess, 
venerate,  and  kiss  the  Lord  the  Saviour  alone  in  His  Hu- 
man ;  for,  as  already  said,  He  in  His  Human  was  and  is 
Fighteousness.  That  in  this  Human  He  is  also  Jehovah 
and  God,  I  have  seen  in  the  Sacred  Writings  from  these 
passages  :  Behold,  the  days  are  coming  when  I  will  raise  up 


II08  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


unto  David  a  righteous  Branch,  Who  shall  reign  King  and 
prosper ;  and  this  is  His  name  whereby  He  shall  be  called, 
Jehovah  our  Righteousness  (Jer.  xxxiii.  15,  16).  In 
Paul  :  In  Jesus  Christ  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the 
Godhead  (or  Divinity)  bodily  (Col.  ii.  9).  And  in  John  : 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  true  God  and  eternal  Life  (1  Epistle, 
v.  20).  Wherefore  He  is  also  called  the  God  of  Faith 
(Phil.  vL  9)." 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


[This  is  the  Author's  Index.    The  figures  refer  to  the  numbered  paragraph*.] 
I. 

I  heard  certain  newcomers  in  the  spiritual  world  talking  together  about 
three  Divine  Persons  from  eternity;  and  then  a  certain  one  who  in  the  world 
had  been  a  primate  opened  the  ideas  of  his  thought  respecting  that  mystery, 
saying  that  it  had  been  and  still  was  his  opinion  that  the  three  sit  upon  high 
thrones  in  heaven  ;  God  the  Father  upon  a  throne  of  the  finest  gold,  with  a  scep- 
tre in  His  hand  ;  God  the  Son  at  His  right  hand,  upon  a  throne  of  the  purest 
silver  with  a  crown  on  His  head ;  and  God  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  a  throne  of 
shining  crystal,  holding  in  His  hand  the  dove,  in  which  He  appeared  when 
Christ  was  baptized;  and  that  lamps,  hanging  round  about  them  in  triple  order, 
glittered  with  precious  stones ;  and  that  at  a  distance  innumerable  angels  stand 
in  a  circle,  adoring  and  singing  praises.  He  also  spoke  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  — 
how  He  introduces  faith,  purifies,  and  justifies.  He  said  that  many  of  his 
order  favored  his  ideas,  and  he  trusted  that  I  also  as  a  layman  gave  them 
credit.  But  as  an  opportunity  to  speak  was  then  given  me,  I  said  that  from 
my  childhood  I  have  cherished  the  idea  that  God  is  one ;  I  therefore  explained 
to  him  what  the  trinity  involves,  and  what  is  signified  by  throne,  sceptre,  and 
crown,  where  in  the  Word  these  are  predicated  of  God.  To  which  I  added, 
that  all  who  believe  in  three  Divine  Persons  from  eternity  must  necessarily 
believe  in  three  Gods.  And,  furthermore,  that  the  Divine  essence  cannot  be 
parted  (n.  16). 

II. 

A  discourse  of  the  angels  concerning  God, — that  His  Divine  is  Divine 
Esse  in  itself,  and  not  from  itself ;  and  that  it  is  One,  the  Same,  the  Itself,  and 
Indivisible :  also  that  God  is  not  in  place,  but  with  those  who  are  in  place;  and 
that  His  Divine  Love  appears  to  the  angels  as  a  Sun,  and  that  the  heat  there- 
from  in  its  essence  is  Love,  and  the  light  therefiom  in  its  essence  is  Wisdom 
(n.  25). 

That  the  proceeding  Divine  attributes,  which  are  creation,  redemption,  and 
regeneration,  are  attributes  of  one  God,  and  not  of  three  (n.  26). 

III. 

Since  I  perceived  that  a  vast  multitude  of  men  are  in  the  persuasion 
that  all  things  are  of  nature,  and  consequently  that  nature  created  the  universe, 
in  a  certain  gymnasium  where  there  were  persons  of  this  kind  I  spoke  with  an 


I  I  IO 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


ingenious  one  repecting  these  three  things  :  i.  Whether  nature  is  of  life,  or  life 
is  of  nature ;  2.  Whether  the  centre  is  of  the  expanse,  or  the  expanse  is  of 
the  centre ;  3.  Concerning  the  centre  and  the  expanse  of  nature  and  of  life ; 
that  the  centre  of  nature  is  the  sun  of  the  natural  world,  and  the  expanse  of 
this  centre  is  the  world  itself  belonging  to  that  sun  ;  and  that  the  centre  of  life 
is  the  Sun  of  the  spiritual  world,  and  the  expanse  of  this  centre  is  the  world 
itself  that  belongs  to  that  Sun.  These  propositions  were  discussed  on  both 
sides,  and  lastly  it  was  shown  what  the  truth  is  (n.  35). 

IV. 

I  was  conducted  into  a  theatre  of  wisdom  where  angelic  spirits  from  the 
four  quarters  were  assembled  with  an  injunction  from  heaven  to  discuss  three 
arcana  :  1.  What  is  the  image  of  God,  and  what  the  likeness  of  God.  2.  Why 
man  is  not  born  into  the  knowledge  that  pertains  to  any  love,  when  yet  the 
beasts  and  the  birds  are  born  into  the  knowledge  that  belongs  to  all  their  loves. 
3.  What  is  signified  by  the  tree  of  life  and  by  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and 
evil.  And  further,  they  were  to  join  the  three  into  one  opinion,  and  refer  this 
to  the  angels  of  heaven ;  this  was  done,  the  opinion  was  referred,  and  was 
accepted  by  the  angels  (n.  48). 

V. 

From  evil  spirits  who  were  just  above  hell  a  sound  was  heard  like  the  roar 
of  the  sea ;  which  was  from  a  tumult  that  arose  among  them  from  their  hearing 
it  said  above  them  that  the  Almighty  God  bound  Himself  to  order.  Certain 
ones  ascending  thence,  addressed  me  sharply  on  the  matter,  saying  that  inas- 
much as  God  is  omnipotent  He  is  not  tied  to  any  order.  And  on  being  ques- 
tioned concerning  order,  I  said :  r.  God  is  Order  itself.  2.  He  created  man 
from  order,  in  order,  and  for  order.  3.  He  created  man's  rational  mind  according 
to  the  order  of  the  spiritual  world,  and  his  body  according  to  the  order  of  the 
natural  world.  4.  Hence  it  is  a  law  of  order  that  man  from  his  little  heaven  or 
little  spiritual  world  should  govern  his  microcosm  or  little  natural  world,  as  God 
from  His  great  heaven  or  the  spiritual  world  governs  His  macrocosm  or  the 
natural  world.  5.  Many  other  laws  of  order  flow  forth  from  these,  some  of 
which  are  recited.    What  afterward  befell  those  spirits  is  described  (n.  71). 

VI. 

Concerning  the  reasoning  between  certain  Hollanders  and  Englishmen  in 
the  spiritual  world  on  the  subject  of  imputation  and  predestination.  On  one 
side,  why  God,  because  He  is  omnipotent,  does  not  impute  the  righteousness  of 
His  Son  to  all,  and  thus  make  them  redeemed,  when  yet,  inasmuch  as  He  is 
omnipotent,  He  is  able  to  make  all  the  satans  of  hell  angels  of  heaven ;  yes.  if 
it  be  His  good  pleasure,  He  can  make  Lucifer,  the  dragon,  and  all  the  goats, 
to  be  archangels  ;  and  what  is  needed  for  this  but  a  little  word?  On  the  other 
side,  that  God  is  Order  itself,  and  that  He  can  do  nothing  contrary  to  the  laws 
of  His  order,  because  to  act  contrary  to  them  would  be  to  act  contrary  to  Him- 
self.   Also  much  beside,  with  which  they  contended  on  this  subject  (n.  72). 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


IIII 


VII. 

I  afterward  spoke  with  others  who  were  in  the  faith  of  predestination, 
deducing  it  from  God's  absolute  power  or  omnipotence;  saying  that  otherwise 
the  power  of  God  would  be  less  than  that  of  a  king  in  the  world  who  is  sole 
ruler,  and  who  can  turn  the  laws  of  justice  as  he  turns  Ills  hands,  and  can  act 
absolutely,  like  Octavius  Augustus  and  also  like  Nero.  To  which  it  was 
answered,  that  God  created  the  world  and  the  things  thereof,  one  and  all,  from 
Himself  as  Order,  and  thus  stamped  order  upon  them ;  also  that  the  laws  of 
His  order  are  just  as  many  as  are  the  truths  in  the  Word.  Some  of  the  laws  of 
order  are  then  recited,  — what  they  are,  and  of  what  quality,  on  God's  part,  and 
also  what  on  man's  part.  These  cannot  be  changed,  because  God  is  Order 
itself;  man,  too,  was  created  an  image  of  His  order  (n.  73). 

VIII. 

I  spoke  with  clergymen  and  laymen  who  had  gathered  together,  concerning 
the  Divine  Omnipotence.  They  said  that  omnipotence  is  unlimited,  and  that 
limited  omnipotence  is  a  contradiction.  To  which  it  was  answered,  that  there 
is  no  contradiction  in  acting  omnipotently  according  to  laws  of  justice  with 
judgment ;  it  is  also  said  in  David  that  Justice  and  judgment  are  the  support 
of  God's  throne  (Ps.  lxxxix.  14) ;  and  that  there  is  no  contradiction  in  acting 
omnipotently  according  to  the  laws  of  love  from  wisdom.  But  there  is  a  con- 
tradiction in  God's  being  able  to  act  contrary  to  the  laws  of  justice  and  love  ; 
and  this  would  be  to  act  from  what  is  not  judgment  and  wisdom ;  and  such 
contradiction  is  involved  in  the  faith  of  the  church  of  the  present  day,  that  God 
is  able  to  make  what  is  unjust  just,  and  distinguish  the  impious  with  all  the 
gifts  of  salvation  and  the  rewards  of  life.  With  much  more  concerning  this 
faith  and  concerning  omnipotence  (n.  74). 
• 

IX. 

While  I  was  once  meditating  on  the  creation  of  the  universe  by  God,  I  was  led 
in  the  spirit  to  certain  wise  ones  who  at  first  complained  of  ideas  that  they  had 
acquired  in  the  world,  concerning  the  creation  of  the  universe  out  of  chaos,  and 
concerning  creation  out  of  nothing;  because  these  ideas  obscure  meditation  on 
the  creation  of  the  universe  by  God,  and  degrade  and  pervert  it.  Wherefore 
being  questioned  as  to  my  opinion,  I  replied  that  it  is  useless  to  try  to  form 
any  but  a  speculative  conclusion  concerning  the  creation  of  the  universe,  unless 
it  be  known  that  there  are  two  worlds,  the  spiritual  and  the  natural,  and  thai  in 
each  of  these  is  a  sun;  also  that  the  Sun  of  the  spiritual  world  (in  the  midst 
of  which  is  God),  is  pure  Love,  and  that  from  it  are  all  spiritual  things,  which 
in  themselves  are  substantial ;  while  the  sun  of  the  natural  world  is  pure  fire, 
and  from  it  are  all  natural  things,  which  in  themselves  arc  material.  From  a 
cognition  of  these  things  it  can  be  concluded  respecting  the  creation  of  the  uni- 
verse, that  it  is  from  God,  and  hew.    This  is  also  slightly  traced  out  (n.  76). 


1 1 12  INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


X. 

Some  satans  of  hell  desired  to  converse  with  the  angels  of  heaven,  for  the 
purpose  of  convincing  them  that  all  things  are  from  nature,  and  that  God  is 
but  a  word  unless  nature  be  meant.  They  were  permitted  to  ascend.  And 
then  certain  angels  descended  from  heaven  into  the  world  of  spirits  to  heat 
them.  The  satans,  when  they  saw  the  angels,  ran  up  to  them  furiously  and 
said,  "  You  are  called  angels  because  you  believe  that  there  is  a  God,  and  that 
nature  comparatively  is  nothing  ;  and  yet  you  believe  this  though  it  is  contrary 
to  every  sense  ;  for  which  of  your  five  senses  has  a  sensation  of  any  thing  but 
nature  ?  "  After  these  and  many  other  bitter  words,  the  angels  called  to  their 
remembrance  that  they  were  then  living  after  death,  and  that  formerly  they  had 
not  even  believed  that  they  should  do  so  ;  and  then  they  made  them  see  the 
beautiful  and  splendid  things  of  heaven,  and  told  them  that  these  were  there 
because  all  there  believe  in  God ;  and  afterward  they  made  them  see  the  vile 
and  filthy  things  of  hell,  and  told  them  that  these  were  there  because  they  be- 
lieve in  nature.  From  seeing  these  things,  the  satans  were  at  first  convinced 
that  there  is  a  God  and  that  He  created  nature  ;  but  as  they  descended,  the  love 
of  evil  returned  and  closed  their  understanding  from  above  ;  and  when  this  was 
closed  they  believed  as  before,  that  all  things  are  nature's,  and  nothing  God's 
(n.  77). 

XT. 

A  type  of  the  creation  of  the  universe  was  shown  me,  to  the  life,  by  angels. 
I  was  conducted  into  heaven ;  and  it  was  given  me  to  see  there  all  things  of 
the  animal  kingdom,  of  the  vegetable  kingdom,  and  of  the  mineral  kingdom, 
similar  in  all  respects  to  the  objects  of  those  kingdoms  in  the  natural  world. 
And  then  they  said,  "  All-  these  things  are  created  in  a  moment  by  God ;  and 
they  continue  to  exist  as  long  as  the  angels  are,  as  to  thought,  in  the  state  of 
love  and  faith;  "  also  that  this  instantaneous  creation  evidently  testifies  the 
creation  of  similar  things,  yes,  and  similar  creation,  in  the  natural  world,  with 
the  sole  difference  that  natural  things  invest  the  spiritual,  and  that  this  clothing 
was  provided  by  God  for  the  sake  of  the  generative  processes  of  one  from  another, 
by  which  creation  is  perpetuated.  Consequently,  that  the  creation  of  the  uni- 
verse was  effected  in  a  manner  similar  to  that  in  which  it  is  effected  every  mo- 
ment in  heaven.  But,  however,  all  the  noxious  and  hideous  things  in  the  three 
kingdoms  of  nature  (and  these  are  enumerated),  were  not  created  by  God,  but 
had  their  rise  together  with  hell  (n.  78). 

XII. 

In  a  conversation  concerning  the  creation  of  the  universe,  with  some  who  in 
the  world  were  celebrated  for  erudition,  speaking  from  the  same  ideas  which  they 
before  had  cherished,  one  of  them  said  that  nature  created  itself  ;  another,  that 
nature  gathered  its  elements  into  vortexes,  and  that  by  the  collision  of  these 
the  earth  was  formed  ;  and  a  third,  that  the  origin  of  all  things  was  chaos 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


I  I  13 


which  in  extent  had  equalled  a  great  part  of  the  universe ;  and  that  first  there 
burst  forth  therefrom  the  purest  things,  of  which  the  sun  and  stars  were  formed  j 
and  af terwards  those  less  pure,  from  which  originated  the  atmospheres ;  and  at 
last  the  grosser  matters,  from  whicli  originated  the  terraqueous  globe.  To  the 
question,  "  Whence  come  human  souls  ? ;'  they  answered,  that  the  ether  gathered 
itself  into  little  individual  spheres,  and  that  these  infuse  themselves  into  those 
who  are  about  to  be  born,  and  make  their  souls  ;  and  that  after  death  these  fly 
away  to  their  former  company  in  the  ether,  and  afterward  return  into  others  ac- 
cording to  the  doctrine  of  metempsychosis  of  the  ancients.  After  this  a  certain 
priest,  by  solid  arguments  in  favor  of  the  creation  of  the  universe  by  God, 
showed  all  the  things  which  they  had  said  to  be  an  absurd  medley,  and  put 
them  to  s,hame.    But  still  they  held  to  their  former  delusions  (n.  79). 

XIII. 

A  conversation  with  a  certain  satan  concerning  God,  concerning  the  angelic 
heaven,  and  concerning  religion  ;  who,  not  knowing  that  he  was  not  still  in  the 
former  world,  said  that  God  is  the  universe,  and  that  the  angelic  heaven  is  the 
atmospheric  firmament,  and  that  religion  is  but  a  charm  for  the  common  people, 
besides  other  follies.  But  when  it  was  brought  to  his  remembrance  that  he  was 
then  living  after  death,  and  that  he  formerly  did  not  believe  in  that  life,  for  the 
moment  he  confessed  that  he  was  insane  ;  but  as  soon  as  he  turned  and  went 
away,  he  was  as  crazy  as  before  (n.  bo). 

XIV. 

I  saw  by  night  an  ignis  fatuus,  often  called  a  dragon,  falling  to  the  earth. 
I  observed  the  place  where  it  fell ;  the  ground  there  was  sulphurous,  mixed 
with  iron  dust.  And  looking  there  in  the  morning,  I  saw  two  tents  ;  and  just 
then  a  spirit  falling  from  heaven.  I  went  to  him  and  asked  why  he  fell  down 
from  heaven.  He  replied  that  he  was  cast  down  by  the  angels  of  Michael,  for 
saying  that  God  the  Father  and  His  Son  are  two,  and  not  one.  He  also  said 
that  the  whole  angelic  heaven  believes  that  God  the  Father  and  His  Son  are 
one,  as  soul  and  body  are  one,  and  that  they  confirm  this  by  many  things  from 
the  Word  and  moreover  from  reason,  urging  that  the  soul  of  a  son  is  from  the 
father  only,  and  that  this  is  a  likeness  of  the  father,  and  that  from  it  there  is  a 
likeness  in  the  body.  And  he  added,  that  he  indeed  confessed  in  heaven,  as 
before  on  earth,  that  God  is  one ;  but  because  the  confession  of  the  mouth  and 
the  thought  of  the  mind  disagreed  in  regard  to  this,  they  said  in  heaven  that  he 
did  not  believe  in  any  God,  because  the  confession  and  the  thought  dissipate 
each  other ;  and  he  said  that  this  was  the  cause  of  his  being  cast  down.  Re- 
turning the  next  day  to  the  same  place,  1  saw  two  .statues  composed  of  the  same 
sort  of  powder,  which  was  a  mixture  of  sulphur  and  iron,  in  place  of  the  two 
tents.  One  of  these  represented  the  faith  and  the  other  the  charity  of  the  church 
of  the  present  day,  both  beautifully  clothed  ;  but  the  garments  were  induced  by 
fantasies.  And  because  they  were  of  that  powder,  when  rain  descended  fiori 
heaven  both  of  them  began  to  bubble  and  to  burn  (n.  uo\ 

I2« 


1 1 14 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


XV. 

In  the  spiritual  world  it  is  not  lawful  for  one  to  speak  except  what  he  thinks ; 
if  he  does,  the  hypocrisy  is  distinctly  manifest  to  the  ear.  In  hell,  therefore, 
no  one  can  name  Jesus,  because  Jesus  signifies  salvation  (salus).  In  this  way 
there  was  a  trial  by  experiment  to  ascertain  how  many  in  the  Christian  world  at 
this  day  believe  that  Christ  even  as  to  His  Human  is  God.  When,  therefore, 
many  clergymen  and  laymen  had  assembled,  it  was  proposed  to  them  to  say 
Divine  Human  ;  but  hardly  any  were  able  to  draw  forth  from  me  thought  these 
two  words  at  once,  and  so  to  utter  them.  It  was  proved  in  their  presence  by  many 
things  out  of  the  Word,  that  the  Lord  even  as  to  His  Human  was  God  (as  by  those 
found  in  Matt,  xxviii.  18 ;  John  i.  i,  2,  14 ;  xvii.  2 ;  Col.  ii.  9  ;  1  John  v.  20; 
and  in  other  places  also) ;  still  they  were  notable  to  enunciate  the  words  Divine 
H  uman  ;  and,  what  seemed  surprising,  neither  were  the  Evangelical  able  to  do 
this,  although  their  orthodoxy  teaches  that  in  Christ  God  is  Man  and  Man  is 
God ;  and  still  more,  neither  could  the  monks,  though  they  most  devoutly 
adore  the  Body  of  Christ  in  the  Eucharist.  It  was  ascertained  from  this,  that 
Christians  at  the  present  day  for  the  most  part  are  interiorly  either  Arians  or 
Socinians;  and  that  these,  if  they  adore  Christ  as  God,  are  hypocrites  (n.  in). 

XVI. 

An  altercation  concerning  a  little  book  entitled,  "  A  Brief  Exposition  of  the 
Doctrine  of  the  New  Church,"  published  by  me  at  Amsterdam ;  and  especially 
concerning  this  therein,  that  not  God  the  Father,  but  the  Lord  God  the  Re- 
deemer is  to  be  approached  and  adored.  It  was  argued  that  still  it  is  said  in 
the  Lord's  Prayer,  Oar  Father,  Who  art  in  the  heavens,  hallowed  be  Thy 
name;  Thy  kingdom  co?ne ;  and  that  consequently  God  the  Father  is  to  be 
approached.  I  was  summoned  to  end  this  strife  ;  and  I  then  demonstrated  that 
God  the  Father  cannot  be  approached  in  His  Divine,  but  in  His  Human ;  and 
inasmuch  as  the  Divine  and  Human  are  in  Him  one  Person,  that  the  Lord  is 
that  Father;  this  also  was  confirmed  from  the  Word;  both  from  the  Word  of 
the  Old  Testament,  where  the  Son  of  God  is  called  Father  of  Eternity,  and  in 
many  places  called  Jehovah  the  Redeemer,  Jehovah  our  Righteousness,  and  the 
God  of  Israel,  and  from  many  passages  of  the  Word  of  the  New  Testament; 
and  thus  that  when  the  Lord  the  Redeemer  is  approached,  the  Father  is  ap- 
proached ;  and  that  then  His  name  is  hallowed,  and  His  kingdom  comes.  With 
much  beside  (n.  112). 

XVII. 

I  saw  an  army  on  red  and  black  horses,  with  the  faces  of  the  riders  turned 
to  the  horses'  tails,  and  with  the  hinder  part  of  the  head  turned  towards  the 
horses'  heads  ;  they  were  crying  out  for  battle  against  those  who  were  riding  on 
white  horses.  This  ridiculous  army  was  from  the  place  called  Armageddon 
( Apoc.  xvi.  16),  and  consisted  of  those  who  in  youth  had  become  imbued  with  the 
dogmas  relating  to  justification  by  faith  alone,  and  who  afterwards,  on  being 
promoted  to  eminent  offices,  rejected  all  things  belonging  to  faith  and  religion 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


III5 


from  the  internals  of  their  minds  to  the  externals  of  their  bodies,  where  at  last 
they  disappeared.  A  description  of  those  who  were  seen  in  Armageddon.  It 
was  heard  that  they  desired  to  meet  and  contend  with  the  angels  of  Michael ; 
this  was  permitted,  but  at  some  distance  from  that  place.  The  disputation  was 
concerning  the  meaning  of  these  words  in  the  Lord's  Prayer  :  Our  Father,  Who 
art  in  heaven,  hallowed  be  Thy  name ;  Thy  kingdom  come.  It  was  then  said 
by  the  angels  of  Michael  that  the  Lord  the  Redeemer  and  Saviour  is  Father  to 
all  in  the  heavens ;  since  He  taught,  that  the  Father  and  He  are  one ;  that  the 
Father  is  in  Him,  and  He  in  the  Father ;  and  that  he  that  seeth  Him  seeth  the 
Father;  that  all  things  of  the  Father  are  in  Him ;  also,  that  it  is  the  will  of 
the  Father  that  they  should  believe  in  the  Son,  and  that  those  who  believe  not 
the  Son  shall  not  see  life,  but  that  the  wrath  of  God  will  abide  on  them  ;  also, 
that  He  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth ;  and  that  He  has  power  over  all 
flesh ;  and  moreover,  that  no  one  has  seen  or  can  see  God  the  Father,  except 
the  Son  alone  Who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father ;  and  more  besides.  After 
this  combat,  some  of  the  vanquished  Armageddons  were  cast  into  the  abyss 
mentioned  Apoc.  ix.,  and  some  of  them  were  sent  forth  into  a  desert  (n.  113). 

XVIII. 

That  I  was  in  a  temple,  in  which  there  were  no  windows,  but  a  large  opening 
in  the  roof,  and  that  those  assembled  there  conversed  together  about  Redemp- 
tion, saying  unanimously  that  redemption  was  made  by  the  passion  of  the  cross. 
But  when  they  were  engaged  in  that  conversation,  a  black  cloud  covered  the 
opening  in  the  roof,  whence  it  became  dark  in  the  temple  ;  but  a  little  afterwards 
that  cloud  was  dispersed  by  angels  descending  from  heaven,  who  then  sent  down 
one  of  their  number  into  the  temple  to  instruct  them  about  redemption.  He 
said  that  the  passion  of  the  cross  was  not  redemption,  but  that  redemption  was 
the  subjugation  of  the  hells,  the  establishment  of  order  in  the  heavens,  and  thus 
the  restitution  of  all  things  which  were  in  disorder  both  in  the  spiritual  world 
and  in  the  natural  world ;  and  that  without  it  no  flesh  could  have  been  saved. 
And  concerning  the  passion  of  the  cross  he  said,  that  by  it  was  completed  the 
inmost  unition  with  the  Father ;  and  that  when  it  is  taken  for  redemption,  many 
things  unworthy  of  God,  yes,  unfit  to  be  spoken,  follow  as  consequences  ;  as  th.it 
He  passed  sentence  of  condemnation  upon  the  whole  human  race,  and  that  the 
Son  took  it  upon  Himself,  and  that  thus  He  propitiated  the  Father,  and  by  inter- 
cession brought  Him  back  to  His  Divine  essence,  which  is  love  and  mercy ;  besides 
many  other  things,  which  it  is  scandalous  to  attribute  to  God  (n.  134). 

XIX. 

That  the  Sun  of  the  spiritual  world  was  seen,  in  which  Jehovah  God  is  ■ 
His  Human:  and  then  this  was  heard  from  heaven,  that  God  is  One.  But 
when  this  descended  into  the  world  of  spirits  it  was  turned  according  to  the  fftims 
of  the  minds  there,  and  at  length  into  [a  confession  of]  three  Gods  ;  which  also 
one  there  confirmed  by  this  reasoning  :  That  there  is  one  who  cnutrd  all  things, 
another  who  redeemed  all,  and  a  third  who  opc-at.^  ali  th  11  1   ;  a'  <■  that  there 


I  I  10 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


is  one  who  imputes,  another  who  mediates,  and  a  third  who  inscribes,  £nd  thus 
plants  faith  in  man,  by  which  he  justifies  him.  But  because  the  faith  of  three 
Gods  had  perverted  the  whole  Christian  church,  from  the  perception  given,  I 
disclosed  to  them  what  with  the  one  God  is  meant  by  Mediation,  Intercession, 
Propitiation,  and  Expiation  ;  namely,  that  these  four  are  attributes  of  the  Human 
of  Jehovah  God  ;  that  because  Jehovah  God  without  the  Human  cannot  approach 
man,  nor  be  approached  by  man,  Mediation  signifies  that  the  Human  is  the 
intermediate ;  that  Intercession  signifies  that  it  mediates  perpetually  ;  that  Pro- 
pitiation signifies  that  an  approach  is  kindly  opened  for  every  man  to  God;  an  i 
that  Expiation  signifies  that  this  is  also  for  sinners ;  and  all  these  through  the 
Human  (n.  135). 

XX. 

That  I  entered  into  a  gymnasium,  where  the  question  was  discussed  how 
that  is  to  be  understood  which  is  said  concerning  the  Son  of  God,  that  He  sits 
at  the  Right  Hand  of  the  Father.  Concerning  this  there  were  various 
opinions  ;  yet  it  was  the  opinion  of  all  that  the  Son  actually  sits  thus ;  but  they 
were  debating  why  it  was  so.  Then  some  supposed  that  it  was  done  on  account 
of  redemption  ;  some  that  it  was  from  love  ;  some,  that  He  might  be  a  counsel- 
lor ;  some,  that  He  might  have  honor  from  the  angels ;  some,  because  it  was 
given  Him  to  reign  instead  of  the  Father ;  some,  that  His  right  ear  may  hear 
those  for  whom  He  intercedes.  They  further  debated  whether  the  Son  of  God 
from  eternity  sits  thus,  or  whether  the  Son  of  God  born  in  the  world.  Having 
heard  these  things,  1  raised  my  hand,  requesting  that  I  might  be  permitted  to 
say  something,  and  to  tell  what  is  meant  by  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 
And  I  said  that  the  omnipotence  of  God,  by  means  of  the  Human  which  He 
assumed,  is  meant ;  for  by  means  of  this  He  wrought  redemption,  that  is,  sub- 
jugated the  hells,  created  a  new  angelic  heaven,  and  established  a  new  church. 
That  this  is  meant  by  sitting  at  the  right  hand,  I  confirmed  from  the  Word,  in 
which  power  is  signified  by  the  right  hand ;  and  afterwards  it  was  confirmed 
from  heaven,  by  the  appearance  of  a  right  hand  over  them,  from  the  power  of 
which  and  the  terror  therefrom,  they  all  became  almost  lifeless  (n.  136). 

XXI. 

I  was  conducted  in  the  spiritual  world  to  a  certain  council  at  which  were 
assembled  those  celebrated  persons  who  lived  before  the  Nicene  council,  and 
were  called  Apostolic  Fathers ;  also  men  renowned  in  the  ages  that  followed 
after  that  council ;  and  I  saw  that  some  of  the  latter  appeared  with  beardless 
chin,  and  in  curled  wigs  of  women's  hair ;  but  all  the  former  with  bearded  chin, 
and  in  natural  hair.  Before  them  stood  a  man,  the  judge  and  critic  of  the  writ 
ings  of  this  age,  who  commenced  by  a  certain  lamentation,  saying,  "A  man 
from  the  laity  has  risen  up,  who  has  dragged  down  our  faith  out  of  its  sanctuary, 
which  yet  is  a  star  shining  day  and  night  before  us  ;  but  this  is  done  because 
that  n»an  is  blind  in  the  mysteries  of  that  faith,  and  does  not  see  in  it  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ,  and  thus  not  the  wonderful  things  of  its  justification ;  when 
yet  that  faith  is  in  three  Divine  Persons,  and  thus  in  the  whole  God ;  and  be- 
zause  he  has  transferred  his  faith  to  the  Second  Person,  and  not  to  this,  but  to 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


III7 


His  Human,  it  cannot  be  otherwise  than  that  naturalism  should  spring  there- 
from." Those  who  lived  after  the  Nicene  council  favored  his  speech,  saying, 
that  it  is  impossible  that  there  should  be  any  other  faith,  and  from  any  other 
source.  But  the  Apostolic  Fathers,  who  lived  before  that  age,  being  indignant, 
related  many  things  which  are  said  in  heaven  concerning  the  Nicene  and  Atha- 
nasian  faith,  which  may  be  seen  [in  the  text].  But  because  the  president  of  the 
council  was  consociated  as  to  the  spirit  with  the  writer  in  Leipsic,  I  addressed 
him,  and  demonstrated  from  the  Word  that  Christ,  also  as  to  the  Human,  is 
God;  and  also  from  the  dogmatic  book  of  the  Evangelical  called  "Formula 
Concordia?,''  That  in  Christ  God  is  Man,  a?id  Man  God ;  as  also  that  the 
Augsburg  Confession  very  highly  approves  of  the  worship  of  Him;  besides 
other  things ;  at  which  he  was  silent,  and  turned  himself  away.  Afterwards  I 
spoke  with  a  certain  spirit  who  was  consociated  with  an  eminent  man  in  Got- 
tenburg,  who  defiled  the  worship  of  the  Lord  with  a  still  greater  reproach.  But 
at  length  both  of  the  scandals  were  declared  to  be  lies  craftily  invented  to  turn 
away  men's  wills,  and  deter  them  from  the  holy  worship  of  the  Lord  (n.  137.) 

XXII. 

There  appeared  a  smoke  ascending  from  the  lower  earth,  and  it  was  said 
that  smokes  are  nothing  else  than  falsities  collected  together.  And  then  some 
angels  had  a  desire  of  exploring  what  the  falsities  were,  which  thus  smoked  ; 
and  they  descended,  and  found  lour  companies  of  spirits,  two  of  which  were  of 
the  learned  and  unlearned  of  the  clergy,  and  two  of  the  learned  and  unlearned 
of  the  laity,  who  all  were  proving  to  each  other  that  an  invisible  God  is  to 
be  worshipped,  and  that  the  worshippers  then  have  holiness  and  are  heard ; 
otherwise  if  a  visible  God  should  be  worshipped.  Holiness  and  a  hearing 
from  an  invisible  God  they  confirmed  by  vanoift  things ;  and  it  was  made 
known  that  therefore  they  acknowledge  three  Gods  from  eternity,  who  are 
invisible.  But  it  was  shown,  that  the  worship  of  an  invisible  God,  and  still 
more  of  three  invisible  ones,  is  no  worship.  To  confirm  this,  Socinus  and 
Ariuswith  some  of  their  followers,  who  all  had  worshipped  an  invisible  Divinity, 
were  brought  forth  from  below ;  who,  when  they  spoke  from  the  natural  or  ex- 
ternal mind,  said  that  there  is  a  God,  although  He  is  invisible;  but  when  their 
external  mind  was  shut  and  the  internal  was  opened,  and  they  were  forced  to 
make  their  confession  concerning  God,  from  this  they  said,  M  What  is  God  ? 
We  have  not  seen  His  shape,  nor  heard  His  voice.  What  then  is  God,  but  a 
thing  of  reasoning,  or  nature?  "  But  they  were  instructed  that  it  had  pleased 
God  to  descend  and  assume  the  Human,  that  they  might  see  His  shape,  and 
hear  His  voice.    But  this  was  said  to  them  in  vain  (n.  159). 

XXIII. 

First  :onccrning  the  stars  in  the  natural  world ;  that  perhaps  they  were  of 
the  same  number  as  the  angelic  societies  in  heaven,  since  every  society  there 
sometimes  shines  as  a  star.  Atterw;mls,  I  spoke  with  the  angels  concerning 
a  certain  way,  which  appears  crowded  with  innumerable  spints,  .uui  tluit  it 
is  the  way  by  which  all  who  depart  out  of  the  natural  world  pass  into  the  spiiit- 


1 1 1 8 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


ual  world.  To  that  way  I  went  in  company  with  angels ;  and  we  called  from 
that  way  twelve  men,  ?jid  asked  what  they  believed  concerning  heaven  and  hell, 
and  concerning  a  lif  e  after  death  ;  and  because  they  were  recently  from  the  world, 
and  did  not  know  that  they  were  not  still  in  the  natural  world,  they  answered 
from  the  idea  which  they  brought  with  them.  The  First,  That  all  who  live 
morally  come  into  heaven  ;  and  that  no  one  comes  into  hell,  because  all  live 
morally.  The  Second,  That  God  governs  heaven,  and  the  devil  hell ;  and  be- 
cause they  are  opposite,  one  calls  good  what  the  other  calls  evil ;  and  that  the 
man  who  is  a  dissembler,  because  he  stands  on  the  side  of  both,  can  liveequallv 
under  the  dominion  of  one  and  of  the  other.  The  Third,  That  there  is  no  heaven 
and  no  hell.  Who  has  come  thence  and  told  ?  The  Fourth,  That  no  one  could 
return  thence  and  tell,  because  man  when  he  dies  is  either  a  spectre  or  wind. 
The  Fifth,  That  we  must  wait  till  the  day  of  the  last  judgment,  and  then  they 
will  tell,  and  you  will  know  all  about  it.  But  when  he  said  this,  he  laughed  in 
his  heart.  The  Sixth,  "  How  can  the  soul  of  man,  which  is  only  wind,  re-enter 
its  body  eaten  up  by  worms,  and  be  clothed  with  a  skeleton  either  burnt  up  or 
reduced  to  dust  ?  "  The  Seventh,  That  men  no  more  live  after  death  than  beasts 
and  birds.  Are  not  these  equally  rational  ?  The  Eighth,  "  I  believe  there  is  a 
heaven,  but  I  do  not  believe  there  is  a  hell,  because  God  is  almighty,  and  is  able 
to  save  all."  The  Ninth,  That  God,  because  He  is  gracious,  cannot  send  any 
one  to  eternal  fire.  The  Tenth,  That  no  one  can  come  into  hell,  because  God 
sent  His  Son,  Who  has  made  expiation  for  all,  and  taken  away  the  sins  of  all. 
What  can  the  devil  do  against  that  ?  The  Eleventh,  who  was  a  priest,  That 
those  only  are  saved,  who  have  obtained  faith,  and  that  election  is  according  to 
the  will  of  the  Almighty.  The  Twelfth,  who  was  a  politician,  "  I  do  not  say  any 
thing  about  heaven  and  hell ;  but  let  the  priests  preach  about  them,  that  the 
minds  of  the  common  people  may  be  kept  bound  by  an  invisible  bond  to  the 
laws  and  rulers. "  On  hearing  these  things,  the  angels  were  astonished;  but 
they  waked  them  up  by  instructing  them  that  they  were  now  living  after  death  ; 
and  they  introduced  them  into  heaven,  but  they  did  not  stay  there  long,  because 
it  was  found  that  they  were  merely  natural,  and  that  from  this  the  hinder  part 
of  their  heads  was  excavated  ;  concerning  which  excavation  and  the  cause  of  it, 
something  is  lastly  said  (n.  160). 

XXIV. 

That  there  was  heard  a  sound  as  of  a  mill,  and  that,  following  the  sound, 
I  saw  a  house  full  of  chinks,  into  which  there  was  an  entrance  opening  under 
ground,  and  in  it  a  man  collecting  from  the  Word  and  books  many  things  con- 
cerning Justification  by  faith  alone;  and  that  scribes  at  his  side  were 
writing  his  collections  upon  paper ;  and  to  the  question  what  he  was  now  collect- 
ing, he  said,  "  This,  that  God  the  Father  receded  from  grace  towards  the  human 
race,  and  that  He  therefore  sent  the  Son  to  make  expiation  and  propitiation." 
To  which  I  answered,  that  this  is  contrary  to  Scripture  and  contrary  to  reason, 
that  God  could  recede  from  grace  ;  thus  He  would  also  recede  from  His  essence, 
and  thus  would  not  be  God.  And  when  I  demonstrated  this  even  to  conviction, 
he  grew  warm,  and  commanded  the  scribes  to  cast  me  out.  But  when  I  went 
out  of  my  own  accord,  he  threw  after  me  the  book  which  his  hand  happened  to 
neize  :  and  that  book  was  the  Word  (n.  161). 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


III9 


XXV. 

It  was  disputed  among  spirits  whether  any  one  can  see  any  genuine  truth  in 
the  Word  unless  he  goes  immediately  to  the  Lord  Who  is  the  Word  itself.  But 
because  there  were  those  who  contradicted,  an  experiment  was  made ;  and  then 
thoie  who  went  to  God  the  Father,  did  not  see  any  truth  ;  but  all  who  went  to 
the  Lord  saw.  During  this  disputation,  some  spirits  ascended  out  of  the  abyss, 
of  which  Apoc.  ix.,  where  they  discuss  the  mysteries  of  justification  by  faith 
alone,  saying  that  they  go  to  God  the  Father  and  see  their  mysteries  in  clear 
light.  But  it  was  answered  that  they  see  them  in  fatuous  light,  and  that  they 
h  ite  not  even  a  single  truth  ;  at  which  being  indignant,  they  brought  forth  from 
the  Word  many  things  which  were  true  ;  but  it  was  said  to  them  that  they 
were  true  in  themselves,  but  falsified  in  them.  That  it  was  so  was  proved  by 
their  being  led  into  a  house  where  there  was  a  table  upon  which  light  from 
heaven  flowed  directly ;  and  it  was  said  to  them  that  they  should  write  those 
truths  which  they  had  brought  forth  from  the  Word  upon  paper,  and  lay  it  upon 
that  table ;  which  being  done,  that  paper  on  which  the  truths  were  written 
shone  like  a  star ;  but  when  they  came  up  and  fixed  their  eyes  upon  it,  the 
paper  appeared  blackened  as  by  soot.  And  afterwards  they  were  led  to  another 
similar  table,  upon  which  lay  the  Word  encircled  with  a  rainbow  ;  and  when  a 
certain  champion  of  the  doctrine  of  faith  alone  touched  this  with  his  hand,  an 
explosion  was  made  as  from  a  gun,  and  he  was  cast  into  a  corner  of  the  room, 
and  lay  as  dead  for  half  an  hour.  From  these  things  they  were  convinced  that 
all  the  truths  which  were  with  them  from  the  Word,  were  true  in  themselves, 
but  falsified  in  them  (n.  162). 

XXVI. 

There  are  climates  in  the  spiritual  world,  as  in  the  natural  world  ;  thus  also 
there  are  northern  zones  where  are  snow  and  ice.  Once  being  brought  thither 
in  spirit,  I  entered  a  temple  then  covered  over  with  snow,  illuminated  within  by 
lamps,  where  behind  the  altar  there  was  seen  a  table,  upon  which  was  milieu 
this,  The  divine  Trinity,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  who  essen- 
tially are  one,  but  personally  three.  And  I  heard  a  priest  preaching 
about  four  mysteries  of  faith,  respecting  which  the  understanding  is  to  be  kept 
under  the  obedience  of  faith,  which  may  be  seen  [in  the  textj.  After  the  dis- 
course, the  hearers  thanked  the  priest  for  his  sermon  so  full  of  wisdom.  But 
when  I  asked  them  whether  they  understood  any  thing,  they  answered,  "  We 
took  it  all  in  with  full  ear6  ;  why  do  you  ask  whether  we  understood  ?  Is  not 
the  understanding  stupefied  in  such  things  f  "  To  this  the  priest  who  was  pres  - 
ent added,  "  Because  you  have  heard  and  have  not  understood,  you  are  blessed, 
since  thence  is  salvation  for  you,"  &c.  (n.  185). 

XXVII. 

The  HUMAN  mind  is  distinguished  into  three  regions,  like  the  heaven  in 
which  angels  are;  and  things  of  theology  with  those  who  love  truths  lxvau-«e 
they  are  truths  reside  in  the  highest  region  of  the  mind;  and  nn  In  than,  in 


1 1 20 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


the  middle  region,  morals ;  but  under  these,  political  things  ;  and  the  various 
sciences  make  the  door.  But  matters  of  theology  with  those  who  do  not  love 
truths  have  their  seat  in  the  lowest  region,  and  mingle  themselves  there  with 
man's  own  things,  and  thus  with  the  fallacies  of  the  senses ;  and  thence  it  is 
that  some  cannot  perceive  theological  things  at  all  (n.  186). 

XXVIII. 

I  was  brought  to  a  place  where  were  those  who  are  meant  by  the  false 
prophet  in  the  Apocalypse ;  and  by  those  there  I  was  invited  to  see  their  tem- 
ple. I  followed  and  saw  in  it  the  image  of  a  woman  clothed  in  a  scarlet  robe, 
holding  in  her  right  hand  a  golden  coin,  and  in  her  left  a  chain  of  pearls  ;  but 
these  things  were  induced  by  fantasy.  But  when  the  interiors  of  the  mind 
were  opened  by  the  Lord,  instead  of  the  temple  there  was  seen  a  house  full  of 
chinks  ;  and  instead  of  the  woman  there  was  seen  a  beast,  such  as  is  described, 
Apoc.  xiii.  2 ;  and  under  the  floor  there  was  a  quagmire,  in  which  lay  the 
Word,  deeply  concealed.  But  presently  the  east  wind  blew,  the  temple  was 
carried  away,  and  the  quagmire  dried  up,  and  the  Word  appeared  ;  and  then, 
by  the  light  from  heaven,  there  appeared  there  a  tabernacle  like  that  of 
Abraham  when  the  three  angels  came  and  told  him  concerning  Isaac,  who  was 
to  be  born  ;  and  afterwards,  light  being  sent  forth  from  the  second  heaven,  in- 
stead of  the  tabernacle  there  appeared  a  temple  similar  to  that  of  Jerusalem  ; 
and  after  this  a  light  shone  upon  it  from  the  third  heaven,  and  then  the  temple 
disappeared,  and  there  was  seen  the  Lord  alone,  standing  upon  the  foun- 
dation stone  where  the  Word  was.  But  because  overpowering  sanctity  then 
filled  their  minds,  this  light  was  withdrawn,  and  instead  of  it,  light  from  the 
second  heaven  was  let  in,  from  which  the  view  of  the  temple  returned,  and 
within  it  that  of  the  tabernacle  (n.  187). 

XXIX. 

There  was  seen  a  magnificent  palace,  in  which  there  was  a  temple,  and  m 
this  seats  were  placed  in  three  rows.  In  it  there  was  a  council  convoked  by  the 
Lord,  in  which  they  deliberated  concerning  the  Lord  the  Saviour,  and  con- 
cerning the  Holy  Spirit.  When  as  many  of  the  clergy  were  present  as  there 
were  seats,  they  entered  the  council.  And  because  they  were  consulting  in 
relation  to  the  Lord,  the  first  proposition  was,  Who  assumed  the  human  in 
the  virgin  Mary?  And  then  the  angel  standing  at  the  table  read  before 
them  what  the  angel  Gabriel  said  to  Mary  :  The  Holy  Spirit  shall  comk 
upon  thee,  and  the  power  of  the  Highest  shall  overshadow 
thee;  and  the  Holy  Thing  which  shall  be  born  of  thee  shall  be 
called  the  Son  of  God,  Luke  i.  35  ;  and  also  from  Matt.  i.  20,  25.  And 
moreover  many  things  from  the  prophets,  that  Jehovah  Himself  was  about  to 
come  into  the  world,  and  that  Jehovah  Himself  is  called  Saviour,  Redeemer  and 
Righteousness  ;  from  which  it  was  concluded  that  Jehovah  Himself  assumed  the 
Human.  Another  deliberation  concerning  the  Lord,  was,  whether  the 
Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  are  not  thus  one,  as  soul  and 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


II2I 


body  are  ONE  ;  and  this  was  confirmed  from  many  passages  in  the  Word,  and 
also  from  the  general  creed  of  the  present  church  ;  from  which  it  was  concluded 
that  the  soul  of  the  Lord  was  from  God  the  Father,  and  hence  that  His  Hu- 
man is  Divine ;  and  that  this  is  to  be  approached  that  the  Father  may  be  ap- 
proached, since  Jehovah  God  by  it  sent  Himself  into  the  world,  and  made 
Himself  visible  to  the  eyes  of  men,  and  thus  also  accessible.  The  third  delib- 
eration followed,  which  was  concerning  the  Holy  Spirit  ;  and  then  first  the 
idea  concerning  three  divine  persons  from  eternity  was  shaken  off,  and  it  was 
proved  from  the  Word,  that  the  Holy  Divine,  which  is  called  the  Holy  Spirit, 
proceeds  out  of  the  Lord  from  the  Father.  At  length,  from  what  was  deliber- 
ated in  this  council,  this  conclusion  was  made :  That  in  the  Lord  the  Saviour 
there  is  a  Divine  Trinity,  which  is,  the  Divine  from  which  are  all  things  which  is 
called  the  Father,  the  Divine  Human  which  is  called  the  Son.  and  the  proceed- 
ing Divine  which  is  called  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  that  thus  there  is  one  God  in 
the  church.  After  the  council  was  ended,  splendid  garments  were  given  to 
those  who  sat  in  it,  and  they  were  conducted  into  the  new  heaven  (n.  1S8). 

XXX. 

I  saw  in  a  certain  stable  great  purses,  in  which  there  was  silver  in  great 
abundance,  and  by  them  young  men  as  guards  ;  in  the  next  room,  modest  vir- 
gins with  a  chaste  wife  ;  and  also  in  another  room,  two  little  children  ;  and  at 
last  a  harlot  and  dead  horses.  And  afterwards  I  was  instructed  what  each  of 
those  things  signified  ;  and  that  by  them  was  represented  and  described  the 
*  Word,  as  it  is  in  itself,  and  as  it  is  at  this  day  (n.  277). 

XXXI. 

Writing  was  seen,  such  as  there  is  in  the  highest  or  third  heaven,  which 
consisted  of  inflected  letters  with  little  curves  turning  upwards ;  and  it  was  said 
that  the  Hebrew  letters  in  the  most  ancient  time  were  somewhat  similar  to 
them,  when  they  were  more  inflected  than  they  are  at  this  day ;  and  that  the 
letter  //,  which  was  added  to  the  names  of  Abram  and  Sarai,  signifies  infinite 
and  eternal.  They  explained  before  me  the  sense  of  some  words  in  Psalms 
xxxii.  2,  from  the  letters  only  or  syllables  there,  which  is,  That  the  Lord  is 
merciful  also  to  those  who  do  evil  (n.  278). 

XXX II. 

Before  the  Israelitish  Word  there  was  a  Word,  the  prophetical  books  of 
which  were  called  Enunciations,  and  the  historical,  the  Wars  of  Jehovah  ;  and 
besides  these,  also  one  called  the  book  of  Jasher ;  which  three  also  are  named  in 
our  Word  :  and  that  ancient  Word  was  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  Syria,  MeSO]  1 
tamia,  Arabia,  Assyria,  Chaldea,  Egypt,  Tyre,  Sidon,  and  Nineveh  ;  but  be- 
cause it  was  full  of  such  correspondences  as  signify  heavenly  {celestial  )  and 
,'piritual  things  remotely,  which  gave  occasion  to  idolatries,  of  the  Divine 
Providence  this  disappeared.  I  heard  that  Moses  copied  out  <>f  tli.it  WmJ  ;!w 
things  wliich  he  relalixl  concerning  the  Creation,  Adam  and  Kvc,  the  1 


1122 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


and  concerning  Noah,  and  his  three  sons,  but  no  further.  That  that  same  Word  is 
still  reserved  with  the  people  in  Great  Tartary,  and  that  they  draw  from  it  the 
precepts  of  their  faith  and  life,  was  related  to  me  in  the  spiritual  world  by  the 
angels  therefrom  (n.  279). 

XXXIII. 

Those  who  are  in  the  spiritual  world  cannot  appear  to  those  who  are  in  the 
natural  world,  nor  conversely ;  thus  spirits  and  angels  cannot  appear  to  men, 
nor  men  to  spirits  and  angels,  on  account  of  the  distinction  between  spiritual 
and  natural ;  or,  what  is  the  same,  between  substantial  and  material.  It  is 
from  this  origin  that  spirits  and  angels  have  altogether  a  different  language,  dif- 
ferent writing,  and  also  different  thought,  from  what  men  have.  That  it  is  so, 
was  made  manifest  by  living  experience,  which  was  done  by  their  entering  by 
turns  to  their  companions,  and  returning  to  me,  and  thus  comparing.  Thence 
it  was  discovered,  that  there  is  not  even  one  word  of  spiritual  language  similar 
to  any  word  of  natural  language ;  and  that  their  writing  consists  of  syllables, 
each  of  which  involves  a  meaning  pertaining  to  the  subject ;  and  that  the  ideas 
of  their  thought  do  not  fall  into  the  ideas  of  natural  thought.  The  cause  of 
these  distinctions  is,  that  spirits  and  angels  are  in  principles,  but  men  in  deriv- 
atives ;  or  that  the  former  are  in  prior  things  from  which  as  causes  are  posterior 
things,  and  men  in  posterior  things  from  them.  It  was  said  that  there  is  a 
similar  distinction  between  the  languages,  writings,  and  thoughts,  of  the  angels 
of  the  third  heaven  and  those  of  the  angels  of  the  second  (n.  280). 

XXXIV. 

Concerning  the  state  of  men  after  death,  in  general,  and  concerning 
the  state  of  those  who  have  confirmed  themselves  in  falsities,  in  particular. 
Concerning  all  of  these  the  following  things  were  observed:  1.  Men  are  most 
commonly  resuscitated  the  third  day  after  death,  and  then  they  do  not  know 
that  they  are  not  still  living  in  the  former  world.  2.  All  flock  into  the  world 
which  is  in  the  middle  between  heaven  and  hell,  which  is  called  the  world 
of  spirits.  3.  There  they  are  transferred  into  various  societies,  and  thus  are 
examined  as  to  their  quality.  4.  There  the  good  and  believing  are  prepared  for 
heaven,  and  the  evil  and  unbelieving  for  hell.  5.  After  the  preparation,  which 
lasts  some  years,  a  way  is  opened  for  the  good  to  some  society  in  heaven  where 
they  are  to  live  for  ever,  but  a  way  for  the  evil  into  hell  ;  besides  many  mere 
things.  Afterwards  hell  is  described  as  it  is  ;  and  it  is  stated  that  there  those 
are  called  satans  who  are  in  falsities  from  confirmation,  and  those  are  called 
devils  who  are  in  evils  of  life  (n.  281). 

XXXV. 

From  the  lower  earth,  which  is  next  above  hell,  I  heard  shouts,  O  how  just . 
O  how  learned !  O  how  wise !  and  because  I  wondered  that  there  should  be 
there  also  any  just,  learned,  and  wise,  I  descended,  and  first  went  to  the  place 
where  they  were  crying,  O  how  just !  and  I  saw  there,  as  it  were,  a  tribunal, 
and  in  it  unjust  judges  who  could  dexterously  pervert  the  laws,  and  turn  judg- 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


1123 


ments  to  the  favor  of  any  one  whatever ;  and  that  thus  their  judgments  were 
only  arbitrary  judgments  ;  and  when  the  sentences  were  carried  out  to  the  clients, 
then  they  cried  a  long  way,  O  how  just !  Concerning  these  the  angels  after- 
wards said,  that  such  cannot  see  any  thing  at  all  of  what  is  just.  After  a  while 
those  judges  were  cast  into  hell,  and  their  books  were  turned  into  playing-cards, 
and  instead  of  judging,  there  was  given  to  them  the  office  of  preparing  paint, 
with  which  they  daubed  the  faces  of  harlots,  and  thus  turned  them  into  beauties 
i*>  332)- 

XXXVI. 

Afterwards,  I  went  on  to  the  place  where  the  cry  was,  O  how  learned .'  and 
I  saw  a  company  of  those  who  reasoned  whether  a  thing  is  or  is  not,  and  did 
not  think  that  it  is  so  ;  and  hence  they  stopped  at  the  first  step  concerning  any 
subject  whatever ;  thus  they  only  touched  it  from  without,  and  did  not  enter : 
thus  also  they  argue  concerning  God,  whether  there  is  a  God.  That  I  might 
know  for  certain  whether  they  were  such,  I  proposed  to  them  the  question,  Of 
•what  quality  must  the  religion  be  by  means  of  which  man  is  saved?  They 
replied  that,  r.  Tt  is  to  be  discussed  whether  religion  is  any  thing.  2.  Whether 
one  religion  effects  more  than  another.  3.  Whether  there  is  any  eternal  life, 
and  thus  whether  there  is  any  salvation.  4.  Whether  there  are  a  heaven  and  a 
hell.  And  then  they  began  to  discuss  the  first,  Whether  religion  is  any  tiling. 
And  they  said  that  that  needed  so  much  investigation  that  it  could  not  be  fin- 
ished in  the  space  of  a  year;  and  one  among  them  said,  that  it  could  not  in  the 
space  of  a  hundred  years  ;  to  which  I  replied  that  in  the  mean  time  they  were 
without  religion.  But  still  they  discussed  this  first  point  so  artfully  that  the 
company  standing  by  cried,  O  how  learned .'  It  was  said  to  me  by  the  angels, 
that  such  appear  like  carved  images ;  and  that  afterwards  they  are  sent  out 
into  deserts,  where  among  themselves  they  prate  and  speak  only  vain  things 
(n.  333). 

XXXVII. 

I  went  on  further  to  the  third  companv,  where  J. heard  the  cry,  O  how  wise.' 
and  I  found  that  there  were  assembled  those  who  cannot  see  whether  truth  is 
truth,  but  still  can  make  whatever  they  please  appear  as  truth,  and  hence  are 
called  Confirmcrs.  That  they  were  such,  I  observed  also  from  various  answers 
to  propositions,  as  that  they  could  make  it  true  that  faith  is  the  all  of  the  church, 
and  afterwards  that  charity  is  the  all  of  the  church,  and  also  that  faith  Mid  charity 
together  are  the  all  of  the  church  ;  and  because  they  confirmed  whichever  of  them 
they  liked,  and  adorned  them  with  appearances  so  that  they  shone  like  truth*, 
therefore  the  by-standers  cried,  OJunvwise!  Afterwards  some  lucK:  MH  ti:  RgS, 
also,  were  proposed  to  them,  that  they  might  make  them  true  ;  for  they  say  that 
there  is  nothing  true,  except  what  nytn  makes  true.  The  ludicrous  tilings  were 
these :  that  light  is  darkness,  and  darkness  light ;  and  also  that  a  crow  is  white, 
and  not  black;  which  two  they  made  appear  altogether  as  true  :  the  con':! mil- 
lions of  them  may  be  seen  in  the  text.  It  was  told  me  by  the  Wf>H  th.it  mdk 
do  not  possess  even  a  grain  of  understanding,  since  all  that  is  above  the  rational 
with  them  is  shut  up,  while  all  below  the  rational  is  open  ;  and  this  can  confirm 


1 124  INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


whatever  it  likes,  but  cannot  see  any  truth  to  be  truth  ;  wherefore,  this  is  not 
the  part  of  an  intelligent  man ;  but  to  be  able  to  see  that  truth  is  truth  and  that 
falsity  is  falsity,  and  to  confirm  it,  is  the  part  of  an  intelligent  man  (n.  334). 

XXXVIII. 

I  spoke  with  spirits,  who,  in  the  natural  world,  were  renowned  from  their 

reputation  for  erudition,  who  then  among  themselves  disputed  about  connate 
ideas,  whether  men  have  any,  as  beasts  have ;  and  then  a  certain  angelic  spirit 
thrust  himself  in  and  said,  "  You  are  disputing  about  goat's  wool.  Men  have 
no  connate  ideas,  neither  have  beasts."  At  which  words  all  grew  warm.  But 
afterwards,  opportunity  of  speaking  being  given,  he  spoke  first  concerning  beasts, 
that  they  have  no  connate  ideas  :  "the  reason  is,  that  they  do  not  think,  but  only 
operate  from  instinct,  which  they  have  from  their  natural  love,  which  makes 
something  analogous  to  will  with  them,  flows  immediately  into  the  senses  of 
their  body,  and  excites  that  which  agrees  with  and  favors  the  love;  and  yet 
ideas  are  predicable  only  of  thought."  That  beasts  have  only  sensation  and 
no  thought,  he  confirmed  by  various  things,  especially  by  the  wonderful  things 
which  are  known  respecting  spiders,  bees,  and  silk-worms,  saying,  "  Does  a 
spider  think  in  its  little  head,  when  it  forms  its  web,  that  it  is  to  be  so  woven 
for  the  sake  of  these  uses  or  those  ?  Does  a  bee  think  in  its  little  head,  From 
these  flowers  I  will  suck  honey,  and  from  these  I  will  gather  wax ;  out  of  this 
I  will  build  little  cells  close  to  each  other  in  the  row,  and  in  these  I  will  put 
honey  in  abundance  that  it  may  be  sufficient  also  for  the  winter  ?  besides  other 
things.  Does  the  silk-worm  think  in  its  little  head,  Now  I  will  betake  myself 
to  spinning  silk,  and  when  I  have  spun  it,  then  I  shall  fly  off  and  sport  with  my 
companions,  and  provide  for  myself  a  posterity?"  besides  similar  things  with 
beasts  and  birds.  Concerning  men  he  said,  that  every  mother  and  nurse,  and 
the  father  also,  knows  that  new-bom  infants  have  no  connate  ideas,  and  that 
they  have  not  any  ideas  before  they  have  learned  to  think,  and  that  then  ideas 
rise  up  and  are  produced  according  to  every  quality  of  the  thought  which  they 
had  imbibed  by  instruction ;  .and  that  this  is  the  case  because  man  has  nothing 
else  born  with  him  but  a  faculty  for  knowing,  understanding,  and  being  wise, 
and  an  inclination  for  loving  not  only  himself  and  the  world,  but  also  the  neigh- 
bor and  God.  These  things  Leibnitz  and  Wolfius  heard  at  a  distance ;  and 
Leibnitz  favored,  but  Wolfius  did  not  (n.  335). 

XXXIX. 

Once  a  certain  angelic  spirit  illustrated  what  faith  and  charity  are,  and  what 
their  conjunction  effects.  He  illustrated  it  by  comparison  with  light  and  heat, 
which  meet  together  in  a  third ;  because  the  light  in  heaven  in  its  essence  is  the 
truth  of  faith,  and  the  heat  there  in  its  essence  is  the  good  of  charity ;  therefore 
as  light  without  heat,  such  as  there  is  in  the  time  of  winter,  strips  the  trees  of 
leaves  and  fruits,  so  is  faith  without  charity ;  and  as  light  conjoined  to  heat, 
such  as  there  is  in  the  time  of  spring,  vivifies  all  things,  so  is  faith  conjoined 
with  charity  (n.  3S5 ). 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS.  1 1 25 


XL. 

Two  angels  descended,  one  from  the  eastern  heaven  where  they  are  in  love, 
and  the  other  from  the  southern  heaven  where  they  are  in  wisdom,  and  spoke 
concerning  the  essence  of  the  heavens,  whether  it  is  love  or  wisdom  ;  and  they 
agreed  that  it  is  love  and  thence  wisdom ;  consequently,  that  the  heavens  were 
created  by  God,  from  love  by  wisdom  (n.  386). 

XLI. 

After  that,  I  entered  a  garden,  where  I  was  led  around  by  a  certain  spirit, 
and  at  length  to  a  palace  which  was  called  the  Temple  of  Wisdom.  This  was 
quadrangular,  the  walls  of  crystal,  the  roof  of  jasper,  the  substructure  of  various 
precious  stones.  And  he  said  that  no  one  could  enter  into  it  who  did  not  believe 
that  what  he  knows,  understands,  and  in  which  he  is  wise,  compared  with  that 
which  he  does  not  know  and  understand  and  in  which  he  is  not  wise,  is  relatively 
so  little  that  it  is  scarcely  any  thing.  And  because  1  believed  this,  it  was  given 
me  to  enter ;  and  it  was  seen  that  the  whole  of  it  was  constructed  for  a  form  of 
light.  In  that  temple  I  related  what  I  had  lately  heard  from  the  two  angels 
concerning  love  and  wisdom ;  and  they  asked,  "  Did  they  not  also  speak  con- 
cerning the  third,  which  is  use  ?  "  And  they  said  that  love  and  wisdom  without 
use,  are  only  ideal  entities,  but  that  in  use  they  become  real,  and  that  it  is  similar 
with  charity,  faith,  and  good  works  (n.  387). 

XLII. 

One  of  the  spirits  of  the  dragon  invited  me  to  see  the  enjoyments  of  his  love ; 
and  he  led  me  to  something  like  an  amphitheatre,  upon  the  benches  of  which 
sat  satyrs  and  harlots.  And  then  he  said,  "  Now  you  will  see  our  sport."  And 
he  opened  a  door,  and  let  in,  as  it  were,  bullocks,  rams,  kids,  and  lambs ;  and 
presently  through  another  door  he  let  in  lions,  panthers,  tigers,  and  wolves, 
which  rushed  upon  the  flock  and  tore  and  slaughtered  them.  But  all  those 
things  which  were  seen  were  induced  by  fantasies.  Having  seen  this  I  said  to 
the  dragon,  "After  a  while  you  will  see  this  theatre  turned  into  a  lake  of  fire 
and  brimstone."  The  sport  being  finished,  the  dragon  went  out,  attended  by 
his  satyrs  and  harlots,  and  saw  a  flock  of  sheep  ;  from  which  he  inferred  that  a 
city  of  the  Jerusalemites  was  near  by ;  on  seeing  which,  he  was  seized  with  the 
desire  of  taking  it,  and  casting  out  the  inhabitants ;  but  because  it  was  sur- 
rounded with  a  wall,  he  planned  to  take  it  by  stratagem.  And  then  he  sent  one 
skilled  in  incantation,  who  being  admitted  spoke  craftily  with  the  citizens  con- 
cerning faith  and  charity  ;  especially  as  to  which  of  them  is  the  primary,  and 
whether  charity  contributes  any  thing  to  salvation.  But  the  dragon,  enraged  at 
the  answer,  went  out  and  gathered  together  many  of  his  crew,  and  began  to 
besiege  the  city  ;  but  when  he  was  endeavoring  to  reach  and  invade  it,  fire  from 
heaven  consumed  them,  according  to  what  was  foretold  in  the  Apocalypse, 
xx.  8,  9  (n.  388). 


1 1 26  INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


XLIII. 

Once  there  was  a  paper  sent  down  from  heaven,  in  which  there  was  an  exhor- 
tation that  they  should  acknowledge  the  Lord  the  Saviour  as  the  God  of  heaven 
and  earth,  according  to  His  words  (Matt,  xxviii.  18).  But  two  bishops  who 
were  there  were  consulted  what  should  be  done.  They  said  that  they  should 
send  the  paper  back  to  heaven  from  which  it  came ;  and  when  this  was  done, 
that  society  sunk  down,  but  not  very  deep.  The  next  day  some  ascended  there- 
from and  told  what  lot  they  met  with  there,  and  also  that  there  they  went  to  the 
bishops  and  reproved  them  for  their  advice,  and  that  they  spoke  many  things 
concerning  the  state  of  the  church  at  this  day,  and  found  fault  with  their  doc- 
trine concerning  the  Trinity,  concerning  justifying  faith,  concerning  charity,  and 
concerning  other  things  which  were  of  the  orthodoxy  of  the  bishops,  and  re- 
quested that  they  would  desist  from  them,  because  they  were  contrary  to  the 
Word ;  but  to  no  purpose.  And  because  they  called  their  faith  dead  and  also 
diabolical,  according  to  James  in  his  Epistle,  one  of  the  bishops  took  off  the 
mitre  from  his  head,  and  laid  it  down  upon  the  table,  saying  that  he  would  not 
take  it  up  again  before  he  was  avenged  upon  the  scoffing  of  his  faith.  But  then 
there  appeared  a  monster  coming  up  from  below,  similar  to  the  beast  described 
in  the  Apocalypse  (xiii.  i,  2),  which  took  up  the  mitre  and  carried  it  away 
(n.  389). 

XLIV. 

I  went  to  a  certain  house  where  those  who  were  assembled  were  arguing  one 
with  another,  whether  the  good  which  a  man  does  in  the  state  of  justification  by 
faith  is  the  good  of  religion  or  not.  There  was  an  agreement  that  by  the  good 
of  religion  is  meant  good  which  contributes  to  salvation.  But  their  opinion  pre- 
vailed who  said  that  all  the  good  that  man  does,  contributes  nothing  to  salva- 
tion ;  since  no  voluntary  good  of  man  can  be  conjoined  with  what  is  of  free 
grace,  because  salvation  is  bestowed  freely  ;  that  neither  can  any  good  from  man 
be  conjoined  with  Christ's  merit  by  which  alone  salvation  is  given  ;  that  neither 
can  the  operation  of  man  be  conjoined  with  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
that  does  all  things  without  the  help  of  man.  From  which  it  was  concluded 
that  good  works,  even  in  the  state  of  justification  by  faith,  contribute  nothing  to 
salvation  ;  but  faith  alone.  On  hearing  these  things,  two  gentiles  who  stood  at 
the  door  said  to  each  other,  "These  people  have  no  religion.  Who  does  not 
know  that  to  do  good  to  the  neighbor  for  God's  sake,  thus  from  God  and  with 
God,  is  religion?  "    (n.  390.) 

XLV. 

I  heard  the  angels  lamenting  that  there  was  such  spiritual  destitution  at 
this  day  in  the  church  that  they  know  nothing  more  than  that  there  are  three 
Divine  Persons  from  eternity,  and  that  faith  alone  saves ;  and  concerning 
the  Lord,  only  the  historical  things ;  and  that  they  are  deeply  ignorant  of  the 
things  which  are  related  in  the  Word  concerning  the  Lord,  His  unity  with 
the  Father,  His  divinity  and  power.    And  they  said  that  a  certain  angel  was 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


I  127 


sent  down  by  them  to  see  whether  there  was  such  destitution  at  this  day  among 
Christians  ;  and  that  he  asked  a  certain  one  what  his  religion  was.  He  an- 
swered, that  it  was  faith.  And  that  then  he  asked  him  about  redemption,  re- 
generation, and  salvation.  He  answered  that  they  all  were  of  faith  ;  and  also 
concerning  charity  that  it  is  in  faith  ;  also,  who  can  do  good  from  himself  ?  To 
whom  afterwards  the  angel  said,  "  You  have  answered  like  one  who  plays  with  one 
tone  of  a  pipe  :  I  hear  only  faith  ;  but  if  you  know  nothing  else  but  that,  you 
know  nothing."  And  then  he  led  him  to  his  companions  in  a  desert,  where 
there  was  not  even  grass.    Besides  more  (n.  391). 

XLVI. 

That  I  saw  five  gymnasia  surrounded  with  various  light,  and  that  with 
many  others  I  entered  into  the  first,  which  was  seen  in  flame-like  light.  Many 
were  assembled  there,  and  the  president  proposed  that  they  should  declare  their 
opinions  concerning  Charity:  and  after  they  had  begun,  the  first  said  that 
his  opinion  was  that  charity  was  morality  inspired  by  faith.  The  second,  that  it 
was  piety  inspired  by  piteousness.  The  third,  that  it  was  to  do  good  to  every 
one,  both  good  and  bad.  The  fourth,  that  it  was  in  every  way  to  serve  one's 
relatives  and  friends.  The  fifth,  that  it  was  to  give  alms  to  the  poor  and 
to  help  the  needy.  The  sixth,  that  it  was  to  build,  hospitals,  infirmaries,  and 
orphans'  homes.  The  seventh,  that  it  was  to  endow  temples  and  to  do  good 
to  their  ministers.  The  eighth,  that  it  was  the  old  Christian  brotherhood. 
The  ninth,  that  it  was  to  forgive  every  one  his  trespasses.  Each  of  them  ad- 
vanced ample  confirmations  of  his  opinion :  these  cannot  be  adduced  because 
they  are  many ;  they  may  therefore  be  seen  in  the  Relation  itself.  After 
this  there  was  given  to  me,  also,  an  opportunity  of  expressing  my  opinion  ;  and 
I  said  that  charity  was  to  act  from  the  love  of  justice  with  judgment,  in  every 
work  and  office,  but  from  love  from  no  other  source  than  the  Lord  the 
Saviour ;  and  after  this  was  demonstrated,  I  added  that  all  those  things  which 
were  said  before  by  the  nine  celebrated  men  concerning  charity,  were  excellent 
examples  of  charity  when  done  from  justice  with  judgment ;  and  because  justice 
and  judgment  are  from  no  other  source  than  the  Lord  the  Saviour,  they  are  to 
be  done  by  man  from  Him.  This  was  approved  by  most  of  them  in  the  internal 
man,  but  not  as  yet  in  the  external  (n.  459). 

XLVII. 

At  a  distance  there  was  heard  something  like  the  gnashing  of  teeth,  and 
mingled  with  this  a  kind  of  knocking ;  and  I  went  toward  the  sounds,  and  saw 
a  small  house  built  of  reeds  plastered  together  ;  and  instead  of  the  gnashing  of 
teeth,  and  the  sound  of  knocking,  I  heard  within,  in  the  little  house,  altercations 
about  faith  and  charity,  which  of  them  was  the  essential  of  the  church.  And 
those  who  were  for  faith  brought  forward  their  arguments,  saying  that  faith 
was  spiritual  because  from  God,  but  charity  natural  because  from  man.  On  the 
otner  hand,  those  who  were  for  charity  said  that  charity  was  spiritual,  and  faith 
was  natural  unless  conjoined  to  charity.  To  these  things  a  certain  synctctist 
wLhing  to  settle  the  dispute  offered  an  addition,  confirming  that  faith  was 


I  128 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


spiritual  and  charity  only  natural.  But  it  was  said  that  moral  life  was  of  two 
kinds,  spiritual  and  natural,  and  that  in  the  man  who  lives  from  the  Lord  it  is 
spiritual-moral  but  in  the  man  who  does  not  live  from  the  Lord  it  is  natural- 
moral,  such  as  is  given  with  the  evil  and  sometimes  with  the  spirits  in  hell 
(n.  460). 

XLVI1I. 

In  spirit  I  was  brought  into  a  certain  garden  h\  tne  southern  quarter,  and 
saw  some  sitting  there  under  a  laurel,  eating  figs.  I  asked  them  how  they  under- 
stood that  man  can  do'  good  from  God,  and  nevertheless  still  as  from  himself. 
And  they  answered  that  God  works  good  inwardly  in  man;  but  if  man  does  it 
from  his  own  will  and  from  his  own  understanding,  he  defiles  it  so  that  it  is  no 
longer  good.  But  to  this  I  said  that  man  is  only  an  organ  of  life,  and  that  if  he 
believes  in  the  Lord,  he  may  do  good  out  of  himself  from  Him ;  but  if  he  does 
not  believe  in  the  Lord,  and  still  more,  if  he  does  not  believe  in  any  God,  he 
may  do  good  out  of  himself  from  hell ;  and  further,  that  the  Lord  has  given  to 
man  free-will  in  doing  from  the  one  or  from  the  other.  That  the  Lord  has 
given  this  freedom  was  confirmed  from  the  Word,  in  that  He  commanded  man 
to  love  God  and  the  neighbor,  to  produce  the  goods  of  charity  as  a  tree  produces 
fruits,  and  to  do  His  commandments  that  he  may  be  saved,  and  that  every 
one  would  be  judged  according  to  his  deeds ;  and  that  all  these  things  would 
not  have  been  commanded  if  man  could  not  do  good  out  of  himself  from  God. 
After  these  things  were  said,  I  gave  them  branchlets  from  a  vine,  and  the  shoots 
in  their  hands  put  forth  grapes.    And  more  beside  (n.  461). 

XLIX. 

That  I  saw  a  magnificent  Dock,  and  in  it  vessels  large  and  small,  and  upon 
the  decks,  boys  and  girls,  who  were  waiting  for  tortoises  to  rise  up  out  of  the  sea ; 
and  when  they  emerged,  I  saw  that  they  had  two  heads  :  one,  which  at  pleasure 
they  drew  back  into  the  shell  of  the  body,  and  another  which  appeared  in 
form  as  a  man,  and  from  this  they  spoke  with  the  boys  and  girls  ;  and  these  on 
account  of  their  elegant  discourses  caressed  them  and  also  gave  them  presents. 
When  these  things  had  been  seen,  it  was  explained  by  an  angel  what  they  signi- 
fied ;  namely,  that  there  are  men  in  the  world,  and  thence  as  many  spirits  after 
death,  who  say  that  God  does  not  see  any  thing  that  is  thought  and  done  by 
those  who  have  acquired  faith,  but  only  looks  at  the  faith,  which  He  has  hid  in 
the  interiors  of  their  minds ;  and  that  those  same  persons,  before  the  congrega- 
tions in  temples,  bring  forth  holy  things  from  the  Word  altogether  as  others, 
but  these  from  the  greater  head  which  appears  as  a  man,  in  which  they  then 
insert  the  little  one,  or  draw  it  into  the  body.  The  same  persons  afterwards  were 
seen  in  the  air  in  a  vessel  flying  with  seven  sails,  and  those  in  it  in  laurels  and 
in  purple  garments,  crying  that  they  were  the  chief  of  the  wise  of  all  the  clergy  ; 
but  the  things  seen  were  images  of  pride  flowing  from  the  ideas  of  their 
mind.  And  when  they  were  upon  the  earth  I  spoke  with  them,  first  from 
reason  and  afterwards  from  the  Sacred  Scripture  ;  and  by  many  things  I  demon- 
strated that  their  doctrine  was  unsound,  and,  because  contrary  to  the  Sacred 
Scripture,  from  hell ;  but  the  arguments  by  which  I  demonstrated  this  cannot 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


I  129 


be  transferred  hither,  on  account  of  their  prolixity  ;  the)'  may  be  therefore 
seen  in  the  Relation  itself.  Also,  that  aftenvards  they  were  seen  in  a  sandy 
place,  in  garments  of  rags,  and  girt  about  the  loins  with  network  (as  it  were 
with  fishers'  nets),  through  which  their  nakedness  appeared  ;  and  at  last  thev 
were  sent  down  into  a  society  bordering  on  the  Machiavelians  (n.  462.) 

L. 

An  assembly  was  called  together  which  sat  in  a  round  temple.  There  were 
altars  at  the  sides,  by  which  the  members  of  the  assembly  sat,  but  there  was  no 
primate  there ;  wherefore  each  one  of  himself  rushed  forth  into  the  midst,  and 
spoke  out  the  feelings  of  his  mind.  And  there  was  begun  a  discourse  concern- 
ing Free-will  in  spiritual  things.  And  the  first,  rushing  forth,  cried  that 
man  had  no  more  free-will  in  those  things  than  Lot's  wife  when  turned  into  a 
statue  of  salt.  The  second,  that  he  had  no  more  than  a  beast  or  a  dog.  The 
*hird,  that  he  had  no  more  than  a  mole,  or  than  a  bird  of  night  in  the  day- 
time. The  fourth,  that  if  man  had  free-will  in  spiritual  things,  he  would  be- 
come a  maniac  and  believe  himself  to  be  as  a  God  who  can  regenerate  and  save 
himself.  The  fifth,  read  from  the  book  of  the  Evangelical,  called  "  Formula 
Concordiae."  that  man  has  no  more  free-will  in  spiritual  things  than  a  stock  or 
a  stone,  and  that  he  has  no  ability  at  all  concerning  those  things,  to  understand, 
think,  will,  and  not  even  to  apply  and  accommodate  himself  to  receive  what  is 
spiritual ;  besides  other  tilings,  of  which  above,  n.  464.  After  these  things  were 
said,  there  was  also  given  me  an  opportunity  of  speaking;  and  I  said,  "  What 
else  is  man,  without  free-will  in  spiritual  things,  than  a  brute?  And  without  it, 
to  what  purpose  are  all  theological  things  ?  "  But  to  this  they  replied,  "  Read 
our  theology,  and  you  will  not  find  therein  any  thing  spiritual,  and  you  will 
find  that  this  is  so  concealed  within  that  not  even  a  shadow  of  it  appears. 
Wherefore,  read  what  our  theology  teaches  concerning  justification,  that  is  con- 
cerning the  remission  of  sins,  regeneration,  sanctification,  and  salvation  ;  you  will 
not  see  there  any  thing  spiritual  because  they  flow-in  through  faith,  without  any 
consciousness  on  man's  part.  It  has  also  removed  charity  far  from  what  is 
spiritual,  and  repentance  also  from  contact  with  it.  And  besides,  as  to  re- 
demption, it  attributes  to  God  purely  natural  human  properties,  as  that  He 
included  the  human  race  under  universal  damnation ;  that  the  Son  took  that 
upon  Himself,  and  that  thus  He  propitiated  the  Father  ;  and  what  else  are  in- 
tercession and  mediation  with  the  Father  ?  From  these  things  it  is  evident  that 
in  all  our  theology  there  is  nothing  spiritual,  and  not  even  what  is  rational,  but 
merely  what  is  natural  below  them."  But  then  suddenly  a  thunderbolt  was 
heard  from  heaven,  and  the  members  of  the  assembly  being  terrified  by  this, 
rushed  forth,  and  each  one  fled  to  his  own  home  (n.  503). 

LI. 

I  spoke  with  two  spirits,  one  of  whom  loved  what  is  good  and  true,  and  the 
other  what  is  evil  and  false  ;  and  I  found  that  both  enjoyed  a  similar  faculty  of 
thinking  rationally.    But  when  he  who  loved  what  is  evil  and  false  was  left  to 
himself,  I  saw,  as  it  were,  smoke  that  ascended  from  hell  and  extinguished  the 
vol..  III.  13 


1130 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


lucidity  which  was  above  his  memory  ;  but  when  he  who  loved  what  is  good  and 
true  was  left  to  himself,  I  saw  that,  as  it  were,  a  gentle  flame  descended  from 
heaven  and  illuminated  the  region  of  his  mind  above  the  memory,  and  thence 
also  the  things  that  were  below  it.  Afterwards  I  spoke  with  him  who  loved 
what  is  evil  and  false  concerning  Free-ivill  in  spiritual  things ;  and  at  the  mere 
mention  of  it  he  grew  warm,  and  cried  that  no  one  can  move  his  foot  or  hand 
to  do  any  spiritual  good,  or  his  tongue  and  mouth  to  speak  any  spiritual  truth, 
and  thus  that  he  cannot  even  apply  and  accommodate  himself  to  receive  any 
such  thing.  "  Is  not  man  in  such  things  dead,  and  merely  passive?  How  can 
what  is  dead  and  merely  passive  do  good  and  speak  truth  of  itself  ?  Does  not 
our  church  also  say  so  ?  "  But  the  other,  who  loved  what  is  good  and  true, 
spoke  thus  concerning  free-will  in  spiritual  things  :  "  What  would  the  whole 
Word  be  without  it?  And  what  the  church,  what  religion,  what  the  worship  of 
God,  thus  what  the  ministry,  without  it  ?  And  from  the  light  of  my  under- 
standing, I  know  that  man  without  that  spiritual  freedom  would  not  be  man  but 
a  beast ;  for  that  he  is  man,  and  not  a  beast,  is  from  that  freedom ;  and 
moreover,  that  man  without  free-will  in  spiritual  things  would  not  have  life  after 
death,  thus  not  eternal  life,  because  not  any  conjunction  with  God  ;  wherefore,  to 
deny  it  is  the  part  of  those  who  are  insane  in  spiritual  things."  Afterwards 
there  was  seen,  as  it  were,  a  fiery  serpent  upon  a  tree,  which  reached  fruit  there- 
from to  him  who  denied  free-will  in  spiritual  things  ;  which  being  eaten,  there 
appeared  smoke  ascending  from  hell,  which  extinguished  the  higher  part  of 
his  rational  mind  as  to  light  [/umen]  (n.  504). 

LIIs 

There  was  heard  a  grating  noise  as  of  two  mill-stones  grinding  on  each  other ; 
and  I  went  up  to  where  the  sound  began  and  saw  a  house  in  which  were  many 
little  cells,  in  which  the  learned  of  this  age  were  sitting  and  confirming  justifica- 
tion by  faith  alone;  and  going  up  to  one,  I  asked  what  he  was  now  studying. 
He  answered,  "  Concerning  the  Act  of  Justification  which  is  the  head  of  all 
things  of  doctrine  in  our  orthodoxy."  And  I  asked  whether  he  knew  any  sign 
to  tell  when  justifying  faith  enters,  and  when  it  has  entered.  And  he  said,  that 
this  was  done  passively,  and  not  actively.  To  which  I  replied,  "If  you  take 
away  what  is  active  in  it,  you  also  take  away  receptivity ;  and  thus  that  act 
would  be  only  something  purely  ideal,  which  is  called  a  thing  of  reasoning,  and 
thus  nothing  more  than  the  statue  Lot's  wife,  tinkling  from  mere  salt  when 
scratched  with  a  scribe's  pen  or  his  finger  nail."  The  man  growing  warm  took 
a  candlestick,  to  throw  it  at  me  ;  but  the  light  being  then  extinguished  he 
threw  it  at  his  companion  (n.  505). 

LIII. 

There  were  seen  two  flocks,  one  of  goats  and  the  other  of  sheep  ;  but  when 
they  were  viewed  closely,  instead  of  goats  and  sheep,  men  were  seen  ;  and  it  was 
perceived  that  the  flock  of  goats  consisted  of  those  who  make  faith  alone  sav- 
ing, and  the  flock  of  sheep,  of  those  who  make  charity  and  at  the  same  time 
'  '*h.    To  the  inquiry  why  they  were  there,  those  who  were  seen  as  goats  said 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS.  1 13 1 


that  they  were  sitting  as  a  council,  since  it  was  disclosed  to  them  that  the  say- 
ing of  Paul,  that  man  is  justified  by  faith  without  the  works  of  the  law;  Rom. 
iii.  28,  is  not  rightly  understood ;  since  by  faith  there,  is  not  meant  the  faith  of 
this  day,  but  faith  in  the  Lord  the  Saviour ;  and  by  the  works  of  the  law  are 
not  meant  the  works  of  the  law  of  the  decalogue,  but  the  works  of  the  Mosaic 
law  which  were  rituals ;  which  also  was  demonstrated.  And  they  said  that 
they  concluded  that  faith  produces  good  works  as  a  tree  produces  fruit.  Those 
who  constituted  the  flock  of  sheep  favored  them  ;  but  then  an  angel,  standing  be- 
tween the  two  flocks,  cried  to  the  flock  of  sheep,  "  Do  not  listen,  because  they 
have  not  receded  from  their  former  faith."  And  he  divided  the  flock  of  goats 
into  two,  and  said  to  those  on  the  left  hand,  "  Join  yourselves  to  the  goats ;  but 
I  tell  you  beforehand  that  a  wolf  is  about  to  come  which  will  seize  them  and 
you  with  them."  But  then  inquiry  was  made  how  they  understood  that  faith 
produces  good  works  as  a  tree  produces  fruit;  and  it  was  found  that  their 
perception  concerning  the  conjunction  of  faith  and  charity  was  altogether  dif- 
ferent from  that  comparison,  and  thus  that  it  was  a  fallacious  mode  of  speaking. 
When  these  things  were  understood,  the  flocks  of  sheep  reunited  themselves 
into  one  as  before,  to  which  some  of  the  goats  joined  themselves,  confessing 
that  charity  is  the  essence  of  faith,  and  that  thus  faith  separate  from  it  is  only 
natural,  but  conjoined  to  it  it  becomes  spiritual  (n.  506). 

LIV. 

A  discourse  with  angels  concerning  the  three  loves,  which  are  universal,  and 
thence  with  every  man ;  which  are  the  Love  of  the  neighbor,  or  the  Love  of  usest 
which  in  itself  is  spiritual ;  the  Love  of  the  world,  or  the  Love  of  possessing 
wealth,  which  in  itself  is  material ;  and  the  Love  of  self,  or  the  Love  of  ruling 
over  others,  which  in  itself  is  coq^oreal ;  and  that  when  those  three  loves  are 
rightly  subordinated  with  man,  he  is  truly  man ;  and  that  they  are  rightly 
subordinated  when  the  love  of  the  neighbor  makes  the  head,  the  love  of  the 
world  the  body,  and  the  love  of  self  the  feet :  it  is  altogether  otherwise  when 
their  seat  with  man  is  contrary  to  order.  And  it  was  shown  what  man  is  in 
quality  when  the  love  of  the  world  makes  the  head,  and  what  he  is  when  the 
love  of  self;  that  then  he  is  an  inverted  man  ;  as  to  the  interiors  of  his  mind  a 
wild  beast,  and  as  to  its  exteriors  and  thence  of  the  body,  a  stage-playei.  After 
this  there  was  seen  a  certain  devil  ascending  from  below,  having  a  dark  fare 
with  a  white  circle  around  the  head ;  and  he  said  that  he  was  Lucifer,  although 
lie  was  not ;  and  that,  in  his  internals,  he  was  a  devil,  but  in  his  externals  an 
angel  of  light:  and  he  told  that  in  externals  he  was  moral  among  the  moral, 
rational  among  the  rational,  yes,  spiritual  among  the  spiritual ;  and  that  when 
he  was  in  the  world  he  preached ;  and  that  then  he  uttered  imprecations  against 
evil  doers  of  every  kind,  and  that  thence  he  was  called  Son  of  the  mtmhtgi 
and,  what  he  himself  wondered  at,  that  when  he  was  in  the  pulpit  he  perceived 
no  otherwise  than  that  it  was  as  he  spoke ;  but  otherwise  when  he  was  out 
of  the  temple.  He  said  the  reason  was,  that  in  the  temple  he  was  in  his  exter- 
nals and  then  in  the  understanding  only,  but  out  of  the  temple  in  his  internals 
and  then  in  the  will ;  and  thus  that  the  understanding  elevated  him  into  heaven, 


1 132 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


but  the  will  draws  him  down  into  hell ;  but  that  the  will  prevails  over  the  under- 
standing, because  the  former  disposes  the  latter  at  its  beck  and  nod.  After  this 
the  devil  who  pretended  to  be  Lucifer  slipped  down  into  hell  (n.  507). 

LV. 

There  was  seen  a  round*  temple,  the  roof  of  which  was  crown-shaped,  the 
walls  continuous  windows  of  crystal,  the  gate  of  a  pearly  substance :  in  it  there 
was  a  pulpit,  on  which  was  the  Word  encompassed  with  a  sphere  of  light.  In 
the  middle  of  the  temple  was  the  shrine,  before  which  was  a  veil,  but  lifted  now, 
where  stood  a  cherub  with  a  sword  vibrating  in  his  hand.  After  these  things 
were  seen,  it  was  explained  before  me  what  they  each  signified ;  which  may  be 
seen.  Above  the  gate  there  was  this  writing,  Now  it  is  lawful ;  which  signified, 
that  now  it  is  lawful  to  enter  intellectually  into  the  mysteries  of  faith  ;  and  it 
was  given  me  to  perceive  that  it  was  very  dangerous  to  enter  with  the  under- 
standing into  dogmas  of  faith  which  are  from  one's  own  intelligence  and  thence 
in  falsities,  and  still  more  to  confirm  them  from  the  Word ;  and  that,  therefore, 
by  the  Divine  Providence  the  Word  was  taken  away  from  the  Roman  Catholics, 
and  that  with  Protestants  it  is  shut  up  by  their  dogma  that  the  understanding  is 
to  be  kept  under  obedience  to  their  faith.  But  because  the  dogmas  which  are 
of  the  New  Church  are  all  from  the  Word,  that  into  them  it  is  lawful  to  enter 
with  the  understanding,  because  they  are  continuous  truths  from  the  Word, 
which  also  shine  before  the  understanding.  This  was  what  is  meant  by  the 
writing  above  the  gate,  Now  it  is  lawful,  and  by  the  circumstance  that  the  veil 
of  the  shrine  was  lifted,  within  which  there  stood  a  cherub.  After  this  there 
was  brought  to  me  a  paper  from  an  infant  who  was  an  angel  in  the  third  heaven, 
on  which  was  written,  Enter  hereafter  into  the  mysteries  of  the  Word  which 
has  been  Jieretofore  shut  up  ;  for  its  several  truths  are  so  many  mirrors  of  the 
Lord  (n.  508). 

lvl 

I  was  seized  with  a  grievous  disease,  from  the  smoke  which  came  in  from 
the  Jerusalem  which  is  called  Sodom  and  Egypt,  Apoc.  xi.  8  ;  and  I  was  seen 
by  those  who  were  in  that  city  as  dead  ;  and  they  said  one  to  another  that  I  was 
not  worthy  of  burial,  just  as  it  is  said  concerning  the  two  witnesses  in  the  same 
chapter  in  the  Apocalypse ;  and  meanwhile  I  heard  blasphemies  in  abundance 
from  the  citizens,  on  account  of  my  having  preached  repentance,  and  faith  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  But  because  judgment  came  upon  them,  I  saw  that 
that  whole  city  fell  down  and  was  overflowed  with  waters  ;  and  afterwards  that 
they  were  running  about  among  the  heaps  of  stones,  and  lamenting  on  account 
of  their  lot ;  when  yet  they  believed  that,  by  the  faith  of  their  church,  they  were 
born  again  and  thus  righteous.  But  it  was  said  to  them  that  they  were  any 
thing  else  than  such,  since  they  had  never  performed  any  actual  repentance ; 
and  that  therefore  they  did  not  know  one  damnable  evil  with  them.  Afterwards 
it  was  said  to  them  from  heaven,  that  faith  in  the  Lord  and  repentance  are  the 

*  In  the  Relation,  n.  508,  we  read  square. 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


"33 


two  means  of  regeneration  and  salvation  ;  and  that  this  was  very  well  known 
from  the  Word,  and  moreover,  from  the  decalogue,  baptism,  and  the  hol> 
supper;  concerning  which  see  the  Relation  (n.  567). 

LVII. 

All  who  after  death  come  into  the  spiritual  world,  at  first  are  «.cpt  in  exter- 
nals, in  which  they  were  in  the  natural  world;  and  because  most  while  they  aie 
in  externals  live  morally,  frequent  temples,  and  pray  to  God,  they  believe  that 
they  shall  certainly  come  into  heaven  ;  but  they  are  instructed  that  every  man 
after  death  successively  puts  off  the  external  man,  and  the  internal  man  is 
opened,  and  then  the  man  is  known,  as  he  is  in  himself,  since  man  is  man 
from  the  will  and  understanding,  and  not  merely  from  action  and  speech ;  and 
that  thence  it  is  that  man  can  in  externals  appear  as  a  sheep,  although  in  inter- 
nals he  is  as  a  wolf ;  and  that  he  is  such  in  his  internal  man,  unless  he  explores 
the  evils  of  his  will  and  thence  of  the  intention,  and  repents  of  them ;  besides 
more  (n.  568). 

LVIII. 

Evety  love  breathes  forth  enjoyment,  but  the  enjoyments  from  loves  are  but 
little  felt  in  the  natural  world,  but  manifestly  in  the  spiritual  world;  and  in 
this  they  are  sometimes  turned  into  odors ;  then  also  it  is  perceived  of  what 
quality  the  enjoyments  are,  and  of  what  love;  and  the  enjoyments  from  the 
love  of  good,  such  as  are  in  the  heavens,  are  perceived  as  fragrances  in  gar- 
dens and  flower-beds ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  the  enjoyments  from  the  love  of 
evil,  such  as  are  in  hell,  as  the  pungent  and  fetid  smells  from  stagnant  waters 
and  from  cesspools ;  and  because  they  are  so  opposite,  the  devils  are  tortured 
when  they  are  sensible  of  any  sweet  odor  from  heaven,  and  on  the  other  hand 
the  angels  are  tortured  when  they  are  sensible  of  any  ill-smelling  odors  from 
hell.  That  it  is  so,  was  confirmed  by  two  examples.  This  is  why  the  oil  of 
anointing  was  prepared  from  fragrant  things,  and  why  it  is  said  concerning 
Jehovah  that  He  smelled  a  sweet  savor  from  the  burnt-offerings;  and  on  the 
other  hand,  why  it  was  commanded  the  sons  of  Israel  that  they  should  carry 
unclean  things  out  of  their  camp,  and  that  they  should  bury  their  excrements; 
for  their  camp  represented  heaven,  and  the  desert  outside  of  it  represented  hell 
(n.  569). 

LIX. 

A  certain  novitiate  spirit,  who  in  the  world  meditated  much  concern  in  j 
heaven  and  hell,  desired  to  know  what  is  the  quality  of  the  one  and  the  other; 
and  it  was  said  to  him  from  heaven,  Inquire  what  enjoyment  is,  and  you  wiU 
kmnv.  Wherefore  going  away  he  inquired,  but  among  spirits  merely  natural  in 
vain.  But  lie  was  led  to  three  companies  in  order  ;  to  one  where  they  explored 
ends,  and  thence  were  called  wisdoms;  to  another  where  they  investigated 
causes,  and  thence  were  called  intelligences;  and  to  a  third  where  they  exam- 
ined effects,  and  thence  were  called  knowledges  ;  and  by  them  he  was  instructed 
that  every  angel,  spirit,  and  man  has  life  from  the  enjoyment  of  his  love;  and 
that  the  will  and  thought  cannot  move  at  all,  except  from  the  enjoyment  in  some 


«34 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


love;  and  that  this  is  to  every  one  that  which  is  called  good.  And,  moreover, 
that  the  enjoyment  of  heaven  is  the  enjoyment  of  doing  good,  and  that  the 
enjoyment  of  hell  is  the  enjoyment  of  doing  evil.  That  he  might  be  further 
instructed,  a  devil  providentially  ascended,  and  in  his  presence  described  the 
enjoyments  of  hell,  that  they  were  the  enjoyments  of  revenging,  of  committing 
whoredom,  of  defrauding,  and  of  blaspheming ;  and  that  those  things  when  they 
are  perceived  there  as  odors,  are  perceived  as  balsams ;  whence  he  called  them 
the  delights  of  their  nostrils  (n.  570). 

LX. 

There  was  seen  a  company  of  spirits  praying  to  God  that  He  would  send 
angels  to  instruct  them  concerning  various  things  which  are  of  faith,  because  in 
most  things  they  hesitated,  since  churches  so  differ  one  from  another,  and  all 
their  ministers  say,  Believe  tes ;  we  are  the  ministers  of  God,  and -we  know. 
And  there  appeared  angels,  whom  they  questioned  respecting  charity  and  faith, 
respecting  repentance,  respecting  regeneration,  respecting  God,  respecting  the 
immortality  of  the  soul,  and  respecting  Baptism  and  the  Holy  Supper ;  to  each 
of  which  the  angels  gave  such  answers  that  they  fell  into  their  understanding ; 
saying  further  that  all  that  which  does  not  fall  into  the  understanding  is  like 
what  is  sown  in  the  sand,  which,  however  watered  by  the  rain,  still  withers 
away ;  and  that  the  understanding,  closed  from  religion,  no  longer  sees  any 
thing  in  the  Word  from  the  light  which  is  therein  from  the  Lord ;  yes,  that  if 
one  reads  it  he  becomes  more  and  more  blind  in  the  things  of  faith  and  salvation 
(n.  621). 

LXI 

How  man,  when  he  is  prepared  for  heaven,  enters  it ;  namely,  that  after 
preparation  he  sees  a  way  which  leads  to  the  society  in  heaven  in  which  he  is 
to  live  to  eternity ;  and  that  near  the  society  there  is  a  gate  which  is  opened ; 
and  that  after  entrance  it  is  inquired  whether  there  are  in  him  similar  light  and 
similar  heat,  that  is,  similar  good  and  truth,  to  those  in  the  angels  of  that  society. 
When  this  is  ascertained  he  goes  about  and  inquires  where  his  house  is ;  for 
there  is  for  every  novitiate  angel  a  new  house  ;  when  this  is  found,  he  is  received 
and  numbered  as  one  among  them.  But  those  in  whom  there  is  not  the  light 
and  heat,  that  is,  the  good  and  truth  of  heaven,  have  this  hard  lot,  that  when 
they  enter  they  are  miserably  tortured,  and  from  the  torture  cast  themselves 
down  headlong.  This  happens  to  them  from  the  sphere  of  the  light  and  heat 
of  heaven,  in  the  opposite  of  which  they  are ;  and  they  afterwards  no  longer 
desire  heaven,  but  are  consociated  with  their  like  in  hell.  Thence  it  is  manifest 
that  it  is  vain  to  think  that  heaven  is  only  an  admission  from  favor,  and  that 
those  who  are  admitted  come  into  the  fruition  of  the  joys  there,  like  those  in 
the  world  who  enter  into  a  house  where  there  is  a  wedding  (n.  622). 

LXI  I. 

Many  who  believed  that  heaven  was  only  an  admission  from  favor,  and  after 
admission  eternal  joy,  by  permission  ascended  into  heaven ;  but  because  they 
could  not  bear  the  light  and  heat,  that  is,  the  faith  and  love  there,  they  cast 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


themselves  down  headlong ;  and  then  they  were  seen  by  those  who  stood  below 
as  dead  horses.  Among  those  who  stood  below  and  saw  them  thus,  were 
boys  with  their  master ;  and  he  instructed  them  what  appearing  as  dead  horses 
signified,  and  then  who  they  are  who  at  a  distance  so  appear ;  saying  that  they 
are  those  who  when  they  read  the  Word  think  materially  and  not  spiritually 
concerning  God,  concerning  the  neighbor,  and  concerning  heaven ;  and  that 
those  think  materially  concerning  God  who  think  from  person  concerning 
essence ;  in  regard  to  the  neighbor,  from  the  face  and  speech  concerning  quality  ; 
and  in  regard  to  heaven,  from  place  concerning  the  state  of  love  there ;  but  that 
those  think  spiritually  who  think  concerning  God  from  essence,  and  thence  con- 
cerning person ;  concerning  the  neighbor  from  quality,  and  thence  concerning 
the  face  and  speech  ;  and  concerning  heaven  from  the  state  of  love  there,  and 
thence  concerning  place.  And  afterwards  he  taught  them  that  a  horse  signifies 
the  understanding  of  the  Word;  and  because  the  Word  with  those  who  think 
spiritually  when  they  read  it,  is  a  living  letter,  that  therefore  those  appear  at  a 
distance  as  live  horses ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  because  the  Word  with  those 
who  think  materially  when  they  read  it,  is  a  dead  letter,  that  these  therefore  at 
a  distance  appear  as  dead  horses  (n.  623). 

LXIII. 

There  was  seen  an  angel,  with  a  paper  in  his  hand,  upon  which  was  written 
the  marriage  of  good  and  truth,  descending  from  heaven  into  the  world  ;  and  it 
was  seen  that  that  paper  shone  in  heaven,  but  in  its  descent  gradually  less  and 
less,  until  neither  the  paper  nor  the  angel  appeared,  except  only  before  some 
unlearned  ones  who  were  of  simple  heart :  before  these  the  angel  explained 
what  the  marriage  of  good  and  truth  involves,  namely,  that  all  and  each  of  the 
things  in  the  whole  heaven  and  in  the  whole  world  contain  them  both  at  the 
same  time,  because  good  and  truth  in  the  Lord  God  the  Creator  make  one  ;  and 
that  therefore  there  is  not  anywhere  given  any  thing  which  by  itself  is  good, 
nor  any  thing  which  by  itself  is  true  ;  consequently  that  in  each  and  every  thing 
there  is  a  marriage  of  good  and  truth,  and  in  the  church  a  marriage  of  charity 
and  faith,  since  charity  is  of  good  and  faith  is  of  truth  (n.  624). 

LXIV. 

When  I  was  in  profound  thought  concerning  the  Second  Coming  of  the 
Lord,  I  saw  heaven  from  the  east  to  the  west  luminous,  and  heard  from  the 
angels  a  glorification  and  celebration  of  the  Lord,  but  from  the  Word,  as  well 
the  prophetic  Word  of  the  Old  Testament,  as  the  apostolic  of  the  New.  The 
passages  themselves  by  which  the  glorifications  were  made,  may  be  seen  in  the 
Relation  (n.  625). 

LXV. 

In  the  north-eastern  quarter,  there  are  Places  of  instruction  ;  and  those  who 
receive  instructions  interiorly  are  there  called  disciples  of  the  Lord.  Once  when 
I  was  in  the  Spirit,  I  asked  the  teachers  there  whether  they  knew  the  univci  th 
of  heaven  and  the  universals  of  hell ;  and  they  answered  that  the  un'.\ei  tit  oi 


1 1  36  INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


heaven  were  three  loves,  which  are  the  love  of  uses,  the  love  of  possessing  the 
goods  of  the  world  from  the  love  of  doing  uses,  and  truly  conjugial  love  ;  and  that 
the  universals  of  hell  were  three  loves  opposite  to  those  three,  which  are  the  love 
of  ruling  from  the  love  of  self,  the  love  of  possessing  the  goods  of  others  from  the 
love  of  the  world,  and  scortatory  love.  It  is  described  afterwards  what  the  first 
infernal  love  is,  which  is  the  love  of  riding  from  the  love  of  self ;  that  it  is  such 
with  the  laity  that,  when  the  reins  are  given  to  it,  they  wish  to  rule  over  all 
things  of  the  world,  and  with  the  clergy,  that  they  wish  to  rule  over  all  things 
of  heaven.  That  there  is  such  fantasy  with  those  who  are  in  that  love,  was 
confirmed  by  the  like  in  hell,  where  such  are  together  in  a  certain  valley,  who 
find  enjoyment  for  their  minds  [animi]  in  the  fantasies  that  they  are  emperors 
of  emperors,  or  kings  of  kings  ;  and  elsewhere  that  they  are  gods  :  and  it  was 
seen  that  at  the  sight  of  these  latter,  the  former  who  were  of  so  lofty  a  mind  fell 
upon  their  knees  and  adored.  Afterwards  I  spoke  with  two,  one  of  whom  was 
the  piince  of  a  certain  society  in  heaven,  and  the  other  was  the  high-priest 
there  ;  who  said  that  with  those  in  that  society  there  are  magnificent  and  splen- 
did things,  because  their  love  [of  ruling]  is  not  from  the  love  of  self,  but  from 
the  love  of  uses  ;  and  that  they  are  surrounded  with  honors  and  that  they  accept 
them,  not  for  the  sake  of  themselves  but  for  the  sake  of  the  good  of  obedience. 
I  then  asked  them,  "  How  can  any  one  know  whether  he  does  uses  from  the 
love  of  self,  or  of  the  world,  or  from  the  love  of  uses,  since  all  the  three  do  uses  ? 
Let  it  be  supposed  that  there  is  a  society  composed  of  mere  satans,  and  a  society 
composed  of  mere  angels,  and  I  can  imagine  that  the  satans,  from  the  love  of 
self  and  the  world,  would  do  as  many  uses  in  their  society  as  the  angels  would 
in  theirs;  who,  then,  can  know  from  which  love  the  uses  are?  "  To  this  the 
prince  and  priest  replied,  "  Satans  do  uses  for  the  sake  of  fame,  that  they  may 
be  raised  to  honors  and  gain  wealth,  but  angels  do  uses  for  the  sake  of  uses : 
but  these  are  discriminated  from  those  especially  by  this,  that  every  one  who 
believes  in  the  Lord  and  shuns  evils  as  sins  does  uses  from  the  Lord,  and  thus 
from  the  love  of  uses  ;  but  that  every  one  who  does  not  believe  in  the  Lord  and 
does  not  shun  evils  as  sins  does  uses  from  himself  and  for  the  sake  of  himself, 
thus  from  the  love  of  self  or  of  the  world  "  (n.  661 ). 


LXVI. 

I  entered  a  certain  grove  and  saw  two  angels  conversing  together.  1  went 
up  to  them,  and  they  were  speaking  of  the  lust  of  possessing  all  things  of  the 
world  ;  and  it  was  said  that  many  who  in  actions  appear  moral,  and  in  conver- 
sation rational,  are  in  the  madness  of  that  lust,  and  that  that  lust  is  turned  into 
fantasies  with  those  who  indulge  their  ideas  concerning  it.  And  because  every 
one  is  permitted  to  delight  himself  in  his  fantasy  in  the  spiritual  world,  provided 
he  does  no  evil  to  another,  there  are  also  congregations  of  such  in  the  lower 
earth  ;  and  because  it  was  known  where  they  were,  we  descended  and  went  in 
to  them  ;  and  we  saw  that  they  were  sitting  at  tables,  upon  which  there  was  a 
great  plenty  of  gold  coin,  and  it  was  said  that  this  was  the  wealth  of  all  in 
the  kingdom  ;  but  it  was  only  an  imaginary  vision,  which  is  called  fantasy,  by 
which  they  made  that  appearance.    But  when  it  was  said  to  them  that  they 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


were  insane,  when  turned  away  from  the  tables  they  confessed  that  it  was  so  ; 
but  because  that  vision  exceedingly  delighted  them,  they  could  not  do  otherwise 
than  go  in  by  turns,  and  favor  the  allurements  of  their  senses.  To  this  they 
added,  that  if  any  one  steals  from  another  his  goods,  or  does  any  other  evil, 
he  falls  down  into  some  prison  under  them,  and  is  kept  there  to  labor  for  food, 
clothing,  and  some  little  pieces  of  money  ;  and  if  they  also  do  evil  there,  they 
are  deprived  of  those  things  and  punished  (n.  662). 

LXVII. 

There  was  heard  a  dispute  between  an  ambassador  of  a  kingdom  and  two 
priests,  whether  intelligence  and  wisdom,  and  thus  also  prudence,  were  from  God 
or  whether  from  man.  But  it  was  perceived  by  some  angels  that  the  priests  in- 
wardly in  themselves  believed  the  same  as  the  ambassador,  namely,  that  intel- 
ligence and  wisdom,  and  hence  prudence,  were  from  man;  wherefore  that  it 
might  be  made  manifest,  the  ambassador  was  requested  to  take  off  the  garments 
of  his  office,  and  to  put  on  the  garments  of  the  sacerdotal  ministry ;  when  this 
was  done  the  ambassador  began  to  confirm  by  many  things  that  all  intelligence 
and  also  prudence  is  from  God.  And  afterwards  the  priests  also  were  requested 
to  take  off  their  garments,  and  to  put  on  the  garments  of  ministers  of  state ; 
and  when  this  was  done  the  priests  spoke  from  the  interior  self,  saying  that 
all  intelligence  and  prudence  is  from  man.  The  cause  of  their  speaking  so  was, 
that  a  spirit  thinks  himself  to  be  such  as  the  garment  on  him  is.  After  this  the 
three  became  cordial  friends  ;  and  as  they  conversed  together  they  went  the  way 
which  tended  downwards  ;  but  afterwards  I  saw  them  returning  (n.  663). 

LXVIII. 

It  is  treated  first  of  those  who  in  the  Word  are  called  the  elect ;  and  it  is 
shown  that  they  are  those  who,  after  death,  are  found  to  have  lived  a  life  of 
charity,  and  are  separated  from  those  who  have  not  lived  that  life  ;  and  thus  by 
the  elect  are  meant  those  who  are  then  elected  and  prepared  for  heaven.  Where- 
fore to  believe  that  only  some,  before  their  birth  or  after  it,  are  elected  and  pre- 
destined to  heaven,  and  not  all  because  all  are  called,  would  be  to  accuse  God 
of  inability  to  save,  and  also  of  injustice  (n.  664). 

LXIX. 

It  was  said  in  heaven,  by  a  certain  newcomer  that  no  one  in  the  Christian 
world  knows  what  conscience  is  ;  and  because  the  angels  did  not  believe  this, 
they  said  to  a  certain  spirit  that  he  might  with  a  trumpet  call  together  the  intel- 
ligent, and  ask  them  whether  they  know  what  conscience  is.  And  so  it  Ml 
done;  and  they  came,  and  among  them  there  were  politicians,  scholars,  phy>i- 
cians,  and  priests.  And  then  first  the  politicians  were  asked  what  conscience 
was.  They  answered  that  it  was  pain  from  fear  in  the  apprehended  or  die 
actual  loss  of  honor  or  wealth ;  or  that  it  was  from  a  hypochondriacal  humor 
arising  from  undigested  substances  in  the  stomach  ;  and  more  besides.  Alter- 

'3* 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


wards,  they  asked  the  scholars  what  they  knew  about  conscience.  They  an* 
swered  that  it  was  sadness  and  anxiety  infesting  the  body  and  thence  the  head, 
or  the  head  and  thence  the  body,  from  various  causes,  especially  from  applying 
the  mind  to  one  thing  only,  which  is  the  case  especially  when  the  reigning 
love  suffers;  whence  sometimes  are  fantasies  and  deliriums,  and  with  some 
brain-sick  scruples  in  religious  matters,  which  are  called  remorse  of  conscience. 
Next  the  physicians  were  asked  what  conscience  was.  And  they  said  that  it  was 
only  a  pain  arising  from  various  diseases,  which  they  enumerated  in  abundance ; 
also  that  they  had  cured  many  by  means  of  drugs.  The  diseases  from  which  the 
pains  which  are  called  those  of  conscience  spring  may  be  seen  enumerated  in  the 
Relation.  At  last  the  priests  were  asked  what  conscience  was.  They  said  that 
it  was  the  same  with  the  contrition  which  precedes  faith,  and  that  they  had 
cured  it  by  the  gospel ;  and,  moreover,  that  there  are  conscientious  persons  of 
every  religion,  true  as  well  as  fanatical,  who  make  to  themselves  scruples  in 
matters  that  concern  salvation,  also  in  matters  of  no  consequence.  The  angels 
from  hearing  these  things  perceived  that  it  was  true  that  no  one  knew  what 
conscience  was  ;  wherefore  they  sent  down  one  from  themselves  to  teach.  He 
standing  in  the  midst  said  that  conscience  was  not  a  pain,  as  they  all  imagined, 
but  that  it  was  a  life  according  to  religion  ;  and  that  that  life  is  especially  with 
those  who  are  in  the  faith  of  charity  ;  and  that  those  who  have  conscience  speak 
from  the  heart  what  they  speak,  and  do  from  the  heart  what  they  do,  which  he 
also  illustrated  by  examples.  Wherefore,  when  it  is  said  of  any  one  that  he 
has  a  conscience,  it  is  meant  that  he  is  just ;  and  conversely.  These  things  be- 
ing said,  those  who  were  called  together  divided  themselves  into  foui  bodies : 
those  who  understood  and  favored  the  words  of  the  angel  passed  over  into  one ; 
those  who  did  not  understand  but  still  favored,  into  another  ;  those  who  would 
not  understand,  saying  to  each  other,  "  What  have  we  to  do  with  conscience?  '* 
into  a  third;  and  those  who  scoffed,  saying,  "What is  conscience  but  flatu- 
lence?" into  the  fourth.  After  this,  the  two  latter  bodies  were  seen  to  go 
aside  to  the  left,  and  the  two  former  to  the  right  (n.  665). 

LXX. 

1  was  led  to  the  place  where  resided  the  ancient  sophi  who  were  once  In 
Greece,  which  place  they  called  Parnassium  ;  and  it  was  said  to  me  that  once  in 
a  while  they  send  out  some  to  call  to  them  newcomers  from  the  world  and  in- 
quire something  about  wisdom,  how  it  is  at  this  day  on  earth.  And  then  two 
Christians  were  found  and  brought,  who  were  presently  asked,  "  What  news 
from  earth'!  "  And  they  answered  that  this  was  new  there;  that  they  had 
found  human  beings  in  the  woods,  perhaps  left  there  in  early  childhood ;  and 
that  they  appeared  from  the  face,  indeed,  as  human  beings,  but  that  still  they 
were  not ;  and  that  from  them  they  concluded  in  the  world,  that  man  was  no  more 
than  a  beast,  only  that  he  could  articulate  sound,  and  thus  speak ;  and  that  a 
beast  could  in  like  manner  become  wise  if  endued  with  the  faculty  of  express- 
ing articulate  sounds  ;  besides  more.  The  sophi  from  hearing  these  things  drew 
many  conclusions  respecting  wisdom,  what  changes  it  had  undergone  since  their 
times  ;  especially  from  this,  that  they  do  not  now  know  the  distinction  between 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


"39 


the  state  of  man  and  that  of  a  beast,  nor  even  that  man  is  born  only  the  form 
of  a  man,  and  that  he  becomes  man  by  instructions,  and  a  man  according  to  the 
instructions  lie  receives  ;  that  he  becomes  wi^e  from  truths,  insane  from  falsities, 
and  inwardly  a  wild  beast  from  evils  ;  and  that  he  is  only  born  a  faculty  for 
knowing,  understanding,  and  becoming  wise,  in  order  that  he  might  be  a  subject 
into  which  God  might  inspire  wisdom,  from  the  first  degree  of  it  to  the  highest  ; 
saying  further,  that  from  the  newcomers  they  comprehended  that  wisdom  which 
ui  their  time  was  in  its  rise,  is  at  this  day  setting.  Afterwards  they  instructed 
the  newcomers  whence  it  is  that  man,  created  a  form  of  God,  could  be  turned 
aito  the  form  of  the  devil.  But  concerning  all  this  the  Relation  may  be 
«een  (n.  692). 

LXXI. 

There  was  again  a  meeting  appointed  in  the  place  where  the  ancient  sophi 
were,  since  they  had  heard  from  those  sent  out  by  them  that  they  had  found 
three  newcomers  from  the  earth,  one  a  priest,  another  a  politician,  and  a  third  a 
philosopher ;  these  were  brought  and  were  presently  asked,  What  news  from 
earth  ?  And  they  replied.  "This  is  new,  that  a  certain  man  says  that  he  speaks 
with  angels  and  spirits  ;  and  he  relates  many  things  concerning  their  state,  and 
among  them  that  man  lives  a  man  after  death  as  much  as  before,  only  with  the 
difference  that  he  is  then  clothed  with  a  spiritual  body,  but  before  with  a  mate- 
rial body."  On  hearing  which  they  asked  the  priest  what  he  had  thought  about 
those  things  on  earth.  He  replied  that  because  he  had  believed  that  man  was 
not  to  live  a  man  before  the  day  of  the  last  judgment,  he  with  the  rest  of  his 
order  supposed  the  man's  relations  to  have  been  visions,  and  afterwards  fictions, 
and  that  at  last  he  was  in  doubt.  Then  he  was  asked  whether  the  inhabitants  of 
the  earth  could  not  see  from  reason  that  man  lives  a  man  after  death,  and  thus 
dissipate  the  paradoxical  notions  concerning  the  state  of  souls  in  the  mean  time, 
which  are,  that  souls  meanwhile  fly  about  like  winds  in  the  universe,  and  con- 
tinually expect  the  last  judgment  that  they  may  coalesce  with  their  bodies; 
which  lot  would  be  worse  than  the  lot  of  any  beast.  To  which  the  priest  re- 
plied that  they  talk,  but  they  do  not  convince ;  and  that  they  ascribe  the  coali- 
tion or  reunion  of  souls  with  their  bodies  and  skeletons  in  the  sepulchre  to  the 
omnipotence  of  God  ;  and  when  they  name  omnipotence,  and  also  iahh,  aU 
reason  is  banished.  Afterwards  the  politician  being  questioned  concernin-  the 
things  heard,  replied  that  in  the  world  he  could  not  believe  that  man  would  live 
after  death,  since  all  of  man  lies  dead  in  the  sepulchre,  and  thus  he  thought 
that  that  man  saw  spectres  and  believed  that  they  were  angels  and  spirits ;  but 
that  now  for  the  first  time  he  was  convinced,  by  the  senses  themselves,  that  lie 
lives  a  man  as  before,  and  that  he  was  therefore  ashamed  of  his  former  thoughts. 
The  philosopher  related  very  similar  things  concerning  himself,  and  concerning 
some  of  his  school ;  and  moreover  that  lie  referred  those  things  which  be  had 
heard  respecting  the  things  seen  and  heard  by  that  man,  to  a  place  among  the 
opinions  and  hypotheses  which  he  had  collected  from  the  ancients  and  modems. 
On  hearing  these  things  the  sophi  were  astonished,  especially  that  Christians, 
who  are  in  light  above  others  from  revelation,  should  be  in  such  thick  dark- 
ness respecting  their  life  after  death;  when  yet  they  and  the  wise  men  of  their 


1 140 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


time  knew  and  believed  in  that  life;  saying  further  that  they  observed  that  th« 
light  of  wisdom  since  that  age  had  lowered  itself  from  the  interiors  of  the  brain 
even  to  the  mouth  under  the  nose,  where  it  appears  as  a  brightness  of  the  lip,  and 
the  speech  of  the  mouth  thence  appeared  as  wisdom.  To  this  one  of  the  tyros 
added,  "  How  stupid  are  the  minds  of  those  who  now  dwell  on  the  earth ! 
Would  that  the  disciples  of  Heraclitus  who  laughed  at  every  thing  and  the 
disciples  of  Democritus  who  wept  at  every  thing  were  here,  and  we  should  hear 
much  laughing  and  much  weeping."  After  this,  there  were  given  to  the  new- 
comers, copper  plates  on  which  hieroglyphics  were  engiaved  and  they  departed 
(n.  693). 

LXXII. 

Newcomers  from  the  world  were  found,  and  were  brought  to  the  city  under 
Parnassium,  and  were  asked,  What  news  from  earth  ?  And  they  answered 
that  in  the  world  they  had  believed  that  after  death  there  would  be  an  entire 
rest  from  labors,  and  yet  they  heard,  when  they  were  coming  hither,  that  there 
are  here  administrations,  offices  and  employments,  as  in  the  former  world,  and 
thus  that  there  is  not  rest.  To  this  the  wise  ones  there  replied,  "  Thus  you  be- 
lieved that  now  you  are  to  live  in  mere  idleness,  when  yet  from  idleness  come 
languor,  torpor,  stupor,  and  sleep  of  the  mind,  and  thence  of  the  whole  body, 
which  are  death  and  not  life."  And  then  they  were  led  around  in  the  city,  and 
to  the  administrators  and  workmen  ;  on  seeing  which,  they  wondered  that  there 
should  be  such  things,  as  they  had  also  believed  that  there  would  be  some  empty 
place  in  which  souls  were  to  live  before  the  new  heaven  and  new  earth  exist. 
And  they  were  instructed  that  all  the  things  which  here  appear  before  the  eyes 
are  substantial  and  are  called  spiritual,  and  that  all  things  in  the  former  world 
are  material  and  are  called  natural ;  and  that  there  is  this  distinction  because 
they  are  from  different  origins  ;  namely,  that  all  tilings  in  this  world  exist  and 
subsist  from  a  Sun  which  is  pure  love,  and  all  things  in  that  world  exist  from  a 
sun  which  is  pure  fire.  And,  moreover,  they  were  instructed  that  in  this  world 
there  are  not  only  administrations,  but  also  pursuits  of  every  kind,  and  also 
writings  and  books.  The  newcomers  were  gratified  by  these  instructions  ;  and 
when  they  were  going  away,  some  virgins  came  with  pieces  of  embroidery  and 
netting,  their  handiwork,  and  gave  these  to  them ;  and  they  sung  before  them 
an  ode  which  expressed  with  angelic  melody  the  affection  for  works  of  use  with 
its  charms  (n.  694). 

Lxxnr. 

I  was  introduced  into  an  assembly  where  some  of  the  ancient  philosophers 
were  present,  and  was  asked  what  they  knew  in  my  world  concerning  influx. 
To  w'lich  I  answered,  that  they  knew  of  no  other  than  of  an  influx  of  the  light 
and  heat  of  their  sun  into  the  things  which  are  of  nature,  as  well  into  those  which 
are  animate  as  into  those  which  are  inanimate,  and  that  they  did  not  know  any 
thing  at  all  of  the  influx  of  the  spiritual  world  into  the  natural,  when  yet  from 
that  influx  are  all  the  wonderful  things  which  are  beheld  both  in  the  animal 
kingdom  there,  and  also  in  the  vegetable  kingdom  (which  are  in  part  recounted)  ■ 
and  because  they  do  not  know  of  this  influx,  they  confirm  themselves  in  favor  of 
nature,  and  become  naturalists,  and  at  length  atheists  (n.  695). 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


I I4I 


LXXIV. 

I  spoke  with  the  followers  of  Aristotle,  Descartes,  and  Leibnitz,  concerning 
physical  influx,  occasio7ial  influx,  and  pre-established  harmony,  and  heard  how 
each  confirmed  his  hypothesis;  and  since  they  were  not  able  to  look  into  that 
subject  with  the  understanding  above  confirmations,  but  only  below  them,  they 
ended  the  dispute  by  lot,  which  came  out  in  favor  of  spiritual  influx,  which 
to  some  extent  coincides  with  occasional  influx  (n.  696). 

LXXV. 

1  was  brought  into  a  certain  gymnasium  in  which  the  young  .\ere  initiated 
into  various  things  which  are  of  wisdom,  which  was  done  by  the  discussion  of 
some  subject  which  was  proposed  by  the  president  there ;  and  the  subject  then 
under  discussion  was,  What  is  the  soul,  and  of  what  quality  ?  There  was  a  desk 
into  which  those  ascended  who  were  about  to  answer.  And  presently  one  as- 
cended, who  said  that  no  one  since  the  creation  of  the  world  had  been  able  to 
find  out  what  the  soul  is,  and  of  what  quality  :  but  because  they  knew  that  the 
soul  was  in  man,  it  was  inquired  whereabouts  it  was  ;  that  there  was  one  who 
thought  that  it  has  its  seat  with  man  in  a  certain  little  gland  which  is  called  the 
pineal  gland,  and  which  is  situated  between  the  two  brains  in  the  head ;  and 
that  he  believed  this  at  first ;  but  because  it  was  rejected  by  many,  he  also  after- 
wards receded  from  this  view.  After  this  the  second  ascended,  and  said  that  he 
believed  the  seat  of  the  soul  to  be  in  the  head,  since  the  understanding  is  there ; 
but  because  he  could  not  divine  where  it  resided  there,  he  acceded  now  to  the 
opinion  of  those  who  said  that  its  seat  was  in  the  three  ventricles  of  the  brain  ; 
now  to  that  of  those  who  said  it  was  in  the  striated  bodies  there ;  now  to  that 
of  those  who  said  that  it  was  in  the  medullary  or  the  cortical  substance  ;  and 
now  to  that  of  .those  who  said  that  it  was  in  the  dura  mater ;  to  which  he  added 
that  he  left  it  to  every  one  to  think  what  he  likes.  The  third  ascending  said 
that  the  seat  of  the  soul  was  in  the  heart  and  thence  in  the  blood ;  and  this  he 
confirmed  from  the  Word,  where  it  is  said,  heart  and  soul.  The  fourth  after- 
wards ascending  said  that  from  his  childhood  he  had  believed  with  the  ancients 
that  the  soul  was  not  in  one  part  but  in  the  whole,  because  it  is  a  spiritual  sub- 
stance, of  which  place  cannot  be  predicated,  but  impletion  ;  and  further  because 
by  soul  is  also  meant  life,  and  the  life  is  in  the  whole.  The  fifth  ascending  said 
that  he  believed  the  soul  to  be  something  pure,  like  air  or  ether,  and  that  he 
believed  this  because  it  was  supposed  that  the  soul  would  be  such  after  it  is 
separated  from  the  body.  But  because  the  wise  ones  in  the  orchestra  perceived 
that  none  of  them  knew  what  the  soul  was,  they  requested  the  president,  who 
had  proposed  that  problem,  to  descend  and  teach.  He  therefore  descending, 
said  :  "  The  soul  is  the  very  essence  of  man  ;  and  because  an  essence  without  a 
form  is  not  any  thing,  the  soul  is  the  form  of  man's  forms ;  this  form  is  the 
truly  human  form,  in  which  wisdom  with  its  perceptions  and  love  with  fa  affec- 
tions universally  reside  ;  and  because  you  believed  in  the  world  that  you  would 
be  souls  after  death,  you  are  now  yourselves  the  souls;"  besides  more.  And 
this  was  confirmed  by  this  declaration  in  the  Book  of  Creation ;  Jehovah  God 
breathed  info  the  nostrils  of  Adam  the  soul  ok  lives,  and  man  uas  mad* 
into  a  living  soul,  Gen.  ii.  7.  (n.  097.) 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


LXXVI. 

There  was  seen  an  angel  with  a  trumpet,  with  which  he  called  together  those 
celebrated  for  erudition  among  Christians,  that  they  might  tell  what  they  had 
believed  in  the  world  concerning  the  joys  of  heaven,  and  concerning  eternal 
happiness.  This  was  done  because  it  was  told  in  heaven  that  no  one  in  the 
Christian  world  knew  any  thing  about  them.  And  after  about  an  hour  there 
were  seen  six  companies  coming  from  the  learned  Christians,  who  were  asked 
what  they  had  known  about  the  joys  of  heaven  and  about  eternal  happiness. 
The  first  company  said  that  they  had  believed  there  would  be  only  an  admis- 
sion into  heaven,  and  then  into  its  festive  joys,  as  one  is  admitted  into  the  house 
of  a  wedding  and  into  its  festivities.  Another  company  said  that  they  had 
believed  there  would  be  most  pleasant  intercourse  and  most  agreeable  conversa- 
tions with  angels.  The  third  company  said  that  they  had  believed  there  would 
be  feasts  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob.  The  fourth  compatiy  said  that  they 
had  believed  them  to  be  paradisal  delights.  The  fifth  company,  that  there  would 
be  supereminent  dominions,  most  abundant  riches,  and  more  than  royal  magnifi- 
cence. The  sixth  company,  that  there  would  be  a  glorification  of  God  and  a 
festival  enduring  for  ever.  That  these  learned  ones  might  know,  therefore, 
whether  those  things  which  they  had  believed  to  be  the  joys  of  heaven  were  so, 
it  was  granted  them  to.  enter  into  those  their  joys,  each  company  by  itself,  in 
order  that  they  might  learn  by  living  experience  whether  the  joys  were  imaginary 
or  real.  This  takes  place  with  most  who  come  from  the  natural  world  into  the 
spiritual  (n.  ~3l~733)- 

And  then  presently  the  company  that  had  supposed  the  joys  of  heaven 
to  be  most  pleasant  intercourse  and  agreeable  conversations  with  angels,  were 
let  into  the  joys  of  their  imagination  ;  but  because  they  were  external  joys  and 
not  internal,  after  some  days  they  were  affected  with  weariness  and  departed 
(n.  734)- 

Afterwards  those  who  had  believed  that  the  joys  of  heaven  were  feasts  with 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  were  let  into  things  similar  to  them ;  but  because 
they  perceived  that  those  joys  were  only  external  and  not  internal,  they  became 
weary  and  went  away  (n.  735). 

The  like  was  done  with  those  who  had  believed  the  joys  of  heaven  and  eter- 
nal happiness  to  consist  in  supereminent  dominions,  most  abundant  riches,  and 
more  than  royal  magnificence  (n.  736). 

Likewise  also  with  those  who  had  believed  heavenly  joys,  and  thence  eternal 
happiness,  to  be  paradisal  delights  (n.  737). 

Likewise  afterwards  with  those  who  had  believed  heavenly  joys  and  eternal 
happiness  to  be  a  perpetual  glorification  of  God,  and  a  festival  enduring  for 
ever.  These  at  length  were  instructed  what  is  meant  in  the  Word  by  the  glorifi- 
cation of  God  (n.  738). 

Finally,  the  like  was  done  with  those  who  had  believed  that  they  should 
come  into  heavenly  joys  and  eternal  happiness  if  they  were  only  admitted  into 
heaven ;  and  that  they  should  then  have  joys  as  those  do  who  enter  into  the 
hou^e  of  a  wedding,  and  then  at  the  same  time  into  festivities.  But  because  it 
was  shown  to  them  by  living  experience  that  in  heaven  there  are  no  joys  except 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


"43 


tor  those  who  have  lived  the  life  of  heaven,  that  is,  the  life  of  charity  and  faith, 
and  that  on  the  other  hand  heaven  is  torture  fa  those  who  have  led  an  opposite 
life,  thej-  withdrew  and  consociated  themselves  with  their  like  (n.  739). 

Since  it  was  perceived  by  the  angels  that  as  yet  none  in  the  natural  world 
knew  what  the  joys  of  heaven  are,  and  thus  what  eternal  happiness  is,  it  was 
said  to  the  angel  of  the  trumpet  that  he  should  choose  ten  from  those  who  had 
been  called  together,  and  introduce  them  into  a  society  of  heaven,  that  they 
might  see  with  their  eyes  and  perceive  with  their  minds  what  heaven  is  and  what 
the  joys  there  are  ;  and  so  it  was  done.  And  after  admission,  it  was  first  granted 
them  to  see  the  magnificent  palace  of  the  prince  there  (n.  740).  Then  the  para- 
dise near  it  (n.  741 ).  Afterwards,  die  prince  himself  and  his  great  men  in  splen- 
did garments  (n.  742).  Then,  being  invited  to  the  table  of  the  prince,  they  saw 
such  an  entertainment  as  no  eye  had  ever  seen  on  earth ;  and  at  the  table  they 
heard  the  prince  give  instruction  concerning  heavenly  joys  and  eternal  happiness, 
that  they  essentially  consist  in  internal  blessedness,  and  from  this  in  external 
enjoyments  ;  and  that  incernal  blessedness  derives  its  essence  from  the  affection 
of  use  (n.  743).  After  dinner,  by  command  of  the  prince  some  wise  ones  of  the 
society  were  sent  for,  who  fully  instructed  them  what  and  whence  internal  bless- 
edness is,  which  is  eternal  happiness ;  and  that  this  causes  external  enjoyments 
to  be  joys  ;  besides  more  concerning  all  these  things  (n.  745,  746).  After  these 
things,  it  was  given  them  to  see  a  wedding  in  that  heaven,  of  which  (n.  747- 
749).  And  finally,  to  hear  preaching  (n.  750,  751 ).  When  they  had  seen  and 
heard  all  this,  full  of  knowledge  concerning  heaven  and  joyful  in  heart  they 
descended  (n.  752). 

LXXVJI. 

It  is  here  treated  of  Revelation.  It  has  pleased  the  Lord  to  manifest  Him- 
self to  me,  and  to  open  the  interiors  of  my  mind,  and  thus  to  give  me  to  see  the 
things  which  are  in  heaven  and  hell  ;  and  thus  He  has  disclosed  arcana  which  in 
excellence  and  dignity  exceed  all  the  arcana  hitherto  disclosed;  which  are,  I. 
That  in  all  and  everything  of  the  Word,  there  is  a  Spiritual  Sense,  which  does 
not  appear  in  the  sense  of  the  letter;  and  that  therefore  the  Word  was  written 
by  the  correspondences  of  spiritual  things  with  natural.  II.  The  Correspond- 
ences themselves,  such  as  they  are,  have  been  manifested.  III.  And  there  is 
also  a  revelation  concerning  the  Life  of  vicn  after  Death.  IV.  Also  concerning 
Heaven  and  Hell,  what  the  one  is,  and  what  the  other  is ;  and  also  concerning 
Baptism  and  the  Holy  Supper.  V.  Concerning  the  Sun  in  the  spiritual  world, 
that  it  is  pure  love  from  the  Lord  Who  is  in  the  midst  of  it,  from  which  the 
proceeding  light  is  wisdom,  and  the  proceeding  heat  is  love  ;  and  thus  that  faith 
and  charity  are  from  it;  and  that  all  things  which  proceed  thence  arc  spiritual 
and  thus  alive  ;  and  that  the  sun  of  the  natural  world  is  pure  fire,  and  therefore 
that  all  things  which  are  from  this  sun  are  natural,  and  thus  dead.  VI.  That 
there  are  three  Degrees  hitherto  unknown.  VII.  And,  moreover,  concerning 
the  Last  Judgment :  that  the  Lord  the  Saviour  is  the  God  of  Heaven  and 
Earth:  concerning  the  Nciv  Church  and  its  Doctrine:  concerning  the  I 
Hants  of  the  Planets,  and  concerning  the  Earths  in  the  universe  (n.  846). 
VIII.  Moreover,  concerning  Conjugial  Love:  and  that  it  is  spiritual  with  the 


1 144 


INDEX  TO  THE  RELATIONS. 


spiritual,  natural  with  the  natural,  and  carnal  with  adulterers  (n.  847).  IX. 
The  angels  found  out,  as  they  looked  upon  me,  that  although  those  arcana  are 
more  excellent  than  the  arcana  hitherto  disclosed,  still  by  many  at  this  day  they 
are  regarded  as  trifles  (n.  848).  X.  There  was  heard  a  murmur  from  some  in 
the  lower  earth  that  they  should  not  believe  those  things  unless  Miracles  were 
done  ;  but  they  received  answer,  that  from  miracles  they  would  not  believe  any 
more  than  did  Pharaoh  and  the  Egyptians  ;  or  any  more  than  the  posterity  of 
Jacob  when  they  danced  around  the  golden  calf  in  the  desert ;  or  any  more  than 
the  Jews  themselves  when  they  saw  the  miracles  done  by  the  Lord  Himself 
(n.  849).  XI.  Finally,  why  the  Lord  revealed  those  arcana  to  me,  and  not 
rather  to  some  one  of  the  ecclesiastical  order  (n.  850). 

The  things  contained  in  the  Relations  which  are  after  the  chapters  are 
true ;  and  similar  things  were  seen  and  heard  by  the  prophets  before  the  Coming 
of  the  Lord,  and  similar  things  by  the  apostles  after  His  Coming,  as  by  Peter, 
Paul,  and  especially  byjohn  in  the  Apocalypse ;  which  things  are  recounted 
(tt.  851). 


ALPHABETICAL  AND  ANALYTICAL 

INDEX, 

On  the  basis  of  the  Index  of  M.  Le  Boys  des  Guays 


The  numbers  refer  to  the  pages. 


A-  The  vowel  a  is  in  use  in  the  third 
heaven,  because  it  has  a  full  sound,  403. 

Abaddon  or  Apollyon,  the  king  of  the 
abyss,  signifies  the  destroyer  of  the 
church  by  falsities,  845.  The  Abad- 
dons signify  the  destroyers  of  the  church, 
by  the  total  falsification  of  the  Word, 
302.  Those  who  destroy  souls  by  falsi- 
ties are  meant  by  Abaddon,  445. 

A  bom?  n.\t  1  on  of  Desolation  means  the 
infestation  of  truth  by  falsities,  until 
there  remains  no  truth  which  is  not 
falsified  and  consummated,  299.  Men 
have  divided  God  into  three,  and  upon 
these  three  have  founded  all  the  doc- 
trine of  the  church,  and  so  have  falsi- 
fied the  Word;  hence  the  abomination 
of  desolation,  228,  300.  The  faith  which 
universally  prevails  in  the  Christian 
world  is  the  very  vein  of  the  fountain 
from  which  has  flowed  such  abomination 
of  desolation,  300. 

Abuse  (To).  The  truths  abused  to  con- 
firm the  justification  of  faith  alone,  277. 
There  are  spirits  who  abuse  the  com- 
munication with  the  heavens  by  the 
reading  of  the  Word, 

ABYSS  (The)  signifies  the  abode  of  falsi- 
ties, 845. 

Access  of  man  to  the  Lord  is  perpetual 
when  he  goes  immediately  to  the  Lord 
Himself,  since  He  is  in  the  Father  and 
the  Father  in  Him,  273- 

Accommodation.  There  must  be  accom- 
modation before  there  is  application ; 
and  there  must  be  accommodation  and 
application  together  before  there  is  con- 
junction, 524. 

Acknowledgment  inscribed  on  the  mind 
is  the  essence  of  the  faith  of  the  New 
Church,  491.  Cognition  concerning  God, 

and  thence  an  acknowledgment  01  Him, 
is  not  attainable  without  revelation,  13 
How  the  acknowledgment  which  is  called 
faith  is  effected,  303.    The  acknowledg- 


ment that  the  Lord  is  the  Son  of  God  is 
the  first  element  of  faith  in  Him,  487. 
In  the  spiritual  world  the  state  of  every 
nation  and  people  in  general,  as  well  as 
of  individuals  severally,  is  according  to 
their  acknowledgment  of  God  and  their 
worship  of  Him,  1057.  The  state  of 
man  who  is  in  cognitions  with  no  interior 
acknowledgment  of  God,  634.  He  who 
loves  himself  above  all  things,  or  the 
world  above  ail  things,  does  not  in  heart 
acknowledge  any  God,  429.  They  who 
acknowledge  the  Lord  but  do  not  keep 
His  commandments  become  satans  after 
death,  252. 

Act.  Will  or  endeavor  is  in  itself  act, 
because  it  is  a  continual  effort  to  act, 
which  becomes  an  act  in  externals  when 
the  conclusion  is  readied,  556.  What 
the  acts  of  redemption  were,  156.  The 
act  of  justification,  or  faith  in  act ;  w'n.it 
it  is,  713.  Acts  of  repentance  are  all 
such  as  cause  a  man  not  to  will  and  con- 
sequently not  to  do  evils  which  are  sins 
against  God,  729. 

Action.  Every  action  of  man  starts  from 
his  will,  and  all  speech  from  the  thought, 
799.  All  man's  action  and  speech  pro- 
ceed from  the  lower  region  of  the  mind 
directly,  and  indirectly  from  its  higher 
region,  inasmuch  as  the  lower  region  ot 
the  mind  is  nearer  to  the  senses  of  the 
body,  and  the  higher  region  is  more  re- 
mote from  them,  003.  All  things  that 
proceed  from  man,  whether  action  or 
speech,  make  the  man  and  are  the  man 
himself,  1040  In  all  motion  and  con- 
sequently in  all  action  there  arc  acti\ity 
and  passivity;  that  is  to  say,  an  active 
acts,  and  a  passive  acts  from  the  active ; 
hence  one  action  results  from  the  two, 
783.  Action  and  reaction,  526.  Action 
and  co-operation,  783. 

Activr.  The  Lord  alone  i.  i<  tivr  with 
every  man,  and  man  of  himself  U  ineiely 


INDEX. 


passive  ;  but  by  an  influx  of  life  from  the 
Lord  he  is  also  active,  178.  It  is  ac- 
cording to  creation  that  where  there  are 
actives  there  are  also  passives,  and  that 
the  two  join  themselves  together  as  in 
one,  671,  783. 

Active  and  Passive.    See  Action. 

Activity.  Man's  activity  does  not  pro- 
ceed from  the  soul  through  the  body, 
but  out  of  the  body  from  the  soul,  318. 
The  activity  of  love  makes  the  sense  of 
enjoyment,  775.  Life  is  the  inmost  ac- 
tivity of  Love  and  Wisdom,  671.  The 
interior  activity  of  nature,  62. 

Actually.  _  149,  449,  530. 

Adam  and  his  wife  mean  the  most  ancient 
church  on  this  planet,  666,  669,  671, 
737- 

Administration.  There  are  adminis- 
trative offices  in  heaven,  and  dignities 
attached  to  them ;  but  they  who  fill 
them  love  nothing  more  than  to  do 
uses,  because  they  are  spiritual,  590, 
932. 

Adolescence.  As  man  begins  to  think 
from  his  own  mind  in  adolescence,  he  is 
borne  southward  in  the  world  of  spirits, 

674. 

Adultery.  So  far  as  any  one  abstains 
from  adulteries  solely  from  fear  of  the 
civil  law,  or  from  any  natural  or  moral 
law,  and  not  at  the  same  time  from  a 
spiritual  law,  he  is  still  inwardly  an 
adulterer,  449.  By  adulterers,  in  the 
Word  are  meant  the  violators  of  the 
Church,  who  are  those  who  adulterate 
the  Word  of  the  Lord,  208.  In  the 
spiritual  sense,  to  commit  adultery  means 
to  adulterate  the  goods  of  the  Word  and 
to  falsify  its  truths ;  in  the  heavenly 
[celestial]  sense,  to  deny  the  Lord's 
Divinity,  and  to  profane  the  Word,  366, 
447,  448. 

Advent.    See  Coming  of  the  Lord. 

Affection.  All  things  of  love  are  called 
affections,  945.  The  derivations  of  love 
are  called  affections,  552,  945.  Thought 
is  the  form  of  affection,  552.  Affection 
makes  sound,  and  thought  speaks,  552. 
Affection  without  thought  is  not  any 
thing :  and  affection  and  thought  with- 
out operation  are  not  anything;  but  in 
operation  they  are  something,  555.  Af- 
fection is  in  space  without  space,  and  in 
time  without  time,  103.  Homogeneous 
affection  conjoins  and  heterogeneous 
affection  separates,  832.  The  affection 
of  love  in  heaven  is  heat,  549.  Merely 
natural  affection  is  nothing  but  lust, 
553- 

Africans.  The  Africans  are  more  in- 
terior than  the  other  Gentiles,  1091.  All 
who  acknowledge  and  worship  one  God 
the  Creator  of  the  universe,  entertain  the 
idea  of  God  as  a  Man  ;  they  say  that  no 
one  can  have  any  other  idea  of  Him, 
10911  The  Africans  excel  in  interior 
sight,   io>5.     A   revelation   is  made 


among  the  Africans  at  this  day,  which  \% 

spreading  round  about  from  the  place 
where  it  began,  but  has  not  yet  reached 
the  coasts,  1095.  The  Africans  say  that 
there  is  no  man  with  any  worship  who 
does  not  live  according  to  his  religion, 
and  that  if  one  does  not,  he  cannot  but 
become  stupid  and  wicked,  because  he 
receives  nothing  from  heaven,  1095. 

Agate  signifies  natural  good,  813. 

Age.  The  four  ages  of  the  world,  1024. 
From  what  the  wise  men  of  ancient 
times  inferred  four  ages  of  the  world, 
1024.    The  four  ages  of  man,  622. 

Air.  No  quality  of  the  air  can  be  elevated 
to  any  quality  of  the  ether,  54.  See 
Ether- 

Alpha  and  Omega.    Why  the  Lord  is  so 

called,  32,  33,  144,  408. 
Alphabet.    In  the  spiritual  world  every 

letter  is  significative  of  some  meaning, 

40S. 

Amaurosis.  Closed  or  blind  faith  may 
be  compared  to  amaurosis,  492,  824. 

Ambassador.  One  who  in  the  world  had 
been  the  ambassador  of   a  kingdom, 

887 

Ammon.    The  sons  of  Amnion  signify 

the  adulterations  of  truth,  334. 
Amphitheatre  converted  into  a  lake  of 

fire  and  brimstone,  556. 
Anatomical  Details,  100. 
Ancient  of  Days.    Why  (in  Daniel  vii. 

9)  He  is  described  even  as  to  the  hair, 

356. 

Ancients.    The  most  ancient  and  the 

ancient  people  worshipped  one  God, 
Whom  they  called  Jehovah,  11.  The 
Lord  Himself  was  seen  among  the 
ancients,  but  was  represented  only,  by 
means  of  angels,  173.  The  science  of 
correspondences  was  well  known  in  the 
most  ancient  times,  335.  The  men  of 
the  most  ancient  church,  which  was  be- 
fore the  flood,  were  of  a  genius  so  heav- 
enly that  they  spoke  with  the  angels  of 
heaven  by  correspondences,  335.  From 
the  wisdom  of  the  ancients  flowed  forth 
this  dogma,  That  the  universe  and  the 
things  thereof,  all  and  each,  have  rela- 
tion to  good  and  truth,  477.  The  dire 
persuasion  that  God  transfused  and 
transcribed  Himself  into  man  was  held 
by  the  men  of  the  most  ancient  church 
at  its  end,  when  it  was  consummated, 
670. 

Ancient  Word.  Before  the  Word  which 
is  in  the  world  at  this  day,  there  was  a 
Word  which  is  lost,  392,  395,  401.  The 
historical  of  this  Word  were  called  the 
Wars  of  Jehovah,  and  the  propheticals 
were  called  the  Enunciations,  404.  It 
is  still  preserved  in  heaven,  and  in  use 
among  the  ancients  there  who  had  that 
Word  when  they  were  in  the  world,  4C4 
Jt  is  still  preserved  among  the  people 
who  live  in  Great  Tartary ;  they  do  not 
suffer  foreigners  to  come  among  them 


INDEX. 


except  the  Chinese,  with  whom  they 
cultivate  peace,  406.  In  this  Word  is 
also  the  book  of  Jasher,  405. 

Angels  are  substantial  men  and  live  to- 
gether, like  men  of  the  natural  world, 
upon  spaces  and  in  times,  which  are  de- 
termined according  to  the  states  of  their 
minds,  47,  370.  There  is  not  any  angel 
who  has  not  previously  been  a  man,  206. 
The  angels  are  not  pure  in  the  sight  of 
God,  206.  The  angels  could  not  have 
continued  to  exist  in  a  state  of  integrity 
unless  redemption  had  been  performed 
by  the  Lord,  202.  All  the  angels  in  the 
heavens  are  filled  by  the  Lord,  for  they 
are  in  the  Lord  and  the  Lord  in  them  ; 
but  still  each  speaks  and  acts  according 
to  the  state  of  his  mind,  255.  If  angels 
and  spirits  were  removed  from  man,  he 
would  fall  down  dead  as  a  stock  ;  in  like 
manner  angels  and  spirits  could  not  con- 
tinue to  exist,  if  man  were  withdrawn 
from  them,  202.  Spiritual  angels  are 
they  who  are  in  wisdom  from  the  Word, 
but  heavenly  angels  are  they  who  are  in 
love  from  the  Word,  354.  They  are 
called  angelic  spirits  who  are  preparing 
for  heaven,  in  the  world  of  spirits,  553. 
By  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word 
there  is  conjunction  with  the  Lord,  and 
consociation  with  the  angels;  why,  365, 
368.  How  the  spiritual  angels  perceive 
their  sense,  and  the  heavenly  angels 
theirs,  when  man  is  reading  the  Word, 
366.  The  angels,  from  a  single  action 
of  a  man,  perceive  what  the  quality  of 
his  will  is,  and  from  a  single  expression, 
what  the  quality  of  his  thought  is, 
whether  Infernal  or  heavenly.  Thus 
they  have  a  knowledge  of  the  whole 
man,  800,  1040.  The  angels  of  heaven 
can  see  whatever  is  done  in  hell  and 
what  monsters  are  there  ;  but,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  spirits  of  hell  cannot  see 
any  thing  at  all  that  is  done  in  heaven, 
101.  The  ange's  cannot  open  ther  Hps 
10  pronounce  the  word  Gods  ;  for  the 
heaven'.y  aura  in  which  they  live,  op- 
poses it,  8,  10,  41,  291.  Angels  said  that 
they  could  not  even  utter,  '"three  equal 
Divinities,''''  37.  An  angel  may  m  a 
moment  become  present  to  another, 
provided  he  ccmes  into  a  similar  affec- 
tion of  love,  and  thence  into  thought, 
103.  Every  angel,  in  whatever  direction 
he  turns  his  body  and  his  face,  looks  to 
the  Lord  before  him  ;  why,  1028. 

An  . i  k.  Why  it  is  attributed  to  God,  384. 
The  Lord  does  not  regard  any  with 
anger,  868.  Why  in  the  Apocalypse  it 
is  said  "the  wrath  of  the  Lamb,"  858. 

Animals.  How  animals  of  every  kind 
were  produced  by  God,  128.  Wonder- 
ful things  in  the  production  of  animals, 
16.  The  natural  man  separate  from  the 
spiritual,  is  merely  animal,  902,  763 
'1  he  sensual  and  corporeal  man  viewed 
in  himself  is  wholly  animal,  and  dilicrs 


from  a  brute  animal  only  in  being  able 
to  speak  and  reason,  431.  The  animals 
seen  in  the  spiritual  world  are  not  ani- 
mals, but  are  correspondences  of  the 
affections  and  thence  of  the  thoughts  of 
those  who  are  there,  715.  The  animals 
which  appear  in  the  spiritual  world  are 
likenesses  of  the  affections  of  the  love  of 
the  angels,  105.    See  Beasts. 

Answers  from  Heaven  are  given  only 
by  truths  from  good  in  the  ultimate  sense 
of  the  Word,  352,  355  How  they  were 
given  by  the  Orim  and  Thummim,  352. 

Antichrists  began  early  to  lift  the  head, 
and  to  divide  God  into  three,  and  the 
Lord  the  Saviour  into  two,  292. 

Antipathies.  Sympathies  and  antipa- 
thies are  nothing  else  than  exhalations 
of  affections  from  the  mind,  which  affect 
another  according  to  similitudes,  and 
cause  aversion  according  to  dissimili- 
tudes, 515. 

Antiquity.  Earliest  antiquity  saw  that 
love  and  wisdom  are  the  two  essentials, 
to  which  all  the  infinite  things  which  are 
in  God  and  which  proceed  from  Him 
refer  themselves,  65. 

Ape  [Sphinx).  Who  those  are  who  ap- 
pear in  the  spiritual  world  like  apes, 
400, 

Apocalypse  (The)  was  written  through- 
out by  mere  correspondences,  199.  It 
is  described  in  the  Apocalypse,  from  the 
beginning  to  the  end,  what  the  Christian 
church  is  in  quality  at  this  day ;  and  it 
is  also  told  that  the  Lord  is  about  to 
come  again,  and  subjugate  the  hells,  and 
make  a  new  angelic  heaven,  and  then  to 
establish  a  New  Church  upon  earth, 
199.  Why  all  the  things  there  pre- 
dicted have  not  been  uncovered  tili  the 
present  time,  199.  See  two  works  of 
the  author,  the  Apocalypse  Revealed 
and  the  Apocalypse  Explained. 

Apoi.lo,  29,  98,  265,  429,  S71. 

Apollyon  or  Auaddon,  the  king  of  the 
abyss,  signifies  the  destroyer  of  the 
church  by  falsilies,  845.  Apollyons  arc 
the  destroyers  of  the  church  by  the  total 
falsification  of  the  Word,  302.  Apollyon 
means  those  who  destroy  souls  by  falsi- 
ties, 445. 

Apostles.  The  Lord  called  together  1 1  is 
twelve  apostles,  and  sent  them  all  forth 
into  the  whole  Spiritual  World  to  preach 
the  Gospel.  This  took  place  on  the 
nineteenth  day  of  June,  in  the  year  1770  ; 
see  pages,  5,  172,  105^  Every  apostle 
had  his  province  assigned  him ;  they 
arc  executing  with  all  zeal  and  industry 
what  was  commanded.  172.  The  apostles 
were  sent  to  Swedenborg  bv  the  Loid 
while  he  was  writing,  484.  The  apostles 
taught  and  wrote,  each  according  to  his 
own  intelligence  ;  the  Lord  filled  them 
all  with  His  Spirit,  but  each  took  of  it  a 
measure  according  to  the  quality  of  his 
peieeplit.ti,  and  they  exercised  il  accord- 


INDEX. 


mg  to  the  quality  of  their  ability,  255. 
The  faith  of  the  apostles  was  no  other 
than  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  480. 

Apostles'  Creed  (The)  does  not  admit 
of  three  Divine  Persons  from  eternity, 
293  ;  and  therefore  acknowledges  no  Son 
of  God  born  from  eternity,  but  only  the 
Son  of  God  born  in  time,  853. 

Apostolic  Church.  See  Church  {the 
A  postolic) 

Apostolic  Fathers,  231,  853. 

Appearances  of  space  and  time  in  the 
spiritual  world,  46.  Those  appearances 
are  real,  because  constant  according  to 
the  states  of  spirits  and  angels,  47.  In 
the  spiritual  world  there  are  places  as  in 
the  natural  world  ;  otherwise  there  would 
not  be  places  to  live  in,  and  distinct 
mansions;  but  still  place  is  not  place, 
but  is  an  appearance  of  place  according 
to  the  state  of  love  and  wisdom,  or 
charity  and  faith,  996.  All  the  things 
that  appear  in  the  spiritual  world  are 
correspondences,  and  represent  the  spir- 
itual things  which  are  of  affection  and 
thence  of  thought,  653.  Appearances 
of  truth  in  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word 
are  the  many  things  accommodated  to 
the  capacity  of  the  simple,  who  do  not  lift 
their  thoughts  above  such  things  as  they 
see  before  their  eyes,  359,  382,  384,  867. 
The  appearances  of  truth,  which  are 
truths  clothed,  may  be  taken  for  naked 
truths,  which  when  confirmed  become 
fallacies,  which  in  themselves  are  falsi- 
ties, 382,  385.  Fallacies  arising  from 
appearances,  669-672 

Appendix  to  the  "True  Christian 
Religion."  Proposed,  and  its  contents 
indicated,  25,  295,  491,  685,  844,  1019. 

Application.  There  must  be  accommo- 
dation before  there  is  application  ;  and 
there  must  be  accommodation  and  ap- 
plication together  before  there  is  con- 
junction, 524.  Application  on  God's 
part  is  perpetual  so  far  as  man  applies 
himself  in  his  turn,  524. 

Approach  or  Accede  (To).  So  far  as 
man  accedes  to  the  Lord,  the  Lord  ac- 
cedes to  man,  161.  Every  man  ought 
on  his  part  to  approach  to  God  ;  and  in 
proportion  as  man  approaches,  God  on 
His  part  enters,  213. 

Arcana,  or  Secrets.  The  angels  call 
that  an  arcanum  which  has  not  yet  been 
made  known  in  the  world,  255.  An  ar- 
canum concerning  the  soul,  764.  Con- 
cerning the  sending  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
253-255.  Concerning  the  consummation 
of  the  church  of  the  present  day,  301. 
The  great  arcanum,  that  unless  a  new 
church  is  established  by  the  Lord  no 
flesh  can  be  saved,  302.  A  great  ar- 
canum in  regard  to  the  distinction  that 
there  is  between  natural  faith  and  charity 
and  spiritual,  508.  An  arcanum  from  the 
Lord  Himself  for  those  who  will  be  of 
His  N  ew  Church,  257.  Arcana  revealed 


by  the  Lord  still  are  regarded  on  earth 
as  of  no  value,  1103  ;  their  excellence, 

1099. 

Architecture.  In  heaven  architectural 
art  is  in  its  own  perfection,  and  from  it 
are  all  the  rules  of  that  art  in  the  world, 

998. 

Arianism.  Whence  it  proceeds,  154. 
Wherein  it  consisted,  237,  483,  541,  1057. 

ARisTirrus,  921. 

Aristotle,  12,  921,938. 

Aristotelians,'938. 

Arius,  237,  266,  292,  543,  848,  S54. 

Armageddon  signifies  the  state  and  dis- 
position of  fighting  from  falsified  truths, 
arising  from  the  love  of  command  and 
super-eminence,  190.    See  also  195. 

Arrangement  or  Establishment  of 
Order  in  heaven  and  hell  by  the  Lord  ; 
all  heaven  is  arranged  into  societies  ac- 
cording to  all  the  varieties  of  the  love  of 
good,  and  all  hell  according  to  all  the 
varieties  of  the  love  of  evil,  863,  907,  50. 
Upon  distinct  arrangement  in  the  spirit- 
ual world  depends  the  preservation  of 
the  whole  universe,  907.  The  arrange- 
ment in  order  of  the  heavens  and  the 
hells  has  continued  in  progress  from  the 
day  of  the  last  judgment  to  the  present 
time,  and  still  continues,  209.  In  the 
world  of  spirits,  all  the  societies,  which 
are  innumerable,  are  wonderfully  ar- 
ranged, according  to  the  natural  affec- 
tions, good  and  evil,  412.  Establishment 
of  order  in  the  heavens  follows  sub- 
jugation of  the  hells,  and  precedes  the 
institution  of  a  New  Church,  197,  200. 
The  arrangement  of  substances  in  the 
human  mind  is  according  to  the  use  of 
reason  from  freedom,  499. 

Artery.  Its  composition,  249.  The  co- 
operation of  an  artery  with  the  heart, 

Arts  (Mechanical)  in  the  spiritual  world, 
932-  . 

Ashur  or  Assyria  signifies  the  rational, 
334.  Ashur  in  the  Word  signifies  ration- 
ality and  intelligence  therefrom,  666. 

Ashtaroth,  429. 

As  of  oneself.  As  from  himself. 
Man  can  reform  and  regenerate  himself 
as  of  himself,  provided  he  acknowledges 
in  heart  that  it  is  from  the  Lord  ;  man 
must  do  both  as  from  himself;  but  as 
from  himself  is  frcm  the  Lord,  828. 
To  do  from  Himself  belongs  to  God 
alone,  S28.  It  is  continually  given,  that 
is,  adjoined  continually  to  man,  to  do  as 
from  himself,  828. 

Aspect.  See  Looking.  Every  angel  in 
whatever  direction  he  turns  his  body  and 
his  face,  looks  to  the  Lord  before  him; 
origin  of  this  aspect,  1028. 

Assurance  or  Trust.  The  trust  that 
he  who  lives  well  and  believes  aright  is 
saved  by  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  Esse  of  the  faith  of 
the  New  Church,  491.   See  Confidemt- 


INDEX. 


1149 


Ataxy,  891. 

Athanasian  Creed.  How  far  it  agrees 
with  the  Word,  159,  161.  It  teaches 
that  the  Father  and  Son  are  one  as  the 
soul  and  the  body  in  man,  186,  229,  231, 
315.  A  Trinity  of  Divine  Persons  from 
eternity,  which  is  taught  in  this  creed, 
is  in  the  ideas  of  thought  a  Trinity  of 
Gods,  288,  849,  850.  From  this  Trinity 
arose  a  faith  which  has  perverted  the 
whole  Christian  Church,  295,  850. 

Athanasius,  43. 

Atheist.  He  who  makes  nothing  of 
adulteries  and  depredations,  and  noth- 
ing of  blasphemy,  is  also  in  heart  an 
atheist,  816.  Atheists  who  are  in  the 
glory  of  fame  from  self-love,  and  thence 
m  the  pride  of  their  own  intelligence, 
enjoy  a  loftier  rationality  than  many- 
others,  724.    See  also  936. 

AthenjEu.m,  921,  926,  930. 

Atmospheres.  There  are  three  decrees 
of  the  atmospheres,  the  highest  is  the 
aura,  under  this  is  the  ether,  and  below 
this  the  air;  no  quality  of  the  air  can 
be  elevated  to  any  quality  of  the  ether, 
nor  any  of  this  to  any  quality  of  the 
aura,  54.  See  Degrees.  There  are 
also  three  spiritual  atmospheres,  which 
in  themselves  are  substantial,  and  in  the 
order  of  the  degrees :  they  have  been 
created  by  means  of  the  light  and  heat 
of  the  Sun  of  the  spiritual  world,  as 
the  natural  atmospheres  have  been  cre- 
ated by  means  of  the  light  and  heat  of 
the  sun  of  the  natural  world,  123,  858. 
See  also  513. 

Atrophy.  Hypocritical  or  Pharisaic 
faith  may  be  compared  with  atrophy  of 
the  eye,  493.    See  also  893. 

Attraction.  Current  of  attraction,  497, 
869. 

Attributes.    See  Divine  Attributes. 

Augustine  of  Hippo,  1095. 

Aura.    No  quality  of  the  ether  can  be 

elevated  to  any  quality  of  the  aura,  54. 

See  A  tmospheres. 
Aurora,  185. 


Baal,  249,  871. 

Baal-Zebub,  god  of  Ekron,  846. 
Babylonia.    The  church  which  in  the 

Prophets  and  in  the  Apocalypse  is  meant 

by  Babylonia,  1015,  1020. 
Bad.    See  Wicked. 

Bald.  In  the  spiritual  world  they  who 
despise  the  Word  become  bald,  356. 

Baldness  signifies  heaviness,  120. 

I'.anqubts  or  Fp.asts.  That  the  children 
of  Israel  ate  together  of  the  sacrifices 
near  the  tabernacle,  signified  nothing 
else  than  unanimity  in  the  worship  of 
Jehovah.  972. 

Baptism  signifies  regeneration  and  puri- 
fication, 246,  746J  899-902.  Baptizing 
was  given  as  a  sign  and  memorial  for 
Christians  to  be  purified  from  evils,  905. 


Baptism  is  a  sism  of  introduction  into 
the  Christian  church,  906.  Baptism  is 
a  sign  before  the  angels  that  a  man 
is  of  the  church,  829.  Baptism  is  a 
sacrament  of  repentance,  768.  By  the 
washing  that  is  called  Baptism  is  meant 
spiritual  washing,  which  is  purification 
from  evils  and  falsities,  and  thus  ragen- 
eration,  899-903,  729,  828.  Why  Bap- 
tism was  instituted  in  the  place  of  cir- 
cumcision, 903-905  By  Baptism,  which 
is  the  first  gate,  every  Christian  is  intro- 
mited and  introduced  into  what  the 
church  teaches  from  the  Word  respect- 
ing the  other  life,  966.  Baptism  and 
the  Holy  Supper  are  like  two  gates 
through  which  man  is  introduced  to 
eternal  life,  967.  There  is  something 
Divine  in  the  institution  of  Baptism 
which  has  hitherto  been  concealed,  be- 
cause the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word 
has  not  been  revealed  before,  89S.  The 
first  use  of  Baptism  is  introduction  into 
the  Christian  Church,  and  at  the  same 
time  insertion  among  Christians  in  the 
spiritual  world,  906-909.  As  soon  as 
infants  have  been  baptized,  angels  are 
appointed  over  them,  by  whom  they  are 
kept  in  the  state  of  receiving  faith  in 
the  Lord ;  but  as  they  grow  up,  and 
come  under  their  own  control  and  into 
the  exercise  of  their  reason,  the  guar- 
dian angels  leave  them,  and  they  asso- 
ciate with  themselves  such  spirits  as 
make  one  with   their  life   and  faith, 

907.  Without  the  Christian  sign,  which 
is  Baptism,  some  Mohammedan  spirit, 
or  one  from  among  the  idolaters,  might 
apply  himself  to  new-bom  Christian 
infants,  and  to  children  also,  and  breathe 
into  them  an  inclination  for  his  religion, 

908.  Not  infants  only,  but  also  all 
others,  are  by  Baptism  inserted  among 
Christians  in  the  spiritual  world,  907. 
The  second  use  of  Baptism  is,  that  the 
Christian  may  know  and  acknowledge 
the  Lord  jesus  Christ,  the  Redeemer 
and  Saviour,  and  follow  Him,  910-912. 
The  third  use  of  Baptism,  which  is  the 
final  use,  is  that  man  may  be  regener- 
ated, 912-916.  The  three  uses  of  Bap- 
tism follow  in  order  and  join  in  the  last, 
913  He  who  dt.es  not  believe  in  the 
Lord  cannot  be  regenerated,  although 
he  has  been  baptized  J  baptizing  without 
faith  in  the  Ixird  effects  nothing  what- 
ever, 914.  By  the  Baptism  of  John  a 
my  was  prepared  so  that  Jehovah  the 
Lord  could  descend  into  the  world  and 
work  out  redemption,  916-920.  The 
Baptism  of  John  represented  the  cleans- 
ing of  the  external  man,  but  the  Baptism 
at  this  dav  with  Christian*  represent* 
the  cleansing  of  the  internal  man,  918. 
Effects  of  the  Baptism  of  John,  920  Tho 
Baptism  of  John  was  called  the  Baptism 
of  repentance  ;  whv,  729.  Why  the  Lord 
Himself  was  baptized  by  Johu,  ^13. 


INDEX. 


Baptize  (To)  with  the  Holy  Spirit  and 
with  fire  is  to  regenerate  by  the  Divine 
truth  which  is  of  faith,  and  by  the  Di- 
vine good  which  is  of  charity,  246,  913, 
914.  Why  John  baptized  in  the  Jor- 
dan, 729. 

Battle  (The)  of  the  omnipotent  God 
with  the  hells,  211.  The  battle  of  the 
Lord  with  the  hells  was  not  an  oral  bat- 
tle, as  between  reasoners  and  wranglers ; 
but  it  was  a  spiritual  battle,  which  is  of 
Divine  truth  from  Divine  good,  which 
was  the  very  vital  principle  of  the  Lord, 
211.  The  influx  of  this  through  the 
medium  of  sight,  no  one  in  helj  can 
resist,  211.  Why  the  Lord  fought"  this 
battle  from  the  Human,  211.  See  Com- 
bat. 

Bears.  The  she-bears  (2  Kings  11,  23, 
24),  signify  the  power  of  truth  in  ulti- 
mates,  355. 

Beast.  Beasts  are  organs  created  to  re- 
ceive light  and  heat  from  the  natural 
world  and  at  the  same  time  from  the  spir- 
itual world,  672.  Every  species  is  a  form 
of  some  natural  love,  and  receives  iight 
and  heat  from  the  spiritual  world  medi- 
ately, through  heaven  and  hell,  the  gen- 
tle ones  through  heaven,  and  the  fierce 
through  hell,  672.  Man  alone  receives 
light  and  heat,  that  is,  wisdom  and  love, 
immediately  from  the  Lord  ;  this  is  the 
difference,  672.  Every  beast,  every 
bird,  every  fish,  reptile,  and  insect,  has 
its  own  natural,  sensual  and  corporeal 
love,  the  dwelling-places  of  which  are 
their  heads  and  the  brains  therein  ; 
through  these,  the  spiritual  world  flows 
into  the  senses  of  their  body  immedi- 
ately, and  through  them  determines  the 
actions,  475.  Beasts  are  born  into  the 
knowledges  of  all  their  loves,  80.  •  The 
error  that  beasts  have  ideas  has  come 
from  no  other  source  than  the  persua- 
sion that  they  think,  equally  with  men, 
and  that  speech  alone  makes  the  differ- 
ence between  them,  475.  Why  in  the 
time  of  spring  beasts  return  into  the 
instinct  of  prolification,  696.  The  ani- 
mals in  the  spiritual  world  are  likenesses 
of  the  affections  of  the  love  and  thence 
of  the  thoughts  of  the  angels,  105.  The 
beasts  which  appear  in  hell  are  forms 
representative  of  the  anger  and  hatred 
of  the  infernal  spirits,  446.  Infernal 
spirits  are  described  in  the  Word  as 
wild  beasts,  209.    See  Animals. 

Bed.  To  take  up  the  bed  and  walk 
(Matt.  ix.  6),  signifies  to  be  instructed  in 
doctrinals,  437. 

Beelzebub,  429.  -See  Baal-Zebub. 

Bees.  Remarkable  things  about  them, 
18,  19,  474. 

Beginnings  (The)  of  space  and  time 
come  from  God,  50. 

Believe  (To)  in  the  Lord  is  not  only  to 
acknowledge  Him,  but  also  to  do  His 
commandments,   252.     To  believe  in 


Him  is  to  have  confidence  that  He 
saves ;  and  because  no  one  can  have 
this  confidence  but  he  that  lives  well, 
therefore  this  also  is  meant  by  believing 
in  Him,  2.  He  who  believes  in  the 
Son  believes  in  the  Father,  171.  To 
believe,  to  see,  and  to  know  make  one, 
266. 

Beneficent  Acts.  The  benefactions  of 
charity  are,  giving  to  the  poor  and  re- 
lieving the  needy  ;  but  with  prudence, 
607,  608,  609.  By  benefactions  are 
meant  those  deeds  of  help  that  are  per- 
formed outside  of  one's  occupation,  607. 
Charity  is  exercised  both  by  direct  and 
indirect  benefits,  593. 

Birds  (Singing)  represent  those  who  do 
not  perceive  truth,  but  conclude  it  from 
confirmations  by  appearances,  74. 

Birth.  Man  inclines  by  birth  to  all  kinds 
of  evils,  and  from  the  inclination  he 
lusts  after  them,  815.  Man  as  to  the 
first  nature  which  he  derives  from  birth 
is  hell  in  miniature,  and  as  to  the  other 
nature  which  he  derives  from  the  second 
birth  he  is  heaven  in  miniature,  816. 
Natural  births  in  the  Word  mean  spiri- 
tual births,  which  are  of  good  and  truth, 
790. 

Blaspheme  (To)  the  Lord  and  the  Word 
is  to  banish  the  Truth  itself  from  the 
church,  453. 

Blasphemy.  By  blasphemy  of  the  Spirit 
(Matt.  xii.  31,  32),  is  meant  blasphemy 
against  the  Divinity  of  the  Lord's 
Human,  and  against  the  holiness  of  the 
Word,  435. 

Blood  in  the  spiritual  sense  signifies  the 
truth  of  wisdom  and  faith,  519,  953. 
By  the  Lord's  Blood  is  meant  the  Di- 
vine Truth  of  the  Lord  and  the  Word, 
954.  When  man  thinks  of  the  Lord's 
Blood,  the  angels  have  a  perception  of 
the  Divine  Truth  of  His  Word,  956. 
The  Blood  of  the  Covenant  signifies  the 
Divine  Truth  by  which  conjunction  is 
effected,  954,  976.  Blood,  on  account 
of  its  signification,  was  the  holiest  repre- 
sentative in  the  church  among  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  955.  The  Blood  of  the 
Lamb  (Apoc.  vii.  14,  xii.  7,  14)  signifies 
the  Divine  Truth  of  the  Lord,  955.  The 
blood  of  grapes  (Gen.  xlix-  11;  Deut. 
xxxii.  14)  signifies  Divine  Truth,  955. 

Blossom  (To).  Spiritual  heat  and  light 
cause  things  to  blossom  in  the  human 
mind;  this  blossoming  is  wisdom  and 
intelligence,  570. 

Blossoms.    See  Flowers. 

Body  (The)  is  an  organ  of  life,  60.  The 
soul  which  is  from  the  father  is  the  man 
himself,  the  body  which  is  from  the 
mother  is  not  the  man  in  itself,  but  is 
from  him;  the  body  is  only  a  covering 
of  the  soul,  composed  of  such  things  as 
are  of  the  natural  world,  164.  How  the 
body  is  formed  in  the  womb,  and  why  it 
may  be  made  either  to  the  likeness  of 


INDEX. 


the  father,  or  to  the  likeness  of  the  i 
mother,  165.  The  child  has  the  soul  | 
and  life  from  the  father,  and  the  body  is 
from  the  soul,  142.  Because  the  whole 
of  man  depends  on  his  mind,  all  things 
in  his  body  are  appendages,  which  are 
actuated  by  the  understanding  and  will, 
and  live  from  them,  357.  The  material 
body,  with  which  the  spirit  is  clothed  in 
the  natural  world,  is  an  accessory  for  the 
sake  of  the  processes  of  procreation 
and  for  the  sake  of  the  formation  of  the 
internal  man;  for  this  latter  is  f  irmed 
in  the  natural  body,  as  a  tree  in  the 
ground  and  as  seed  in  fruit,  631.  Of 
the  enjoyments  of  his  love,  together 
with  the  pleasantness  of  thought,  man  is 
but  dim'y  sensible  while  he  lives  in  the 
natural  body,  because  this  body  absorbs 
and  blunts  them ;  but  after  death  (when 
the  material  body  is  taken  away)  they  are 
fully  felt  and  perceived.  771.  The  body 
does  not  act  and  think  from  itself,  but 
from  the  spirit,  259.  The  spiritual  body 
must  be  formed  in  the  material  body, 
and  is  formed  by  means  of  truths  and 
goods,  789.  Substantial  body  of  spirits 
and  angels,  1032,  1057,  1063.  The 
church  constitutes  the  Body  of  Christ, 
527,  600,  S13,  974;  why,  538.  To  be  in 
the  Lord's  Body  is  to  be  at  the  same 
time  in  heaven,  965. 

Book-  The  Lamb's  Book  of  Life  means 
the  Word  which  is  from  the  Lord  and 
concerning  Him,  169.  The  books  of 
the  ancients  were  all  written  by  corre- 
spondences, 335.  There  are  books  in  the 
spiritual  world,  1056. 

Border.  Every  man  after  death  puts  off 
the  natural  which  he  had  from  the 
mother,  and  retains  the  spiritual  which 
he  had  from  the  father,  together  with  a 
kind  of  border  from  the  purest  things  of 
nature,  around  it,  164. 

BOKEAL  SpIKITS,  305. 

Born  (To  be)  by  means  of  water  and  the 
spirit,  signifies  to  be  born  by  means  of 
truths  of  faith  and  a  life  according  to 
them,  780. 

Born  ok  God.  In  the  Word  the  regen- 
erate are  called  sons  of  God,  and  born 
of  God,  780.  They  who  are  in  goods 
and  truths  from  the  Lord  are  called 
sons  of  God  and  born  of  God,  790,  925, 
975- 

Boitles.  Comparisons  with  bottles,  189, 
200,  3S5. 

Bow  signifies  doctrine  from  the  Word 
fighting  against  falsities,  375 ;  also  sig- 
nifies truth  which  fights,  146. 

Brain  (Hum>n).  The  hum-m  brain  is  a 
form  of  Divine  truth  and  Divine  good, 
spiritually  and  naturally  organized,  357. 
The  brains  are  organized,  the  mind 
dwells  in  them,  498.  Organization  of 
the  brain,  49",  ',43.  If  there  were  not 
action  and  co-operation  with  the  influent 
life  in  the  spiritual  organism  of  the 


brain,  thought  and  will  could  not  exist, 
784.  The  spiritual  organism  of  the 
mind  consists  of  perjKtual  helices,  78;. 
Man  has  two  brains,  one  in  the  back 
part  of  the  head,  which  is  called  the 
cerebellum,  and  the  other  in  the  fore 
part,  which  is  cailed  the  cerebrum;  in 
the  cerebellum  dwells  the  love  of  the 
will ;  and  in  the  cerebrum,  the  thought  of 
the  understanding,  271.  The  human 
cerebrum  is  devoted  to  the  understand- 
ing and  wisdom  there,  but  the  cerebel- 
lum to  the  will  and  its  love,  761. 

Bread.  By  the  Lord's  Flesh  and  by  the 
bread,  in  the  Holy  Supper,  is  meant  the 
Divine  good  of  His  love,  also  all  the 
good  of  charity,  9517957- 

Breast.  The  Christians  with  whom  the 
Word  is  read,  constitute  the  breast  of 
the  One  Man  which  is  heaven,  396. 

Breast-platk  of  Judgment  represented 
Divine  truth  from  Divine  good,  in  the 
universal  sense,  352. 

Brethren.  There  were  social  gatherings 
in  the  primitive  church  among  such  as 
called  themselves  brethren  in  Christ, 

613.  In  the  Apostolic  Church  the  true 
Christians  called  one  another  brethren, 
853- 

Bkidegroom-  In  the  Word,  the  Lord  is 
the  Bridegroom,  and  the  church  is  the 
Bride,  208,  33i,  1086.  A  bride  con- 
stantly carries  something  of  the  image 
of  the  bridegroom  in  the  sight  of  her 
spirit,  1029. 

Brotherhood.  The  old  Christian  broth- 
erhood,  642.     Spiritual  brotherhood, 

614.  Fraternity  with  satans,  542. 
Brotherly  Love  is  charity.  5  ,4. 
Bundles.    In  the  mind  evils  are  bound 

into  bundles  by  falsities,  and  goods  by 
truths,  69. 

Burial  of  the  Lord  signified  the  rejec- 
tion ofwhat  remained  from  the  mother, 
218. 

Burning  Propfrty  of  Fire.  From  the 
burning  property  of  fire  proceeds  heat, 
and  from  its  shining  property  proceeds 
light,  70.  The  burning  property  ot  fire 
corresponds  to  that  something  of  love, 
most  interiorly  affecting  the  will  of  man, 
7°- 

Butterflies.  Comparisons  with  butter- 
flies, 168,  510,  532. 


Calf  signifies  natural  affection,  333,  338. 
The  natural  affection  for  seeing  and 
knowing,  exultant,  appears  from  corre- 
spondence like  a  calf,  832.  A  golden 
calf  in  the  spiritual  sense  is  the  pleasure 
of  the  flesh,  1 104. 

Calvin.  232,  255,  686,  1063. 

CALVIN  I  m.    Whence  its  rise,  154 

Camp  (The)  of  the  children  of  Israel 
represented  heaven,  817. 

Canaan  (The  Larul  of)  signified  th« 
church,  904,  907. 


INDEX. 


Cannibals  (Spiritual)  543. 

Canon.  It  is  a  general  canon  in  heaven 
that  God  is  in  every  man,  evil  as  well  as 
good,  but  that  man  is  not  in  God  unless 
he  lives  according  to  order,  109.  Two 
canons  for  the  service  of  the  New 
Church:  1.  No  one  can  shun  evils  as 
sins,  and  do  goods  which  are  good  in 
the  sight  of  God,  from  himself;  but  as 
far  as  any  one  shuns  evils  as  sins,  he 
does  good  not  from  himself  but  from  the 
Lord.  2.  Man  ought  to  shun  evils  as 
sins  and  to  fight  against  them,  as  from 
himself;  and  if  any  one  shuns  evils  from 
any  other  cause  whatever  than  because 
they  are  sins,  he  does  not  shun  them, 
but  he  does  this  only  that  they  may  not 
appear  before  the  world,  460.  It  is  a 
canon  of  the  New  Church  that  falsities 
close  the  understanding,  and  that  truths 
open  it,  726. 

Carcass.  When  God  is  denied,  man  be- 
comes a  spiritual  carcass,  58. 

Carotid  Arteries,  944. 

Cart  (The  new)  (i  Sam.  v.  and  vi),  sig- 
nified natural  doctrine  of  the  church, 

337-  .      ,  . 

Cataract.  Wandering  faith,  which  is  a 
faith  in  more  Gods  than  one,  may  be 
compared  to  the  disease  of  the  eye  called 
cataract,  493. 

Catechism  or  Decalogue  explained  as 
to  its  external  and  its  internal  sense, 
419-459,  768,  769.  .     .  , 

Catholics  (Roman).  The  Papists  m  the 
spiritual  world  appear  round  about  and 
beneath  the  Protestants,  1079.  All 
those  of  the  Catholic  religion  who  in 
the  former  world  thought  more  of  God 
than  of  the  papacy,  and  from  a  simple 
heart  did  works  of  charity,  are  easily  ied 
away  from  the  superstitions  of  that  re- 
ligion, 1082.  They  who  while  they  live 
in  the  world  earnestly  aspire  to  be  made 
saints  after  death,  that  they  may  be  in- 
voked, come  into  the  delusions  of  fan- 
tasy, 1084.  The  worship  of  saints  is 
such  an  abomination  in  heaven,  that 
when  it  is  merely  heard  of  it  excites 
horror,  since  so  far  as  worship  is  yielded 
to  any  man  it  is  denied  to  the  Lord, 
1084. 

Cats.  Their  eyes  (in  consequence  of 
their  burning  appetite  for  mice)  appear 
like  candles  in  cellars  in  the  night,  275, 
470. 

Cause.  The  cause  is  the  all  in  the  effect, 
604.  The  principal  cause  and  the  in- 
strumental cause  appear  as  one  to  man, 
621.  The  principal  cause  is  the  all 
in  all  of  the  instrumental  cause,  621. 
The  causes  of  all  things  are  formed  in 
the  internal  man,  and  all  effects  are 
produced  therefrom  in  the  external,  529. 
Ends  are  also  actually  in  the  heavenly 
kingdom,  causes  in  the  spiritual  king- 
dom, and  effects  in  the  natural  kingdom, 
367.    The  cause  of  the  creation  of  the 


universe,  and  the  cause  of  its  preserva- 
tion, 78.  Causes  of  so  many  divisions 
and  separations  in  the  church,  536.  See 
End  and  Effect. 

Caverns  in  Hell,  415.  Who  they  are 
who  profane  the  Lord's  temple  and 
make  it  a  den  of  thieves,  490. 

Cedar  (The)  means  the  rational  good  and 
truth  of  the  church,  333  ;  it  signifies 
rational  good  and  truth,  338. 

Centre.  Whether  the  centre  is  of  the 
expanse,  or  whether  the  expanse  is  of 
the  centre,  59.  Concerning  the  centre 
and  the  expanse  of  nature  and  of  life, 
59,  62. 

Cerebellum.  See  Brain.  The  inmost 
parts  of  the  cerebellum  in  themselves 
are  heavenly,  271. 

Ceremonies  (The)  are  the  dress,  94. 
Baptism  and  the  Holy  Supper  as  cere- 
monies, 897,  898. 

Changes  of  locality  or  situation  in  the 
spiritual  world,  674.  Changes  of  situ- 
ation in  the  spiritual  world  are  changes 
of  the  state  of  mind,  127. 

Chaos.  With  the  idea  of  chaos,  it  is  im- 
possible to  come  to  a  conclusion  as  to 
the  creation  of  the  universe,  122,  133. 

Chariot,  in  the  Word,  signifies  doctrine 
from  spiritual  truths,  337.  Chariots 
carved  in  the  form  of  a  di-agon,  306. 
Chariot  of  fire,  8S3. 

Charity  is  no  other  than  goodness,  44 ; 
see  also  636-646.  Before  the  Lord 
came  into  the  world,  scarcely  any  one 
knew  what  charity  was,  594.  Charity 
consists  in  wishing  well  and  thence  act- 
ins:  well,  598-  529,  594,  623.  Charity  is 
the  affection  of  the  love  of  doing  good 
to  the  neighbor  for  the  sake  of  God, 
salvation,  and  eternal  life,  559.  Charity 
is  all  the  good  with  which  man  is  affected 
by  the  Lord,  and  which  he  thence  wills 
and  doe«,  514.  Charity  is  the  heat  of 
man's  life,  518.  Charity  itself  is  to  act 
justly  and  faithfully  in  the  office,  busi- 
ness, and  work  in  which  any  one  is, 
and  with  whomsoever  he  has  any  inter- 
course, 605-607.  The  man  who  practises 
charity  becomes  charity  in  form  more 
and  more  ;  for  justice  and  faithfulness 
form  his  mind,  and  their  exercises  form 
his  body ;  and  little  by  little,  from  his 
form,  he  wills  and  thinks  only  such 
things  as  are  of  charity,  606.  The  end 
in  view  shows  whether  there  is  charity 
or  not,  594.  How  you  can  see  charity 
in  its  own  type,  624.  Charity  is  spirit- 
ual in  its  essence  and  natural  in  its 
exercises,  637.  Charity  has  its  seat  in 
the  internal  man,  and  from  that  in  the 
external,  595.  Charity  is  not  charity 
unless  conjoined  with  faith,  477,  503, 
518,  534,  555.  The  truths  of  faith  not 
only  illuminate  charity,  but  they  also 
qualify  it,  and  moreover  nourish  it,  535- 
Charity  and  works  are  distinct  from  each 
other  like  will  and  action,  529,  603-605. 


INDEX. 


Toward  a  society  of  wicked  men  charity 
is  to  be  exercised  according  to  natural 
equity :  toward  a  society  of  good  men 
according  to  spiritual  equity,  59S.  The 
first  thing  of  charity  is  to  put  away  evils, 
and  the  second  is  to  do  goods  which  are 
of  use  to  the  neighbor,  614,  751.  They 
who  have  genuine  charity  have  a  zeal 
for  what  is  good;  and  that  zeal  in  the 
external  man  may  seem  like  anger  and 
flaming  fire,  but  its  flame  is  extinguished 
and  it  is  quieted  as  soon  as  the  adversary 
returns  to  reason,  594.  The  benefactions 
of  charity  are  giving  to  the  poor  and  re- 
lieving the  needy;  but  with  prudence, 
607-610.  The  benefactions  of  charity  and 
the  debts  of  charity  are  distinct  from 
each  other,  like  the  things  which  are 
done  from  free-wiil  and  those  which  are 
done  from  necessity,  610.  The  pub'ic 
dues  of  charity  are  especiallv  tribute 
and  taxes;  they  who  are  spiritual  pay 
these  with  one  disposition  of  heart,  and 
they  who  are  merely  natural  with  an- 
other, 610.  The  household  dues  of 
charity  are  those  of  a  husband  toward 
his  wife  and  of  a  wife  toward  her  hus- 
band, of  a  father  and  a  mother  toward 
their  children  and  of  children  toward 
their  father  and  mother,  also  those  of  a 
master  and  a  mistress  toward  their  ser- 
vants of  either  sex,  and  of  the  servants 
toward  them,  61  r.  As  to  what  particu- 
larly regards  the  things  which  parents 
owe  their  children  ;  with  those  who  are 
in  charity  these  are  intrinsically  different 
from  what  they  are  with  those  who  are 
not  in  charity,  but  outwardly  they  ap- 
pear alike,  612.  The  private  dues  of 
charity  are  numerous,  such  as  the  pay- 
ment of  wages  to  workmen,  the  payment 
of  interest,  the  fulfilment  of  contracts, 
etc.  These  are  discharged  by  those 
who  are  in  charity  with  a  different  mind 
from  that  with  those  who  are  not  in 
charity,  612.  The  diversions  of  charity 
are  dinners,  suppers,  and  social  gather- 
ings, 612-614.  The  dinners  and  sup- 
pers of  charity  are  among  those  only 
who  are  in  mutual  love  from  similar 
faith,  613.  There  is  a  spurious  chanty, 
a  hypocritical  charity,  and  a  dead  char- 
ity, 628-630.  All  charity  that  is  not  con- 
joined with  faith  in  one  God  in  Whom 
there  is  a  Divine  Trinity  is  spurious,  62S. 
Hypocritical  charity  is  with  those  who 
apparently  worship  God  with  great  ven- 
eration, and  yet  in  heart  think  of  being 
worshipped  themselves,  629.  Dead 
charity  is  with  those  who  have  a  dead 
faith,  630.  The  charity  of  those  who 
believe  that  there  is  no  God,  but  instead 
of  Him  Nature,  is  no  charity  at  all, 
630. 

Charity  and  Faith  are  the  two  essen- 
tials of  the  church,  68.  All  the  goods 
of  the  church  are  of  rharitv.  and  are 
called  charity  ;  and  all  its  truths  are  of 


faith,  and  are  called  faith,  68.  Charity 
is  of  affection,  and  faith  is  of  thought, 
552.  Faith  is  nothing  but  the  form  of 
charity,  as  speech  is  the  form  of  sound, 
552.  Charily  and  faith  are  two  dstinctly, 
but  yet  make  one  in  a  man  that  he  may- 
be a  man  of  the  church,  that  is,  that  the 
church  may  be  in  the  man,  477.  Faith 
is  first  in  time  ;  but  charity  is  first  in  end, 
478.  Separating  charity  from  faith  is 
like  separating  essence  from  form,  51*. 
Charity  and  faith  are  together  in  good 
works,  528,  555,  621,  861.  Charity  and 
faith  are  only  mental  and  perishable 
things,  unless  they  are  determined  to 
works  and  coexist  in  them,  when  possi- 
ble, 531,  532,  555.  Charity  alone  does 
not  produce  good  works,  still  less  faith 
alone,  but  charity  and  faith  together, 
534  Charity  is  the  complex  of  all 
things  which  a  man  does  to  the  neigh- 
bor which  belong  to  good,  and  faith  is 
the  complex  of  all  things  belonging  to 
truth  which  a  man  thinks  concerning 
God  and  concerning  Divine  things,  570. 

Chaste.  Abstinence  from  the  doing  docs 
not  make  one  chaste ;  but  abstinence 
from  the  willing  because  it  is  sin  and 
w  hen  the  doing  is  possible,  does  make 
one  chaste,  449. 

Chemosh,  429. 

Cherubs.  Lest  any  one  should  enter 
into  the  spiritual  sense,  and  should  per- 
vert the  genuine  truth  which  is  of  that 
sense,  guards  are  placed  by  the  Lord, 
which  are  meant  in  the  Word  by  cherubs, 
34i>  354,  388.  The  sense  of  the  letter 
of  the  Word  as  a  guard,  is  signified  by 
cherubs,  3S7,  725,  1037. 

Chest,  526. 

Chimeras  in  the  church  ;  whence  they 
come,  96.  The  doctrine  of  justifica- 
tion by  faith  alone  is  a  chimera,  300, 
539- 

Chinese,  406.    Emperor  of  China,  373. 
Christ.    See  Jesus. 

Christendom.  The  spheres  in  the  spir- 
itual world  which  flow  forth  from  the 
Christendom  of  to-day,  822. 

Christian.  The  name  that  one  is  a 
Christian  means  his  quality,  that  he  lias 
faith  in  Christ,  and  that  he  has  charit\ 
toward  the  neighbor  from  Christ,  911. 
The  name  of  a  Christian,  that  is,  ih  <t 
one  is  of  Christ,  without  iduiowledging 
Him,  that  is,  living  according  to  His 
commandments,  is  a  thing  as  empty  as 
a  shadow,  as  smoke,  and  as  a  blackened 
picture,  910.  Primitive  Christians,  Of 
Christians  before  the  Nicene  Council, 
8^2-856.  Christians  since  this  Court* 
cil,  339.  Christians  of  the  present  dav, 
822. 

Christian  Church  (The)  began  from 
the  cradle  to  be  infested  and  divided  bj 
schisms  and  heresies,  535.  The  present 
day  is  the  last  time  of  the  Christian 
Church,  1018-1024. 


VOL.  III. 


INDEX. 


Christianity  is  now  beginning  to  dawn  ; 
there  has  hitherto  been  Christianity 
only  in  name,  and  with  some  persons 
some  shadow  of  it,  949,  948. 

Chrysalis,  18. 

Church.  The  church  is  from  the  Word, 
and  it  is  such  with  man  as  his  under- 
standing of  the  Word  is,  372-376.  On 
the  idea  of  God,  and  on  the  idea  of  re- 
demption, which  makes  one  with  salva- 
tion, every  thing  of  the  church  depends, 
220.  The  essentials  of  the  church  are 
three,  namely,  God,  charity  and  faith, 
960.  A  just  idea  concerning  God  is,  in 
the  church,  like  the  shrine  and  the  altar 
in  a  temple,  280.  The  conjunction  of 
good  and  truth  makes  the  church,  576. 
The  things  which  are  hid  in  the  spiritual 
sense  are  the  things  which  essentially 
make  the  church,  373.  The  communion 
called  the  church  consists  of  all  those 
in  whom  the  church  is ;  and  the  church 
with  man  enters  him  while  regenerating, 
728-  A  man  who  is  in  faith  Ml  the  Lord 
and  in  charity  toward  the  neighbor  is  a 
church  in  particular  ;  the  church  in  gen- 
eral is  composed  of  such,  1028-  The 
understanding  and  the  will  must  make 
one,  that  the  man  may  be  a  man  of  the 
church,  377.  The  church  teaches  man 
the  means  which  lead  to  eternal  life, 
and  introduces  him  into  it,  599.  With- 
out free  will  in  spiritual  things,  the 
church  would  be  nothing,  681.  Repent- 
ance is  the  first  of  the  church  with  man, 
728.  See  Repentance.  Man  is  intro- 
duced into  spiritual  iife  by  the  church, 
599.  The  church  appears  before  the 
Lord  as  one  man,  1024.  The  church 
constitutes  the  Body  of  Christ,  and  every 
one  in  whom  the  church  is,  is  in  some 
member  of  that  Body,  527,  538,  600,  813. 
The  church  where  the  Word  is  read  and 
the  Lord  is  known  by  it  is  as  the  heart 
and  as  the  lungs  of  the  One  Man  which 
is  heaven,  396.  The  church  which  is  in 
Divine  truths  from  the  Lord  prevails 
over  the  hells,  358.  The  faith  of  every 
church  is  as  seed  from  which  all  its 
dogmas  spring.  Wherefore  when  the 
primary  faith  is  known,  there  is  a  cog- 
nition of  the  quality  of  that  church,  297. 
The  church  is  internal  and  external,  and 
the  internal  church  makes  one  with  the 
church  in  heaven,  and  thus  with  heaven, 
1046.  The  Christian  church  was  founded 
solely  upon  the  worship  of  Jehovah  in 
the  Human,  consequently  upon  God- 
Man,  155.  This  church  passed  through 
the  several  stages  from  infancy  to  ex- 
treme old  age,  5.  In  the  Evangelists 
are  described  the  successive  states  of  the 
decline  and  corruption  of  the  Christian 
church,  299,  536.  The  Christian  church 
which  was  founded  by  the  Lord  wheu 
He  was  ir  the  world,  and  which  is  now 
first  being  built  by  Him,  003.  The 
Christian  church,  such  as  it  is  in  itself, 


is  now  first  beginning,  the  former  church 
was  Christian  in  name  only,  but  not  in 
reality  and  in  essence,  898,  940,  948. 
The  Lord  is  at  this  day  establishing  a 
New  Church,  in  which  will  be  the  wor- 
ship of  the  Lord  alone,  as  in  heaven, 
195,  301,  1049,  1050.  This  church,  which 
is  meant  in  the  Apocalypse  by  the  New 
Jerusalem,  will  descend  out  of  heaven 
from  the  Lord,  160,  195.  This  New 
Church  is  to  endure  for  ages  of  ages,  and 
is  to  be  the  crown  of  all  the  churches 
that  have  gone  before  it,  1051,  1050.  It 
is  provided  by  the  Lord  that  there  should 
aiways  be  on  the  earth  a  church  where 
the  Word  is  read,  and  that  by  it  the  Lord 
should  be  made  known,  397.  The  church 
is  called  mother,  because  as  a  mother 
on  earth  feeds  her  children  with  natural 
food,  so  the  church  feeds  them  with 
spiritual  food,  442.  The  Lord  God  to 
restore  the  worship  of  one  God  instituted 
a  church  among  the  posterity  of  Jacob, 
12. 

Church  (The  Apostolic).  That  the 
apostolic  church  knew  nothing  whatever 
of  a  trinity  of  Persons,  or  of  three  Di- 
vine Persons  from  eternity,  is  very  evi- 
dent from  the  Apostles'  Creed,  291.293, 
853.  The  faith  imputative  of  Christ's 
merit  was  unknown  in  the  Apostolic 
Church,  852-856.  In  that  primeval 
time  all  in  what  was  then  the  Christian 
world  acknowledged  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  was  God,  to  Whom  was  given 
all  power  in  heaven  aud  earth,  853. 
This  church  actually  was  like  a  new  star 
appearing  in  the  starry  heaven,  294. 
See  Son  of  God.  The  Apostolic  church 
worshipped  the  Lord  God  Jesus  Christ, 
and  at  the  same  time  God  the  Father  in 
Him,  854. 

Chukch  (The  Greek).  The  error  of  this 
church  is,  that  God  the  Father  sends 
the  Holy  Spirit  immediately.  That  the 
Lord  sends  the  Holy  Spirit  out  of  Him- 
self from  God  the  Father  and  not  the 
reverse,  —  this  is  from  heaven,  and  the 
angels  call  it  an  arcanum,  because  it 
has  not  yet  been  made  known  in  the 
world,  255,  864. 

Churches.  All  the  churches  which  had 
been  before  the  Coming  of  the  Lord 
were  representative  churches,  which 
could  see  Divine  truths  only  as  in  the 
shade,  172,  1049.  Before  the  Coming 
of  the  Lord  all  the  things  of  the  church 
were  representative,  because  the  Lord 
then  was  represented  only,  which  was 
done  by  means  of  angels,  173.  There 
have  been  four  churches  in  general  on 
this  earth  since  its  creation,  one  suc- 
ceed ng  another;  the  Most  Ancient 
Church  which  existed  before  the  flood, 
the  Ancient  Church,  the  Israelitish 
Church,  the  Christian  Church,  102 1, 
1023,  1049  The  last  time  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church  is  the  very  night  into  whick 


INDEX. 


lormer  churches  have  gone  down,  102 1. 
The  successive  states  of  the  church  in 
general  and  in  particular  are  described 
in  the  Word  by  the  tour  seasons  of  the 
year,  and  by  tiie  four  divisions  of  the  day, 
1025  Why  there  were  four  churches, 
1036,  1049.  As  all  churches  depend  on 
the  cognition  and  acknowledgment  of 
one  God  with  Whom  the  man  of  the 
church  may  be  conjoined,  and  as  all  the 
four  churches  have  not  been  in  that 
truth,  it  follows  that  a  church  is  to  suc- 
ceed the  four  which  will  be  in  the  cogni- 
tion and  acknowledgment  of  one  God, 
1049  The  Most  Ancient  Church  which 
was  before  the  flood  worshipped  the  in- 
visible God,  with  Whom  there  can  be 
no  conjunction :  so  also  did  the  Ancient 
Church,  1049.  The  Israe'.itish  Church 
worshipped  Jehovah,  Who  in  Himself 
is  the  invisible  God,  but  under  a  human 
form  which  Jehovah  God  put  on  by  means 
of  an  angel,  1049.  The  Christian  church 
acknowledged  one  God  indeed  with  the 
mouth,  but  in  three  persons,  each  one 
of  whom  singly  or  by  himself  was  God  ; 
and  so  a  divided  trinity  and  not  a  Trinity 
united  in  one  Person,  1049. 

Chyle,  3^7. 

Cicero,  400. 

Cineeitious  substance  of  the  brain,  498. 

Circles  of  things,  1017.  The  Sun  of  the 
spiritual  world  is  the  circle  most  closely 
encompassing  the  Lord,  514.  Circles 
about  the  head,  722. 

Circulation  of  thk  Blood,  784. 

Circumcision  of  the  flesh  represented 
circumcision  of  the  heart,  905;  it  sig- 
nified the  rejection  of  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh,  and  thus  purification  from  evils. 
903.  This  primary  sign  of  the  Israehtish 
church  was  interiorly  similar  to  baptism, 
the  sign  of  the  Christian  church,  903. 

Circumference  in  the  spiritual  world, 
39<>- 

Cities  in  the  spiritual  world,  557.  Cities 
of  the  Dutch,  1071.  Cities  of  the  Eng- 
lish, 1074.    Cities  of  the  Jews,  1096. 

Clergy.  The  reasons  why  enlighten- 
ment and  instruction  are  for  the  clergy 
specially,  are,  because  these  belong  to 
their  office,  and  inauguration  into  the 
ministry  brings  them  with  it,  247.  In 
addition  to  these  two  there  are  what  are 
intermediate,  which  are  perception  and 
disposition ;  wherefore  there  are  four, 
which  witli  the  clergy  follow  in  order  — 
Enlightenment,  Perception,  Disposition, 
and  Instruction,  258  With  the  clergv 
the  love  of  ruling  from  the  love  "f  mO 
climbs  upward,  when  the  reins  are  given 
to  it,  until  they  wish  to  be  gods,  592. 
See  Prie  ts. 

Climates  in  the  spiritual  world,  305. 
Action  of  the  climate  on  man,  1091. 

Ci.imd  Not  to  climb  up  some  other  way 
(John  x.  1)  means  that  one  is  not  to 
approach  God  the  r  ather  because  lie  3 


invisible  and  therefore  unapproachable, 
with  V»  horn  there  cannot  be  conjunction. 
-  754. 

Clouds.  By  the  clouds  of  heaven  is 
meant  the  Word  in  the  sense  of  the 
letter,  1037.  By  the  bright  cloud  which 
overshadowed  the  disciples,  the  Word 
in  the  sense  of  the  letter  is  meant,  3^5. 
It  is  a  vain  thing  to  believe  that  U,e 
Lord  will  appear  in  a  cloud  of  heaven 
in  Person,  but  He  is  to  appear  in  the 
Word,  1040.  In  the  spiritual  world 
there  are  sometimes  bright  ciouds  over 
the  angelic  heavens,  but  dusky  clouds 
over  the  hells.  The  bright  ciouds  over 
the  angelic  heavens  signify  obscurity 
there,  from  the  literal  sense  of  the 
Word;  but  when  these  clouds  are  dis- 
persed, this  signifies  that  they  are  in 
its  clear  light  from  the  spiritual  sen-e: 
but  the  dusky  clouds  over  the  hells  sig- 
nify the  falsification  and  profanation  of 
the  Word,  1038. 

Cocceians,  1071. 

Cognitions.  Cognition  concerning  God 
is  not  attainable  without  revelation,  13. 
It  is  vain  to  wish  to  have  cognition  of 
what  God  is  in  His  esse  or  in  His  sub- 
stance :  but  it  is  enough  to  acknowl- 
edge Him  from  finite,  that  is,  created 
things,  in  which  He  is  infinitely,  45. 
Cognition  of  the  Lord  surpasses  in  ex- 
cellence ail  the  cognitions  which  are  in 
the  church,  140.  When  the  cognitions 
are  wanting,  man  does  not  form  any 
judgment  concerning  God,  40.  The 
Lord  teaches  every  one  by  the  Word, 
and  He  teaches  him  from  the  cognitions 
which  are  with  the  man,  and  does  not 
infuse  new  ones  immediately,  341.  By 
the  stars  which  will  fall  from  heaven, 
are  meant  cognitions  of  truth  and  good, 
330.  Cognition  of  sin,  and  the  exami- 
nation of  some  sin  in  oneself,  begin  le- 
pentance,  741-744. 

Coins  of  gold  and  silver  in  heaven,  129. 

Collision  between  the  faith  of  the  forrrer 
church  and  the  faith  of  the  New  Chun  h, 
864. 

Combat.  The  Lord's  combat  agah.st  the 
hells,  198.  The  six  days  of  labor  repre- 
sented the  Lord's  labors  and  combats 
with  the  hells,  437.  The  six  days  of 
labor  .signity  man's  combat  against  the 
evils  and  falsities  which  are  in  him  frmn 
hell,  43S.  Combat  between  the  intern. d 
and  the  external  man,  802-S05.  See 
Battle. 

Comforter  (The),  also  called  the  Spirit 
of  Truth,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  241. 

Coming  of  the  Lord.  Before  the  Lord 
came  into  the  world,  scarcely  anv  OM 
knew  what  the  internal  man  was,  or 
what  charity  was,  504.  Without  the 
Coming  of  the  Lord  into  the  w<  n.!  M 
one  could  have  been  saved,  3.  How 
this  is  to  he  understood,  7X6  Unless 
the  Lord  comes  again  into  the  world,  10 


INDEX. 


Divine  Truth,  no  one  can  be  saved,  3. 
The  Second  Coming  of  the  Lord  is  at 
the  present  time  ;  and  a  New  Church  is 
to  be  instituted,  197.  The  Coming  of 
the  Lord  is  not  His  Coming  to  destroy 
the  visible  heaven  and  the  habitable 
earth,  1029-1032.  The  Coming  of  the 
Lord  is  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a 
new  heaven  of  those  who  have  believed 
in  Him,  and  of  establishing  a  new 
church  of  those  who  believe  in  Him 
hereafter;  these  two  are  the  ends  for 
which  He  came,  1033.  Without  the  sec- 
ond Coming  of  the  Lord  no  flesh  could 
be  saved,  1033-1035.  The  second  Com- 
ing of  the  Lord  is  not  in  Person,  but  is 
in  the  Word,  which  is  from  Himself, 
and  is  Himself,  1036-1040.  The  Lord 
does  not  appear  in  Person  but  in  the 
Word,  because  since  He  ascended  into 
heaven  He  is  in  the  glorified  Humanity, 
and  in  this  He  cannot  appear  to  any 
man  unless  He  first  opens  the  eyes  of 
his  spirit,  and  this  cannot  be  done  with 
any  one  who  is  in  evils  and  thence  in 
falsities,  1039.  The  second  Coming  of 
the  Lord  takes  place  by  means  of  a  man 
before  whom  He  has  manifested  Him- 
self in  Person,  and  whom  He  has  filled 
with  His  Spirit,  to  teach  the  doctrines  of 
the  New  Church  through  the  Word 
from  Him,  1040,  1641,  1105.  The  sec- 
ond Coming  of  the  Lord  is  meant  in 
the  Apocalypse  by  the  new  heaven  and 
the  new  earth,  and  the  New  Jerusalem 
descending  therefrom,  1042.  What  is 
the  first  Coming  of  the  Lord  with  man, 
1028. 

Commandments  (The  Ten).  See  Deca- 
logue. The  law  promulgated  from 
Mount  Sinai  was  written  upon  two  ta- 
bles. The  first  table  involves  all  things 
pertaining  to  love  to  God.  The  second 
table  involves  all  things  that  pertain  to 
love  toward  the  neighbor;  its  first  five 
commandments,  all  things  pertaining  to 
the  deed  which  are  called  works;  and 
the  last  two,  all  things  that  belong  to 
the  will,  thus  to  charity  in  its  origin, 
634.  See  Tables  of  the  Law.  The 
First  Commandment :  The  spiritual 
sense  of  this  commandment  is,  that  no 
other  God  than  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  to 
be  worshipped  ;  because  He  is  Jehovah, 
Who  came  into  the  world,  and  wrought 
the  redemption  without  which  no  man 
and  no  angel  could  have  been  saved, 
429.  The  heaveniy  sense:  That  Jeho- 
vah the  Lord  is  Infinite,  Immeasurable, 
and  Eternal ;  that  He  is  Love  itself  and 
Wisdom  itself;  thus  the  Only  One,  from 
Whom  all  things  are,  431.  The  Second 
Commandment.  The  spiritual  sense  : 
The  name  of  God  means  all  that  the 
church  teaches  from  the  Word,  and  by 
which  the  Lord  is  invoked  and  wor- 
shipped^ 434.  The  heavenly  sense:  By 
the  name  of  Jehovah  God  is  meant  the 


Divine  Human  of  the  Lord,  435.  Ths 
Third  Commandment.  The  spiritual 
sense :  This  signifies  the  reformation 
and  regeneration  of  man  by  the  Lcrd, 
438.  The  heavenly  sense:  This  means 
conjunction  with  the  Lord,  and  then 
peace,  because  there  is  protection  from 
hell,  430.  The  Fourth  Command- 
ment. The  spiritual  sense  :  By  Father 
is  meant  God,  Who  is  the  Father  of  all ; 
and  by  Mother,  the  church,  441.  The 
heavenly  sense :  By  Father  is  meant 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  by  Mother, 
His  Church,  spread  over  all  the  world, 
442.  Fifth  Commandment.  The  spir- 
itual sense :  Murder  means  all  modes  of 
killing  and  destroying  the  souls  of  men, 
445,  366.  The  heavenly  sense :  To  kill 
means  to  be  rashly  angry  with  the  Lord, 
to  hate  Him,  and  to  wish  to  blot  out  His 
name,  445,  366.  The  Sixth  Command- 
ment. The  spiritual  sense :  To  com- 
mit adultery  means  to  adulterate  the 
goods  of  the  Word  and  to  falsify  its 
truths,  447,  366.  The  heavenly  sense: 
This  means  to  deny  the  holiness  of  the 
Word,  and  to  profane  it,  448,  366.  The 
Seventh  Commandment.  The  spiritual 
sense  :  To  steal  means  to  deprive  others 
of  the  truths  of  their  faith,  which  is 
done  by  falsities  and  heresies,  450,  367. 
The  heavenly  sense :  By  thieves  are 
meant  those  who  take  away  Divine 
power  from  the  Lord ;  and  also  those 
who  claim  for  themselves  His  merit  and 
righteousness,  451,  367.  Tlie  Eighth 
Commandment.  The  spiritual  sense  : 
To  bear  false  witness  means  to  persuade 
that  falsity  of  faith  is  truth  of  faith,  and 
that  evil  of  life  is  good  of  life,  and  the 
reverse,  —  and  to  do  these  things  from 
design  and  not  from  ignorance,  452,  367. 
The  heavenly  sense :  This  means  to 
blaspheme  the  Lord  and  the  Word,  and 
so  to  banish  the  Truth  itself  from  the 
church,  453,  367.  The  Ninth  and  Tenth 
Commandments.  These  two  command- 
ments have  respect  to  all  the  preceding 
ones,  and  they  teach  and  enjoin  that 
evils  must  not  be  done,  and  also  that 
they  must  not  be  lusted  after,  455.  In 
the  spiritual  sense,  these  command- 
ments prohibit  all  lusts  which  are  con- 
trary to  the  spirit  of  the  church,  thus 
which  are  contrary  to  its  spiritual  things 
which  have  relation  primarily  to  faith 
and  charity,  456.  These  two  command- 
ments understood  in  the  spiritual  sense, 
regard  all  things  that  have  before  been 
presented  in  the  spiritual  sense,  and 
likewise  all  that  have  before  been  pre- 
sented in  the  heavenly  sense,  456.  The 
Lord's  commandments  all  relate  to  love 
to  the  neighbor,  being  in  the  sum  not  to 
do  evil  to  him,  but  to  do  him  good,  636. 
The  reason  why  such  things  as  belong 
directly  to  love  and  charity  are  not  com- 
manded, but  it  is  only  commanded  that 


INDEX. 


Buch  things  as  are  opposite  to  them 
should  not  be  done,  is,  that  as  far  as 
man  shuns  evils  as  sins,  he  wills  the 
goods  which  are  of  love  and  charity, 
457»  458«  Eight  commandments  pre- 
sented in  a  manner  to  show  that  as  heli, 
that  is,  evil,  is  removed,  heaven  draws 
near,  and  man  looks  to  good,  459.  To 
do  contrary  to  the  commandments  is  not 
merely  to  act  against  men,  but  against 
God  also,  624; 

Communication.  By  the  reading  of  the 
Word  in  the  sense  of  its  letter,  commu- 
nication is  made  with  the  heavens,  365, 
385,  398.  Man  communicates  with  spir- 
its by  his  interiors,  but  with  men  by  his 
exteriors.  By  that  communication  man 
perceives  things,  and  thinks  of  them 
analytically,  673.  Reciprocal  commu- 
nication of  affections,  S83.  Before  the 
Lord's  Advent  hell  had  grown  up  so  far 
as  to  infest  the  angels  of  heaven,  and 
also  (by  interposing  between  heaven 
and  the  world),  to  cut  off  the  Lord's 
communication  with  men  on  earth,  785. 

Communion.  What  it  is  to  be  in  the 
communion  of  saints  on  earth,  and  in 
the  communion  of  angels  in  heaven,  24, 
493  The  church  throughout  the  whole 
world  is  called  the  communion  of  saints, 
600.  A  regenerate  man  is  in  commun- 
ion with  angels  of  heaven,  and  an  unre- 
generate  man  in  communion  with  spirits 
of  hell,  811,  812,  813. 

Comparisons.  The  following  subjects,  ar- 
ranged alphabetically,  are  illustrated  by 
comparisons  :  —  Baptism  as  regenera- 
tion, 915;  baptism  without  its  uses  and 
fruits,  902  ;  the  first  use  of  baptism,  909. 
Beneficent  acts  when  imprudent,  609. 
Conversion  of  the  Roman  Catholics  in 
the  spiritual  world,  1082.  Cliarity  and 
faith  are  only  mental  and  perishable 
unless  determined  to  works,  531,  532; 
spurious  charity,  628  :  hypocritical,  629: 
dead,  630 ;  none  at  all,  630.  The  four 
chitrclies  which  have  existed  on  earth, 
1023;  the  apostolic  church,  854;  the 
church  is  not  in  man  until  sins  are  re- 
moved, 730.  The  combat  of  the  Lord 
a-. st  the  hells,  ^09.  Conjunction 
with  the  l  ord  is  reciprocal,  524;  con- 
junction with  the  Lord  by  means  of  the 
Holy  Supper,  973  ;  conjunction  with 
the  invisible  God,  1050.  Co-operation 
of  man  and  conjunction  with  the  Lord, 
635,  b20.  Consummation  of  the  age, 
1017.  Contrit  on  without  repentance, 
732.  Creatabte  things,  and  tilings  not 
creatahle,  071.  The  passion  of  the  cross, 
212.  The  three  decrees  in  which  the 
heavens  are,  and  in  which  consequently 
the  human  mind  bk  813.  Deliverance 
of  the  siiiritu.il  world  from  a  universal 
damnation,  207.  Points  of  discordance 
between  the  New  Church  and  former 
churches,  865,  866.  The  Divine  Good 
and  the  Divine  Truth,  146.    The  di- 


vision of  the  natural  man  into  two  forms, 
799.  The  first  and  the  last  ends,  253. 
Spiritual  equilibrium,  676.  Evil  unless 
removed  remains  with  man,  739 ;  evil, 
and  true  faith,  which  cannot  be  together, 
546,  872.  The  faith  of  the  church,  295, 
296,  297,  492 :  faith  in  the  Lord  not 
as  God  but  only  as  a  man.  540;  the 
faith  concerning  a  trinity  of  Divine  per- 
sons from  eternity,  200,  220,  243,  2S2, 
287,  290;  faith  separate  from  charity, 
and  faith  conjoined  with  charity,  495, 
534  ;  the  beauty  of  faith,  500 ;'  living 
faith  and  dead  faith,  550;  characteristic 
testimonies  and  signs  of  true  faith.  538, 
539.  Reception  according  to  forms, 
516.  That  which  man  receives  from 
freedom  remains,  696  :  freedom  of  speech 
and  of  writing,  1077,  107S.  Free-will, 
680,  692,  700 ;  in  spiritual  things,  678, 
820;  the  Word,  if  man  had  uot  free- 
will in  spiritual  things,  681.  The  friend- 
ship of  love,  626.  The  good  which  man 
does  before  removing  evil  from  his  will, 
615,  616;  meritorious  good,  621.  The. 
subjugation  of  the  hells,  the  orderly  ar- 
rangement of  the  heavens,  and  after- 
wards the  establishment  of  a  church, 
200,  208,  210.  The  union  of  the  Human 
with  the  Divine,  218.  The  hypocrite, 
543  ;  hypocrites  who  make  confession 
with  the  lips  only,  736.  Imputation, 
875.  The  ingenuity  of  many  in  demon- 
strating that  three  are  one,  304.  The 
Lord  operates  out  of  Himself  from  the 
Father,  and  not  the  reverse,  253  ;  the 
Lord  continually  wills  to  implant  truth 
and  good,  246.  The  friendship  of  love, 
626  ;  love  among  the  wicked.  615,  632  ; 
love  of  self,  591  ;  love  of  the  world, 
590,  749.  Man,  such  as  he  is  by  birth, 
781,  7S2  ;  interior  and  exterior,  1094 « 
when  not  regenerate,  801,  859;  before 
and  after  repentance,  747 :  moral  ex- 
ternally, 622,884;  believing  that  regen- 
eration takes  place  without  any  free-will 
in  spiritual  things,  thus  without  co- 
operation, 820:  the  man  whose  under- 
standing has  been  elevated,  but  not  the 
will's  love  by  means  of  it,  796 ;  men 
who  know  many  things  about  doctrine, 
and  yet  do  not  examine  themselves,  743, 
750;  attached  to  the  faith  of  the  pres- 
ent day,  6S4,  78S;  men  who  do  good 
from  religion  before  they  have  ao  epted 
the  doctrine  of  the  New  Church,  7*3  ; 
the  man  who  elevates  his  mind  to  <1<..1 
and  acknowledges  that  all  ihe  truth  of 
wisdom  is  from  Him,  and  the  man  who 
confirms  in  himself  the  idea  that  all  the 
truth  of  wisdom  is  from  the  natural  light 
in  him,  thus  from  himself,  10S  ;  a  re- 
generated internal  man  and  a  ft  ■  - 
rated  external  with  it,  805;  men  who 
approach  the  Holy  Supper  worthily, 
970;  the  regenerate  man,  SoS.  The 
human  mind,  497.  The  Lord  t^AViN 
out  of  Himself  BOB  the  Father,  and  wot 


INDEX. 


the  reverse,  253.  Order,  the  most  uni- 
versal, 908,  909.  Heavenly  peace,  440. 
Reception  according  to  forms,  516.  Re- 
demption, 143,  202,  212.  The  two  states 
of  reformation  and  regeneration,  167  ; 
regeneration  cannot  take  place  without 
truths,  824.  Remission  of  sins,  817. 
Habit  of  repentance,  759.  The  two 
Sacraments,  Baptism  and  the  Holy 
Supper,  898;  signature  or  seal  of  the 
Holy  Supper,  976.  The  sense  of  the 
letter  of  the  IVord,  323  ;  the  Word  with- 
out the  sense  of  the  letter,  345 ;  the 
spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  323,  324 ; 
the  Word,  if  man  had  not  free-will  in 
spiritual  things,  681. 

Comparisons  in  the  Word  are  at  the 
same  time  correspondences,  347. 

Conception  of  man  ;  how  it  is  effected, 
791. 

Condemn  (To).  To  live  wickedly,  and  to 
confirm  falsities  even  to  the  destruction 
of  genuine  truth,  condemns,  383. 

Condition.  Lot  of  man's  life  after  death, 
760.  Condition  of  those  who  believe 
themselves  able  *r^rn  their  own  intelli- 
gence to  acquire  cognitions  of  God,  of 
heaven  and  hell,  and  of  the  spiritual 
things  which  are  of  the  church,  401. 

Confession  is,  that  man  sees,  recognizes, 
and  acknowledges  his  evils,  and  finds 
himself  to  be  a  miserable  sinner,  755. 
The  mere  oral  confession  that  one  is  a 
sinner  is  not  repentance,  733-736.  A 
general  confession  of  sins,  without  enu- 
meration, was  accepted  by  the  Reformed 
who  adhere  to  the  Augsburg  Confession, 
instead  of  actual  repentance,  733.  Con- 
fession ought  to  be  made  before  the 
Lord  God  the  Saviour,  and  then  suppli- 
cation for  aid  and  power  to  resist  evils, 
754.  See  S  implication.  There  is  no 
need  of  enumerating  sins  before  the 
Lord,  because  the  man  has  searched 
them  out  and  seen  them  in  himself, 
moreover  the  Lord  led  him  in  the  ex- 
amination and  laid  them  open,  and 
inspired  sorrow,  and  together  with  this 
the  effort  to  desist  from  them  and  begin 
l  new  life,  756.  It  does  no  harm  for 
one  burdened  in  conscience  to  enu- 
merate his  sins  in  the  presence  of  a 
minister  of  the  church,  for  the  sake  of 
absolution,  that  his  burden  may  be 
lightened,  because  he  is  thus  introduced 
into  the  habit  of  examining  himself,  and 
of  reflecting  upon  the  evils  of  each  day. 
Hut  this  confession  is  natural  ;  that  be- 
fore the  Lord  is  spiritual,  756.  The 
confession  of  the  Lord  and  of  one  God 
conjoins  minds  with  heaven,  1086.  The 
idea  of  three  Gods  cannot  be  blotted  out 
by  the  oral  confession  of  one  God,  290. 
General  Confession  of  the  Christian 
Faith,  ib 

Confidence  in  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour 
Jes'«s  Christ  is  the  Esse  of  the  faith  of 
tne  New  Church,  491. 


Confirm.  Every  man  if  he  will,  may 
confirm  himself  in  favor  of  the  Divine, 
from  the  things  visible  in  nature,  17. 
Those  who  confirm  themselves  in  favor 
of  the  Divine  operation  in  every  thing 
of  nature,  attend  to  the  wonderful  things 
which  are  seen  in  the  productions  of 
plants  as  well  as  of  animals,  1 5.  With 
those  who  from  the  things  visible  in  the 
world,  confirmed  themselves  in  favor  of 
nature  to  such  a  degree  that  they  be- 
came atheists,  their  understanding  in 
spiritual  light  appeared  open  below  and 
closed  above,  20.  Human  ingenuity  can 
confirm  whatever  it  wishes,  829.  The 
natural  rational  can  confirm  whatever  it 
likes,  thus  falsity  equally  as  well  as 
truth  ;  and  when  it  is  confirmed,  both 
appear  in  a  similar  light,  10 19.  Con- 
firmed falsity  remains  and  cannot  be 
rooted  out,  383.  It  is  exceedingly  dan- 
gerous to  enter  with  the  understanding 
into  dogmas  of  faith  composed  from 
one|s  own  intelligence  and  thus  from 
falsities,  and  still  more  to  confirm  them 
from  the  Word,  725.  Some  in  the 
spiritual  world  who  lived  many  years 
ago  and  confirmed  themselves  in  the 
falsities  of  their  religion,  383. 

Confirmation.  The  confirmation  of  fal- 
sity is  the  denial  of  truth,  1019.  After 
one  has  left  the  world,  he  cannot  believe 
any  thing  else  than  what  he  had  by  con- 
firmation impressed  upon  himselr ;  thu 
remains  fixed  in  him,  and  cannot  be 
torn  away,  especially  that  which  any 
one  has  confirmed  in  himself  concerning 
God,  176.  The  real  cause  of  this  is, 
that  confirmation  enters  the  will,  and  the 
will  is  the  man  himself,  and  it  disposes 
the  understanding  at  its  pleasure  ;  but 
bare  cognition  only  enters  the  under- 
standing, and  this  has  no  authority  over 
the  will,  383.  No  one  who  is  in  evil 
and  consequently  in  falsity  from  con- 
firmation and  the  life,  can  know  what 
good  and  truth  are  ;  since  he  believes 
his  evil  to  be  good,  and  from  this  he 
believes  his  falsity  to  be  truth ;  but 
every  one  who  is  in  good  and  conse- 
quently in  truth  from  confirmation  and 
the  life,  can  know  what  evil  and  falsity 
are,  577. 

Confirmers.  Those  who  are  wholly  un- 
able to  see  whether  truth  is  truth  or  not, 
and  yet  can  make  whatever  they  wish 
seem  true,  are  called  confirmers,  468. 

Conjugial  Love;  conjugal  love  {con- 
jugialis,  coiijugalis).  Love  truly  con- 
jugal is  heavenly  love,  which  is  free  from 
dominion,  1072.  Love  truly  conjugal 
corresponds  to  the  love  of  the  Lord  and 
the  Church  ;  into  it  are  brought  together 
all  the  varieties  of  blessedness,  satisfac- 
tion, and  enjoyment  that  can  ever  be 
brought  together  by  the  Lord,  1102. 
Love  truly  conjugal  is  solely  from  the 
Lord,  and  is  given  to  those  who  are 


INDEX. 


II59 


being  regenerated  by  Him,  1102.  Be- 
cause conjugal  love  is  according  to  re- 
ligion, it  is  spiritual  with  the  spiritual, 
natural  with  the  natural,  and  merely 
carnal  with  adulterers,  1102. 
Conjunction.  It  is  by  conjunction  with 
God  that  man  has  salvation  and  eternal 
life,  521,971.  There  can  be  no  conjunc- 
tion with  an  invisible  God,  1049,  1050. 
Conjunction  with  God  is  given  to  man 
solely  by  the  union  of  the  Divine  and 
the  Human  in  the  Lord,  158,  522.  No 
conjunction  between  two  is  given,  unless 
in  turn  they  accede  one  to  the  other, 
160.  There  cannot  be  conjunction  un- 
less it  be  reciprocal ;  and  it  becomes  re- 
ciprocal while  man  acts  from  his  free- 
dom, and  yet  from  faith  attributes  all 
activity  to  the  Lord,  178.  Reciprocal 
conjunction,  160,  213,  521,  685.  726. 
The  reciprocal  conjunctic  n,  by  which 
man  has  salvation  and  e.ernal  life,  is 
perpetual,  684.  The  conjunction  of  the 
Lord  and  man  is  reciprocal ;  and  because 
it  is  reciprocal  it  follows  that  man  ought 
to  conjoin  himself  with  the  Lord  that  the 
Lord  may  conjoin  Himself  with  man, 
525,  6S4,  1050.  God's  conjunction  with 
man  is  spiritual  conjunction  in  the  nat- 
ural, and  man's  conjunction  with  God  is 
natural  conjunction  from  the  spiritual. 
For  the  sake  of  this  conjunction  as  an 
end,  man  was  created  a  native  of  heaven 
and  at  the  same  time  of  the  world  ;  as  a 
native  of  heaven  he  is  spiritual,  and  as  a 
native  of  the  world  he  is  natural,  522. 
The  reciprocal  conjunction  of  the  Lord 
and  man  is  effected  by  charity  and  faith, 
527.  Goods  should  be  done  by  man  as 
from  himself;  but  it  should  be  believed 
that  they  are  from  the  Lord,  with  man 
and'  through  him  ;  this  is  of  the  con- 
junction of  charity  and  faith,  thus  of  the 
Lord  and  man,  4.  The  conjunction 
with  the  Lord,  effected  by  charity  and 
faith  is  spiritual  conjunction,  52S.  There 
is  conjunction  with  the  Lord  by  the 
Word;  this  conjunction  does  not  ap- 
pear to  man,  but  it  is  in  the  affection  for 
truth  and  in  the  perception  of  it,  305. 
Conjunction  is  effected  by  temptations, 
213.  Conjunction  is  effected  by  the 
Lord  only  when  man  docs  the  things 
written  in  his  table,  423.  Conjunction 
with  the  Lord  is  effected  by  the  Holy 
Supper,  971,  972,  973.  Conjunction 
with  heaven  cannot  be  given  unless 
there  is  somewhere  on  earth  a  chinch 
where  the  Word  is,  and  the  Lord  is 
known  by  it,  395.  Conjunction  of  good 
and  truth,  of  charity  and  faith,  and  of 
the  internal  and  the  external  man,  167, 
621,  871.  In  heaven  the  conjunction  of 
good  and  truth  is  called  the  heavenly 
marriage,  570.  The  conjunction  be- 
tween men  and  annuls  by  means  of  tin- 
love's  affections  is  so  close  that  if  it 
were  severed  men  WOdld  die,  Si  1.  Con- 


junction was  represented  by  breaking 
the  bread  and  distributing  it,  and  by 
drinking  from  the  same  cup  and  hand- 
ing it  to  one  another,  613.  Friendship 
is  natural  conjunction,  but  love  is  spirit- 
ual conjunction,  625. 

Conscience  viewed  in  itself  is  not  a  pain, 
but  it  is  a  spiritual  willingness  to  do 
according  to  what  is  of  religion  and  of 
faith,  894.  The  pain  of  mind  which  is 
believed  to  be  conscience  is  not  con- 
science but  temptation,  which  is  conflict 
of  the  spirit  and  the  flesh  ;  and  this 
when  it  is  spiritual  draws  from  the  spring 
of  conscience,  but  it  it  is  natural  mere- 
ly, it  originates  from  diseases,  894.  All 
who  have  conscience  say  v. hat  they  say 
from  the  heart,  and  do  what  they  do 
from  the  heart,  895.    See  889-894. 

Consistence  of  all  things  depends  on 
order,  908. 

Consociation.  Every  man  is  in  com- 
munion, that  is,  in  consociation  with 
angels  of  heaven,  or  with  spirits  of  hell, 
811.  Consociation  of  man  with  angels  is 
effected  by  the  natural  or  literal  sense  of 
the  Word,  368.  Every  man,  as  to  his 
spirit,  is  consociated  with  his  like  in  the 
spiritual  world,  and  is  as  one  with  them, 
24,  235.  All  conjunctions  and  consoci- 
ations in  the  spiritual  world  are  effected 
according  to  sympathies  and  antipathies, 

5*5-  ... 

Consonants-  In  the  third  heaven  the 
angels  do  not  pronounce  any  consonants 
hard,  but  soft,  404. 

Constantine  the  Great,  84',  S53,  854. 

Consummation  of  the  age  is  the  last 
time  or  the  end  of  the  church,  1019. 
The  consummation  of  a  church  takes 
place  when  there  remains  no  Divine 
truth  except  what  is  falsified  or  rejected, 
1014.  When  truth  is  consummated  in  a 
church,  good  is  also  consummated,  1014 ; 
the  good  which  is  then  believed  to  be 
good,  is  only  the  natural  good  which  a 
moral  life  produces,  1014.  Causes'  of 
the  consummation  of  a  church,  1014. 
Devastation,  desolation,  and  decision 
have  a  similar  signification  witli  consum- 
mation ;  but  desolation  signifies  the  con- 
summation of  truth,  devastation  the 
consummation  of  good,  and  decision  the 
full  consummation  of  both,  1016.  In 
the  Kvangelists  and  the  Apocalypse  the 
consummation  of  the  age,  means  the 
end  of  the  church  of  the  present  day, 
301  329,  1047. 

Contradiction.  It  is  not  a  contradiction 
to  act  omnipotently  according  to  the 
laws  of  justice  witli  judgment,  or  accord- 
ing to  the  laws  inscribed  on  love  from 
wisdom;  but  it  is  a  contradiction  that 
God  can  act  contrary  to  the  laws  of  His 
justice  and  lore,  119.  Contradictory 
propositions,  2S9,  57-'. 

Contri  1  ion.  The  contrition  which  al 
tins  day  is  said  to  precede  faith,  and  to 


n6o 


INDEX. 


be  followed  by  the  consolation  of  the 
Gospel,  is  not  repentance,  730,  732,  893; 
that  it  is  of  no  moment,  731.  Contri- 
tion which  is  held  to  precede  the  pres- 
ent faith  is  not  temptation,  804.  The 
Reformed  supported  contrition  instead 
of  repentance,  in  order  to  sever  them- 
selves from  the  Roman  Catholics  who 
insist  upon  repentance  and  at  the  same 
time  charity,  733. 

Conversion.  Man  is  being  kept  continu- 
ally in  a  state  in  which  repentance  and 
conversion  are  possible,  966.  In  order 
that  conversion  may  take  place,  must 
not  the  ferine  nature  of  the  panther  and 
the  owl,  or  the  noxious  quality  of  the 
thorn  bush  and  the  nettle,  first  be  taken 
away,  and  what  is  truly  human  and 
harmless  implanted  in  its  stead?  859. 

Co-operation  of  the  active  and  the  pas- 
sive, 635.  Co-operation  of  man  with 
the  Lord  in  regeneration,  526,  782,  787. 
Illustrated  by  examples,  783-785.  Man's 
action,  concordant  with  the  Lord's  ac- 
tion, is  what  is  meant  by  co-operation, 
783. 

Correspondences  are  representations  of 
spiritual  and  heavenly  things  in  natural 
things,  337.  There  is  a  correspondence 
between  the  things  which  are  in  the 
spiritual  world,  and  the  things  which 
are  in  the  natural  world,  121.  The 
magnificent  and  splendid  things  in  the 
heavens  are  correspondences  of  the 
affections  of  the  love  of  good  and  truth  ; 
but  the  vile  and  filthy  things  in  the  hells 
are  correspondences  of  the  affections  of 
the  love  of  evil  and  falsity,  127,  129-13 1. 
Correspondences  are  the  receptacles  and 
dwelling-places  of  genuine  truth,  348- 
Correspondences  mediate  between  the 
senses  of  the  Word,  951.  Because 
Divine  things  present  themselves  in  the 
world  in  correspondences,  therefore  the 
Word  was  written  by  mere  correspond- 
ences, 335.  What  is  written  by  corre- 
spondences, is  in  the  ultimate  sense 
written  in  a  style  such  as  is  found  in  the 
Prophets,  the  Evangelists,  and  the 
Apocalypse ;  which  although  it  seems 
common-place,  still  conceals  within  it 
Divine  wisdom,  and  all  angelic  wisdom, 
325.  The  Lord  when  in  the  world  spake 
by  correspondences,  thus  when  He 
spake  naturally  He  also  spake  spirit- 
ually, 331,  335.  In  man  there  is  a  per- 
petual correspondence  between  those 
things  which  take  place  naturally  and 
those  which  take  place  spiritually,  or 
between  those  things  which  take  place 
in  the  body  and  those  which  take  place 
in  the  spirit,  789.  There  is  a  plenary 
correspondence  between  the  angelic 
heaven  and  man,  104.  There  is  a  per- 
petual correspondence  of  all  tilings  of 
the  mind  with  all  things  of  the  body, 
69.  Correspondences,  334-340;  of  the 
heart  and  of  the  lungs,  66 ;  between 


spiritual  and  natural  sight,  492.  Be- 
tween ihe  effects  and  uses  from  the  Sun 
of  the  spiritual  world  and  the  effects 
and  uses  from  the  sun  of  the  natnral 
world,  no;  of  the  tree  with  man,  530, 
791,  792.  Correspondences,  knowledge 
of,  334-340,  1088,  1089.  To  the  ancients, 
the  science  of  correspondences  was  the 
science  of  sciences,  and  was  so  univer- 
sal that  all  their  manuscripts  and  books 
were  written  by  correspondences,  335, 
405,  10S8,  1099.  Since  the  represent- 
ative rites  of  the  church,  which  were 
correspondences,  in  the  course  of  time 
began  to  be  turned  into  what  was  idol- 
atrous and  also  into  what  was  magical, 
that  knowledge,  by  the  Divine  Provi- 
dence of  the  Lord,  was  then  lost,  and 
with  the  nation  of  Israel  and  Judah  was 
totally  obliterated,  337.  The  knowl- 
edge of  correspondences  remained  with 
many  of  the  people  of  the  East  even  to 
the  Coming  of  the  Lord,  338.  The 
science  of  correspondences  was  not  dis- 
closed_  after  those  times,  because  the 
Christians  of  the  primitive  church  were 
so  very  simple  that  it  could  not  be  dis- 
closed to  them ;  for  if  disclosed,  it 
would  have  been  of  no  use  to  them, 
nor  would  it  have  been  understood,  339. 
It  has  been  revealed  at  this  day,  be- 
cause now  the  Divine  truths  of  the 
church  are  coming  forth  into  the  light, 
34o. 

Cortical  substance  of  the  brain,  498,  943. 

Councils.  289,  291-294.  No  confidence 
to  be  put  in  councils,  851.  See  292,  293, 
313-319.  Council  of  Nice,  154,  229, 
289,  291,  294,  296,  339,  4S1,  848.  Coun- 
cil called  together  by  the  Lord,  in  the 
spiritual  world,  313. 

Country.  Men  should  love  their  coun- 
try, because  it  supports  and  protects 
them,  441.  One's  country  is  to  be  loved 
not  as  a  man  loves  himself,  but  more 
than  himself,  599.  To  love  one's  coun- 
try is  to  love  the  public  welfare,  599  ;  it 
is  noble  to  die  for  it,  and  glorious  for  a 
soldier  to  shed  his  blood  for  it,  599. 
They  who  love  their  country,  and  do 
good  to  it  from  good  will,  after  death 
love  the  Lord's  Kingdom,  for  this  is 
their  country  there,  599. 

Covenant.  Why  the  Decalogue  is  called 
a  covenant,  423.  The  old  covenant; 
the  new  covenant ;  the  blood  of  the  new 
covenant,  954,  975.  The  covenant  of 
the  people,  976.  Covenant  in  the  Word 
signifies  conjunction,  423. 

Covering.  There  is  a  general  covering 
about  evrry  member,  and  this  insinuates 
itself  into  every  part  therein,  so  that 
they  make  one  in  every  office  and  use, 
00. 

Covering  (Isa.  iv.  5;  Ez.  xxviii.  12,  13). 
signifies  the  sense  of  the  letter  which 
covers  the  interiors  of  the  Word,  3  16, 
353- 


INDEX. 


Cows  signify  good  natural  affections,  337. 

Creatable.  Wisdom  is  not  creatabie  ; 
so  neither  is  faith,  nor  truth,  nor  love, 
nor  charity,  nor  good  ;  but  forms  re- 
ceiving them  have  been  created,  71,  512, 
671.  It  is  according  to  creation  that 
where  there  are  actives  there  are  also 
passives,  and  that  the  two  join  them- 
selves together  as  in  one,  671,  783.  If 
actives  were  creatabie  as  passives  are, 
there  would  have  been  no  need  of  the 
sun,  and  heat  and  light  from  it,  671, 

Create.  To  create  means  to  form  for 
heaven,  1034.  To  be  created  signifies 
to  be  regenerated,  780. 

Creation.  An  idea  of  creation,  55,  56. 
One  thing  was  formed  from  another, 
55.  A  sketch  of  creation,  123.  The 
whole  creation  seen  in  a  particular  as  a 
type,  129.  God  created  the  universe 
with  all  and  every  thing  of  it,  from  love 
by  wisdom,  66.  God  in  creating  the 
universe  had  one  end  in  view,  which  was 
an  angelic  heaven  from  the  human  race, 
21,  1034.  The  three  essentials  of  the  Di- 
vine Love  were  the  cause  of  the  creation 
of  the  universe,  and  they  are  the  cause 
of  its  preservation,  78.  See  Love.  No 
one  can  obtain  for  himself  a  just  idea 
concerning  the  creation  of  the  universe, 
unless  some  universal  cognitions,  pre- 
viously acquired,  put  the  understanding 
in  a  state  of  perception,  120.  God  did 
not  create  the  universe  out  of  nothing, 
because  vothuig  is  made  out  of  nothing  ; 
but  by  means  of  the  Sun  of  the  angelic 
heaven,  124.  This  has  been  done  ac- 
cording to  the  laws  of  correspondence, 
130.  No  creation  was  possible  without 
order,  702.  All  things  in  the  spiritual 
world  are  created  by  God  instanta- 
neously, according  to  correspondence 
with  the  affections  of  the  angels  ;  while 
all  those  things  that  are  in  the  natural 
world  exist  and  grow  from  seeds,  130, 
1056.  Creation  in  the  natural  world  was 
similar  to  creation  in  the  spiritual  world, 
while  the  universe  was  created  by  God, 
130.  Obnoxious  animals  and  produc- 
tions have  not  been  created  by  Ood,  for 
ail  things  that  God  created  and  creates 
were  and  are  good ;  but  such  things 
upon  the  earth  arose  together  with  hell, 
which  existed  from  men,  131.  Natural 
things  were  created  that  they  might 
clothe  spiritual  things,  130.  Because 
man  is  the  principal  end  of  creation  it 
follows  that  all  and  every  tiling  has  been 
created  for  the  sake  of  man,  and  conse- 
quently that  all  and  every  thing  of  order 
has  been  brought  together  into  him, 
and  concentrated  in  him,  that  Ood  may 
do  primary  uses  through  him,  106.  As 
subsistence  is  perpetual  existence,  so 
preservation  is  perpetual  creation,  357. 
Sec  Creatabie  Thing!  ;  also  Sun. 

Crkatukh.  The  spiritual  man  is  a  new 
creature,  778.    Kvery  creature  (Mark 

•4 


xvi.  15)  means  all  who  can  be  regener- 
ated, 780.  By  a  new  creature  is  meant 
one  who  is  regenerated,  915. 

Crocodiles  represent  the  lusts  of  diaboli' 
cal  love,  77. 

Cross.  In  Baptism  the  infant  receives 
the  sign  of  the  cross  upon  the  forehead 
and  the  breast,  which  is  a  sign  of  inaugu- 
ration into  the  acknowledgment  and  the 
worship  of  the  Lord,  911. 

Crown  of  Thorns  (The)  put  on  the 
Lord,  signified  that  they  falsified  and 
adulterated  the  Word  as  to  its  Divine 
truths,  217. 

Crucifixion  (The)  of  the  Lord  signified 
that  they  destroyed  and  profaned  the 
whole  Word,  217. 

Crucify  (To)  the  Lord  is  to  be  rashly 
angry  with  the  Lord,  to  hate  Him,  and 
to  wish  to  blot  out  His  name,  445. 

Cup  signifies  the  truth  of  the  Word,  348. 
The  Lord  called  the  passion  of  the  cross 
a  cup  (Matt.  xxvi.  39,  42  ;  Mark  xiv.  36  ; 
John  xviii.  11),  952. 

Currlnt  of  attraction  from  the  Lord, 
497,  869.  There  is  a  sort  of  latent  cur- 
rent in  the  affection  of  every  angel's 
will,  that  draws  his  mind  to  the  doing  of 
something,  985. 

Curtains  of  the  Tabernacle  (The) 
signify  goods  and  truths,  in  the  ulti- 
mates,  such  as  they  are  in  the  sense  of 
the  letter,  353.  They  signify  the  ulti- 
mates  of  heaven  and  the  church,  and 
also  of  the  Word,  3S8. 


Dagon  represented  the  religious  system  of 
those  who  are  in  faith  separate  from 
charity,  337.    See  also,  112,  421,817. 

Damnation.  The  total  damnation  which 
threatened  the  whole  human  race,  be- 
cause the  power  of  evil  prevailed  over 
the  power  of  good,  was  removed  bv 
means  of  the  Lord's  Human,  3,  207, 
785.  The  Lord  has  delivered  the  spirit- 
ual world,  and  by  means  of  it  is  about 
to  deliver  the  church  from  universal 
damnation,  207. 

Daphne,  98. 

Darkness  signifies  falsities  arising  eith<  r 
from  ignorance  or  from  falsities  of  re- 
ligion, or  from  evils  of  life,  8*2.  That 
at  the  end  of  the  Christian  church  the 
light  of  truth  would  he  RlBHWl  BZtin* 
guished,  is  foretold  in  many  places  in 
the  Apocalypse,  398. 

David.  By  1  >avid,  in  the  Word,  is  meant 
the  Lord,  288. 

Day  (The)  of  Jehovah  means  the  Coniinc 
of  the  Lord,  331,  1023.  The  Coining  <  f 
the  Lord  is  the  mm  nine.,  i.us. 

Death  is  not  the  extinction  ol  lile,  but  its 
continuation,  and  it  is  only  a  passage 
across,  WMi  Kntrancc  into  the  pint 
ual  world  is  generally  on  the  third  dav 
after  decease,  239,  41a.  Man  after  &mm 
is  none  the  less  a  man,  and  such  a  m.in 

* 


1 162 


INDEX. 


as  not  to  know  that  he  is  not  still  in  the 
former  world,  1055.  Spiritual  death 
viewed  in  itself  is  natural  life  without 
spiritual,  522.  Immediately  after  his 
entrance  into  the  spiritual  world  man  is 
for  some  time  preparing  for  his  society 
to  which  he  has  been  assigned,  626,  769 
See  World  of  Spirits. 

Debts  of  Charity,  610,  611.  Wherein 
they  consist,  610  ;  some  are  public,  610  ; 
some  domestic,  611;  and  some  are  pri- 
vate, 612.  These  are  discharged  by  those 
who  are  in  charity  with  a  different  mind 
from  that  with  those  who  are  not  in 
charity,  612.    See  Charity. 

Decalogue.  The  decalogue  was  holiness 
itself  in  the  Israelitish  church,  421-424. 
In  the  sense  of  the  letter  the  decalogue 
contains  the  general  precepts  of  doc- 
trine and  life ;  but  in  the  spiritual  and 
heavenly  senses,  all  universally,  424, 
427.  The  ten  commandments  of  the 
decalogue  contain  all  things  which  are 
of  love  to  God,  and  all  things  which  are 
of  love  to  the  neighbor,  457,  634.  The 
laws  of  the  decalogue,  universally  known 
in  the  world,  were  promulgated  from 
mount  Sinai  by  Jehovah  Himself  with 
so  great  a  miracle,  that  men  might  know 
that  these  were  not  only  civil  and  moral, 
but  also  Divine  laws,  417-,  624.  The 
commandments  of  the  decalogue  were 
the  first-fruits  of  the  Word,  420.  They 
were  in  a  brief  summary  a  complex  of 
all  things  of  religion,  by  which  con- 
junction of  God  with  man  and  of  man 
with  God  is  given,  420.  Since  by  that 
law  there  is  conjunction  of  the  Lord 
with  man  and  of  man  with  the  Lord,  it 
is  called  the  covenant  and  the  testi- 
mony, 423,  633.  It  was  written  on  two 
tables,  one  of  which  contains  in  the 
complex  all  things  which  regard  God ; 
and  the  other  contains  in  the  complex 
all  things  which  regard  man,  424,  633. 
See  Commandments. 

DECISION  in  the  Word  signifies  the  full 
consummation  of  both  truth  and  good, 
1016.    See  Consjcmmation. 

Degrees.  In  each  world,  the  spiritual 
and  the  natural,  there  are  three  de- 
grees, which  are  called  degrees  of  height, 
121.  These  three  degrees  among  them- 
selves are  similar  to  end,  cause,  and 
effect,  54.  Between  the  three  degrees 
of  height,  there  is  a  progress  to  infinity, 
in  that  the  first  degree,  which  is  called 
natural,  cannot  be  perfected  and  elevated 
to  the  perfection  of  the  second  degree, 
which  is  called  spiritual,  nor  this  to  the 
perfection  of  the  third  which  is  called 
heavenly,  54.  The  three  heavens  were 
made  from  the  three  degrees  of  spiritual 
atmospheres,  123  ;  they  are  distinct  from 
each  other  according  to  the  three  de- 
grees of  love  and  wisdom,  812,  813.  By 
means  of  degrees,  God  made  the  world 
finite  more  and  more,  56.    There  are 


three  degrees  of  love  and  wisdom,  and 
thence  three  degrees  of  life,  73.  There 
are  in  every  man  from  creation  three 
degrees  of  life,  368.  Man  is  in  the  nat- 
ural degree  as  long  as  he  is  in  the  world, 
and  is  then  so  far  in  the  angelic  spirit- 
ual as  he  is  in  genuine  truths,  and  so 
far  in  the  heavenly  as  he  is  in  a  life  ac- 
cording to  them  ;  he  does  not  come  into 
the  spiritual  itself  and  the  heavenly  itself 
till  after  death,  because  these  two  are 
enclosed  and  stored  up  within  his  nat- 
ural ideas,  368.  Effects  of  opening  and 
shutting  the  various  degrees  of  the 
mind,  57. 

Deltght.  In  the  heat  and  light  of  heaven 
there  is  ineffable  delight,  which  is  com- 
municated, 831.  The  soul's  delight  is 
from  Love  and  Wisdom  from  the  Lord; 
this  delight  flows  into  the  soul  from  the 
Lord,  descends  through  the  higher  and 
the  lower  regions  of  the  mind  into  al! 
the  senses  of  the  body  and  fills  itself  full 
in  them,  990.    See  Enjoyment. 

Democritus,  932. 

Demosthenes,  926. 

Denmark,  272. 

Depose.  Those  deposed,  who  presided 
over  large  bodies,  because  they  do  not 
love  what  is  true  or  what  is  just,  413. 

Descartes,  939. 

Desolation  in  the  Word  signifies  the 
consummation  of  truth,  1016,  300.  See 
Consummation. 

Deucalion  and  Pyrrha,  98. 

Devastation  of  the  present  church  even 
to  destruction,  851.  Devastation  in  the 
Word  signifies  the  consummation  of 
good,  10 1 6.    See  Consummation. 

Devils.  They  are  called  devils  who  have 
been  in  evils  and  thence  in  falsities,  416. 
They  are  called  devils  who  have  con- 
firmed evils  in  themselves  by  the  life, 
138.  Devils;  those  who  have  lived 
wickedly,  and  have  thus  rejected  from 
their  hearts  all  acknowledgment  of  God, 
58.  Devils  considered  in  their  essence 
are  no  other  than  evils  and  falsities.  148. 
A  devil  meditates  and  practises  only  in- 
fernal things,  247.  Every  devil  can 
understand  what  is  true  when  he  he  irs 
it,  but  he  cannot  retain  it,  because  when 
the  affection  of  evil  returns,  it  casts  out 
the  thought  of  truth,  560,  679.  Devils 
have  rationality  from  the  glory  of  the 
love  of  self,  724.  The  name  Jesus  can 
be  spoken  by  no  devil  in  hell,  434. 
Every  one  is  allowed  to  be  in  his  own 
enjoyment,  even  the  most  unclean,  pro- 
vided he  does  not  infest  good  spirits  and 
angels;  but  as  from  their  enjoyment 
evil  spirits  cannot  do  otherwise  than  in- 
fest them,  they  are  cast  into  work-houses 
where  thev  suffer  hard  things,  777,  879, 
880.    See  Satans,  Hell. 

Diana,  29,  98,  265. 

Die.    Man  can  never  die,  946. 

Difference  between  man  in  the  natural 


INDEX. 


world,  and  man  in  the  spiritual  world, 
1056;  between  man  and  beast,  601,  672, 
781  ;  between  natural  and  spiritual  faith 
and  charity,  647-652 ;  between  things 
that  are  seen  in  the  natural  world  and 
the  things  that  are  seen  in  the  spiritual 
world,  1056. 

Dignities.  The  love  of  self  is  chiefly 
a  love  of  dignities,  589. 

Dinners  and  suppers  of  charity  are  among 
those  only  who  are  in  mutual  love  from 
similar  faith,  613. 

Diugenes,  926. 

Direction.  Contrary  direction  of  the 
mind's  interiors  ;  what  it  produces.  816, 
925- 

Disciples.  The  twelve  disciples  in  the 
spiritual  world,  1054,  5,  172.  SeeAfios- 
tles. 

Diseases,  892.  Lingering  diseases,  744  ; 
chronic  diseases,  750. 

Disposition  is  from  the  affection  of  the 
love  in  the  will ;  the  enjoyment  coming 
from  this  love  disposes,  258.  As  the 
disposition  is,  such  is  the  reception,  9. 
The  disposition  of  the  truths  of  faith  is 
into  series,  thus,  as  it  were,  fascicles,  497. 
The  Divine  order  is  that  man  should 
dispose  himself  for  the  reception  of 
God,  166. 

Dissimulation.  Origin  of  all  dissimu- 
lation, 799,  179. 

Distinction  between  the  spiritual  and 
the  natural,  407,  811,  1101. 

Divide.  Every  thing  which  is  divided, 
unless  it  depend  on  one,  would  of  itself 
fall  to  pieces,  12.  Every  thing  is  divisi- 
ble to  infinity,  56.  What  is  divided  does 
not  become  more  and  more  simple,  but 
more  and  more  manifold,  because  it 
comes  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  Infinite, 
in  which  are  all  things  infinitely,  410. 
A  man  may  divide  his  heart,  and  com- 
pel its  surface  to  raise  itself  upwards, 
while  its  flesh  turns  itself  downwards, 
252. 

Divine.  What  is  from  God  is  not  called 
God,  but  is  called  Divine,  41.  The 
Divine  which  proceeds  immediately  from 
God  is  not  in  space,  although  He  is 
omnipresent,  48.  From  the  Lord  pro- 
ceeds the  Heavenly  [Ce/"stial\  Divine, 
the  Spiritual  Divine,  and  the  Natural 
Divine,  326.  That  is  called  the  Heav- 
enly Divine  which  proceeds  from  His 
Divine  Love  ;  that  is  called  the  Spiritual 
Divine  which  proceeds  from  His  Divine 
Wisdom  ;  the  Natural  Divine  is  from 
both,  and  is  their  complex  in  the  ulti- 
m  Ue.  326.  In  everv  Divine  there  is  a 
first,  a  mediate,  and  an  ultimate:  and 
the  first  passes  through  the  mediate  to 
the  ultimate,  343.  Divine  tilings  pre- 
sent themselves  in  the  world  in  corre- 
spondence*, 335. 

Divine  Attributes,  43,  834.  Changed 
by  the  gentile  nations  into  as  many 
gods,  29,  401,  834. 


Divine  Esse  (The)  is  Jehovah,  31-40. 
It  is  Esse  in  itself,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  Existere  in  itself,  34,  35.  The 
Divine  Esse  and  Existere  in  itself  can- 
not produce  another  Divine  that  is 
Esse  and  Existere  in  itself,  37.  A  plu- 
rality of  gods,  in  ancient  and  also  in 
modern  times,  originated  from  no  other 
cause  than  from  not  understanding  the 
Divine  Esse,  38.  The  Divine  Esse  is 
One.  The  Same,  The  Itself,  and  Indi- 
visible, 41.    See  Esse. 

Divine  Esse  and  Divine  Essence.  As 
infinity,  immensity,  and  eternity  pertain 
to  the  Divine  Esse,  so  omnipotence, 
omniscience,  and  omnipresence  pertain 
to  the  Divine  Essence,  90.  It  appears 
as  if  these  two  were  one  and  the  same  ; 
but  still  esse  is  more  universal  than 
essence,  for  an  essence  supposes  .in 
esse,  and  from  esse  essence  is  derived, 
31,  65-  Not  that  the  Esse  of  God 
existed  before,  but  because  it  enters  into 
the  Essence,  as  an  adjunct,  cohering 
with,  determining,  forming,  and  at  the 
same  time  elevating  it,  65. 

Divine  Essence  (The)  is  made  of  the 
Divine  Love  and  the  Divine  Wisdom  ; 
or  of  Divine  Good  and  Divine  Truth, 
67.  God  neither  could  nor  can  divide 
His  Essence,  for  this  is  one  and  indivisi- 
ble, 512.  Where  the  Lord  is  prerent, 
there  He  is  with  His  whole  Essence: 
and  it  is  impossible  for  Him  to  take 
some  of  it  away,  and  thus  to  give  a  part 
to  one  and  a  part  to  another;  but  He 
gives  the  whole,  and  gives  man  the 
opportunity  to  take  little  or  much,  513. 
Because  God  cannot  be  received  by  any 
one  as  He  is  in  Himself,  He  appears  as 
He  is  in  His  Essence  as  a  Sun  above 
the  angelic  heavens,  42.    See  Essence. 

Divine  Good  and  Divine  Truth  are 
the  Essence  of  God,  145.  In  the  Word 
by  Jehovah  is  meant  the  Divine  l.ovc  or 
the  Divine  Good;  and  by  (lod.  the  Di- 
vine Wisdom  or  the  Divine  Truth,  145. 
Nor  is  any  other  than  the  Divine  Troth 
meant  by  the  Messiah  or  Christ,  i.or  by 
the  Son  of  Man,  nor  by  the  Comforter, 
the  Holy  Spirit,  145.  Jehovah  God 
descended  into  the  world  as  Divine 
Truth  that  He  might  do  the  work  of 
redemption,  146.  Although  God  de- 
scended as  the  Divine  Truth,  still  He 
did  not  separate  the  Divine  Good,  148. 
He  did  the  work  of  redemption  by  the 
Divine  Truth  from  the  Divine  Good, 
146. 

Divine  Human  (The).  See  m«mv 
Divine  Itself  (The),  37.  The  DffTM, 
which  in  itself  is  ineffable  and  imper- 
ceptible, was  in  its  descent  adapted  to 
the  perception  of  angels,  and  at  last  to 
the  perception  of  men,  324. 
Divine  I>ovk  and  JMmsk  Wisdom. 
These  are  two  things  which  proceed 

from  the  Lord,  323.  Tho  udIvwmvm 


INDEX. 


created  by  Jehovah  God  from  His  Love 
by  His  Wisdom,  123.  The  Divine  Love, 
together  with  the  Divine  Wisdom,  is  in 
all  created  subjects  and  in  every  one,  66. 
God  in  His  Essence  is  Divine  Love, 
1093.  Divine  Love  forms  life,  as  fire 
forms  light,  70.  Divine  Wisdom  is 
properly  life,  and  life  is  properly  the 
light  which  proceeds  from  the  Sun  of 
the  spiritual  world,  in  the  midst  of 
which  is  Jehovah  God,  70.  Divine 
Love  can  purpose  only  to  unite  itself  to 
man  and  man  to  itself,  1093.  The 
whole  angelic  he"aven  is  arranged  into 
its  form  and  preserved  in  it  from  the 
Divine  Love  by  the  Divine  Wisdom,  67. 

Divine  Order.  Righteousness  is  Divine 
order  itself,  156.  The  Divine  order  is 
unchangeable,  166.  The  Divine  order 
is,  that  man  should  dispose  himself  for 
the  reception  of  God,  and  prepare  him- 
self as  a  receptacle  and  habitation  into 
which  God  may  enter,  and  dwell  there 
as  in  His  temple,  166.  Divine  order 
fills  ail  and  every  thing,  even  to  each 
minutest  particular  in  the  universe,  167. 
Man  was  created  a  form  of  Divine 
order,  10 1.  Man  is  so  far  in  power 
against  evil  and  falsity,  as  he  lives  ac- 
cording to  Divine  order,  106.  It  is  the 
same  whether  you  say,  to-do  contrary  to 
Divine  order,  or  to  do  contrary  to  God, 
702.  It  is  according  to  Divine  order 
that  there  should  be  generals  and  par- 
ticulars, and  that  both  should  be  to- 
gether in  every  single  thing,  and  that 
otherwise  particulars  do  not  exist  and 
subsist,  1035. 

Divinities.  Angels  said  that  they  could 
not  even  utter  "  three  equal  Divini- 
ties," 37. 

Doctrinals  (The)  of  the  New  Church 
are  continuous  truths,  laid  open  by  the 
Lord  by  means  of  the  Word ;  and  con- 
firmations of  those  truths  by  means  of 
what  is  rational  cause  the  understanding 
to  be  opened  above  more  and  more,  and 
thus  to  be  elevated  into  the  light  in 
which  the  angels  of  heaven  are,  726. 
Faith  is  the  principle,  and  doctrinals  are 
derivatives,  295. 

Doctrine  (The)  of  the  church  is  to  be 
drawn  from  the  sense  of  the  letter  of 
the  Word  and  confirmed  by  it,  35S-362. 
The  doctrine  of  genuine  truth  may  be 
fully  drawn  from  the  literal  sense  of  the 
Word;  for  the  Word  in  that  sense  is 
like  a  man  clothed,  whose  face  is  bare 
and  his  hands  also  bare.  All  the  things 
which  pertain  to  a  man's  faith  and  life, 
and  thus  to  his  salvation,  are  naked 
there,  but  the  rest  are  clothed,  362.  The 
Word  is  not  understood  without  doc- 
trine, 361.  The  Word  by  doctrine  is 
not  only  understood,  but  it  also  shines  in 
the  understanding,  361.  True  doctrine 
is  like  a  lamp  in  the  dark,  and  like  a 
guide-post  on  the  highway,  361.  They 


who  read  the  Word  without  doctrine  am 
in  obscurity  respecting  every  truth,  and 
their  mind  is  wandering  and  uncertain, 
prone  to  errors,  and  also  easily  falling 
into  heresies,  361.  The  most  essential 
thing  of  the  church  is,  that  Jehovah  God 
descended  and  assumed  the  Human,  15S. 
Doctrine  is  not  gathered  by  means  ol 
the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  but 
only  illustrated  and  corroborated,  362. 
Genuine  truth,  which  will  be  of  doctrine, 
does  not  appear  in  the  sense  of  the  let- 
ter of  the  Word  to  any  but  those  who 
are  in  enlightenment  from  the  Lord,  362, 
363.  Doctrine  does  not  establish  and 
make  the  special  church  which  is  with 
the  individual  man,  but  faith  and  a  life 
according  to  it,  373.  All  things  per- 
taining to  doctrine  and  life  have  relation 
to  love  to  God  and  love  toward  the 
neighbor,  424. 

Do  from  Himself  (To)  belongs  to  God 
alone,  828. 

Dogmas.  It  is  exceedingly  dangerous  to 
enter  with  the  understanding  into  dog- 
mas of  faith  composed  from  one's  own 
intelligence  and  thus  from  falsities,  and 
still  more  to  confirm  them  from  the 
Word,  725.  But  in  the  New  Church  it 
is  allowable  to  enter  with  the  under- 
standing and  to  penetrate  into  all  its 
secrets,  and  also  to  confirm  them  by  the 
Word,  726. 

Dominant  Love  (The).  Man's  very  life 
is  his  love,  and  such  as  the  love  is  such 
is  the  life,  577.  This  love  has  many 
other  loves  subordinate  to  it,  which  are 
derivations,  and  with  it  make  one  king- 
dom, 577.  That  which  is  of  the  domi- 
nant love,  is  what  is  loved  above  all 
things;  this  is  continually  present  in 
man's  thought,  because  it  is  in  his  will 
and  makes  his  veriest  life,  577.  A  man 
is  wholly  such  as  the  dominant  [princi- 
ple] of  his  life  is ;  by  this  he  is  distin- 
guished from  others  ;  according  to  this 
his  heaven  is  made  if  he  is  good,  and 
his  hell  if  he  is  evil.  After  death  this 
cannot  be  changed,  because  it  is  the 
man  himself,  578 

Door  (The)  signifies  the  Lord  God  the 
Redeemer,  202. 

Dort  {Synod  of),  686,  687,  1020. 

Double.  Man  is  double-minded,  249. 
Pretenders,  flatterers,  liars,  and  hypo- 
crites possess  a  double  mind,  623. 

Dove  (The)  signifies  regeneration  and 
purification,  246.  The  doves  which  ap- 
pear in  heaven  are  correspondences  of 
the  affections  and  thence  the  thoughts 
in  relation  to  regeneration  and  purifica- 
tion, 246. 

Dragon.  By  dragon,  in  the  Apocalypse, 
are  meant  those  who  are  in  the  faith  of 
the  present  church,  302,  86£.  By  the 
dragon's  persecuting  the  woman  who 
brought  forth  the  son,  is  meant  that  foi 
a  long  time  the  spiritual  sense  would  not 


INDEX.  1 163 


lie  acknowledged,  340.  The  spheres  in 
the  spiritual  world  which  flow  forth 
from  the  Christendom  of  to-dny  are  like 
lempest-driven  atmospheres,  arising 
from  the  breathing  holes  of  the  dragons, 
823.    See  also  446,  556- 

Drink.  Drinking  water  from  a  fountain 
means  to  be  instructed  concerning  truths, 
927.  Conjunction  was  represented  by 
drinking  from  the  same  cup  and  hand- 
ing it  to  one  another,  613. 

Dura  mater  and  pia  mater,  346. 

Dutch.  Traffic  is  the  final  love  of  the 
Dutch,  and  money  is  a  mediate  love 
subservient  to  this ;  and  that  love  is 
spiritual,  1069.  The  Dutch  are  fixed 
in  the  principles  of  their  religion  more 
firmly  than  others,  and  they  are  not 
parted  from  them,  1060.  Those  who 
led  any  life  of  charity  in  the  world,  are 
amended  of  themselves,  and  prepared 
for  heaven;  these  afterward  become 
more  constant  than  others,  107 1. 


E.  In  the  third  heaven  thev  cannot  utter 
the  vowel  e,  but  instead  of  it  eu,  403. 

Eagles  in  the  spiritual  world  represent 
those  who,  as  soon  as  they  hear  the 
truth,  perceive  that  it  is  truth,  74.  By 
eagles  (Matt.  xxiv.  28)  are  meant  the 
lynx-eyed  leaders  of  the  church,  S51. 

Ears.  To  gather  the  ears  of  corn  and 
eat  (Matt.  xii.  1-9),  in  the  spiritual 
sense  signifies  to  be  instructed  in  doc- 
trinals,  437. 

Earth  (The)  is  as  a  common  mother, 
443,  791-  In  the  Word  the  earth  signi- 
fies the  church,  792. 

Earthquake  (An)  signifies  an  inversion 
of  the  church,  which  is  made  by  fal- 
sities and  falsifications  of  the  truth, 
299. 

Eastern'  Nations.    See  Orientals. 

Eat.  Eating  from  the  tree  of  the  knowl- 
edge of  good  and  evil  means  the  appro- 
priation of  evil,  666.    See  Tree. 

EATING.  By  eating  is  meant  appropria- 
tion, 951.  The  Holy  Supper  is  a  spiri- 
tual eating,  963,  974. 

Eden  (The  Garden  of)  signifies  wisdom 
and  intelligence  from  the  Word,  353, 
666. 

EoOM  signifies  the  natural,  335. 
Effects.    The  causes  of  ail  things  are 

formed  in  the  internal   man,  and  all 

effects  are  produced  therefrom  in  the 

external,  529.    See  Cause 
Efflux.    Influx  adapts  itself  to  efflux, 

1077     See  Influx. 
Eg<;s  (Wonders  in),  16. 
Egypt  signifies  the  scientific,  334-  Egypt 

means  a  church  which  in  its  beginning 

was  pre-eminent,  852. 
Ekkoni ths,  <j20. 

Elect.  By  gathering  together  the  elect 
from  the  four  winds,  from  one  end  of 
the  heavens  to  the  oilier  (Matt  x\iv. 


31),  is  meant  a  new  heaven  and  a  new 
church  of  those  who  have  faith  in  the 
Lord  and  live  according  to  His  com- 
mandments, 330.    See  Election. 

Elfction.  No  election  is  made  before  or 
after  birth,  but  all  are  ca.led  to  heaven, 
889.  The  Lord  after  their  death  elects 
those  who  have  lived  well  and  behaved 
aright,  889.  The  dogma  of  the  present 
church  respecting  predestination,  sprang 
from  the  faith  in  election  as  a  shoot  from 
its  seed,  686,  845. 

Eiias  or  Elijah  represented  all  the  pro- 
phetic Word,  355. 

Elisha  represented  the  church  as  to 
doctrine  from  the  Word,  356. 

Elysian  fields,  929. 

Embryos  in  the  mother's  womb  have 
neither  motion  nor  feeling,  147. 

Emerods  signify  natural  loves,  which  sep- 
arate from  spiritual  love  are  unclean, 
337- 

Enchanters.  Who  those  were  whom 
the  ancients  called  enchanters,  454 

End.  The  infinite  diversity  between 
the  good  will  of  one  and  of  others, 
originates  in  the  end,  intention,  and 
consequent  purpose,  530.  Man  him- 
self in  all  that  belongs  to  him  is  like 
a  tree.  In  the  seed  of  a  tree  there  are 
concealed,  as  it  were,  the  end,  inten- 
tion, and  purpose  of  producing  fruits, 
530.  As  a  temple  of  God,  man  has  sal- 
vation and  eternal  life  for  his  end,  in- 
tention, and  purpose,  531.  God  is  the 
end  with  all  in  heaven,  and  evil  is  the 
end  with  all  in  hell,  740.  There  are 
three  things  which  follow  each  other  in 
order,  —  end,  cause,  and  effect,  10*. 
The  end  is  not  any  thing  unless  it  look? 
to  the  efficient  cause,  and  the  end  and 
this  cause  are  not  any  thing  unless  the 
effect  is  produced,  106,  555.  The  end 
and  the  cause  may  indeed  be  contem- 
plated abstractly  in  the  mind,  but  siiil 
for  the  sake  of  some  effect  which  the 
end  intends,  and  for  which  the  cause 
provides,  106.  J  n  even-  complete  thing 
there  is  a  trine,  which  is  called  the  first, 
the  mediate,  and  the  ultimate  ;  also  end, 
cause,  and  effect,  344.  The  first  and 
last  ends  contain  in  them  the  mediate 
ends,  252.  The  end,  through  mediate 
causes,  produces  effects,  5^1-  He  who 
loves  the  end  also  loves  the  means,  jy 
Every  one  who  is  in  the  end,  is  also  III 
the  means  ;  for  the  end  is  most  inter- 
nally in  all  the  means  actuating  pad 
directing  them,  22.  The  universe  is  a 
work  comprising  riid>,  causes  and  ef- 
fects, in  an  indissoluble  connection,  7s, 
344.  The  effect  cannot  be  ptifectcd  so 
that  it  may  become  is  its  cause,  nor  the 
cause,  so  that  it  may  become  as  1; .  ■  m', 
C4.  The  end  of  creation  was  an  angelic 
heaven  from  the  human  race,  conse- 
quently man,  105,  1034.  The  salvation 
ai.d  eternal  life  of  men  KM  the  fust  w4 


INDEX. 


the  last  ends  of  the  Lord,  252.  See 
Cause,  Effects. 

ndeavor  (  The)  or  the  will  is  in  itself 
act,  because  it  is  a  continual  effort  to 
act,  which  becomes  an  act  in  externals 
when  the  conclusion  is  reached,  556. 
nglish  (Thk)  in  the  spiritual  world, 
1073-1076.  The  better  ones  among  the 
English  nation  are  in  the  centre  of  all 
Christians,  because  they  have  interior 
intellectual  light,  1073  ;  this  light,  they 
acquire  from  their  freedom  to  speak  and 
to  write,  and  thus  to  think,  1073.  There 
is  among  the  English  a  similarity  of 
minds,  owing  to  which  they  become 
familiarly  attached  to  friends  who  are 
their  own  countrymen,  but  rarely  to 
others;  they  also  aid  each  other  and 
love  sincerity,  1073. 

njoyments.  Enjoyment  makes  the  life 
of"  man's  love,  691.  Every  love  has  its 
own  enjoyment,  1007.  _  Enjoyment,  by 
which  love  manifests  itself,  each  one 
calls  good,  67.  Love's  enjoyments  are 
of  two  kinds,  enjoyments  of  the  love  of 
good  and  enjoyments  of  the  love  of  evil, 
68.  Man  calls  that  which  he  loves  en- 
joyment, because  he  feels  it;  but  that 
which  he  thinks  and  does  not  love,  he 
may  also  call  enjoyment,  but  it  is  not 
the  enjoyment  of  his  life,  578.  What- 
ever proceeds  from  love  is  called  good, 
even  if  it  be  evil ;  for  enjoyment,  which 
makes  the  life  of  love,  produces  this, 
873.  The  love's  enjoyment  is  what  is 
good  to  a  man,  but  the  undelightful  is 
what  to  him  is  evil,  57S.  The  activity 
of  love  makes  the  sense  of  enjoyment; 
its  activity  in  heaven  is  with  _  wisdom, 
and  its  activity  in  hell  is  with  insanity ; 
the  activity  in  both  yields  enjoyment  in 
its  own  subjects,  775.  Enjoyment  is  the 
all  of  life  to  all  in  heaven,  and  to  all  in 
hell,  775.  The  enjoyments  of  hell  are 
opposite  to  the  enjoyments  of  heaven, 
63 1 .  The  enjoyment  of  evil  encompasses 
the  merely  natural  man  as  a  fog  does  a 
marsh,  absorbing  and  smothering  the 
rays  of  light,  761.  Infernal  enjoyment 
is  amended,  reformed,  and  inverted 
solely  by  the  rational  and  moral  that  are 
spiritual,  761,  762.  Enjoyment  in  use 
arising  from  love  through  wisdom  is  the 
soul  and  life  of  all  heavenly  joys,  982. 
The  enjoyments  of  the  soul  are  in  them- 
selves imperceptible  beatitudes ;  but 
they  become  more  and  more  perceptible 
as.  they  descend  into  the  thoughts  of  the 
mind,  and  from  these  into  the  sensations 
of  the  body,  1002.  The  enjoyment  of 
doing  good  to  the  neighbor  is  a  reward. 
The  angels  in  heaven  have  this  enjoy- 
ment, and  it  is  a  spiritual  enjoyment 
which  is  eternal,  and  immensely  exceeds 
every  natural  enjoyment,  619,  983.  They 
who  are  in  this  enjoyment  do  not  wish 
to  hear  of  merit ;  for  they  love  to  do,  and 
they  perceive  that  they  are  favored  in 


the  doing,  620.  Of  the  enjoyments  of 
love  and  the  pleasantness  of  thought, 
man  is  but  dimly  sensible  while  he  lives 
in  the  natural  body,  771.  Enjoyments 
from  loves  in  the  spiritual  world  are 
often  perceived  as  odors,  1090. 

Enlighten  (To).  The  Sun  of  the  angelic 
heaven  enlightens  the  understanding  of 
all,  both  of  angels  and  men,  99. 

Enlightenment  is  from  the  Lord  alone, 
and  is  with  those  who  love  truths  be- 
cause they  are  truths,  and  who  make 
them  uses  of  the  life,  362.  What  it  is  to 
be  in  enlightenment  in  reading  the 
Word,  363.  When  man  does  not  im- 
mediately go  to  the  Lord,  enlightenment 
which  from  the  Lord  alone  is  spiritual 
then  becomes  more  and  more  natural, 
and  at  length  sensual,  294.  Enlighten- 
ment which  is  from  the  Lord  is  turned 
into  various  lights  and  into  various  heats 
with  every  one,  according  to  the  state  of 
his  mind,  258.  The  state  of  those  who 
are  to  come  into  the  Lord's  New  Church, 
503- 

Enoch  with  his  associates  collected  cor- 
respondences from  the  lips  of  the  men 
of  the  most  ancient  church,  and  trans- 
mitted the  knowledge  of  them  to  pos- 
terity, 336. 

Enormities  (The)  which  have  flowed 
into  the  church  from  the  Lord's  being 
called  the  son  of  Mary,  and  not  the  Son 
of  God,  154. 

Enthusiasts.  Men  should  be  cautious 
how  they  persuade  themselves  that  the 
zeal  by  which  marry  are  actuated  while 
they  are  speaking  in  public  is  the  Di- 
vine operation  in  their  hearts ;  for  a 
similar,  and  even  a  warmer  zeal  is  ex- 
cited in  the  breasts  of  enthusiasts,  248. 
Most  enthusiasts  after  death  fall  into 
the  insane  fancy  that  they  themselves 
are  the  Holy  Spirit,  239. 

Entrance  (The)  of  the  Lord  into  man 
with  Divine  goods  and  truths  is  in  the 
highest  region  of  the  mind,  694.  En- 
trance of  man  into  the  world  of  spirits, 
204.  Entrance  into  the  spiritual  world  is 
generally  on  the  third  day  after  decease. 
239- 

Enunciations  (Prophetical),  394,  404. 

No  announcements  and  answers  from 

heaven  are  ever  made  except  by  ulti- 

mates,  355. 
Ephod  (The)  signifies  the  Divine  truth  in 

its  ultimate,  and  thus  the  Word  in  the 

sense  of  the  letter,  351. 
Ephraim  signifies  the  understanding  of 

the  Word  in  the  church,  374. 
Epicurus,  926. 

Epistles  of  the  Apostles,  503.  An  epistle 
written  by  Paul  while  he  sojourned  in 
the  world,  but  not  published,  950. 

Equilibrium.  Man  is  in  spiritual  equili- 
brium, which  is  his  free  will,  546,  673, 
676.  There  is  no  substance  in  the 
created  universe  which  does  not  tend  to 


INDEX. 


1 167 


equilibrium  in  order  that  it  n  ay  be  in 
freedom.  697. 

Error.  Fundamental  error  of  the  church 
at  this  day  with  regard  to  redemption, 
218.  787.  With  regard  to  the  Holy 
Spirit,  255. 

Esse  in  itself  is  Jehovah  God,  34.  The 
Esse  of  God,  or  the  Divine  Esse  cannot 
be  described,  because  it  is  above  every 
idea  of  human  thought,  31,  45.  The 
Divine  Ease  is  Esse  itself,  from  which 
all  things  are,  and  which  must  be  in  all 
things,  that  they  may  be,  31.  Divine 
Good  is  the  Esse  of  His  substance,  837. 
The  will  is  the  esse  of  man's  life,  602. 
Esse  (to  be),  fieri  (to  become),  and  ex- 
istere  (to  exist) ;  the  end  is  the  esse,  the 
cau^e  the  fieri,  and  the  effect  the  ex- 
istere,  344.  Esse,  unless  it  be  a  sub- 
stance, is  only  a  thing  of  reasoning,  33. 
A  distinction  is  to  be  observed  between 
Esse  and  Essence,  and  thence  between 
Existere  and  Existence  as  between  what 
is  prior  and  what  is  posterior ;  and  what 
is  prior  is  more  universal  than  what  is 
posterior,  35.    See  Divine  Esse. 

Essence  (The)  supposes  an  esse,  and 
from  esse  essence  is  derived,  31,  35. 
Essence  and  form  make  one.  as  esse  and 
existere,  182.  Essence  without  a  form 
is  but  a  mere  thing  of  reasoning,  945. 
Essence  without  form,  or  form  without 
essence,  is  not  any  thing ;  for  essence 
has  no  quality  except  from  form,  nor  is 
form  a  subsisting  entity  except  from 
essence,  518.  Charity  is  the  essence  of 
faith  and  faith  is  the  form  of  charity  ; 
just  as  good  is  the  essence  of  truth  and 
truth  is  the  form  of  good,  518.  The 
essence  of  love  is  to  love  others  outside 
of  itself,  to  desire  to  be  one  with  them, 
and  to  make  them  happy  from  itself,  74. 
The  Essence  of  the  faith  of  the  New 
Church  is  truth  from  the  Word,  491. 
Externals  derive  their  essence  from  in- 
ternals, and  both  of  these  derive  theirs 
from  the  inmost,  353.  Every  one  acts 
what  he  acts  from  his  essence,  246.  The 
essence  or  nature  which  any  one  ap- 
propriated to  himself  in  the  world  can- 
not be  changed  after  death,  868.  See 
Divine  Essence. 

Essentials  (The  threk),  which  are 
called  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit,  in  the  Lord  are  one,  241,  2^4, 
287.  290.  The  Lord,  charity,  and  faith 
are  the  three  essentials  o{  salvation, 
627  ;  they  are  also  the  essentials  of  the 
church,  900.  All  the  essentials  of  the 
church  are  in  spiritual  light,  283.  There 
are  general  and  also  particular  essentials 
of  one  thing,  and  together  these  make 
one  essence,  284.  The  general  essen- 
tials of  one  man  are  his  soul,  body,  and 
operation,  284, 

Establishment  of  order.  See  Ar- 
rangement. 

Eternal  is  infinite  as  to  time,  600.  To 


eternity  is  predicated  of  things  progres- 
sive without  end,  50. 

Eternity  of  God,  44-58.  The  eternity 
of  God  has  relation  to  times,  44.  God's 
infinity  in  relation  to  times  is  called 
eternity,  50.  By  eternity  the  angels 
perceive  Divinity  as  to  Existere,  and 
also  as  to  Wisdom,  51.  See  Immensity 
and  Infinity. 

Ether.  There  is  ether  in  the  land  and 
water  by  means  of  which  the  terraque- 
ous globe  is  held  together  and  made  to 
revolve,  49.  Ether  flows  in  and  flows 
out  without  affecting,  482.  No  quality 
of  the  ether  can  be  elevated  to  any 
quality  of  the  aura,  54.  See  Atmos- 
pheres. 

Evening  and  night  mean  the  last  time  of 
the  church,  1026.  The  state  of  the 
church  before  the  Coming  of  the  Lord 
is  called  evening  in  the  Word,  172. 

Evil  had  its  rise  in  man  ;  to  think  that 
God  created  evil,  is  horrible  beyond  ex- 
pression, 691.  All  evil  is  from  hell, 
546.  The  evils  which  are  of  hell  should 
first  be  removed  before  man  can  will 
the  goods  which  are  of  heaven,  458,  615. 

616,  737,  740,  S17.  Evil  resides  in  every 
man's  will  from  his  birth,  615.  The 
evils  into  which  man  is  born  are  in  the 
will  of  the  natural  man  by  generation, 
794.  Man  inclines  by  birth  to  all  kinds 
of  evils,  and  from  the  inclination  he 
lusts  after  them,  815.  Set  Hereditary. 
The  man  is  evil  who  has  an  evil  will, 
and  still  more  so  he  whose  understand- 
ing favors  evil,  806.  All  evils  are  con- 
tagious, 204.  Ail  kinds  of  evils  arise 
from  the  flesh,  905.  God  does  not  hold 
man  in  evil,  but  withholds  him  from 
evil,  100.  Man  ought  to  purify  himself 
from  evils,  and  not  wait  for  the  Lord  to 
do  this  immediately,  461,  616.  Man 
turns  into  evil  the  good  which  is  con- 
tinually flowing  from  God,  by  turning 
himself  away  from  God  and  toward  him- 
self, 691.  Evil  and  good  cannot  be 
together,  460.  As  far  as  evil  is  removed, 
good  is  regarded  and  felt,  460.  So  far 
as  one  does  not  will  evil  he  wills  good, 

617.  To  will  evil  and  to  do  good  are  in 
themseives  opposites,  61  g.  Evil  cannot 
exist  in  the  internal  man  and  good  in 
the  external  ;  if  they  do,  the  good  in  the 
external  man  is  like  the  superticial  heal- 
ing of  a  wound,  within  which  is  putrid 
matter,  615.  The  evil  which  a  man 
does  not  see,  recognize,  and  acknowl- 
edge, remains;  and  that  which  remains 
becomes  more  and  more  enrooted,  until 
it  obstructs  the  interiors  of  his  mind  , 
from  which  man  becomes  first  natur.i  , 
then  sensual,  and  at  last  corporeal,  7*0. 
There  are  innumerable  lusts  inherent, 
rolled  up  as  it  were,  in  every  evil,  756, 
815.  Every  evil  with  man  has  conjunc- 
tion with  such  in  hell  as  arc  in  similar 
evil,  817.    Every  cril  which  a  man  iu* 


n68 


INDEX. 


actually  appropriated  to  himself  remains, 
817.  Evil  and  faith  in  the  one  and  true 
God  cannot  be  together,  for  evil  is 
against  God,  and  faith  is  for  Him,  872. 
Evil  obliterates  the  truth  and  induces 
falsity,  126.  The  Lord  imputes  good  to 
man  and  not  any  evil,  867. 
Evil  and  Falsities.  All  evils  and  the 
falsities  thence  are  from  hell,  107.  All 
things  that  are  contrary  to  Divine  order 
have  relation  to  evil  and  falsity,  576.- 
Evil  loves  to  be  conjoined  with  falsity 
and  falsity  with  evil ;  their  conjunction 
viewed  interiorly  is  not  marriage  but 
adulter^',  576.  All  insanity  and  folly  are 
from  the  conjunction  of  evil  and  falsity, 
577.  Truth  cannot  be  conjoined  with 
evil,  nor  good  with  the  falsity  of  evil. 
If  truth  is  adjoined  to  evil,  it  becomes 
no  longer  truth  but  falsity,  because  it  is 
falsified;  and  if  good  is  adjoined  to  the 
falsity  of  evil,  it  becomes  no  longer 
good  but  evil,  because  it  is  adulterated, 
577- 

Exinanition.  The  state  of  exinanition 
of  the  Lord  was  the  same  as  the  state 
of  His  humiliation  before  the  Father, 
165.  The  state  of  His  exinanition  was 
the  state  of  His  progress  to  union,  177. 
Without  this  state  the  Lord  could  not 
have  been  crucified,  166.  See  Glorifi- 
cation. 

Existence.    See  Existere. 

Existeke.  An  existere,  unless  it  be  from 
an  esse,  is  not  any  thing,  35.  A  dis- 
tinction is  to  be  observed  between  exis- 
tere and  existence,  as  between  what  is 
prior  and  what  is  posterior,  35.  See  Esse. 
Divine  Truth  is  the  Existere  of  God's 
substance,  837.  God  is  not  only  Esse  in 
itself,  but  also  Existere  in  itself,  35. 

Expanse  (The)  arises  from  the  centre  and 
not  the  reverse,  64.  The  spiritual 
world  is  not  in  extension  but  in  its  ap- 
pearance, 674.  Concerning  the  centre 
and  the  expanse  of  nature  and  of  life, 
59.  WA  ;•' 

Expiation  signifies  the  removal  of  sins, 
into  which  man  would  rush  if  Jehovah 
not  clothed  should  be  approached  by 
him,  227. 

Extense.  The  expanse  around  the  Sun 
of  the  angelic  heaven  is  not  an  extense, 
but  still  is  in  the  extense  of  the  natural 
sun,  and  with  the  living  subjects  there 
according  to  reception,  and  the  recep- 
tion is  according  to  forms  and  states,  63. 

External.    .See  Internal. 

Eyes  of  the  Spirit  cannot  be  opened 
with  any  one  who  is  in  evils  and  thence 
in  falsities,  1039.  When  the  Lord  man- 
ifested Himself  to  His  disciples,  He 
first  opened  their  eyes,  1039. 


Fables  were  correspondences,  from  which 
the  men  of  the  earnest  age  spoke,  906, 
.135-    The  fabulous  tales  of  the  Greeks 


were  derived  from  correspondences,  336, 
401.  The  fables  of  the  ancients  con- 
cerning human  souls,  288. 

Fabulous-  It  is  more  than  fabulous  in 
the  eye  of  reason  that  the  one  God  begat 
any  Son  from  eternity,  140.  Fabulous 
faith  of  the  Christians  concerning  three 
Divine  Persons  from  eternity,  and  con- 
cerning the  passion  of  the  Lord  that  it 
was  redemption  itself,  206. 

Faculty  (Thr)  for  knowing,  understand- 
ing, and  being  wise,  is  connate  with 
man,  476.  Man  is  born  a  faculty  for 
knowing  and  an  inclination  for  loving, 
84.  God  preserves  always  with  man, 
even  the  wicked,  a  faculty  for  under 
standing  and  an  inclination  for  loving, 
109.  There  are  two  faculties  or  parts  of 
the  mind,  the  will  and  the  understand- 
ing, 806,  872.  Description  of  the  prop- 
erties of  each  by  itself,  873.  In  every 
man  of  sound  mind  there  is  a  faculty  of 
receiving  wisdom  from  the  Lord,  also  a 
faculty  of  receiving  love,  963.  Man  has 
the  faculty  of  conjoining  himself  with 
the  Lord  and  the  Lord  with  himself 
for  ever,  964  Every  man,  from  any 
nation  whatever,  has  the  faculty  of  re- 
ceiving redemption,  975.  Whence 
comes  the  faculty  of  knowing,  of  under- 
standing, and  of  speaking  rationally, 
965- 

Faith  is  the  form  of  charity,  518,  552. 
Faith  is  no  other  than  truth,  245,  493, 
495,  504,  534,  549;  it  is  truth  in  its 
light,  496.  Faith  is  spiritual  sight,  36, 
491,  492.  Faith  is  nothing  but  a  com- 
plex of  truths  shining  in  the  mind  of 
man.  493.  Faith  is  to  think  aright  con- 
cerning God  and  concerning  the  essen- 
tials of  the  church,  826.  Faith  is  the 
truth  that  man  believes  from  the  Lord, 
960.  By  faith  is  meant  all  the  truth 
which  man  from  the  Lord  perceives, 
thinks,  and  speaks,  514,  570.  Faith  is 
conjunction  with  God  by  truths  which 
are  of  the  understanding  and  thence  of 
the  thought,  522.  Faith  and  truth  make 
one  thing;  for  the  good  of  faith  is  as  a 
soul,  and  truths  make  its  body,  821. 
The  faith  of  the  church  respecting  God 
is  like  the  soul  of  the  body,  and  doctri- 
nals  are  like  its  members,  295.  The 
faith  of  every  church  is  as  seed  from 
which  all  its  dogmas  spring,  297,  482. 
Such  as  the  faith  of  a  church  is,  such  is 
its  doctrine,  295.  Faith  enters  into  the 
parts  of  a  system  of  theology,  one  and 
all,  as  blood  enters  into  the  members  of 
the  body,  491.  The  true  faith  is  the  one 
only  faith  ;  it  is  faith  in  the  Lord  God 
the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and  is  with 
those  who  believe  Him  to  be  the  Son  of 
God,  the  God  of  Heaven  and  Earth, 
and  one  with  the  Father,  537.  Faith  in 
the  one  and  true  God  causes  good  to  be 
good  in  internal  form  also;  and  on  the 
other  hand,  faith  in  a  false  god  causes 


INDEX. 


1 169 


good  to  be  good  in  putwraid  form  only, 
which  is  not  good  in  itself,  871.  Saving 
faith  is  in  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  47 1-484,  547.  The  life 
and  essence  of  faith  are  in  the  Lord  and 
from  the  Lord.  493.  It  is  a  law  of  order 
that  man  should  procure  to  himself  faith 
by  means  of  truths  from  the  Word  : 
and  also  that  man  should  justify  himself, 
112.  The  truths  of  which  faith  in  the 
Divine  Human  of  the  Lord  God  the 
Saviour  consists  are  all  like  stars  which 
manifest  and  form  that  faith  by  their 
lights,  234.  Man  takes  this  faith  from 
the  Word  by  means  of  his  natural  light, 
in  which  it  is  knowledge,  thought,  and 
persuasion ;  but  the  Lord  causes  it  to 
become,  in  such  as  believe  in  Him,  con- 
viction, trust,  and  confidence,  234.  How 
natural  faith,  which  is  only  persuasion, 
becomes  spiritual,  which  is  real  acknowl- 
edgment, 14.  Faith  is  formed  by  man's 
going  to  the  Lord,  by  learning  truths 
from  the  Word,  and  by  living  according 
to  truths,  493,  494.  An  abundance  of 
truths,  coherent  as  if  bundled  toge;her, 
exalts  and  perfects  faith.  496.  The 
truths  of  faith  however  numerous 
they  are.  and  however  diverse  they 
appear,  make  one  from  the  Lord,  501. 
Faith  in  its  essence  is  spiritual,  but  nat- 
ural in  its  form,  4S2.  When  man  is  in 
spiritual  faith  he  is  also  in  natural  faith  : 
for  spiritual  faith  is  inwardly  in  natural 
faith,  509.  Faith  in  the  Lord  is  not 
indeterminate,  but  it  has  its  terminus, 
whence  it  comes  and  whither  it  goes, 
4^4.  Faith  and  a  life  according  to  it 
establish  and  make  the  special  church 
which  is  with  the  individual  man,  373. 
Nothing  of  faith  is  from  man  but  from 
the  Lord  alone,  507.  Man  can  acquire 
faith  for  himself,  504.  See  Charity  and 
Faith. 

Faith  of  the  New  Church.  It  is  as  a 
pate  through  which  entrance  is  made 
into  a  temple,  1.  Universal  form  of 
this  faith,  1,  2.  Particular  form,  2,  3. 
The  Esse  of  the  faith  of  the  New 
Church  is,  r.  Confidence  in  the  Lord 
God  the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ;  2-  Trust 
that  he  who  lives  well  and  believes 
.1  right  is  saved  by  Him.  The  Essence 
of  this  faith  is  Truth  from  the  Word. 
Its  Existence  is,  u  Spiritual  Sight; 
2.  Accordance  of  truths ;  3.  Conviction  ; 
4.  Acknowledgment  inscribed  on  the 
mind,  491.  The  first  element  of  faith  in 
the  Lord  is  the  acknowledgment  that  He 
is  the  Son  of  God,  4S7.  See  Son  of  God. 
The  faith  of  the  New  Church  is  that 
there  has  been  but  one  Divine  Person, 
thus  one  God.  from  etern  ty ;  that  there 
is  a  Divine  Trinity  united  in  one  Per- 
son ;  this  faith  is  in  a  visible  God,  acces- 
sible, and  with  Whom  there  can  be  con- 
junction, in  Whom,  as  the  soul  in  the 
body,  is  the  invisible  Cod,  iii.icccss.b.c, 


and  with  Whom  there  cannot  be  con- 
junction. The  faith  of  the  New  Church 
attributes  to  the  visible  God  in  Whom  is 
the  invisible  ail  power  to  impute,  and 
also  to  work  out  the  effects  of  sal- 
vation ;  it  is  in  one  God  Who  is  at 
once  Creator,  Redeemer,  and  Saviour; 
it  teaches  rerentance,  reformation,  re- 
generation, and  thus  remission  of  sins 
with  man's  co-operation ;  an  imputa- 
tion cf  good  and  evil,  and  at  the  same 
time  of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  Himself, 
God,  Redeemer,  and  Saviour ;  also  free 
will  on  man's  part  both  to  apply  him- 
self for  reception  and  for  co-operating ; 
it  conjoins  faith  in  the  Lord  and  charity 
toward  the  neighbor  as  two  inseparable 
things,  and  so  it  makes  religion,  865. 
It  is  now  lawful  to  enter  intellectually 
into  the  arcana  of  faith,  725.  See  Neio 
Church. 

Faith  of  the  Old  Church,  or  of  the 
Church  of  the  Present  Day.  [a 
this  faith,  which  in  its  internal  form  is  a 
faith  in  three  Gods,  and  in  its  external 
form  in  one.  there  are  troops  of  falsi- 
ties 298.  When  a  belief  in  three  Gods 
was  introduced  into  the  Christian 
churches  which  was  done  at  the  time  of 
the  Nicene  Council,  they  banished  all 
the  good  of  charity  and  all  the  truth  of 
faith,  for  these  two  are  wholly  incon- 
sistent with  the  mental  worship  of  three 
Gods  and  the  oral  worship  at  the  same 
time  of  one  God,  850.  The  faith  of  the 
present  day  prevents  the  truths  which 
are  in  the  Word  from  being  seen  clearly, 
821.  The  idea  of  three  Gods  induces  a 
stupid  faith,  304.  Faith  in  an  invisible 
God  is  actually  blind,  because  the  human 
mind  does  not  see  its  God,  4S3.  That 
God  is  the  cause  of  evil  comes  by  se- 
quence from  the  faith  of  this  day,  689. 
Faith  without  chanty  is  not  faith,  571. 
Faith  is  not  faith  unless  conjoined  with 
charity,  477,  503,  j;2o,  534.  555-  .  F ■M> 
separate  from  charity  is  like  the  tight  ia 
winter,  and  faith  conjoined  with  charity 
is  like  the  light  in  spring,  549,  821. 
Actual  repentance  finds  very  gjeat  re- 
sistance 111  the  Reformed  Christian 
world,  primarily  because  of  their  belief 
that  repentance  and  charity  contribute 
nothing  to  salvation,  but  faith  alone,  —  to 
the  exclusion  of  man's  co-operating  from 
himself  or  as  from  himself,  757.  These 
three,  faith,  imputation,  and  Christ's 
merit,  are  one  in  the  present  church, 
and  may  be  called  a  triune  ;  for  if  one 
of  the  three  were  now  taken  away, 
the  present  theology  would  become 
nothing,  844,  843.  This  faith  is  not 
Christian,  because  it  is  at  variance  with 
the  Word,  and  the  imputation  belong- 
ing to  this  faith  is  vain,  because  tha 
merit  of  Christ  cannot  be  imputed, 
844.  This  faith  is  described  in  the 
Apocalypse  by  a  dragon  ;  and  that  oi 


I  I/O 


INDEX. 


the  New  Church,  by  a  woman  encom- 
passed by  the  sun,  upon  whose  head 
was  a  crown  of  twelve  stars,  866. 
Merely  natural  faith,  or  faith  destitute 
of  spiritual  essence,  is  not  faith,  but 
persuasion  only,  or  knowledge,  483,  491. 
A  man  who  is  merely  natural  and  dead 
as  to  faith,  can  indeed  speak  and  teach 
concerning  faith,  charity  and  God,  but 
not  from  faith,  from  charity,  and  from 
God,  548.  The  practice  of  speaking 
from  memory  and  recollection,  although 
not  at  the  same  time  from  thought  and 
intelligence,  produces  a  species  of  faith, 
128.  If  the  faith  is  false  it  plays  the 
harlot  with  every  truth  in  the  Word, 
and  perverts  and  falsifies  it,  and  makes 
man  insane  in  spiritual  things,  296. 
There  is  a  true  faith,  a  spurious  faith 
and  a  hypocritical  faith,  535,  537,  540. 
Spurious  faith,  in  which  falsities  are 
commingled  with  truths,  491,  492,  540. 
Hypocritical  or  Pharisaic  faith  is  a  faith 
of  the  mouth  and  not  of  the  heart,  492, 
493>  543-  Meretricious  faith  is  from 
truths  falsified,  and  adulterous  faith  from 
goods  adulterated,  491,  492.  Closed  or 
blind  faith  is  faith  in  mystical  things, 
which  are  believed  although  it  is  not 
known  whether  they  are  truth  or  falsi- 
ties, or  whether  they  are  above  reason 
or  contrary  to  it,  491,  492.  Wandering 
faith  is  a  faith  in  more  Gods  than  one, 
492.  Purblind  faith  is  a  faith  in  any 
other  than  the  true  God,  and  with 
Christians  in  any  but  the  Lord  God  the 
Saviour,  492,  493.  Visionary  and  pre- 
posterous faith  is  the  appearance  of 
falsity  as  truth  from  ingenious  confir- 
mation, 492,  493.  There  is  no  faith 
with  the  evil,  545-549. 

Fallacies  spread  in  the  church;  their 
origin,  96.  Appearances  of  truth  may 
be  taken  for  naked  truths,  which  when 
confirmed  become  fallacies,  382. 

Falsify  (To)  the  Word  is  to  take  truths 
from  it  and  apply  them  to  confirm  falsi- 
ties, 279.  Examples  of  truth  falsified, 
279. 

Falsities.  All  falsities  are  from  hell, 
107.  Every  one  who  is  in  falsity  from 
evil,  is  as  to  his  spirit  actually  in  hell  with 
the  devils,  109.  From  one  falsity  flow 
falsities  in  a  continued  series,  219.  In 
the  light  of  the  world,  separate  from  the 
light  of  the  higher  regions,  falsities  ap- 
pear as  truths,  and  truths  as  falsities, 
71.  Truths  are  not  only  covered  over 
by  falsities,  but  they  are  also  obliterated 
and  rejected,  374.  With  those  who  read 
the  Word  from  the  doctrine  of  a  false 
religion,  the  truths  of  the  Word  are  as 
in  the  shadow  of  night,  and  falsities  as 
in  the  light  of  day,  363.  Confirmed  fal- 
sity regains  and  cannot  be  rooted  out, 
383.  Evils  accompany  falsities  and  cling 
to  them,  413.  Falsity  which  is  not  of 
evil  can  be  conjoined  with  good,  577. 


Falsity  when  it  touches  the  truth,  is  like 
the  point  of  a  needle  touching  the  fibril 
of  a  nerve  or  the  pupil  of  the  eye,  386. 
Falsity  does  not  see  truth,  but  truth  sees 
falsity,  102 1.  Falsities  close  up  the  un- 
derstanding, 725.  Origin  of  many  hor- 
rible falsities  in  the  church  of  the  present 
day,  787,  788. 

Fame  as  painted  by  the  ancients,  532. 

Families  are  recognized  from  their  first 
father,  164.    Spiritual  families,  535. 

Fanaticism.  Origin  of  the  many  fanati- 
cal and  hence  heretical  opinions  which 
have  been  introduced  into  the  world,  in 
every  country  where  there  is  any  religion, 
98,  154,  845. 

Fantasy  is  produced  by  sensual  thought, 
while  ideas  from  any  interior  thought 
are  shut  out,  136.  Fantasies  are  ideal 
thought,  656.  In  fantasy  the  apparent  is 
believed  to  be  reality  when  it  is  not, 
483.  By  fantasies  infernal  spirits  can 
represent  magnificent  things,  by  closing 
up  the  interiors  of  the  mind  and  open- 
ing only  the  exteriors,  310,  885,  1080. 
Those  are  in  the  fantasy  of  their  lust 
who  think  interiorly  in  themselves,  and 
indulge  the  imagination  excessively  by 
talking  to  themselves  ;  they  almost  sep- 
arate the  spirit  from  connection  with 
the  body,  and  from  vision  they  inundate 
the  understanding,  885.  Fantasy  about 
pre-eminence,  879. 

Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  are  the 
three  essentials  of  one  God,  which 
make  one,  as  the  soul,  body,  and  oper- 
ation of  man,  284.  The  Father  and  the 
Son,  that  is,  the  Divine  and  the  Human 
in  the  Lord,  are  united  like  soul  and 
body,  15S,  315  ;  the  union  is  reciprocal, 
159.  No  one  can  see  the  Father,  nor 
have  cognition  of  Him,  nor  come  to 
Him,  nor  believe  in  Him,  unless  through 
His  Human,  155,  195,  316.  By  the 
Father  is  meant  the  Divine  Good,  148. 
It  is  lawful  in  a  natural  sense  to  call 
any  one  father,  but  not  in  a  spiritual 
sense,  360.  The  child  has  the  soul  and 
life  from  the  father,  142. 

Fatuous  light  is  the  light  of  the  confir- 
mation of  falsity,  275.  They  who  are  in 
fatuous  spiritual  light,  472. 

Fault.  The  Lord  is  not  to  blame  if  man 
is  not  saved;  man  is  in  fault  in  not  co- 
operating, 787,  966.  It  is  wonderful 
that  any  one  can  find  fault  with  another 
who  is  intending  evil,  and  say,  "Do  not 
do  that,  because  it  is  sin,"  and  yet  it  is 
hard  for  him  to  say  so  to  himself;  why, 

Feasts.  The  dinners  and  suppers  of 
charity  are  among  those  only  who  are  in 
mutual  love  from  similar  faith,  613. 
The  feasts  in  the  ancient  churches  were 
feasts  of  charity,  as  also  in  the  primitive 
Christian  church,  972.  With  the  Chris- 
tians of  the  primitive  church  feasts 
were  instituted  that  they  might  be  glad 


INDEX. 


from  the  heart  together  and  be  conjoined 
with  one  another,  613.  The  spiritual 
sphere  which  reigned  in  those  feasts  was 
a  sphere  of  love  to  the  Lord  and  of  love 
toward  the  neighbor,  613.  Consocia- 
tions of  minds  were  signified  by  the  ban- 
quets among  the  children  of  Israel,  and 
aiso  by  their  eating  together  of  the  sacri- 

.  flees  near  the  tabernacle,  613.  Feasts 
in  heaven,  1001,  1002. 

Feel  (To).  It  has  been  provided  by  the 
Lord  that  man  should  feel  in  himself  as 
his  those  things  which  flow  in  from 
without,  and  should  therefore  produce 
them  of  himself  as  his  own,  although 
nothing  of  them  is  his,  511.  As  far  as 
evil  is  removed,  good  is  regarded  and 
felt,  460. 

Fibrillous  (The)  or  medullary  substance 
of  the  brain  consists  of  perpetual  bun- 
dlings  of  fibrils  issuing  from  the  glandules 
of  the  cortical  sabstance,  49S. 

Field  in  the  Word  means  doctrine,  497. 

Fight.  Good  cannot  fight  from  itself,  but 
fights  by  truths;  nor  can  evil  fight  from 
itself,  but  it  fights  from  its  falsities,  802, 
803.  Man  is  to  fight  wholly  as  of  himself; 
why,  803.  It  is  the  Lord  who  fights  for 
man,  and  against  the  evil  spirits  who  are 
infesting  him,  803,  805. 

Figs  signify  the  goods  of  charity  and 
hence  of  faith  in  the  natural  or  external 
man,  648. 

Fig-leaves  signify  truths  of  the  natural 
man  which  were  falsified  in  succession, 
854. 

Fig- Tree  signifies  natural  good,  813. 

Finite.  All  that  is  created  is  called  finite 
with  respect  to  God  Who  is  Infinite, 
that  is.  not  finite,  48,  55,  670.  The  Infi- 
nite cannot  create  any  thing  but  what  is 
finite,  670.  What  is  infinite  appears  to 
man  as  not  any  thing,  because  man  is 
finite,  and  thinks  from  what  is  finite  ; 
wherefore,  if  the  finite  which  adheres  to 
his  thought  were  taken  away,  it  would 
seem  to  him  as  if  the  residue  were  not 
any  thing,  48.  The  finite  is  by  no 
means  capable  of  seeing  God's  infinity, 
45.  Finite  things  are  receptacles  of 
the  infinite,  56. 

FlRH  in  the  Word  in  its  spiritual  sense 
signifies  love  ;  the  fire  of  the  altar  and 
the  fire  of  the  candlestick  in  the  taber- 
naoie,  among  the  Israelites,  represented 
nothing  else  but  the  Divine  love,  64 
Fire  signifies  the  Divine  good  of  love, 
913,  914.  By  infernal  fire,  in  the  Word, 
is  meant  enjoyment  in  evil,  631.  The 
fire  seen  in  hell  is  anger  kindling  against 
those  who  contradict,  263.  The  sun 
from  which  nature  takes  its  rise  and  its 
essence  is  pure  fire,  17,  72,  672  There 
arc  two  prd]  cities  in  fire,  that  of  burn- 
ing and  that  of  shining,  70. 

Fikst  (Tint)  and  the  Beginning,  from 
which  are  all  things,  is  the  Divine  I  • 
38.    in  the  Word  Jehovah  is  called  the 


First  and  the  Last;  why,  144,  164,  390. 
There  is  everywhere  a  first,  a  mediate, 
and  an  ultimate;  and  the  first  tends 
and  passes  through  the  mediate,  to  its 
ultimate,  347,  343.  First  in  time  and 
first  in  end,  478.  The  first  in  end  is 
that  to  which  all  things  look,  593.  That 
which  is  first  in  time  is  not  the  first 
actually,  but  apparently,  478.  That 
which  is  first  in  end  is  actually  the  first, 
478.  Faith  is  first  in  time,  but  charity 
is  first  in  end,  478.  First  use  of  bap- 
tism is  introduction  into  the  Christian 
church,  906.    See  Ultimate. 

Fishes  signify  the  truths  in  the  natural 
man,  851.    See  also  53. 

Five.    By  five  is  meant  some,  332. 

Flame.  By  the  flame  of  a  sword  turn- 
ing itself  (Gen.  iii.  24),  is  ngnified 
Divine  Truth  in  ultimates,  like  the 
Word  in  the  sense  of  the  letter,  which 
can  be  so  turned,  387.  Flame  is  the  all 
of  light,  559.  A  flame  is  nothing  but 
smoke  set  on  fire,  263. 

Flattery.  Origin  of  all  flattery,  799, 
179,  249. 

Flesh  (The)  signifies  the  good  of  love 
and  charity,  519.  It  signifies  spiritual 
good,  953. 

Flourishing.    See  Blossom. 

Flowf.rs  and  Blossoms.  The  blossoms 
which  precede  the  fruit  are  means  for 
straining  the  sap,  which  is  its  blood, 
and  of  separating  its  grosser  from  its 
purer  parts,  792.  There  are  flowers 
which  open  at  the  rising  of  the  sun, 
and  close  themselves  at  his  setting ; 
why,  443. 

Food.  Heavenly  food  in  its  essence  is 
no  other  than  love,  wisdom,  and  use 
together,  985.  Food  for  the  body  is 
given  to  every  one  in  heaveii  according 
to  the  use  he  promotes,  9S5.  See  Idle. 
The  nourishment  of  the  soul  is  from  no 
other  than  spiritual  food,  694.  See 
Meats. 

Forest  means  knowledge,  333. 
Foreskin  signifies  the  filthy  loves  of  the 
flesh,  905. 

Form.  God  is  the  very  and  the  only  and 
thus  the  first  I'orm,  and  His  I  orni  is  the 
very  Human,  34,  65.  The  human  fonn 
is  nothing  else  than  the  image  of  heaven, 
997.  All  the  angelic  heaven  is  in  the 
greatest  effigy  a  form  of  1  »ivine  order, 
104.  Love  operates  in  form  and  by 
form,  65.  Forms  receiving  faith,  truth, 
love,  charitv,  and  good  have  been  cre- 
ated;  human  and  angelic  minds  ;iui 
these  forms,  71.  Those  things  win.  h 
(low  in  Irom  the  Lord  are  received  l>v 
man  according  to  his  form,  51(1.  By 
fonn  is  inc. int  man's  state  a->  to  his  1. -vi- 
and wisdom  together  ;  the  form  or  re- 
cipient   stale    induces    v. ma:  s, 

Man's  fonn  which  is  induce.!  1  \  thi 
states  of  his  life  varies  the  operations, 
517.    The  man  who  di\ides  the   I  out 


172 


INDEX. 


charitv,  and  faith,  is  not  a  form  receiv- 
ing but  a  form  destroying  them,  517. 
Form  is  not  a  subsisting  entity  except 
from  essence,  51 8.  Without  form  there 
is  no  quality,  1014.  Quality  is  derived 
from  no  other  source  than  from  form, 
93.    See  Essence,  Substance. 

Formations.  How  they  are  effected,  6g. 
Formation  of  faith,  493,  494. 

Formula  Concordia  (The)  strongly  con- 
firms that  the  human  nature  of  Christ  is 
exalted  to  Divine  majesty,  161 ;  and 
that  in  Christ,  God  is  Man,  and  Man 
God,  186,  236.  That  man  has  no  free 
will  in  spiritual  things  is  taught  in  the 
book  of  the  church  of  the  Evangelical, 
called  "  Formula  Concordias  ; "  to  which 
book  and  thus  to  which  faith  the  priests 
when  they  are  inaugurated,  make  oath, 
505,  661,  683.  The  "  Formula  Con- 
cordiae"  puts  oral  confession  in  the 
place  of  repentance,  733.  It  says  that 
it  is  damnable  idolatry  if  the  trust  and 
faith  of  the  heart  be  placed  in  Christ 
not  only  according  to  His  Divine  but 
also  according  to  His  Human  nature, 
>o67.  It  admits  the  direful  dogma  of 
predestination.  1067. 

Foundations  (The)  of  the  wall  of  the 
New  Jerusalem  signify  the  doctrinals  of 
the  New  Church,  from  the  sense  of  the 
letter  of  the  Word,  343.  35i.. 

Fountain  (The)  of  Jacob  signifies  the 
Word,  322.  Drinking  water  from  a 
fountain  means  to  be  instructed  con- 
cerning truths,  and  by  means  of  truths, 
concerning  goods,  and  so  to  be  wise, 
927- 

Fowls.  Wonderful  things  about  them,  17. 
See  Birds. 

Foxes.  Diabolical  love  causes  its  lusts  to 
appear  in  the  distance  in  hell  like  vari- 
ous species  of  wild  beasts,  some  like 
foxes,  77. 

Frankincense  signifies  spiritual  good, 

333. 

Free  (The)  in  the  Word  are  those  who 
are  conjoined  with  the  Lord,  169.  See 

Slaves- 

Free  Will  is,  that  man  can  will  and  do 
and  can  think  and  speak  to  all  appear- 
ance as  of  himself,  690.  As  long  as 
man  lives  in  the  world,  he  is  kept  in 
the  middle  between  heaven  and  hell,  and 
there  in  spiritual  equilibrium,  which  is 
free  will,  673,  674,  675.  The  origin  of 
free  will  is  from  the  spiritual  world 
where  man's  mind  is  kept  by  the  Lord, 
673.  God  is  perpetually  present  and 
continually  strives  and  acts  in  man,  and 
also  touches  his  free  will,  but  never 
violates  it,  1 18,  712.  It  is  from  free  will 
that  man  is  man  and  not  a  beast,  668. 
If  man  were  deprived  of  free  will  in  the 
several  things  which  he  wills  and  thinks, 
he  would  no  more  breathe  than  a  statue, 
679.  Man  has  free  will  in  spiritual 
things,  677,  678,  679.    Man  has  free- 


will in  natural  things;  but  this  he  has 
from  his  free  will  in  spiritual  things,  679, 
680.  The  freedom  of  determination  and 
the  will  in  man  may  be  called  living 
effort;  for  when  will  ceases,  action 
ceases,  and  when  freedom  of  determina- 
tion ceases,  will  ceases,  681.  Without 
free  will  in  spiritual  things,  the  Word 
would  be  of  no  use,  and  consequentlj 
the  church  would  be  nothing,  681-685. 
Without  free  will  in  spiritual  things 
there  would  not  be  any  thing  pertaining 
to  man  by  which  the  Lord  could  conjoiu 
Himself  with  him,  685.  That  there  may 
be  reciprocal  conjunction  free  choice  is 
given  to  man,  from  which  he  can  walk  in 
the  way  to  heaven  or  the  way  to  hell, 
525.  Man  has  free  will  which  he  can 
turn  to  good  use  or  evil  use,  1025.  If 
there  were  no  free  will  in  spiritual 
things,  God  would  be  the  cause  of  evil, 
and  so  there  would  be  no  imputation, 
689,  690.  Every  man  may  know  that 
he  has  free  will  in  spiritual  things  from 
the  mere  observation  of  his  own  thought, 
697.  Free  will  itself,  in  spiritual  tilings, 
resides  in  man's  soul  in  all  perfection ; 
from  that  it  flows  into  his  mind,  into 
its  two  parts  which  are  the  will  and 
understanding,  and  through  these  into 
the  senses  of  the  body  and  into  speech 
and  actions,  698.  If  men  had  not  free 
will  in  spiritual  things,  all  in  the  whole 
world  might  have  been  led  in  a  single 
clay  to  believe  in  the  Lord,  701.  Every 
man,  evil  as  well  as  good,  has  spiritual 
free  will,  710. 

Freedom  is  of  man's  will ;  and  because 
it  is  of  the  will  it  is  also  of  his  love, 
693.  All  freedom  that  is  from  the  Lord 
is  freedom  indeed,  but  that  which  is 
from  hell  and  is  with  man  therefrom  is 
bondage,  695.  Every  spiritual  thing  of 
the  church  that  enters  in  freedom  and  is 
received  from  freedom,  remains ;  but 
not  the  reverse,  693-696,  701.  It  is  this 
freedom  of  man  in  which  the  Lord 
dwells  with  him,  in  his  soul,  699,  787. 
If  any  one  denies  that  there  is  free  will 
in  spiritual  things,  he  changes  spiritual 
freedom  into  merely  natural  and  at  length 
into  infernal  freedom,  695.  When  the 
freedom  of  speech  and  of  writing  is  re  - 
strained, freedom  of  thought  also,  that 
is  to  say,  the  freedom  of  investigating 
matters  in  their  full  extent,  is  kept  in 
restraint  at  the  same  time,  1077. 

Friendship  is  natural  conjunction,  but 
love  is  spiritual  conjunction,  625.  The 
friendship  of  love  contracted  with  a  man 
without  regard  to  his  quality  as  to  the 
spirit,  is  detrimental  after  death,  625- 
627.  Wherein  consists  friendship  of 
love,  625.  By  the  friendship  of  love  is 
meant  interior  friendship;  it  is  distinct 
from  external  friendship,  which  is  only 
of  the  person,  and  which  exists  for  the 
sake  of  various  enjoyments  of  the  bodi 


INDEX. 


and  the  senses,  and  for  the  sake  of 
dealings  of  various  kinds,  625.  Ex- 
ternal friendship  may  be  formed  with 
any  one,  625.  Friends  who  differ  as  to 
the  spirit  are  gradually  parted,  and  this 
is  so  done  that  they  are  not  sensible  of 
it,  626.  Tho-e  who  in  the  world  con- 
tracted with  each  other  the  friendship 
of  love,  cannot  like  others  be  separated 
according  to  order,  and  assigned  to  the 
society  correspondent  with  their  life ; 
for  they  are  bound  together  interiorly  as 
to  the  spirit,  nor  can  they  be  severed, 
because  they  are  like  branches  ingrafted 
into  branches,  626.  It  is  wholly  different 
with  those  who  love  the  good  in  another ; 
these,  if  they  do  not  observe  the  same 
things  in  the  person  after  death,  im- 
mediately withdraw  from  the  friendship, 
627.  The  friendship  of  love  among  the 
evil  is  intestine  hatred  of  ench  other, 
630-633.  What  is  friendship  among 
thieves,  robbers,  and  pirates,  632.  Of 
what  kind  is  friendship  among  those 
who  have  led  civii  and  moral  lives  for 
the  sake  of  various  uses  as  ends  and  yet 
have  not  curbed  the  lusts  residing  in  the 
internal  man,  632.    See  also  76. 

f  nor.s  signify  reasonings  from  the  desire 
of  falsifying  truths,  851. 

Fructification.  Perpetual  increase  of 
good  and  thence  of  love,  964. 

Fruits  are  the  good  works  which  the 
Lord  does  by  the  man,  and  which  the 
man  does  out  of  himself  from  the  Lord. 
658. 

Full,  Fulness.  The  Word  is  in  its  ful- 
ness in  the  sense  of  the  letter,  362.  In 
this  sense  Divine  truth  is  in  its  fulness, 
388.  The  Lord  alone,  in  the  whole 
spiritual  world,  is  fu  lv  Man,  173.  The 
fulness  of  time  in  which  the  Lord  came 
into  the  world,  and  in  which  He  is  to 
come,  is  a  consummation,  1017.  The 
universe,  as  to  essence  and  order,  is  the 
fulness  of  God,  103.  All  things  are  full 
of  God,  and  every  one  takes  his  portion 
from  that  fulness,  513. 

Functions,  or  Offices.  There  are  with 
the  Lord  two  offices  the  office  flf  Priest 
and  the  office  of  King  ;  whatever  the 
Lord  did  and  operated  from  Divine  love 
or  Divine  good,  He  did  and  operated 
from  His  priestly  office  ;  but  what- 
ever from  Divine  wisdom  or  Divine 
truth,  from  His  kingly  office,  196. 
There  are  functions  in  heaven,  932. 


Gabriel  and  Michael  are  not  the  names 
of  two  persons  in  heaven,  but  by  those 
names  are  meant  ail  in  heaven  who  are 
in  wisdom  concerning  the  Lord  and 
worship  Him,  436. 

Games-  Literary  schools  for  enmr  1  furfi], 
934.    Games  and  shows  in  heaven,  1004. 

Gakden  signifies  wisdom,  333-  A  garden 
bignifies  intelligence,  ^9,  C66. 


Garments  in  the  Word  signify  truths, 
and  garments  of  white  and  of  fine  linen 
signify  Divine  truths,  915.  1079.  Gar- 
ments in  the  spiritual  world,  1000,  1072. 
Garment  (tunica)  or  vesture  of  the  Lord 
signifies  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  ; 
their  dividing  His  garments  and  cast- 
ing the  lot  upon  His  vesture  signified 
that  they  dispersed  all  the  truths  of  th* 
Word,  but  not  its  spiritual  sense,  217. 
A  spirit  thinks  himself  to  be  such  as  his 
dress  is,  8SS. 

Gates.  Baptism  and  the  Holy  Supper 
are  like  two  gates  through  which  man 
is  introduced  to  eternal  life,  967.  By 
Baptism,  which  is  the  first  gate,  every 
Christian  is  intromited  and  introduced 
into  what  the  church  teaches  from  the 
Word  respecting  the  other  life ;  all  of 
which  serves  as  means  by  which  man 
may  be  prepared  for  heaven  and  led  to 
it.  The  other  gate  is  the  Holy  Supper; 
through  this,  every  man  who  has  suffered 
himself  to  be  prepared  and  led  by  the 
Lord  is  intromited  and  introduced  into 
heaven.  There  are  no  other  universal 
gates,  966. 

Gathered.  What  is  meant  when  it  is 
said  in  the  Word  of  those  who  die,  that 
they  are  gathered  to  their  own,  812. 

Gatherings  (Social)  in  the  primitive 
church  were  among  such  as  called  them- 
selves brethren  in  Christ ;  they  were 
therefore  assemblies  of  chanty,  because 
there  was  spiritual  brotherhood,  614. 
There  are  at  this  day  assemblies  of 
friendship,  but  there  are  as  yet  no  gath- 
erings of  charity,  614.  The  social  gath- 
erings where  a  friendship  emulating 
chanty  does  not  join  minds  together, 
are  mere  pretences  of  friendship,  and 
deceptive  attestations  of  mutual  love, 
614.  .  '  \^ 

Genf.ral.  Particulars  adapt  themselves 
to  their  general,  and  the  general  disposes 
them  into  form  so  that  they  may  agree, 
79.  Particulars  taken  together  are  called 
a  general,  99.  In  the  whole  man  there 
are  genera!  things  and  particular  things, 
and  the  general  include  the  particular 
therein,  and  they  join  themselves  to- 
gether by  such  a  connection  that  one  is 
of  another,  9';. 

Gener  ation  of  men,  151,  164.  See  Soul. 
In  the  Word  natural  generations  signify 
spiritual  generations,  700.  All  that  is 
said  of  natural  generation  can  be  said  of 
spiritual  generation,  791. 

Genesis.  The  first  chapters  were  tran- 
scribed from  the  ancient  Word  by  Moses, 
406. 

Genfvieve.  1085. 

Genius  of  the  men  of  the  most  ancient 
church,  336.  A  common  genius  reigns 
everywhere  among  peoples  speaking  the 
same  language,  1077. 

Ijlll  I II W  Ancient  Gentiles  acknowl- 
edged Jove  as  the  supreme  God,  to 


INDEX. 


called  perhaps  from  Jehovah,  12,  401. 

The  ancient  gentiles,  because  they 
thought  materially  of  God,  and  so  of 
God's  attributes  also,  not  only  made 
three  gods  but  more,  even  as  many  as  a 
hundred ;  for  they  made  a  god  of  every 
attribute,  834.  They  who  believe  in  one 
God,  and  live  according  to  the  precepts 
of  their  religion,  are  saved  by  means  of 
their  faith  and  life,  171.  The  Gentiles 
of  every  mode  of  worship  are  averse  to 
Christianity  solely  on  account  of  the 
faith  in  three  Gods  therein,  303.  Afri- 
cans and  Gentiles  in  the  spiritual  world, 
1091.    See  Nations  and People. 

Geometry  teaches  that  there  is  nothing 
complete  and  perfect  unless  there  is  a 
trine,  555.  There  are  various  series  in 
geometry  which  go  on  to  infinity,  54. 

Germans.  Character  of  the  Germans, 
1077.  The  German  nation  devotes  itself 
little  to  matters  of  judgment,  but  rather 
to  those  of  memory,  1077.  The  Ger- 
mans keep  the  spiritual  things  of  the 
church  inscribed  upon  the  memory,  and 
seldom  elevate  them  into  the  higher 
understanding,  but  only  admit  them  into 
the  lower,  from  which  they  reason  about 
them  ;  thus  they  do  differently  from  free 
nations,  1078.  A  German,  a  native  of 
Saxon}',  185. 

Germany,  272,  1076. 

Germination.  Whence  its  beginning 
and  continuance,  701. 

Glandular  substance  of  the  brain,  498. 

Glaucoma,  492. 

Globe  (terraqueous),  55.  By  what  it  is 
held  together  and  made  to  revolve,  49. 
See  Ether. 

Glorification  (The)  of  the  Lord  is  the 
unition  of  the  Human  of  the  Lord  with 
the  Divine  of  His  Father.  This  was 
done  successively  and  was  fully  com- 
pleted by  the  passion  of  the  cross,  212, 
214,  158.  State  of  glorification,  165. 
See  Exinanition.  The  Lord  was  in 
the  state  of  glorification  when  He  was 
transfigured  before  His  three  disciples, 
166.  Glorification  or  celebration  of  the 
Lord,  838,  991. 

Glorify.  The  Lord  asked  the  Father 
that  He  would  glorify  His  Name,  that 
is.  His  Human;  to  glorify  is  to  make 
Divine  by  union  with  Himself,  177.  The 
Lord  glorified  His  Human,  that  is 
made  it  Divine,  in  the  same  manner  in 
which  He  regenerates  man,  that  is, 
makes  him  spiritual,  167,  913.  The 
Lord  after  temptation  glorifies  man,  that 
is,  renders  him  spiritual,  805. 

Glory.  By  glory  is  signified  the  spirit- 
ual sense  of  the  Word,  330,  398,  1037; 
and  its  transparence  through  the  sense 
of  its  letter,  3  ;8.  Glory,  in  the  Word, 
when  used  concerning  the  Lord,  signifies 
Divine  truth  united  to  Divine  good,  214. 
The  glory  in  which  the  Lord  is  to  come 
signifies  Divine  Truth  in  its  light,  in 


which  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word 
is,  1041.  Why  it  is  said  in  Isaiah  (iv.  5), 
Upon  all  the  glory  a  covering,  346. 
Goal,  967. 

Goats.  The  Lord  separated  the  evil 
from  the  good,  and  the  goats  from  the 
sheep,  156.  Comparison  with  rank  he- 
goats,  449.  > 

God  is  one  in  essence  and  in  person,  2. 
The  Sacred  Scripture  not  only  teaches 
that  there  is  a  God,  but  also  that  God  is 
one,  8.  There  is  a  universal  influx 
from  God  into  the  souls  of  men,  that 
there  is  a  God,  and  that  He  is  one,  9. 
There  is  no  nation  having  religion  and 
sound  reason  which  does  not  acknowl- 
edge a  God,  and  that  God  is  one,  iz. 
As  to  what  the  one  God  is,  nations  and 
people  have  differed  and  still  differ  from 
several  causes,  13.  Human  reason, 
from  many  things  in  the  world,  may,  if 
it  will,  perceive  or  conclude  that  there  is 
a  God,  and  that  He  is  one,  14.  Angels 
do  not  say  Gods,  and  they  cannot,  41. 
The  universe  is  like  a  stage,  upon  which 
are  continually  exhibited  testimonies 
that  there  is  a  God,  and  that  He  is  one, 
14.  God  Himself,  such  as  He  is  in  the 
inmosts  of  the  Word,  cannot  be  seen  by 
any  creature,  7.  God  dwells  in  every 
use,  because  He  dwells  in  the  end,  21. 
See  Uses.  God  is  the  all  of  the  church, 
22,  287,  433.  The  one  God  is  Substance 
itself  and  Form  itself,  33,  124.  His 
Form  is  the  very  Human,  33.  God  is 
not  only  Esse  in  itself,  but  also  Existere 
in  itself,  35.  God  is  the  Itself,  the 
Only,  and  the  First,  35.  God  is  called 
the  Alpha  and  the  Omega,  33.  A  God 
from  God  is  not  possible,  37,  512.  God 
is  infinite,  since  He  is  and  exists  in 
Himself,  and  all  things  in  the  universe 
are  and  exist  from  Him,  45.  God  was 
before  the  world,  46,  51,  105.  It  is 
vain  to  wish  to  have  cognition  of  what 
God  is  in  His  esse  or  in  His  substance  ; 
but  it  is  enough  to  acknowledge  Him 
from  finite,  that  is,  created  things,  in 
which  He  is  infinitely,  46  God,  since 
the  world  was  made,  is  in  space  without 
space,  and  in  time  without  time,  48,  49, 
41  r.  God  is  Love  itself  and  Wisdom 
itself,  consequently  Good  itself  and 
Truth  itself,  66,  67.  God,  because  He 
is  Love  itself  and  Wisdom  itselt,  is  Life 
itself,  which  is  Life  in  itself,  69.  God  is 
omnipotent,  omniscient,  and  omnipres- 
ent by  means  of  the  wisdom  of  His  love, 
91.  His  power  and  His  will  are  one; 
and  because  He  wills  nothing  but  what 
is  good,  therefore  He  can  do  nothing 
but  what  is  good,  95.  God  is  the  Same ; 
not  the  same  simply,  but  infinitely  ;  that 
is,  the  Same  from  eternity  to  eternity ;  all 
variableness  is  in  the  recipient,  41,  43> 
516.  God  is  Order,  and  at  the  creation 
He  introduced  order  into  the  universe 
and  into  all  and  every  part  of  it,  92. 


INDEX. 


God  perceives,  sees,  and  knows  all  and 
every  thing,  even  to  the  most  minute, 
which  is  done  according  to  order;  and 
thence  also  what  is  done  contrary  to 
order,  98-102.  God  is  omnipresent  from 
the  firsts  to  the  lasts  of  His  order,  102, 
103.  God,  Who  is  one,  descended  and 
became  Man  for  the  purpose  of  accom- 
plishing the  work  01  redemption,  144, 
357.  God  could  not  redeem  man,  ex- 
cept by  the  assumed  Human,  143.  God 
Himself,  the  Creator  of  the  Universe, 
descended  in  order  to  become  the  Re- 
deemer, and  thus  Creator  anew,  854. 
God,  although  He  descended  as  the 
Divine  Truth,  still  did  not  separate  the 
Divine  Good,  148.  God  assumed  the 
Human  according  to  His  Divine  order, 
14S.  God  came  into  the  world  as  the 
Word  :  then  God,  by  the  Human,  which 
was  Divine  Truth,  put  on  all  power, 
357.  Thus  God  became  Man,  and  Man 
God,  in  one  person,  161,  10^3.  In 
Christ,  Man  is  God,  and  God  Man, 
161-163.  Besides  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
there  is  no  God,  429.  God  the  Sa- 
-  viour  Jesus  Christ  is  the  visible  God 
in  Whom  is  the  invisible  God,  482, 
865,  1050.  All  who  acknowledge  and 
worship  one  God,  the  Creator  of  the 
universe,  entertain  the  idea  of  God  as 
a  Man,  1091.  He  who  forms  to  him- 
self an  idea  of  God  as  being  the  Sun 
of  the  universe,  will  surely  from  that 
idea  see  and  acknowledge  His  om- 
nipresence, omniscience,  and  omnipo- 
tence, ioo2.  God  is  angry  with  no  one; 
He  does  not  avenge,  tempt,  punish, 
cast  into  hell,  nor  condemn ;  these 
things  are  as  far  from  God  as  heaven  is 
from  hell,  and  infinitely  farther,  227. 
Grace  on  the  part  of  God,  as  it  is  infi- 
nite, is  also  eternal,  273.  God  is  Mercy 
itself,  384.  Every  one  is  allotted  his 
place  in  the  heavens  according  to  his 
idea  of  God,  280,  827:  that  is,  as  it 
were,  the  touchstone  by  which  are 
tested  the  gold  and  silver,  that  is,  good 
and  truth,  as  to  their  quality  with  man, 
280.  Unless  in  thought  God  is  ap- 
proached as  Man,  every  idea  of  God 
perishes,  falling  like  the  sight  directed 
out  upon  the  universe,  that  is  into  empty 
nothingness,  or  into  nature  or  to  what 
is  met  within  nature,  755,  1050.  All 
things  have  their  being,  live,  and  are 
moved  in  God  and  from  Him,  908,  909. 
Whoever  denies  God  is  already  among 
the  condemned,  and  after  death  is  gath- 
ered to  his  companions,  24. 

Godoschai.cus,  686,  1064. 

Gods.  Many  gods  of  the  Gentiles  were 
no  other  than  men  ;  some  of  whom  they 
worshipped  first  as  saints,  afterwards  as 
divinities,  and  lastly  as  gods,  429. 

Gog  signifies  external  worship  without 
internal,  334. 

Gold  in  the  Word  signifies  good,  33;; 


heavenly  \celestiaT\  good,  which  is  of 
the  highest  heaven,  338,  813.  Gold 
signifies  internal  good,  802.  The  gold 
of  Sheba  (Ps.  Ixxii.  13-15)  is  the  wis- 
dom from  Divine  truth,  956.  Mice  of 
gold,  337,  802. 

Good.  All  that  proceeds  from  love  is 
called  good,  67.  The  enjoyment  by 
which  love  manifests  itself,  each  one 
calls  good,  67.  Every  good  forms  itself 
by  truths,  and  also  clothes  itself  with 
them,  and  thus  distinguishes  itself  from 
other  goods,  69.  What  good  without 
truth  is,  147.  All  the  good  of  love  and 
charity  is  from  God,  71,  107.  God  is 
Good  itself,  67.  In  good  God  is  omni- 
present, continually  urging  and  impor- 
tuning to  be  received  :  and  if  He  is  not 
received  still  He  does  not  withdraw,  foi 
if  He  were  to  withdraw,  man  would 
instantly  die,  yes.  would  lapse  into 
nothingness,  69;,  1026,  1035.  No  on« 
can  do  any  good  from  the  love  of  good 
except  from  God,  466.  Goods  are  man- 
ifold :  in  general  there  are  spiritual  good 
and  natural  good,  and  both  are  con- 
joined in  genuine  moral  good,  576.  A 
man  is  to  be  loved  according  to  the 
quality  of  the  good  which  is  in  him- 
Wherefore  good  itself  is  essentially  the 
neighbor,  595,  601,  602.  See  Neighbor. 
Good  is  in  man,  and  every  work  which 
proceeds  from  him  is  good,  when  the 
Lord,  charity,  and  faith  reside  in  his 
internal  man,  529.  Everv  good  with 
man  has  conjunction  with  such  in 
heaven  as  are  in  similar  good,  817. 
Good  which  is  good  in  outward  form 
only,  is  not  good  in  itself,  871.  They 
who  deny  God  are  not  willing,  and 
therefore  are  not  able,  to  receive  any 
good  from  any  other  source  than  from 
their  proprium ;  and  whatever  proceeds 
from  this  is  spiritually  evil,  however 
good  it  seems  naturally,  545.  Evil  and 
good  cannot  be  together :  and  as  far  as 
evil  is  removed,  good  is  regarded  and 
felt,  460.  He  is  good  who  has  a  good 
will,  and  still  more  he  whose  under- 
standing favors  it,  807. 

Good  and  Truth.  All  good  resides  in 
the  will,  and  all  truth  in  the  under- 
standing, 147.  The  understanding  is 
the  receptacle  of  truth,  and  the  v\ill  is 
the  receptacle  of  good.  377.  Good  is  of 
the  will  and  truth  is  of  the  understand- 
ing, 874.  Good  is  the  vcrv  esse  of  a 
thing  and  trutli  is  its  existere  there- 
from; nothing  exists  in  heaven  and 
nothing  in  the  world  that  does  not  have 
relation  to  these  two,  575.  It  is  accord- 
ing to  Divine  order  for  good  and  truth 
to  be  conjoined  and  not  separated,  576. 
The  l.oru  continually  wills  to  imp. ant 
truth  and  good,  or  faith  and  charity,  in 
every  man,  246.  In' every  tiling  of  the 
Word  there  is  the  marriage  of  good 
and  truth,  37;.    The  marriage  oi  ^ood 


INDEX. 


and  truth  in  man,  378.  Good  loves 
truth,  and  in  return  truth  loves  good, 
and  the  one  desires  to  be  conjoined  with 
the  other,  576.  Good  alone  or  truth 
alone  is  nothing  ;  but  by  marriage  they 
exist  and  become  something,  837.  See 
Divine  Good  and  Divine  Truth. 

Goodness.  Natural  goodness  is  of  the 
flesh  alone,  born  of  one's  parents;  but 
spiritual  goodness  is  of  the  spirit,  being 
born  anew  of  the  Lord,  753.  They  who 
do  good  from  natural  goodness  only  and 
not  from  religion  a:  the  same  time,  are 
not  accepted  after  death,  753. 

Good  Works  are  to  do  well  from  willing 
well,  529.  Charity  and  faith  are  to- 
gether in  good  works,  528,  529.  Char- 
ity and  good  works  are  two  distinct 
things,  like  willing  well  and  doing  well, 
603-605. 

Gotten  burg,  237,  238. 

Government  (The)  of  three  Divine  per- 
sons in  heaven  would  be  like  the  govern- 
ment of  three  kings  in  oie  kingdom, 
243- 

Grace  (Divine)  is  an  attribute  of  the  Di- 
vine Essence,  273.  Grace  on  the  part 
of  God,  as  it  is  infinite  is  also  eternal. 
The  grace  of  God  may  be  lost  on  the 
part  of  man  if  he  does  not  receive  it. 
If  grace  were  to  depart  from  God  there 
would  be  an  end  of  all  heaven  and  all 
the  human  race,  for  which  reason  grace 
on  the  part  of  God  endures  for  ever, 
273- 

Great  Heaven.  It  is  a  law  of  order 
that  man  from  his  little  heaven  or  little 
spiritual  world  should  govern  his  mi- 
crocosm or  his  little  natural  world,  as 
God  from  His  great  heaven  or  the  spirit- 
ual world  governs  the  macrocosm  or  the 
natural  world  in  all  and  every  part,  in. 

Greece,  336,  401. 

Greek  Church.  Its  error,  255.  See 
Church  {Greek). 

Grief.  While  a  man  suffers  as  to  the 
body,  his  soul  does  not  suffer,  but  only 
grieves ;  and  God  takes  away  this  grief 
after  the  victory,  and  wipes  it  away  as 
one  wipes  tears  from  the  eyes,  213. 

Grind  (To).  By  grinding  in  a  mill  is 
meant  to  seek  from  die  Word  what  is 
serviceable  for  doctrine,  272. 

Grove  (By  a)  is  meant  intelligence,  333. 

Gulf.  Between  heaven  and  hell  there  is 
a  great  gulf,  95.  The  Lord  separates 
the  congregated  bodies  in  hell  from  the 
societies  in  heaven  by  a  gulf,  120 

Gutta  Serena,  closed  or  blind  faith,  492, 
824,  862 

Gymnasiums  in  the  spiritual  world,  59, 
228. 


H.  The  h  which  was  added  to  the  names 
of  Abram  and  Sarai,  signified  infinite 
and  eternal,  403. 

Habit  in  repentance,  759.    Habit  makes 


a  second  nature,  759.  Disusage  make* 
a  man  old  in  his  habits,  induces  unwill- 
ingness, &c,  757. 

Hail  signifies  infernal  falsity,  852. 

Hair  signifies  truth  in  ultimates,  and  thus 
the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word, 

2.23.  '         ;  ; 

Hamburg.     Its  people  in  the  spiritual 

world,  1079. 

Hand  The  right  hand  of  God  signifies 
omnipotence,  231.  The  two  hands  are 
the  ultimates  of  man,  657. 

Happiness.  Eternal  happiness,  977-1013. 
Eternal  happiness  does  not  pertain  to 
place,  but  to  the  state  of  man's  life, 
9^6.  From  the  enjoyments  of  the  soul 
with  the  thoughts  of  the  mind  and  the 
sensations  of  the  body,  all  together, 
comes  eternal  happiness,  1002.  Happi- 
ness from  the  sensations  of  the  body 
alone  is  not  eternal  but  temporal,  which 
comes  to  an  end  and  passes  away,  and 
sometimes  becomes  unhappiness,  1002. 

Harlot  signifies  falsification,  403. 

Harmony.  Pre-established,  936.  See 
Influx. 

Hatred  breathes  revenge;  it  inwardly 
cherishes  murder,  816.  Unless  the  in- 
ternal man  is  regenerated,  it  is  nothing 
but  hatred  against  all  things  pertaining 
to  charity,  799. 

Head  signifies  the  intelligence  which 
angels  and  men  have  from  the  Lord 
by  Divine  truth,  356. 

Head  (The  hinder  parts  of  the).  In 
the  spiritual  world,  the  hinder  parts  of 
the  heads  of  those  who  have  enjoyment 
from  the  love  of  doing  evil  are  very  hol- 
low, 271,  763. 

Heart  and  Lungs.  The  heart  and  the 
lungs  are  the  two  essentials  and  univer- 
sals  by  which  human  bodies  exist  and 
subsist,  66.  The  heart  and  lungs  operate 
in  all  and  every  thing  there;  the  reason 
is,  because  the  heart  corresponds  to  love, 
and  the  lungs  to  wisdom,  66.  The  heart 
corresponds  to  the  will  and  its  goods, 
and  the  lungs  to  the  understanding  and 
its  truths,  147,  519,  806.  The  heart, 
without  the  respiration  of  the  lungs, 
does  not  produce  any  motion  or  any 
feeling,  but  the  respiration  of  the  lungs 
from  the  heart  does  both,  147,  256,  518. 
Conjunction  of  the  heart  w  ith  the  lungs, 
and  of  the  lungs  with  the  heart,  526. 
The  heart  acts,  and  the  artery  by  its 
sheaths  or  coats  co-operates;  hence  cir- 
culation. It  is  similar  with  the  lungs; 
the  air  by  pressure  according  to  the 
height  of  its  atmosphere  acts,  and  the 
ribs  first  co-operate  with  the  lungs,  and 
immediately  after,  the  lungs  with  the 
ribs:  hence  a  respiration  of  every  mem- 
brane in  the  body,  784.  In  the  Word 
heart  signifies  the  will ;  a  new  heart 
means  a  new  will,  806.  A  new  heart 
means  the  will  of  good,  245.  See 
Lungs. 


INDEX.  1 1  77 


Hea  r  and  Light.  From  the  Sun  of  the 
spiritual  world  proceed  heat  which  in  its 
essence  is  love,  aud  light  which  in  its 
essence  is  wisdom,  70.  The  heat  and 
light  which  proceed  from  the  Lord  as  a 
Sun  contain  in  their  bosom  all  the  infini- 
ties that  are  in  the  Lord;  the  heat  all 
the  infinities  of  His  Love,  and  the  light 
all  the  infinities  or  His  Wisdom,  514. 
'ieat  and  light  are  in  the  world,  because 
they  correspond  to  the  Divine  Love  and 
the  Divine  Wisdom,  66.  The  natural 
heat  and  light  serve  for  clothing  and 
support  to  spiritual  heat  and  light,  that 
they  may  pass  to  man,  121,  508.  The 
light  and  heat  in  which  angels  are,  essen- 
tially are  nothing  else  than  the  arfection 
of  love  and  the  truth  of  wisdom,  549. 
Spiritual  light  in  its  essence  is  truth ; 
and  spiritual  heat  in  its  essence  is  good, 
570.  The  heat  of  the  spiritual  world 
aspires  to  nothing  but  generation,  and 
through  it  to  a  continuance  of  creation, 
792.  Spiritual  heat  which  is  love  pro- 
duces natural  heat  with  men,  so  far  as 
to  enkindie  and  inflame  their  faces  and 
limbs,  64.  The  heat  of  the  blood,  or  the 
vital  heat  of  men  and  animals  in  gen- 
eral, is  from  no  other  source  than  the 
love  that  makes  their  life,  64,  696.  The 
heat  of  polygamic  love,  iooo. 

Heaven  constitutes  the  Lord's  Eody,  965. 
Heaven  in  the  complex  is  a  form  of 
Divine  order,  105.  The  angeiic  heaven 
is  as  a  head  to  the  church  upon  earth,  in 
both  of  which  the  Lord  is  the  very  Soul, 
12.  The  end  of  creation  was  an  angelic 
heaven  from  the  human  race,  21,  105, 
1034.  The  angelic  heaven  is  arranged 
into  societies  according  to  all  the  varie- 
ties of  the  love  of  good,  24,  54,  625. 
The  whole  angelic  heaven  is  arranged 
into  its  form  and  preserved  in  it  from 
the  Divine  Love  by  the  Divine  Wisdom, 
67.  The  angelic  heaven  is  in  the  sight 
of  God  as  one  man,  104,  107,  202,  395, 
501,  812.  There  is  a  plenary  corre- 
spondence between  the  angelic  heaven 
aud  man,  104.  There  are  three  heaven.-*, 
a  highest,  a  middle,  and  a  lowest,  202, 
345,  786;  these  are  distinct  from  each 
other  according  to  the  three  degrees  of 
love  and  wisdom,  812;  they  are  like 
head,  body,  and  feet  in  man ;  the  high- 
est heaven  makes  the  head,  the  middle 
the  body,  and  the  ultimate  the  feet,  812. 
The  essence  of  the  heavens  is  love,  and 
their  existence  is  wisdom,  552.  The 
Lord  at  this  day  is  forming  a  new  an- 
gelic heaven,  and  it  is  forming  from 
those  who  believe  in  the  Lord  God  the 
Saviour  and  go  immediately  to  Him, 
171,  1042-1047.  The  enjoyments  of 
h-aven  are  tho--e  of  love  toward  the 
neighbor  and  of  love  to  God,  631.  If 
any  wicked  per>on  is  admitted  into 
heaven  where  charity  and  faith  in  the 
Lord  reign,  thick  darkness  comes  over 
VOL.  III. 


his  eyes,  giddiness  and  madness  come 
upon  his  mind,  pain  and  torment  upon 
his  body,  and  he  becomes  as  if  without 
life,  859.  There  are  administrative  offices 
in  heaven  and  dignities  attached  to  them  ; 
but  they  who  fill  them  love  nothing  more 
than  to  do  uses,  because  they  are  spirit- 
ual, 590,  932,  987.  In  the  heavens  there 
are  most  gladsome  companionships,  9S3, 
1003-1005;  repasts,  983-985;  concerts, 
games,  theatrical  exhibitions,  1003-1005. 
In  the  eastern  heaven  are  they  who  are 
in  love  from  the  Lord,  but  in  the  south- 
ern heaven  those  who  are  in  wisdom 
from  the  Lord,  551.  Infants  in  heaven, 
974,  975.  The  Mohammedan  heaven, 
1087.    Artificial  heavens,  1080. 

Hebrew  letters,  370,  403. 

Heirs.  They  who  have  faith  in  the  Lord 
and  are  not  in  evils  of  life  are  called 
heirs,  975. 

Heliconeum,  921,  926,  402. 

Helices.  The  spiritual  organism  of  the 
mind  consists  of  perpetual  helices,  785. 

Hell  exists  from  men  who,  by  aversion 
from  God,  after  death  became  devils 
and  satans,  131.  Hell  consists  of  myriads 
of  myriads,  since  it  consists  of  ail  those 
who,  from  the  creation  of  the  world,  by 
evils  of  life  and  falsities  of  faith  have 
alienated  themselves  from  God,  20*-. 
Hell  is  ordered  and  arranged  into  innu- 
merable societies,  according  to  all  the 
varieties  of  the  love  of  evil,  54,  625.  In 
the  sight  of  God  hell  is  as  one  giant, 
that  is,  a  monster,  107,  210.  Those  iu 
hell  do  not  acknowledge  God,  but  wor- 
ship as  gods  those  who  have  power  over 
others,  77.  All  who  are  in  hell  have 
been  men,  795.  Many  in  hell  are  skilled 
in  arts  unknown  in  our  world,  in  which 
they  practise  with  each  other  how  they 
may  attack,  ensnare,  beset,  and  assault 
those  who  are  from  heaven,  209.  When 
the  Lord  came  into  the  world,  the 
power  of  hell  prevailed  over  the  power 
of  heaven,  3,  785.  At  the  time  of  the 
first  Coming  of  the  Lord,  the  hells  had 
grown  up  to  such  a  height  that  th<  v 
filled  all  the  world  of  spirits,  and  not 
only  confused  the  heaven  which  is  cal  ed 
the  ultimate,  but  also  assaulted  the 
middle  heaven,  which  they  infested  in  a 
thousand  ways,  205,  20S,  211,  pic 
It  has  been  similar  at  this  day,  206. 
In  the  spiritual  sense  murder  means  ail 
modes  of  killing  and  destroying  the  souls 
of  men  ;  such  things  are  done  by  all  the 
devils  and  satans  in  hell,  with  whom 
they  who  violate  and  prostitute  the  hoiv 
things  of  the  church  in  this  world  arc 
conjoined,  445.  Man  bv  a  denial  oj  ( iod 
is  excluded  from  communion  with  the 
angels  of  heaven  ;  and  when  thus  ex- 
cluded, he  enters  into  communion  with 
the  satans  ot  hell  and  thinks  in  nut  v 
with  them,  23.  In  hell  all  are  gathered 
who  love  them*clve»  and  the  world 


1178 


INDEX. 


above  all  thine  s,  42c).  Hell  is  beneath 
the  earths  of  the  spiritual  world,  which 
also  are  of  spiritual  origin,  and  there- 
fore not  in  extension  but  in  its  appear- 
ance, 674.  Hell  consists  of  caverns, 
which  are  nothing  but  eternal  work- 
houses, 415.  The  smoke  seen  in  the 
hells  arises  from  falsities  confirmed  by 
reasonings,  and  the  tire  is  anger  kind- 
ling against  those  who  contradict,  263. 
Infernal  fire  is  murder;  hence  one  is 
said  to  be  inflamed  with  hatred,  and  to 
burn  with  revenge,  444. 

hemiplegia,  520. 

Heraclitus,  930. 

Hrreditary.  Every  man  inherits  from 
bis  parents  an  inc  ination  to  do  what  is 
good  and  just  for  the  sake  of  himself  and 
the  world,  and  no  man  inherits  inclina- 
tion to  do  it  for  the  sake  of  what  is  good 
and  just,  606.  Hereditary  evil  is  from 
parents,  by  whom  is  transmitted  to  their 
children  an  inclination  towards  the  evil 
in  which  they  themselves  have  been, 
668,  737,  738,  1083.  It  depends  on  each 
one  of  a  family  to  choose  whether  he 
will  accede  to  the  hereditary  inclination 
or  recede  from  it,  669.  Hereditary  evil 
acts  in  man  and  upon  man :  if  evil 
should  act  through  the-  man,  he  would 
not  be  capable  of  being  reformed,  nor 
would  he  be  a  subject  of  blame,  256. 
The  hereditary  evils  into  which  man  is 
born  have  arisen  principally  from  the 
love  of  ruling  over  all,  and  the  love  of 
possessing  the  wealth  of  all,  699,  884, 
1083,  1084  ;  in  these  two  loves  hereditary 
evil  dwells  in  its  fulness,  1083.  Man  is 
not  born  into  evils  themselves,  but  only 
into  an  inclination  to  evils  ;  having,  how- 
ever, a  greater  or  less  proclivity  for  par- 
ticular ones ;  wherefore  after  death  no 
man  is  judged  from  any  hereditary  evil, 
but  from  the  actual  evils  which  he  has 
himself  committed,  738.  The  inclina- 
tion and  proclivity  to  evils,  transmitted 
from  parents  to  their  children  and  pos- 
terity, are  broken  only  by  the  new  birth 
from  the  Lord,  which  is  called  regenera- 
tion, 738.  All  the  evils  to  which  man 
inclines  by  birth  are  inscribed  on  the 
will  of  his  natural  man  ;  these  inflow  (so 
far  as  the  man  takes  from  them)  into 
the  thoughts,  874. 

Heresies.  From  this,  that  appearances 
of  truth  have  been  taken  for  genuine 
truths  and  confirmed,  have  sprung  all 
the  heresies  which  have  been  and  still 
are  in  the  Christian  world,  382.  Heresies 
themselves  do  not  condemn  men  ;  but 
confirmations,  from  the  Word  and  by 
reasonings  from  the  natural  man,  of  the 
falsities  in  heresy ;  these  and  an  evil 
life  condemn,  382.  Heresies  have  flowed 
chiefly  from  such  as  were  sensual,  587. 
The  causes  of  so  many  divisions  and 
separations  in  the  church  are  principally 
three:   1.  The  Divine  Trinity  has  not 


been  understood;  2.  There  has  been  no 
just  recognition  of  the  Lord;  3.  The 
1  assioa  of  the  cross  has  been  taken  for 
redemption  itself,  536.  From  the  faith 
that  there  are  three  Divine  persons, 
each  of  whom  singly  is  God,  have  origi- 
nated enormous  heresies  concerning 
God,  37. 

Heterogeneity  torments  a  devil  in 
heaven,  and  an  angel  in  hell,  832. 

Hieroglyphics  of  the  Egyptians  were 
correspondences,  335,  338,  1089. 

Highest  things  {supremo).  What  is 
highest  in  man's  mind  is  turned  upward 
toward  God ;  what  is  mediate  therein, 
outward  toward  the  world  ;  and  the  low- 
est there,  downward  into  the  body,  724. 
If  man  does  not  live  according  to  Divine 
order,  still  God  is  with  him,  but  in  his 
highest  parts,  and  gives  him  the  power 
to  understand  truth  and  to  will  good, 
109,  516. 

Hill  signifies  the  heaven  below  the  high- 
est heaven,  358.  It  also  means  the 
lower  things  of  the  church,  334. 

Hirelings.  By  hirelings  to  whom  were 
assigned  services  of  the  lowest  kind  in 
the  outer  courts  of  the  temple,  are  meant 
those  who  demand  reward  because  of 
their  merit  in  matters  of  salvation,  621. 
See  Merit. 

Holiness  {Sanctum).  The  style  of  the 
Word  is  such  that  holiness  is  in  every 
sentence,  and  in  every  word,  yes,  in  some 
places  in  the  very  letters,  323.  The 
name  of  God  is  Holiness  itself,  433.  To 
pervert  and  falsify  the  holy  things  of 
the  Word,  284.  Holiness  of  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  Supper,  950. 

Holy  of  Holies  (The),  where  was  the 
ark  of  the  covenant,  represented  and 
thence  signified  the  inmost  of  heaven 
and  the  church,  353. 

Holy  One  of  Israel  (The)  means  the 
Lord  as  to  the  Divine  Human,  153.  In 
the  Word,  by  Jehovah  is  meant  the 
Lord  as  to  the  Divine  good  of  Divine 
love,  and  by  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  is 
meant  the  Lord  as  to  the  Divine  truth 
of  the  Divine  wisdom,  382. 

Holy  Spirit  (The)  is  not  a  God  by  itself, 
but  by  it  in  the  Word  is  meant  the  Di- 
vine Operation,  proceeding  from  the 
one  omnipresent  God,  239,  240.  The 
Divine  Virtue  and  Operation  which  are 
meant  by  the  Holy  Spirit  are,  in  gen- 
eral, reformation  and  regeneration,  244. 
By  the  Holy  Spirit  is  properly  signified 
the  Divine  Truth,  thus  also  the  Wind; 
and  in  this  sense  the  Lord  Himself  is 
also  the  Holy  Spirit,  240.  Those  things, 
which  are  at  this  day  attributed  to  the 
Holy  Spirit  as  to  a  God  by  Himself,  are 
the  operations  of  the  Lord,  253.  In  the 
Word  of  the  Old  Testament  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  nowhere  named,  but  only  the 
Spirit  of  Holiness  in  three  places,  26a. 
The  Holy  Spirit  was  then  for  the  first 


INDEX. 


time  when  the  Lord  came  into  the  world, 
»62.  The  life  proceeding  from  the  Lord 
is  called  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  in  the 
Word  the  Holy  Spirit,  651.  The  Spirit 
of  Jehovah  the  Father  filled  Elizabeth 
(Luke  i.  44,  and  Zechariah  (i.  67),  as 
also  Simeon  (ii.  25),  which  was  called 
the  Holy  Spirit  on  account  of  the  Lord 
Who  was  already  in  the  world,  262. 
Holy  Supper  (The)  was  instituted  for 
the  sake  of  consociation  wiih  angels, 
and  at  the  same  time  conjunction  with 
the  Lord  ;  the  Bread  becomes  in  heaven 
Divine  good,  and  the  Wine  becomes 
Divine  truth,  both  from  the  Lord,  368, 
95I_959  Such  correspondence  is  from 
creation,  to  the  end  that  the  angelic 
heaven  and  the  church  on  earth,  and  in 
general  the  spiritual  world  and  the  nat- 
ural world,  may  make  one,  and  that  the 
Lord  may  conjoin  Himself  with  both  at 
once,  368  By  the  Lord's  Flesh,  as  also 
by  bread,  is  meant  Divine  Good  ;  and  by 
His  Blood,  as  also  by  wine,  is  meant 
Divine  truth,  528,  951-959-  The  two 
sacraments,  Baptism  and  the  Holy  Sup- 
per, are  the  holiest  things  of  worship, 
947,  959.  The  Holy  Supper  is  a  sacra- 
ment of  repentance,  and  thus  introduc- 
tion into  heaven,  768.  The  man  who 
looks  to  the  Lord  and  repents,  is  by  that 
most  holy  thing  conjoined  with  the 
Lord  and  introduced  into  heaven,  829; 
the  bread  and  wine  do  not  effect  this, 
but  love  and  faith  which  correspond  to 
them,  830,  953.  Without  acquaintance 
with  the  correspondences  of  natural  with 
spiritual  things,  no  one  can  know  the 
uses  and  benefits  of  the  Holy  Supper, 
947-950.  Because  real  Christianity  is 
now  beginning  to  dawn,  and  the  Lord  is 
now  establishing  a  New  Church  meant 
by  the  New  Jerusalem  in  the  Apoca- 
lypse, it  has  pleased  the  Lord  to  re- 
veal the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word 
in  order  that  this  church  may  come  into 
the  very  use  and  benefit  of  the  sacra- 
ments of  Baptism  and  the  Holy  Supper, 
949.  Bread  and  wine  in  the  natural 
sense,  mean  the  same  as  flesh  and 
blood,  that  is,  the  passion  of  the  cross, 
952.  In  the  spiritual  sense  by  flesh  and 
bread  is  meant  the  good  of  charity,  and 
by  blood  and  wine  the  truth  of  faith  ; 
and  in  the  supreme  sense  the  Lord  as 
to  the  Divine  Good  of  love  and  the 
Divine  Truth  of  wisdom,  953.  The 
Holy  Supper  involves  three  univcrsnls, 
namely,  the  Lord,  His  Divine  Good,  and 
His  Divine  Truth;  therefore  the  Holy 
Supper  includes  and  contains  the  uni- 
versal of  heaven  and  the  church,  959- 
962.  The  Lord  is  in  the  Holy  Supper 
in  His  fulness,  with  His  whole  redemp- 
tion, 962-964.  A.l  who  go  to  the  Holy 
Communion  worthily  become  His  re- 
deemed, 9'>3-  The  Lord  is  pmenl  and 
opens  heaven  to  those  who  approach  the 


Holy  Supper  worthily ;  and  He  is  also 
present  with  those  who  approach  urv- 
worthily,  but  does  not  open  heaven  to 
them  ;  consequently  as  Baptism  is  an 
introduction  into  the  church,  so  the 
Holy  Supper  is  an  introduction  intr< 
heaven,  964-967.  They  approach  the 
Holy  Supper  worthily,  who  have  faith 
in  the  Lord  and  are  in  charity  toward  the 
neighbor,  thus  who  are  regenerate,  9^7- 
970.  By  the  regenerate  who  approach 
the  Holy  Supper  worthily,  are  meant 
those  who  are  interiorly  in  the  three 
essentials  of  the  church  and  heaven,  but 
not  those  who  are  so  exteriorly  only, 
969.  They  who  approach  the  Holy 
Supper  worthily,  are  in  the  Lord  and 
the  Lord  is  in  them  ;  consequently  con- 
junction is  effected  by  the  Holy  Supper, 
97I_973«  The  Holy  Supper  to  those 
who  approach  it  worthily  is  like  a  signa- 
ture and  seal  that  they  are  sons  of  God, 
974-976.  Baptism  and  the  Holy  Supper 
are  like  two  gates  through  which  man  is 
introduced  to  eternal  life,  967,  966. 

Homogeneous  affection  conjoins,  and 
heterogeneous  affection  separates,  832. 

Honok.  To  honor  thy  father  and  thy 
mother,  in  a  broader  sense  means  to 
honor  the  king  and  magistrates,  since 
they  provide  for  all  in  general  the 
necessities  which  parents  provide  in  par- 
ticular. In  the  broadest  sense  it  means 
that  men  should  love  their  country  be- 
cause it  supports  and  protects  them,  441. 
In  the  spiritual  sense  by  lather  is  meant 
God,  Who  is  the  Father  of  all;  and  by 
mother,  the  church,  441.  In  the  heav- 
enly sense  by  father  is  meant  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ ;  and  by  mother,  the  com- 
munion of  saints,  by  which  is  meant 
His  Church,  spread  over  all  the  world, 
44" 

Horse  signifies  the  understanding  of  the 
Word,  190,  403,  833,  1037.  A  white 
horse  signifies  the  undersiand'ng  of  the 
Word  as  to  truth  and  good  ;  a  red  horse, 
the  understanding  of  the  Word  de- 
stroyed as  to  good;  and  a  black  horse, 
the  understanding  of  the  Word  destroved 
as  tc  I'uih,  190.  A  dead  horse  signifies 
no  understanding  of  truth,  403,  832.  Sec 
Pegasus. 

House.  A  house  similar  to  the  one  in 
which  they  lived  in  the  world,  is  pre- 
pared in  the  spiritual  world,  for  most  of 
the  new  comers,  1060. 

Human.  The  Lord  from  etcnr.iv  \\ 
is  Jehovah,  came  into  the  world,  that 
He  might  i-ubjugate  the  hells  ami  glorify 
His  Human,  1.  This  Human  was  the 
Divine  Truth,  which  He  united  with 
Divine  Good,  3.  As  the  DhrUM  ImM 
Which  was  from  eternity  lives  in  Itself, 
so  also  the  Human  Watch  It  MMMMQ 
in  time,  lives  in  Itlllf,  70-  God  could 
not  make  His  Human  Divine,  unless 
His  Humau  were  at  In:  1  M  the  human 


u8o 


INDEX. 


of  an  infant,  and  afterwards  as  the  hu- 
man of  a  boy,  and  unless  the  Human 
afterwards  formed  itself  into  a  receptacle 
and  habitation  into  Which  Its  Father 
might  enter,  116,  149.  The  human 
which  He.  assumed  in  time  was  not  the 
Divine  Esse,  140.  Jehovah  Himself 
descended  and  assumed  the  Human. 
Because  the  Divine  cannot  be  divided, 
the  Divine  of  the  Father  was  itself  the 
Lord's  soul  and  life,  142,  755.  God 
assumed  the  Human  according  to  His 
Divine  Order.  In  order  that  He  might 
become  Man  actually.  He  could  not 
but  be  conceived,  carried  in  the  womb, 
brought  forth,  educated,  and  success- 
ively gain  knowledges,  and  by  them  be 
introduced  into  intelligence  and  wisdom, 
148,  149.  Wherefore,  as  to  the  Human, 
He  was  an  infant  as  an  infant,  a  boy  as 
a  boy,  &c,  with  this  difference  only, 
that  He  accomplished  that  progression 
sooner,  more  fully,  and  more  perfectly, 
than  others,  149.  By  the  acts  of  re- 
demption the  Lord  put  off  the  human 
from  the  mother,  and  put  on  a  Human 
from  the  Father;  thence  it  is,  that  the 
Human  of  the  Lord  is  Divine,  and  that 
in  Him  God  is  Man,  and  Man  God, 
162,  287.  The  Divine  of  the  Father  is 
the  Soul  of  the  Son,  and  the  Human  of 
the  Son  is  the  Body  of  the  Father,  187. 
The  omnipotent  God  could  not  have 
entered  upon  the  battle  with  the  hells, 
unless  He  had  previously  put  on  the 
Human,  211.  The  Lord  did  not  suffer 
as  to  the  Divine,  but  as  to  the  human, 
213.  By  the  Human  God  is  in  the  lasts 
as  well  as  in  the  firsts,  230.  The  Hu- 
man does  not  ask  its  Divine  to  tell  what 
it  shall  speak  or  do,  257.  The  Lord 
as  to  the  Divine  Human  is  to  be  ap- 
proached, and  so  and  not  otherwise  can 
the  Divine  which  is  called  the  Father 
be  approached,  316,  754.  The  one  God 
Who  is  invisible  came  into  the  world 
and  assumed  the  Human,  not  only  that 
He  might  redeem  men,  but  also  that 
He  might  become  visible,  and  thus 
capable  of  conjunction,  1050  This  Hu- 
man is  what  is  called  the  Son  of  God; 
and  this  is  what  mediates,  intercedes, 
propitiates,  and  expiates,  227,  755.  Con- 
cerning the  Divine  Human,  see,  also, 
180,  620.  The  Lord  rose  from  the 
sepulchre  with  His  whole  Body  which 
He  had  in  the  world  ;  nor  did  He  leave 
any  thing  in  the  sepulchre  ;  conse- 
quently, He  took  thence  with  Him  the 
natural  Human  itself  from  the  firsts  to 
the  lasts  of  it,  173.  The  glorified  Hu- 
man of  the  Lord  is  the  Natural  Divine, 
in  which  He  is  present  with  men,  and 
from  which  He  enlightens  not  only  the 
internal  spiritual  man  but  also  the  ex- 
ternal natural,  173,  174.  Concerning 
those  in  the  spiritual  world  who  could 
not  pronounce  Divine  Human,  182. 


Humiliation  of  the  Lord  before  the 
Father,  is  what  is  called  His  state  of 
exinanition,  165.    See  Exinanition. 

Hunchback.  Comparison  with  a  hunch- 
back, 591,  722. 

Husband  in  the  Word,  in  the  spiritual 
sense  signifies  the  good  of  charity,  534. 
Love  or  charity  is  as  the  husband,  and 
wisdom  or  faith  is  as  the  wife,  73. 

Hypocrisy  in  worship,  734-736.  Origin 
of  hypocrisy,  179,  799. 

Hypocrite.  Every  man  who  is  not  in- 
teriorly led  by  the  Lord,  is  a  pretender, 
a  sycophant,  a  hypocrite,  884.  Among 
natural  men  the  hypocrite  is  the  lowest 
natural,  for  he  is  sensual,  544.  If  the 
internal  man  wills  evil  and  yet  the  ex- 
ternal man  acts  well,  then  none  the  less 
they  both  act  from  hell ;  for  his  willing 
is  from  hell,  and  his  doing  is  hypocriti- 
cal ;  and  in  all  that  is  hypocritical,  his 
willing  which  is  infernal  is  inwardly 
concealed,  485.  With  consummate  hyp- 
ocrites there  is  an  intestine  enmity 
against  truly  spiritual  men :  they  are 
not  sensible  of  this  while  they  live  in 
the  world,  but  it  manifests  itself  after 
death,  545. 

Hypotheses  concerning  faith  and  free- 
will, 525. 


I.    In  the  third  heaven  they  cannot  utter 

the  vowel  z,  but  instead,  .y,  403. 
Idea  makes  one  with  thought ;  where  there 
is  no  thought  there  is  no  idea,  476.  A 
merely  natural  idea  is  formed  from  such 
things  as  are  in  the  world,  and  in  that 
idea  there  is  space  and  time,  48,  51,  411. 
An  idea  of  spiritual  thought  derives 
nothing  from  space,  but  it  derives  its 
all  from  state,  49.  Spiritual  ideas  are 
supernatural,  inexpressible,  ineffable, 
and  incomprehensible  to  the  natural 
man,  407.  An  idea  concerning  the  cor- 
respondence between  the  things  which 
are  in  the  spiritual  world  and  the  things 
which  are  in  the  natural  world  ought  by 
all  means  to  be  first  obtained ;  and  unless 
this  is  done,  the  human  mind  from  mere 
ignorance  falls  into  naturalism  which 
denies  God,  121.  One  natural  idea  is 
the  container  of  many  spiritual  ideas, 
and  one  spiritual  idea  is  the  container  of 
many  heavenly  ideas,  409.  Ideas  are 
fixed  in  the  mind  and  remain  as  they 
have  been  accepted  and  confirmed,  498. 
Ideas  of  thought  become  words  of 
speech,  409.  Ideas  of  thought,  which 
flow  from  acknowledgment,  make  one 
with  the  words  of  the  tongue  with  those 
who  are  in  the  spiritual  world,  182.  It  is 
an  error  that  beasts  have  ideas,  475  Man 
has  no  connate  ideas,  476.  The  idea  of 
a  Trinity  of  Gods,  cannot  be  abolished 
by  the  oral  confession  of  One  God,  288, 
290  The  idea  to  be  formed  of  God, 
34,  827,  1092.    Every  one  is  allotted  hia 


INDEX.  i  I  8l 


place  in  the  heavens  according  to  his 

idea  of  God,  280. 
Identity.    In  the  created  universe  there 

are  not  two  things  which  are  the  same ; 

there  is  not  an  identi:y  of  two  effects  in 

things  which  are  successive  in  the  world, 

52.  An  identity  of  three  Divine  Essences 

is  an  offence  to  reason,  37. 
Idle.    In  the  spiritual  world  no  food  is 

given  to  the  idle  except  when  they  work, 

414. 

Idolatries  (Origin  of),  13,  337,  401,  428, 
1089. 

Idols  (Worship  of),  whence  it  arose,  42S. 
]  ji.M,  77,  220. 

Image  and  Likeness  of  God.  What  is 
meant  by  it,  56,  57.  The  infinite  is  in 
men  as  in  its  images,  55,  56.  Men  are 
called  images  and  likenesses  of  God,  33, 
56,  72,  80,  104,  118,  925.  Every  good 
of  love  is  an  image  of  the  Lord,  1028. 
The  image  of  the  father  is  in  its  fulness 
in  the  seed,  165.  In  the  spiritual  world 
when  the  angels'  inmost  sight  is  opened, 
they  recognize  their  own  image  in  the 
surrounding  objects ;  why,  105.  The 
ancients  who  had  a  knowledge  of  corre- 
spondences, made  for  themselves  images 
which  corresponded  to  heavenly  things, 
and  were  delighted  with  them  because 
they  signified  such  things  as  were  of 
heaven  and  the  church,  338. 

Immensity  is  the  beginning  of  space,  44. 
God's  infinity  in  relation  to  spaces  is 
called  immensity,  50.  In  heaven  the 
angels  perceive  by  the  immensity  of  iUod 
Divinity  as  to  Esse,  51. 

Immortality  of  the  Soul.  Man  lives 
for  ever  because  he  is  capable  of  being 
conjoined  with  God  by  love  and  faith, 
827.    See  also  Relation,  940. 

Impossible.  It  is  impossible  for  God  to 
damn  any  one  who  lives  well  and  be- 
lieves aright:  so  on  the  other  hand  it  is 
impossible  for  God  to  -ave  any  one  who 
lives  wickedly  and  who  therefore  be- 
lieves falsities ;  this  is  contrary  to  His 
omnipotence,  486.  It  was  impossible 
for  God  to  accomplish  the  work  of  re- 
demption without  the  Human,  144.  See 
Omnipotence 

Imputation  is  to  those  who  know,  and 
not  to  those  who  know  not,  171.  The 
imputation  of  the  merit  and  righteous- 
ness of  Christ  is  impossible,  222-224, 
856,  859,  866.  The  Lord  remits  to 
every  one  his  sins,  and  does  not  impute 
them,  because  He  is  Love  itself  and 
Good  itself,  595,  868,  869.  Without  a 
reciprocal  conjunction  of  man  with  the 
Lord  and  of  the  Lord  with  man  there 
would  be  no  imputation,  685.  If  there 
were  no  free-will  in  spiritual  things, 
God  would  be  the  cause  of  evil,  and  so 
there  would  be  no  imputation,  089-693. 
The  imputation  of  the  day  deprives 
man  of  all  power  coming  from  any  free- 
will in  spiritual  things,  846.    The  faith 


of  the  present  church  (which  is  said 
alone  to  justify)  and  imputation  make 
one,  843,  844.  The  imputation  which 
belongs  to  the  faith  of  the  present  day 
is  twofold,  the  imputation  of  Christ's 
merit,  and  the  imputation  of  salva- 
tion therefrom,  844-847,  855.  Unless 
the  error  respecting  imputation  were 
now  abolished,  atheism  would  over- 
run all  Christendom,  845.  The  faith 
imputative  of  Christ's  merit  was  un- 
known in  the  Apostolic  Church,  and  is 
nowhere  meant  in  the  Word,  852-S56; 
it  first  arose  from  the  decree  of  the 
Council  of  Nice,  concerning  three  Di- 
vine Persons  from  eternity,  84S-852 ; 
when  this  faith  was  introduced  and  per- 
vaded the  whole  Christian  world,  all 
other  faith  was  cast  into  the  shade,  S55. 
The  imputation  of  faith  has  supplied  a 
light,  like  that  of  a  fire  in  the  night 
time,  from  which  the  faith  has  been  seen 
as  if  it  were  true  theology  itself,  861 ;  if 
the  leaders  of  the  church  were  to  think 
of  any  other  than  this  imputative  faith 
while  reading  the  Word,  that  light  to- 
gether with  all  their  theology  would  be 
extinguished,  and  a  darkness  would  arise 
from  which  the  whole  Christian  church 
would  vanish,  862.  There  is  an  impu- 
tation, but  it  is  that  of  good  and  evil, 
and  at  the  same  time  of  faith,  which  is 
what  is  meant  where  imputation  is 
named  in  the  Word,  860  ;  there  was  no 
other  law  of  imputation  in  the  beginning 
of  the  church,  nor  will  there  be  any 
other  at  its  end,  S60.  The  good  which 
is  charity,  and  the  evil  which  is  iniquity, 
are  imputed  after  death,  863  The  faith 
and  imputation  of  the  New  Church  can 
by  no  means  be  together  with  the  faith 
and  imputation  of  the  former  Church, 
and  if  they  are  together,  such  collision 
and  conflict  result,  that  every  thing  ol 
the  church  with  man  perishes,  864-S67. 
The  Lord  imputes  good  to  every  man, 
and  hell  imputes  evil,  867-869.  Thought 
is  not  imputed  to  any  one,  but  will, 
872,  873.  Imputation  corresponds  to 
estimation  and  price,  874.  Concern- 
ing imputation  see  also  Relation 
103. 

Inclination  towards  the  evil  in  which 
they  themselves  have  beent  is  trans- 
mitted by  parents  to  their  children,  6<.8, 
738,  813.  Man  is  not  born  into  evils 
themselves,  but  only  into  an  inclination 
to  evils  ;  having  however  a  greater  or 
less  proclivity  tor  particular  ones,  73X. 
All  the  evils  to  which  man  inclim ■  I  v 
birth  are  inscribed  on  the  will  of  his 
natural  man,  874. 

Indies.  From  the  ancient  Word  nnl 
from  the  Israelitish  Word,  religion* 
systems  emanated  into  the  Indies  and 
their  islands,  401.  Those  in  the  Indies, 
if  they  believe  in  one  Cod,  and  live  ac 
cording  to  the  precepts  uf  their  religion, 


Tl32 


INDEX. 


are  saved  by  means  of  their  faith  and 
life,  171. 

Infancy  (The)  of  the  Christian  Church 
was  in  the  time  when  the  apostles  lived, 
and  preached  throughout  the  world  re- 
pentance and  faith  in  the  Lord  God  the 
Saviour,  5. 

Infants.  How  thought  is  formed  and 
ideas  exist  with  infants,  476.  Those 
who  die  in  infancy  have  an  inclination  to 
evils,  and  thus  will  them  but  still  do  not 
do  them  ;  for  they  are  educated  under 
the  Lord's  auspices,  and  saved,  738. 
As  soon  as  infants  have  been  baptized, 
angels  are  appointed  over  them,  907. 
Infants  and  children  born  outside  of  the 
Christian  Church,  are  introduced  by 
other  means  than  Baptism  into  the 
heaven  assigned  to  their  religion  after 
they  have  received  faith  in  the  Lord, 
975-  In  the  heavens  infants  know  no 
other  father  and  no  other  mother  than 
the  Lord  and  the  church,  441.  The  love 
called  parental  love  exists  equally  with 
the  bad  and  the  good,  and  is  sometimes 
stronger  with  the  wicked,  611.  See 
Parental  love. 

Infinite.  God  is  infinite,  since  He  is 
and  exists  in  Himself,  45.  God  is  in- 
finite, for  He  was  before  the  world,  thus 
before  spaces  and  times  arose,  46.  The 
infinite  is  in  finite  things  as  in  recepta- 
cles, and  in  men  as  in  its  images,  55. 

Infinity  and  eternity  are  applicable  to 
the  Divine  Esse,  35.  Infinity  compre- 
hends both  immensity  and  eternity,  44, 
50.  God's  infinity  in  relation  to  spaces 
is  called  immensity,  and  in  relation  to 
times  is  called  eternity,  50.  Enlight- 
ened reason,  from  very  many  things  in 
the  world,  may  see  the  infinity  of  God; 
instances,  52-54.  How  God  made  His 
infinity  finite,  56.  As  the  Esse  of  God 
is  more  universal  than  the  Essence  of 
God,  in  like  manner  the  infinity  is 
more  universal  than  the  love  of  God ; 
wherefore  i?ijinite  is  an  adjective  be- 
longing to  the  essentials  and  attributes 
'jf  God,  all  which  are  called  infinite,  65. 
The  heat  and  light  which  proceed  from 
the  Lord  as  a  Sun  contain  in  their 
bo^om  all  the  infinities  that  are  in  the 
Lord ;  the  heat  all  the  infinities  of  His 
Love,  and  the  light  all  the  infinities  of 
His  Wisdom,  514.  In  every  part  of  the 
Word  there  is  infinity,  that  is,  it  contains 
innumerable  things,  which  not  even  the 
angels  can  exhaust,  427 

Influx.  There  is  a  universal  influx  from 
God  into  the  souls  of  men,  that  there  is 
a  God,  and  that  He  is  one,  9-  The  rea- 
son that  many  think  that  His  Divinity 
is  divided  into  more  than  one  of  the 
same  essence,  is  because  when  that 
influx  descends  it  falls  into  forms  not 
correspondent,  and  the  form  itself  vanes 
it,  10.  How  the  Lord  flows  into  the 
whole  universe,  S57.    God  flows-in  with 


every  man  with  all  His  Divine  Life, 
that  is,  with  all  His  Divine  Love  and 
His  Divine  Wisdom,  513.  The  Lord 
with  all  the  essence  of  faith  and  charity 
flows-in  with  every  man,  514.  Those 
things  which  flow-in  from  the  Lord,  are 
received  by  man  according  to  his  form, 
516.  With  every  man  God  flows-in 
with  an  acknowledgment  of  Himself, 
into  the  cognitions  concerning  Him; 
and  at  the  same  time  He  flows-in  with 
His  love  toward  men,  634 ;  the  man 
who  receives  the  former  only  and  not 
the  latter,  receives  that  influx  in  the 
understanding  and  not  in  the  will ;  and 
he  remains  in  cognitions,  with  no  inte- 
rior acknowledgment  of  God  But  the 
man  who  receives  both  the  former  and 
the  latter  receives  the  influx  in  the  will 
and  from  the  will  in  the  understanding, 
thus  in  the  whole  mind,  634,  635.  The 
enjoyment  of  evil  is  exhaled  from  hell, 
and  flows  into  every  man,  but  into  the 
soles  of  the  feet  and  into  his  back  and 
occiput.  But  if  it  is  received  by  the 
head  in  the  forehead,  and  by  the  body 
in  the  breast,  the  man  is  made  a  slave  to 
hell,  761.  If  the  enjoyment  in  charity 
and  the  pleasantness  of  faith  were  to 
flow  into  the  spiritual  organism  of  the 
mind  of  those  who  are  in  the  enjoy- 
ment from  evil  and  falsity,  if  such  en- 
joyments and  pleasantness  were  to  in- 
trude upon  them  they  would  be  in 
anguish  and  torture,  and  would  finally 
fall  into  a  swoon,  785.  With  animals 
the  spiritual  world  flows  into  the  senses 
of  their  body  immediately,  and  through 
them  determines  the  actions,  475.  See 
Instinct.  At  the  present  day  nothing 
is  known  of  any  influx  from  the  spiritual 
world  into  the  natural  world,  but  of  the 
influx  of  nature  into  things  endowed 
with  natural  qualities,  935.  The  learned 
of  this  age  reason  diversely  respecting 
an  influx  of  the  soul  into  the  body  and 
of  the  body  into  the  soul,  and  about  this 
they  divide  into  three  parties,  as  to 
whether  the  influx  is  of  the  soul  into 
the  body,  which  they  call  occasional,  or 
of  the  body  into  the  soul,  which  they 
call  physical,  or  whether  there  is  an 
instantaneous  influx  into  the  body  and 
at  the  same  time  into  the  soul,  which 
they  term  pre-established  harmony,  936. 
Wonders  that  exist  from  the  influx  of 
the  spiritual  world  into  the  natural,  937. 
Influx  adapts  itself  to  efflux,  1077.  See 
Efflux. 

Infra-Lapsarians,  686. 

Iniquity  once  enrooted  is  transmitted  to 
posterity  so  far  as  to  give  an  inclination 
thereto,  and  is  extirpated  only  by  regen- 
eration, 1017.  To  bear  iniquities,  in  the 
Word,  does  not  mean  to  take  them 
away,  but  to  represent  the  profanation 
of  the  truths  of  the  Word,  218. 

Inmost.    God  is  onmipresent  in  the  uni- 


INDEX. 


Il83 


verse,  and  in  a'l  and  every  part  of  it  in 
the  inmcsts  of  the  parts,  for  these  are 
in  order,  109.  From  the  inmost  God's 
omnipotence  governs  those  things  which 
are  without,  95. 
Insects.    Wonders  about  them,  16,  474, 

.  475-  .... 

Inspiration  is  an  insertion  into  angelic 
societies,  242.  Aspiration  was  an  ex- 
ternal representative  sign  of  Divine  in- 
spiration, 242. 

lasrmcr  (The)  of  animals  i>  from  influx 
from  the  spiritual  world,  and  it  is  called 
instinct  because  it  exists  without  in- 
termediate thought.  There  are  also 
tilings  accessor}'  to  instinct,  coming 
from  habit,  475-  The  instinct  of  every 
animal  is  according  to  its  essence  or 
nature,  247.  Without  the  ascent  of  the 
understanding  above  the  will,  man 
would  not  have  been  able  to  act  from 
reason,  but  from  instinct,  795. 

Instruction.  Enlightenment  and  in- 
struction with  the  clergy,  258;  see  247. 
Every  man  after  death  is  instructed  by 
angels,  and  they  are  received  who  see 
truths,  and  from  truths  falsities;  but 
only  those  see  truths  who  have*not  con- 
firmed themselves  in  falsities,  383. 
They  who  after  instruction  in  the  spirit- 
ual world  recede  from  the  faith  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  a  God  by  itself,  are 
informed  afterwards  concerning  the 
inity  of  God.  These  are  then  pre- 
pared for  receiving  the  faith  of  the  new 
heaven,  239.  Man  without  instruction  is 
neither  man  nor  beast,  but  a  form  capable 
of  receiv  ing  into  itself  that  which  makes 
the  man,  923. 

Instrumental  (The)  and  the  principal 
together  make  one  action,  783.  An  in- 
strumental feels  the  principal  as  its  own, 
672. 

INTEGRITY".  Without  redemption,  the 
angels  could  not  have  continued  to  exist 
in  a  state  of  integrity,  201,  202.  All 
things  of  the  universe  have  been  pre- 
served in  their  integrity  from  the  first 
day  of  creation,  961. 

Intelligence  is  from  the  Lord  and  not 
from  man;  man  has  only  the  faculty  of 
receiving,  S87.  Intelligence  resides  in 
the  understanding,  873.  It  is  the  light 
of  life,  72.  Those  with  whom  the  inter- 
nal spiritual  man  is  opened  into  heaven 
to  the  Lord  are  in  the  light  of  heaven 
and  in  illumination  from  the  Lord,  and 
thereby  in  intelligence  and  wisdom  ; 
these  see  truth  from  the  light  of  truth 
and  perceive  good  from  the  love  of 
good,  585  According  to  the  affection 
For  knowledges  every  one  has  intelli- 
gence, 934  Human  intelligence  which 
is  truly  mtel.igcncc  is  from  no  other 
source  than  Divine  truths  analytically 
distributed  into  forms,  by  means  of  the 
light  fl  .winr-in  from  the  Lord,  1  r. 
by  his  own  intelligence  man 


acquire  cog:-it:ons  of  God.  of  heaven 
and  hell,  and  of  the  spiritual  things 
which  are  of  the  church,  401.  See 

W is  do  in. 

Intkntion.  Allurement  enters  merely 
into  the  understanding,  but  intention 
enters  into  the  will,  447.  All  that  is  of 
intention  is  also  of  the  will,  and  thus  in 
itse'.f  is  of  the  deed,  445.  Because  the 
end  is  the  purpose,  and  this  exerci-es 
intention,  purpose  is  also  of  the  will: 
and  it  enters  the  understanding  by  the 
intention,  and  prompts  it  to  occupy  it- 
self with  and  to  consider  means,  and  to 
conclude  on  such  as  tend  to  effects,  873. 
In  the  spiritual  world  ail  are  viewed  from 
their  purpose,  intention,  and  end,  740. 
A  man  examines  the  intentions  of  his 
will  while  he  examines  his  thoughts,  for 
in  these  the  intentions  make  themselves 
manifest,  748. 

Intercession  signifies  perpetual  media- 
tion, 227.    See  Mediation. 

Intercourse.  Mutual  intercourse  be- 
tween the  soul  and  the  body,  257. 

Interiors.  All  of  man's  interiors  go 
forth  and  are  continued  into  his  exte- 
riors, and  even  into  fhe  outermosts,  in 
order  to  work  out  their  effects  and  ac- 
complish their  works,  656,  657. 

Internal  and  External.  In  every 
created  thing  in  the  world,  whether  liv- 
ing or  dead,  there  is  an  internal  and  an 
•external ;  one  of  these  is  not  given  with- 
out the  other,  as  there  is  no  effect  without 
cause,  800,  1047.  The  external  depends 
on  -the  internal  as  the  body  on  its  soul, 
1047.  The  internal  must  be  formed 
before  the  external,  and  the  external 
must  afterward  be  formed  by  means  of 
the  internal,  1047.  The  internal  is  as  a 
soul  in  the  external,  800.  In  all  man's 
will  and  thought,  and  hence  in  all  his 
action  and  speech,  there  is  an  internal 
and  an  external,  249.  The  internal  and 
external  in  man,  are  two  distinct  things, 
but  still  reciprocally  united,  256.  The 
internal  acts  in  the  external  and  upon  it, 
but  it  does  not  act  through  the  exter- 
nal ;  for  the  internal  revolves  a  thousand 
things,  of  which  the  external  takes  only 
such  as  are  accommodated  to  use,  256. 
By  the  internal,  man  is  in  the  spiritual 
world,  and  by  the  external  in  the  natural 
world,  5^3,  630.  With  the  good  the  in- 
ternal is  in  heaven  and  its  light,  and  the 
external  in  the  world  and  its  light:  and 
this  light  is  with  them  illumined  by  the 
light  of  heaven;  and  so  with  them  the 
internal  and  the  external  act  as  one,  like 
cause  and  effect,  5S4.  With  the  evil  the 
internal  is  in  hell  and  in  its  light,  which 
light,  viewed  in  relation  to  the  jurht  of 

heaven,  is  tl.ick  d  ,.r.  5  i-  The  in- 
tern.il  a:id  external,  are  the  internal  and 
external  i  I  man's  s|  ii  it ;  hij  Ixxlv  is  only 
an  external  raj  e  added,  within  vnkb.  th* 

others  exist,  5S6,  603. 


INDEX. 


Internal  Man  and  External  Man. 
It  is  the  internal  man  that  is  called  the 
spiritual  man,  because  it  is  in  the  light 
of  heaven,  which  light  is  spiritual;  and 
it  is  the  external  man  that  is  cal'ed  the 
natural  man,  because  it  is  in  the  light  of 
the  world,  which  light  is  natural,  584. 
The  internal  man  is  to  be  reformed,  and 
through  this  the  external,  and  man  is 
thus  regenerated,  797-802.  The  exter- 
nal man  does  not  become  internal,  or 
does  not  act  as  one  with  the  internal, 
until  lusts  have  been  put  away,  455. 
When  the  internal  man  wills  well  and 
the  external  acts  well,  then  the  two  make 
one,  485.  The  causes  of  all  things  are 
formed  in  the  internal  man,  and  all  effects 
are  produced  therefrom  in  the  external, 
529.  Man  is  in  himself  such  as  he  is  as 
to  his  internal  man,  but  not  such  as  he 
is  as  to  the  external,  631. 

Introduction  into  the  Christian  Church 
by  Baptism,  906-909.  Introduction  into 
heaven  by  the  Holy  Supper,  964-966. 

Invocations  of  the  saints  are  only  mock- 
eries, 1085.    See  Catholics  {Roman). 

Israel  signifies  the  spiritual  church,  37,4. 
The  land  of  Israel  means  the  church, 
800. 

Italy,  401. 


Jacob  signifies  the  natural  church,  334. 
The  Lord  God  to  restore  the  worship  .of 
one  God,  instituted  a  church  among  the 
posterity  of  Jacob,  12. 

Jasher  (Book  of)  or  the  Book  of  the 
Upright,  395,.  4°5- 

Jehovah  God  is  Love  itself  and  Wisdom 
itself,  or .  He  is  Good  itself  and  Truth 
itself,  3,  65,  67.  God  is  one,  in  Whom 
is  a  Divine  Trinity,  and  He  is  the  Lord 
God  the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  3.  The 
one  God  is  called  Jehovah  from  Esse, 
because  He  alone  is  and  was  and  will 
be,  31.  Jehovah  signifies  the  supreme 
and  only  Being  from  Whom  is  every 
thing  that  is  and  exists  in  the  universe, 
12.  The  one  God  is  Substance  itself 
and  Form  itself,  and  angels  and  men  are 
substances  and  forms  from  Him,  33.  In 
the  New  Testament  Jehovah  is  called 
the  Lord,  139;  why,  433.  The  Lord  our 
Saviour  is  Jehovah  the  Father  Himself, 
in  the  Human  form,  523.  Jehovah  is 
Man,  as  in  the  firsts  also  in  the  lasts, 
163.  Jehovah  God  assumed  the  Human 
that  He  might  redeem  and  save  men, 
140-144,  161,  315,  523,  858,  1050.  Jeho- 
vah descended  as  the  Divine  Truth, 
which  is  the  Word,  and  yet  did  not  sep- 
arate the  Divine  Good,  144,  146.  God 
could  not  redeem  men,  that  is,  deliver 
them  from  damnation  and  hell,  except 
by  the  assumed  Human,  143.  Jehovah 
descended  and  became  Man,  that  He 
might  be  able  to  draw  near  to  man  and 
ma. 1  to  Him,  and  so  conjunction  might 


be  effected,  and  that  by  conjunction  man 
should  have  salvation  and  eternal  life, 
523.  In  the  Word,  by  Jehovah  is  meant 
the  Divine  Love  or  the  Divine  Good, 
and  by  God,  the  Divine  Wisdom  or  the 
Divine  Truth.  145,  382.  The  Jews  from 
their  earliest  day  have  not  dared  and  do 
not  dare  to  say  Jehovah,  433,  139. 

Jerusalem  signifies  the  church,  1043. 

I  Since  the  judgment,  Jerusalem  means 
the  church  in  which  the  Lord  alone  is 
worshipped,  as  to  its  doctrine,  1096. 
Jerusalem  means  the  holy  New  Jerusa- 
lem described  in  the  Apocalypse  (xxi.), 
by  which  is  meant  the  New  Church, 
1052.     See  New  yertisalem. 

Jesuits,  248. 

Jesus  (.The  name)  is  so  holy  that  it  can 
be  named  by  no  devil  in  hell,  433.  In 
the  spiritual  world  those  who  confirmed 
faith  separate  from  charity  could  not 
name  Jesus,  1S0.  By  Jesus  is  meant  all 
of  salvation  through  redemption,  and 
by  Christ,  all  of  salvation  through  His 
doctrine,  435,  251,  971.  The  Lord  is 
called  Jesus  from  the  office  of  Priest; 
and  from  the  office  of  King  He  is  called 
Christ,  196.  Jesus  signifies  Saviour,  180- 

Jesus  Christ,  Who  is  the  Lord  Jehovah, 
from  eternity  Creator,  in  time  Redeemer, 
and  to  eternity  Regenerator;  thus  Who 
is  at  once  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit,  44,  313-319,  429-432,  912. 
No  other  God  than  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  to  be  worshipped,  429.  Men 
ought  to  have  faith  in  God  the  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  because  this  is  faith  in  the 
visible  God  in  Whom  is  the  invisible, 
482.  The  first  element  of  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  acknowledgment  that  He 
is  the  .Son  of  God,  487.  The  Body  of 
Christ  is  Divine  Good  and  Divine  Truth, 
527.  By  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  the  Word  is  meant  nothing 
else  than  an  acknowledgment  of  Him, 
and  a  life  according  to  His  command- 
ments, 910. 

Jews  (The)  were  called  an  adulterous 
generation,  because  they  adulterated  the 
Word,  20S.  The  common  image  of  J acob 
and  Judah  still  remains  in  their  poster- 
ity, because  they  have  hitherto  adhered 
firmly  to  their  system  of  religion,  165, 
739.  With  them  there  was  no  knowledge 
whatever  of  correspondences^  although 
every  thing  pertaining  to  their  worship, 
and  all  the  statutes  and  judgments  given 
them  by  Moses,  and  all  the  things  of  the 
Word,  were  mere  correspondences,  339. 
The  hereditary  disposition  of  the  Jews, 
in  process  of  time,  has  increased  in  them 
even  so  that  they  are  not  able  to  em- 
brace the  Christian  religion  from  faith 
at  heart;  the  interior  will  of  their  mind 
is  adverse  thereto,  739.  The  Jews  durst 
not  use  the  name  Jehovah,  on  account 
of  its  sanctity,  139,433.  By  the  rich  man, 
in  the  parable  of  Lazarus,  is  meant  th« 


INDEX.  1 1  85 


Jewish  nation,  which  is  called  rich  be- 
cause they  had  the  Word,  in  which  are 
spiritual  riches.  349,  374.  Previous  to 
the  lasi  judgment,  the  Jews  in  the  spirit- 
ual world  appeared  in  a  valley  at  the  left 
side  of  the  Christian  centre :  after  that 
they  were  transferred  northward,  and 
intercourse  with  Christians,  except  with 
those  wandering  outside  of  the  cities, 
was  forbidden  them,  1096.  Many  of  the 
Jewish  nation  obtained  a  place  of  abode 
in  the  southern  quarter  in  the  spiritual 
world  ;  they  were  those  who  made  light 
of  the  worship  of  others,  and  who  still 
questioned  in  their  own  minds  whether 
the  Messiah  would  ever  come,  and  those 
who  in  the  world  thought  from  reason, 
and  lived  according  to  it,  1096  How 
the  Jews  are  instructed,  1096,  1097.  The 
Jews  are  more  ignorant  than  others  that 
they  are  in  the  spiritual  world,  but  they 
believe  that  they  are  still  in  the  natural 
world.  This  is  because  they  are  who.ly 
external  men,  and  think  nothing  about 
religion  from  the  interior,  1097.  An 
angel  with  a  staff  in  his  hand  sometimes 
appears  to  the  Jews  above,  at  a  middle 
altitude,  and  gives  them  to  believe  that 
he  is  Moses.  He  exhorts  them  to  desist 
from  their  senseless  expectation  of  the 
Messiah  even  there,  1096. 

job  (The  Book  of),  which  is  a  book  of 
the  ancient  church,  is  fuli  of  correspond- 
ences, 335.  1099. 

John  the  Baptist,  72S,  916-920. 

Jordan  (The)  signified  introduction  into 
the  church,  for  it  was  the  first  boundary 
of  the  land  of  Canaan  where  the  church 
was,  729,  904,  907.    See  Canaan. 

Jove,  12,  401.    See  Jupiter. 

Joy  and  Gladness.  Both  joy  and  glad- 
ness are  mentioned,  because  joy  is  pre- 
dicated of  good  and  .gladness  of  truth, 
or  joy  of  love  and  gladness  of  wisdom  : 
for  joy  is  of  the  heart,  and  gladness  of 
the  spirit ;  or  joy  is  of  the  will,  and 
g  adness  is  of  the  understanding,  381. 
Heavenly  joy  and  eternal  hapniness, 
977,  97S,  979.  Heavenly  joy  is  the  en- 
joyment of  doing  something  useful  to 
oneself  and  to  others,  9S2. 

Judah  means  the  heavenly  church,  334. 

I  no  as.  The  Lord's  being  betrayed  by 
ludas  signified  that  He  was  betrayed  by 
the  Jewish  nation,  with  whom  the  Word 
then  was,  for  Judas  repre^nted  that 
nation,  217. 

Judges.  Conscientious  judges,  605,  645. 
Unjust  judges,  450,  462-464.  895. 

Judgment.  See  Justice  and  Jm/gm  -at. 
All  the  judgment  that  is  effected  with 
man  after  death  is  effected  according  to 
the  use  that  he  has  made  of  free-will  in 
spiritual  things,  098.  By  judgment  in 
the  Word  is  meant  adjudgment  to  hell 
which  is  damnation  ;  while  of  salvation 
judgment  is  not  predicated,  but  resur- 
rection to  life,  S69. 

'5 


JUNO,  29,  297. 

Jupiter,  29,  297,  429.  See  Jove. 
ustice  and  Judgment.  Justice  is  of 
love,  and  judgment  is  of  wisdom,  91.  It 
is  contrary  to  justice  and  judgment  that 
one  should  take  upon  himseif  another"s 
wickedness,  223.  All  love  of  justice, 
with  judgment,  is  from  no  other  source 
than  the  God  of  heaven,  Who  is  Justice 
itself,  and  from  Whom  man  has  all  his 
judgment,  646     See  Righteousness. 

Justification  by  faith  alone.  Whence 
it  originated,  339.  The  doctrine  of  justi- 
fication by  faith  alone  has  intoxicated 
the  thoughts  of  those  who  embrace  it; 
therefore  they  have  not  seen  the  most 
essential  thing  of  the  church,  1^8.  Al- 
though it  is  not  a  faith,  but  a  chimera,  it 
carries  every  point  in  Christian  churches, 
300,  561.  This  erroneous  and  also  in- 
consistent doctrine  induces  the  feeling 
of  security,  blindness,  sleep,  and  night, 
in  spiritual  things,  and  consequently 
death  to  the  soul,  302.  See  Relations, 
56i»  7«3- 


Kidneys  (The)  do  their  work  of  secretion 
in  freedom,  697. 

Kill  (To)  signifies,  in  the  spiritual  sense, 
to  destroy  a  man's  soul,  366 ;  and  in  the 
heavenly  sense,  to  hate  the  Lord  and 
the  Word,  3^,  445. 

King  in  the  Word  signifies  Divine  truth  ; 
why,  196.  King  signifies  the  truth  of 
the  church,  353.  By  the  king  of  Tyre 
is  signified  the  Word  where  and  whence 
the  cognitions  of  truth  and  good  are, 
388.  The  king  of  the  abyss  means  tho*e 
who  destroy  souls  by  falsities,  445. 
Kings  in  the  world,  605,  749. 

Kingdom  (The).  Ths  Father's  kingdom 
is  when  the  Lord  is  approached  imme- 
diately, and  by  no  means  when  (lod  the 
Father  is  approached  immediately,  193. 
Heavenly  kingdom,  spiritual  kingdom, 
and  natural  kingdom  of  the  Lord,  345. 
Ends  are  also  actually  in  the  heavenly 
kingdom,  causes  in  the  spiritual  king- 
dom, and  effects  in  the  natural  kingdom, 
367.  In  the  spiritual  sense,  by  the  king- 
dom of  the  heavens  is  meant  heaven  and 
the  church,  332. 

Koran  (The),  108S. 


Labor.  The  six  days  of  labor  signify  the 
combat  against  the  fle^h  and  its  lusts, 
and  at  the  same  time  against  the  evils 
and  falsities  wheh  are  in  man  from  hell, 
438.  In  the  Word  the  combats  of  the 
Lord  with  the  hells  are  called  labors,  43S. 

Ladder  of  Jacob,  40. 

Laity  With  the  laity  the  love  of  ruling 
from  the  love  of  self  climbs  upward 
until  they  wish  to  be  kings,  yt2. 

Lakh  of  fire  and  brimstone  signifies  hell. 
852. 


1 1 85 


INDEX. 


Lamb  signifies  innocence,  333.  The  Lamb 
wh  ch  appeared  to  John  on  Mount  Zion 
v.Apoc.  xiv.  1),  was  a  representation  of 
the  Lord's  innocence,  246.  What  is 
meant  by  the  Lamb  standing  a*  it  had 
been  slain  (Apoc.  v.  6:  xiii.  8);  and  by 
the  crucified  (Apoc.  xi.  8;  Heb.  vi.  6; 
Gal.  iii.  1),  446. 

Lamps  signify  the  things  which  are  of 
faith,  332,  574.  By  lamps  are  meant 
such  things  as  are  of  the  understanding, 
810. 

L  \nguage.  There  is  a  universal  language 
in  which  all  angels  and  spirits  are  ;  this 
has  nothing  in  common  with  any  lan- 
guage of  men  in  the  world,  32,  33,  408. 
Every  man  comes  into  this  language 
after  death,  for  it  is  implanted  in  every 
man  from  creation,  32.  Every  spirit 
and  angel  speaking  with  a  man,  speaks 
the  man's  own  language,  408.  The  very 
sound  of  spiritual  language  differs  so 
much  from  the  sound  of  natural  lan- 
guage, that  even  a  loud  spiritual  sound 
could  not  be  heard  at  all  by  a  natural 
man,  nor  a  natural  sound  by  a  spiritual 
man,  408. 

Last  Judgment  (The)  was  performed  in 
the  year  1757,  pp.  197,  1033,  1058,  1079, 
1096.  Since  the  last  judgment  the  state 
of  all  is  so  changed  that  they  are  not 
allowed  to  band  themselves  into  com- 
panies as  formerly ;  but  for  every  love, 
good  and  evil,  ways  have  been  appointed 
which  they  who  come  from  the  world 
immediately  enter  and  pass  to  societies 
correspondent  to  their  loves,  1080. 

Laver  of  Regeneration.  Why  Bap- 
tism is  called  the  laver  of  regeneration, 

9M-  .  .  .  ' 

Law.  The  spiritual  law  is  this  law  of  the 
Lora :  A  11  things  whatsoever  ye  would 
that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even 
so  to  them,  623,  596 ;  this  same  law  is 
the  universal  law  of  moral  life,  623.  The 
primary  thing  of  Divine  law  is  that  man 
should  think  of  the  law,  do  it,  and  obey 
it,  from  himself  although  from  the  Lord, 
'•oS.  It  is  a  universal  law  in  the  spirit- 
ual world,  and  from  this  in  the  natural 
world  also,  that  so  far  as  one  does  not 
will  evil  he  wills  good,  617  The  laws 
of  justice  are  truths  which  cannot  be 
changed,  4S6.  In  a  state  the  laws  of 
justice  are  in  the  highest  place,  political 
Jaws  in  the  second,  economical  laws  in 
the  third,  94.  The  doing  of  evil,  in  both 
the  spiritual  and  the  natural  world,  is 
restrained  by  laws,  since  otherwise  so- 
ciety would  nowhere  continue  to  exist, 
699.  Laws  of  order,  94,  95,  m,  115- 
117,  148.  Laws  of  order  are  as  many  as 
there  are  truths  in  the  Word,  94,  115. 
It  is  a  law  of  order  that  as  far  as  man 
approaches  and  draws  near  to  God 
(which  he  must  do  altogether  as  from 
himself),  so  far  God  approaches  and 
draws  near  to  man,  and  in  the  midst 


conjoins  Himself  with  him,  149,  161, 
177.  The  law  itself  written  upon  the 
two  tables,  signified  the  Word,  353,  391. 
By  the  law  is  meant  the  whole  Sacred 
Scripture,  392,  426.  In  a  strict  sense, 
by  the  law  is  meant  the  decalogue  :  in  a 
broader  sense,  are  meant  the  statutes 
given  by  Moses  to  the  children  of  Israel ; 
and  in  the  broadest,  is  meant  the  whole 
Word,  425.  The  law  and  the  prophets 
signify  the  whole  Word,  424. 

Lazarus.  By  the  poor  man  Lazarus  are 
meant  the  Gentiles,  because  they  had 
not  the  Word.  That  they  were  despised 
and  rejected  by  the  Jews,  is  meant  by 
his  being  laid  at  the  rich  man's  gate- 
By  his  being  full  of  sores,  is  meant  that 
the  Gentiles  from  ignorance  of  the  truth 
were  in  many  falsities.  The  Gentiles 
are  meant  by  Lazarus,  because  the  Gen- 
tiles were  loved  by  the  Lord,  as  the 
Lazarus  who  was  raised  from  the  dead 
was  loved  by  the  Lord,  349. 

Learned  (The),  127,  264,  464. 

Leaves  (The)  of  plants  are  for  lungs,  792. 

Leibnitz,  476,  938. 

Leopards.  Diabolical  love  causes  its 
lusts  to  appear  in  the  distance  in  hell 
like  various  species  of  wild  beasts,  some 
like  leopards,  77. 

Letters.  Alphabetic  letters  in  the  spir- 
itual world,  32.  Writing  in  the  third 
heaven  consists  of  letters  inflected  and 
variously  curved,  each  one  of  which 
contains  a  certain  meaning,  403.  With 
the  angels  of  the  spiritual  kingdom  the 
letters  are  similar  to  the  letters  used  in 
our  world  in  printing ;  and  with  the 
angels  of  the  heavenly  kingdom  they 
are  with  some  similar  to  Arabic  letters, 
and  with  some  similar  to  the  old  Hebrew 
letters,  but  curved  above  and  below, 
with  marks  over,,  between,  and  within  ; 
each  of  these  also  involves  a  complete 
sense,  370. 

Leviathan,  118,  303. 

Liberty.  In  the  state  of  reformation 
man  is  in  full  liberty  of  acting  according 
to  the  rational  of  his  understanding; 
and  in  the  state  of  regeneration  he  is 
also  in  similar  liberty,  but  he  then  wills 
and  acts,  and  thinks  and  speaks,  from  a 
new  love  and  a  new  intelligence  which 
are  from  the  Lord,  167. 

Libraries  in  the  spiritual  world,  921,  933. 

Lie,  in  the  Word,  signifies  falsity  and  false 
speaking,  453. 

Life.  God  alone  is  Life,  512.  God  ls> 
Life  itself,  which  is  Life  in  itself,  34, 
69,  650,  672.  Life  in  itself  is  Divine 
life,  42.  The  Lord's  Divine  Love  and 
Divine  Wisdom  constitute  His  Divine 
Life,  513.  Life  in  itself  is  the  very  and 
the  only  life,  from  which  all  angels  and 
men  live,  70,  511.  Life  is  the  inmost 
activity  of  the  Love  and  Wisdom  which 
are  in  God  and  are  God,  which  Lif« 
may  also  be  called  living  Force  itself 


IXDEX. 


1 187 


671.  Life  with  Man:  God  because 
He  is  infinite  is  Life  in  Himself;  this 
He  cannot  create,  and  so  transcribe  into 
mm,  for  that  would  be  to  make  him 
God,  670.  God  flows-in  with  every 
man  with  all  His  Divine  Life,  513.  So 
far  as  a  man  receives  the  good  of  love 
and  the  truth  of  wisdom  from  God  he 
lives  from  God  ;  so  far  as  any  one  does 
not  receive  love  and  wisdom,  or  what  is 
the  same,  charity  and  faith,  he  does  not 
receive  life  which  in  itself  is  life,  from 
God,  but  from  hell  ;  and  this  is  no 
other  than  inverted  life  which  is  called 
soiritual  death,  671.  Life,  to  man,  is 
God  in  him,  and  death,  to  man.  is  the 
persuasion  and  belief  that  God  is  not 
life  to  man,  but  that  man  is  life  to  h  m- 
self,  88.  Life  with  all  belonging  to  it 
flows-in  from  the  God  of  heaven  Who  is 
the  Lord,  511.  The  life  of  God  in  all 
fulness  is  not  only  with  good  and  pious 
men,  but  also  with  the  wicked  and  im- 
pious. The  difference  is  that  the 
wicked  obstruct  the  way  and  shut  the 
door,  that  God  may  not  enter  into  the 
lower  regions  of  their  mind;  whi  e 
the  good  clear  the  way  and  open  the 
door,  516.  The  life  of  God  is  in  the 
spiritual  of  man,  522.  It  is  God's  gift 
that  man  should  feel  that  life  in  him  as 
his;  and  God  wills  that  man  should 
fee!  it  so,  in  order  that  he  may  as  from 
himself  live  according  to  the  laws  of 
order,  712.  Man  is  not  life,  but  is  a 
receptacle  of  life  from  God,  669-672. 
The  soul  of  man  is  not  life,  but  a  recipi- 
ent of  life,  42  Life  is  nothing  else  than 
love  and  wisdom,  60.  The  Good  of 
•ove  and  the  Truth  of  wisdom  make 
life,  650.  Life  is  properly  the  light 
which  proceeds  from  the  Sun  of  the 
spiritual  world.  Divine  Love  forms 
life,  as  fire  forms  light,  70.  Man's  very 
life  is  his  love  ;  and  such  as  the  love  is, 
such  is  the  life,  yes,  such  is  the  who'e 
man,  577-  There  are  two  universals  of 
every  man's  life,  the  will  and  the  under- 
standing, 1040.  The  life  of  man  dwells 
in  his  understanding,  and  is  such  as  his 
wisdom  is, — and  the  love  of  the  will 
modifies  it,  70.  The  will  and  under- 
standing are  the  human  mind,  and  a'l 
man's  life  is  therein  in  its  principles, 
and  is  thence  in  the  body,  574.  Life, 
will,  and  understanding  make  one  in 
man,  511.  The  life  of  man  is  from 
spiritual  Itgbt,  and  from  this  is  his 
understanding,  471.  Those  things  which 
flow-in  from  the  Lord,  are  received  by 
man  according  to  his  form.  516.  It  is 
of  life  to  he  affected  and  to  think,  and 
it  is  of  love  to  be  affected,  and  of  Wis- 
dom to  think.  61.  M. in's  life  is  to  be 
able  to  think,  to  will,  and  hence  to 
speak  and  to  do  freely,  6^0.  The  per- 
fection of  life  consists  not  in  thought, 
but  in  the  perception  of  truth  from  the 


light  of  truth,  74.  The  enjoyment  of 
his  love  together  with  the  pleasantness 
of  thoughtj  makes  man's  life,  771. 
There  are  in  every  man  from  creation 
three  degrees  of  life,  the  heavenlv,  the 
spiritual,  and  the  natural,  368,  73.  There 
arc  four  periods  of  life  through  which 
man  passes  from  infancy  to  old  age  ;  the 
first  is  the  period  in  which  he  acts  from 
others  according  to  instructions ;  the 
second  is  that  in  which  he  acts  from 
himself,  while  the  understanding  is  the 
moderator  ;  the  third  is  that  in  which 
the  will  acts  upon  the  understand- 
ing and  the  understanding  modifies  the 
will ;  the  fourth  is  that  in  which  he 
acts  from  what  has  been  confirmed  and 
from  purpose.  But  these  periods  of 
the  life  are  the  periods  of  the  life  of 
man's  spirit,  and  not  likewise  of  his 
body,  622,  623.  Life  in  faith  and  char- 
ity is  spiritual  lite  which  is  given  by  the 
Lord  to  man  in  his  natural  state,  507. 
Spiritual  life  is  life  according  to  truths, 
494.  In  true  conscience  is  man's  spirit- 
ual life,  S95  Man  has  life  through  the 
Word.  But  only  those  have  life  from 
the  Word,  who  read  it  for  the  purpose 
of  drajving  Divine  truths  from  it,  and 
at  the  same  time  for  the  purpose  of  ap- 
plying the  Divine  truths  drawn  there- 
from to  the  life,  323.  The  life  of  man's 
spirit  consists  in  his  free-will  in  spiritual 
things,  681.  Spiritual  life  is  a  life  ac- 
cording to  truth*,  49^ .  Moral  life  when 
it  is  at  the  same  time  spiritual,  is  char- 
ity, 622-624,  64S.  Civil  life  is  temporal, 
which  has  an  end,  and  then  it  is  as  if  it 
had  not  been ;  but  spiritual  life  is  eter- 
nal, for  it  has  no  end,  600.  The  human 
body  is  but  an  organ  of  life,  60,  511,  512, 
650.  Life  is  in  every  substantial  and 
material  part  of  man,  although  it  does 
not  mingle  itself  therewith.  40.  The 
life  of  the  whole  body  is  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  reciprocal  conjunction  of  the 
heart  and  lungs,  526.  Concerning  the 
centre  and  the  expanse  of  nature  and  of 
life,  59,  62. 
Licut(Thk)  of  heaven  in  its  essence  is 
Divine  truth,  from  which  is  all  the  intel- 
ligence and  wisdom  of  angels  and  men, 
397.  In  the  Word  it  is  read  that  Jeho- 
vah God  dwelleth  in  licfcl  hutCOeaalble  ; 
Jehovah  God  by  the  Human  sent  Him- 
self into  the  worid,  and  made  Himself 
visible  to  the  eyes  of  men  and  thus 
accessible,  294,  316,  317.  The  light  of 
heaven  discloses  the  quality  of  everv 
form,  311.  The  light  of  heaven  is  the 
Divine  Wisdom,  371.  The  lieht  <>f 
heaven  in  which  the  spiritual  sense  of 
the  Word  is,  Bows  into  the  natural  light 
in  which  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the 
Word  is,  and  illuminates  the  intelL  ctti.il 
of  man,  which  is  called  the  rational, 
349»  SR4«  It  is  'be  spiritual  light  fr>>m 
which    the    understanding  analytically 


n88 


INDEX. 


sees  and  perceives  rational  things,  as 
the  eye  sees  and  perceives  natural  things 
symmetrically,  515.  The  light  which 
proceeds  from  the  sun  of  the  natural 
world  is  not  creatable,  but  forms  receiv- 
ing it  have  been  created,  70.  Fatuous 
light  in  itself  is  not  light ;  but  in  re- 
spect to  true  light  it  is  darkness,  4^9, 
472.  Fatuous  light  is  the  light  of  the 
confirmation  of  falsity ;  this  light  cor- 
responds to  the  light  in  which  birds  of 
night  and  bats  are.  275.  In  the  Word 
where  light  is  named  wisdom  is  meant ; 
when  spoken  of  God  Divine  wisdom  is 
meant.  99.  124 ;  also  the  Divine  Truth, 
1 46.    See  Heat  and  L  ight. 

LiKEMESS  of  God.  See  linage  and 
Likeness.  Likeness  of  the  father  in 
his  children,  165. 

Limbus.    See  Border. 

Linen.  By  fine  linen  was  signified  truth 
from  a  spiritual  origin,  354 ;  also  the 
truth  of  the  Word,  349.  Fine  linen 
signifies  the  righteousness  of  the  saints; 
garments  of  fine  linen  signify  Divine 
truths,  915. 

Lips.  Confession  of  the  lips  that  one  is 
a  sinner  is  not  repentance,  734. 

Little  Heaven  and  Little  World. 
See  Great  Heaven  a?id  Great  World ; 
Microcosm. 

Live.  Man  lives,  that  is,  feels,  thinks, 
speaks,  and  acts,  altogether  as  from 
himself,  669  To  live  according  to  Di- 
vine order  is  to  live  according  to  the 
commandments  of  God,  157.  Man  is  so 
far  in  God  as  he  lives  according  to 
order,  109. 

Liver  (The)  does  its  work  for  the  blood 

in  freedom,  697. 
Locusts  signify  falsities  in  outermosts, 

852. 

London.  There  are  two  great  cities  like 
London  in  the  spiritual  world,  1074, 
1076. 

Looking.  The  looking  is  reciprocal  from 
God  to  man,  425. 

Lord  (The)  from  eternity,  Who  is  Jeho- 
vah, came  into  the  world,  that  He 
might  subjugate  the  hells  and  glorify 
His  Human,  r.  God  is  one  in  essence 
and  in  person,  in  Whom  is  a  Divine 
Trinity,  and  He  is  the  Lord  God  the 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  2,  813,  818.  The 
only  God  is  Jesus  Christ,  Who  is  the 
Lord  Jehovah,  from  eternity  Creator,  in 
time  Redeemer,  and  to  eternity  Regen- 
erator ;  thus  Who  is  at  once  the  Father, 
the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  44.  By 
the  Lord  the  Redeemer  we  mean  Jeho- 
vah in  the  Human,  139.  The  reason 
why  it  is  said  the  Lord  and  not  Jehovah, 
is  because  Jehovah  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment is  called  the  Lord  in  the  New, 
i39i  433-  The  Lord  commanded  His 
disciples  to  call  Him  Lord,  139.  The 
Lord  came  into  the  world  that  He 
might  fulfil  all  things  of  the  Word, 


1.45?  389-392.  By  the  acts  of  redemp- 
tion, the  Lord  made  Himself  right- 
eousness, 156,  162.  That  the  Lord  was 
the  son  of  Mary  is  true ;  but  that  He 
is  so  still  is  not  true,  162.  The  Lord 
glorified  His  Human,  that  is,  made  it 
Divine,  in  the  same  manner  in  which 
He  regenerates  man,  that  is,  makes  him 
spiritual,  167.  In  the  world  the  Lord 
put  on  the  Natural  Divine  which  is  the 
glorified  Human,  173.  The  Lord  alone, 
in  the  whole  spiritual  world,  is  fully 
Man,  173.  The  Lord  w  hile  He  was  in  the 
world,  fought  against  the  hells,  and  con- 
quered and  subjugated  them,  and  thus 
brought  them  under  obedience  to  Him, 
!97>  357-  The  Lord  redeemed  not  only 
men,  but  also  angels,  205,  785.  1  he 
Lord  with  Divine  power  at  this  day 
fights  against  hell  in  every  man  who  is 
becoming  regenerate,  210.  The  Lord  is 
the  Word ;  how,  392,  547,  1040.  The 
Lord,  as  the  Word,  is  the  Holy  Spirit, 
240.  The  Lord  is  the  Divine  Truth 
itself,  and  whatsoever  proceeds  from 
Him  is  Divine  Truth.  244.  The  Holy 
Spirit  proceeds  out  of  the  Lord  from 
the  Father,  262,  318.  The  Lord  only  is 
Holy,  262.  The  Lord  alone,  when  He 
was  in  the  world,  was  wise  from  Him- 
self, and  did  good  from  Himself,  be- 
cause the  Divine  Itself  was  in  Him  and 
was  His  from  the  nativity,  88.  The 
Lord  is  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  the 
God  of  faith,  Light  itself,  the  Truth,  and 
Life  eternal,  501.  The  Lord  our  Saviour 
is  Jehovah  Himself,  in  the  Human 
Form,  523,  539.  The  Lord  is  called 
Creator,  Former,  and  Maker,  because 
He  creates  anew  and  regenerates  man, 
780.  The  Lord  became  Redeemer, 
Regenerator,  and  Saviour  for  ever,  786, 
805.  The  Lord  is  the  life  and  salvation 
of  ail  who  believe  in  Him  as  visible, 
266.  Those  who  go  to  the  Lord  imme- 
diately can  see  doctrinal  truth ;  those 
v.  ho  approach  God  the  Father  imme- 
diately cannot  see  it,  274.  Many  times 
in  the  New  Covenant  the  Lord  has 
commanded  men  to  come  to  Him  and 
worship  and  adore  Him,  754.  The 
Lord  is  the  Sun  in  the  spiritual  world  ; 
from  this  are  all  spiritual  light  and  heal, 
822,  857,  875,  876.  See  Spiritual  Sun. 
The  Lord  is  present  with  every  man, 
urging  and  pressing  to  be  received,  1027, 
1035  j  but  His  Coming  is  with  those  only 
who  receive  Him,  and  these  are  fhey 
who  believe  in  Him  and  do  His  com 
mandments,  1035.  The  Lord  Who  is 
Light  itself  flows-in  with  every  man  ; 
and  in  him  in  whom  there  are  truths 
from  the  Word,  He  causes  them  to 
shine,  and  so  to  become  of  faith,  496. 
God  is  with  every  man  with  His  Divine 
Life,  that  is,  with  all  His  Divine  Love 
and  His  Divine  Wisdom,  C13.  The 
Lord  with  all  the  essence  of  faith  and 


INDEX. 


1 189 


charity  flows-in  with  every  man,  514. 
Those  things  which  flow-in  from  the 
Lord  are  received  by  man  according  to 
his  form,  516.  The  man  who  divides 
the  Lord,  charity,  and  faith,  is  not  a 
form  receiving  but  a  form  destroying 
them,  517.  Conjunction  with  the  Lord 
is  reciprocal,  that  is,  the  Lord  is  in 
man,  and  man  in  the  Lord,  524.  Man 
himself  cannot  be  in  the  Lord,  but  the 
charity  and  faith  which  are  with  him 
from  the  Lord,  from  which  two  man  is 
essentially  man,  520.  The  Lord  does 
goods  or  uses  mediately  by  the  angels, 
and  in  the  world  by  men,  987.  The 
Lord  took  from  the  sepulchre  when  He 
arose  His  whole  Human  Body,  both  as 
to  the  Flesh  and  as  to  the  Hones,  287. 
Lord's  Prwer.  This  prayer  was  com- 
manded for  this  time,  plainly  in  order 
that  God  the  Father  maybe  approached 
through  His  Human,  188.  The  very 
essentia!  of  the  church  and  of  religion 
is  how  these  words  in  the  Lord's  prayer, 
"Our  Father,  Who  art  in  the  heavens, 
hallowed  be  Thy  name,  Thy  kingdom 
come,"  are  understood,  191.  The  angels 
in  heaven  read  the  Lord's  prayer  daily, 
and  they  do  not  then  think  of  God  the 
Father,  because  He  is  invisible ;  but 
they  think  of  Him  in  His  Divine  Hu- 
man, because  in  this  He  is  visible, 
192.  In  the  New  Church  every  thing 
will  be  fulfilled  which  is  contained  in 
the  Lord's  prayer  from  beginning  to 
end,  195. 

Love,  in  its  essence,  is  spiritual  fire,  64. 
Love  having  its  origin  from  the  Lord  as 
a  Sun,  is  the  heat  of  the  life  of  angels 
and  men,  thus  the  esse  of  their  life, 
552,  72.  The  essence  of  love  is  to  love 
others  outside  of  itself,  to  desire  to  be 
one  with  them,  and  to  make  them  happy 
from  itself,  74-77.  Love  is  not  only  the 
essence  winch  forms  all  things,  but  it 
also  unites  and  conjoins  them,  and  thus 
keeps  them  in  conjunction  when  formed, 
66.  Love  is  the  complex  of  all  varieties 
of  goodness,  67.  There  cannot  be  love 
abstracted  from  form  ;  love  operates  in 
form  and  by  form,  65.  Love  is  not 
any  thing  without  wisdom,  but  in  wis- 
dom it  is  formed  for  something  ;  this 
'-.omething  for  which  it  is  formed,  is  use, 
354.  The  derivations  of  love  are  called 
affections ;  and  by  these  are  produced 
perceptions,  and  so  thoughts,  552.  Love 
in  the  will  is  the  end,  and  in  the  under- 
standing it  seeks  and  finds  causes,  by 
means  of  which  it  may  move  onward  to 
the  effect,  873.  Love  gives  sound,  and 
thought  speaks,  559.  Love  produces 
heat,  towh:ch  natural  heat  corresponds, 
696.  Every  love  in  man  breathes  out 
enjoyment,  by  which  it  make:*  itself  felt ; 
proximately  it  breathes  it  into  the  spirit, 
and  thence  into  the  body,  771.  Natu- 
ral love,  which  U  tli.it  ol  .1  beast,  canuot 


be  elevated  into  spiritual  love,  which 
from  creation  was  implanted  in  man,  54. 
There  are  two  things  in  love :  one  to 
which  the  burning  of  fire  corresponds, 
and  another  to  which  the  shining  prop- 
erty of  fire  corresponds,  70 
Love  (To)  others  out  of  itself  is  the  es- 
sence of  love.  74.  The  Lord  is  loved, 
when  man  lives  according  to  His  Di- 
vine truths,  363.  To  love  the  neighbor 
is  not  merely  to  will  and  do  good  to  the 
relative,  the  friend,  and  the  good  man. 
but  also  to  the  stranger,  the  enemy,  and 
the  bad  man,  593.  To  love  the  neigh- 
bor viewed  in  itself,  is  not  to  love  the 
person  but  the  good  that  is  in  the  per- 
son, 601,  602,  603.  To  love  the  good 
in  another  from  good  in  oneself  is  gen- 
uine love  toward  the  neighbor,  602.  To 
love  the  neighbor  as  oneself,  is.  not  to 
despise  him  in  comparison  with  oneself, 
to  deal  justly  with  him,  and  not  to  judge 
evil  of  him,  596. 
Love  and  WtsnoM,  in  God,  make  one,  71. 
Love  and  wisdom  are  the  two  essentials, 
to  which  all  the  infinite  things  which  are 
in  God  and  which  proceed  from  Him 
refer  themselves,  65.  There  are  two 
things  which  make  life,  namely  Love 
and  Wisdom.  These  flow-in  from  God, 
and  are  received  by  man  as  if  they  were 
his,  650.  As  far  as  the  good  of  love 
and  the  truth  of  wisdom  are  conjoined 
in  man,  so  far  man  becomes  an  image  of 
God,  72.  There  are  three  degrees  of 
love  and  wisdom,  and  thence  three  de- 
grees of  life,  73.  Love  and  wisdom  do 
not  exist  except  ideally  when  only  in 
the  affection  and  thought  of  the  mind ; 
but  they  exist  in  use  really,  because  sim- 
ultaneously in  the  act  and  work  of  the 
body,  1003.  All  that  proceeds  from  love 
is  called  good,  and  all  that  proceeds 
from  wisdom  is  called  truth,  67. 
Love  of  Heaven.  F.y  the  love  of  heave  n 
is  meant  love  to  the  Lord  anH  also  love 
towards  the  neighbor.  572-  The  love  of 
heaven  may  be  called  the  love  of  uses, 
572.  See  Uses.  If  the  love  of  heaven 
is  inwardly  in  the  love  of  the  world,  and 
by  this  in  the  love  of  self,  the  man  does 
uses  in  each  from  the  God  of  heaven, 
574.  Heavenly  love  is  to  love  uses  for 
the  sake  of  the  uses,  or  goods  for  the  sake 
of  the  goods,  which  a  man  performs  for 
the  church,  li is  country,  human  society 
and  the  fellow-citizen,  580. 
Love  of  Ski  f  is  to  wish  well  to  oneself 
alone,  and  not  to  another  unless  for  the 
sake  of  self,  1015,  579.  The  love  of  self 
is  not  merely  the  love  of  honor,  glorv, 
fame,  and  eminence,  but  also  t lie  love  ol 
meriting  and  soliciting  office,  and  so  of 
reigning  over  others,  $72.  The  love 
of  self  when  it  reigns  i  opposed  to  love 
to  God,  1015,  579  Love  of  self  viewed 
in  itself  is  hatred,  for  it  docs  not  lo\e 
any  one  outside  of  itself,  nor  does  it  de- 


INDEX. 


sire  to  be  conjoined  to  others  that  it 
may  do  good  to  them,  but  only  that  it 
may  do  so  to  itself.  77.  The  love  of  self 
is  such,  that  as  far  as  the  reins  are  given 
to  it,  it  rushes  on,  even  till  it  wishes  to 
have  command  not  only  over  the  whole 
world,  but  also  over  heaven,  yes,  over 
God  Himself,  581.  804,  877,  1083.  They 
who  are  in  the  love  of  self  desire  to 
rule  over  the  universe,  yes,  to  enlarge 
its  borders  that  they  may  extend  their 
dominion  thither.  884.  The  evils  which 
are  with  those  who  are  in  the  love  of 
self  are,  in  general,  contempt  of  others, 
envy,  enmity  against  those  who  do  not 
favor  them,  consequently  hostility,  ha- 
tred of  various  kinds,  revenge,  cunning, 
deceit,  unmercifulness,  and  cruelty.  And 
where  there  are  such  evils  there  is  also 
contempt  of  God  and  of  Divine  things 
which  are  the  truths  and  goods  of  the 
church,  582,  591.  A  man  ruled  by  the 
love  of  self  regards  himself  as  God,  and 
the  world  as  heaven,  and  perverts  all 
the  truth  of  the  church,  1015. 
Love  of  the  World  is  to  wish  to  draw 
to  oneself  the  wealth  of  others  by  any 
art,  582.  The  love  of  the  world  is  not 
merely  the  love  of  wealth  and  property, 
but  also  of  all  that  the  world  affords,  and 
of  all  that  delights  the  senses  of  the 
body,  572.  The  love  of  the  world  is  not 
opposed  to  heavenly  love  to  such  a  de- 
gree as  the  love  of  self  is,  583.  _  The 
love  of  the  world  when  it  reigns  is  op- 
posed to  love  of  the  neighbor,  1015. 
The  love  of  the  world  is  in  much  variety, 
worse  as  it  verges  toward  avarice,  590. 
f  hey  who  are  in  the  love  of  the  world 
desire  to  possess  all  things  belonging  to 
it,  and  they  grieve  and  are  envious  if  any 
treasures  are  hidden  from  them,  884.  If 
a  man's  ruling  love  is  the  love  of  the 
world,  he  prefers  the  world  to  heaven  ; 
he  worships  God,  indeed,  but  from 
merely  natural  love  which  places  merit 
in  all  worship  ;  he  also  does  good  to  the 
neighbor,  but  for  the  sake  of  rewards, 

I,ovr  to  the  Lord  is  a  universal  love, 
and  consequently^  it  is  in  all  things  of 
spiritual  life,  and  is  also  in  all  things  and 
in  each  thing  pertaining  to  natural  life, 
600.  In  love  to  God  and  in  love  toward 
the  neighbor  the  first  thing  is  not  to  do 
evil,  and  the  second  is  to  do  good,  458, 
614-617.  Love  to  the  Lord  and  love 
towards  the  neighbor  are  the  two  loves 
from  which  are  all  goods  and  truths, 
578.  Love  to  the  Lord  and  love  to- 
ward the  neighbor  make  heaven,  and 
also  the  church  with  man,  579;  they 
open  and  form  the  internal  spiritual 
man,  for  they  reside  there,  578.  See 
Love  of  Heaven. 

Love  toward  the  Neighbor.  There 
is  an  influx  nf  God's  love  toward  men. 
and  the  reception  of  this  by  man  and 


co-opemt  ion  in  him  is  love  toward  the 
neighbor,  635.    See  Charity,  Love  to 
the  Lord,  Neighbor. 
Lower  Earth  (The)  is  next  above  hell, 

462. 

Lowest  things.  The  lowest  thinff  in 
man's  mind  are  turned  downward  i;  to 
the  body ;  and  because  these  are  turned 
downward,  a  man  thinks  wholly  as  of 
himself,  when  yet  he  thinks  from  God, 
724. 

Luciff.k.  Those  who  are  meant  by  Luci- 
fer in  Isaiah,  and  who  are  of  Babel,  are 
hurried  away  by  a  zeal  which  in  many 
cases  is  from  infernal  love,  248,  402, 

723. 

Lungs  (The)  correspond  to  the  under- 
standing and  its  truths,  147.  See  Heart 
a?id  Lungs. 

Lust  and  deed  cohere  like  blood  and 
flesh,  or  like  flame  and  oil,  457.  The 
lust  becomes  as  a  deed  when  it  is  in  the 
will,  for  allurement  enters  merely  into 
the  understanding,  but  intention  enters 
into  the  will,  and  the  intention  of  lust  is 
a  deed,  447.   See  pp.  883-S87. 

Luther  has  now  renounced  his  erroneous 
opinions  concerning  justification  by  faith 
in  three  Divine  persons  from  eternity, 
and  has  therefore  been  transferred  to 
a  place  among  the  happy  of  the  new 
heaven,  235.  From  the  time  Luther 
first  entered  the  spiritual  world,  he  was 
a  most  vehement  propagator  and  de- 
fender of  his  dogmas.  In  his  childhood, 
however,  before  he  entered  on  the  Ref- 
ormation, he  was  imbued  with  the 
dogma  of  the  pre-eminence  of  charity  ; 
and  it  resulted  from  this  that  the  faith 
of  justification  with  him  was  implanted 
in  his  external  natural  man,  but  was 
not  enrooted  in  his  internal  spiritual 
man;  and  when  he  was  convinced  that 
he  had  not  taken  his  principal  dogma  of 
justification  by  faith  alone  from  the 
Word,  but  from  his  own  intelligence,  he 
suffered  himself  to  be  instructed  re- 
specting the  Lord,  charity,  true  faith, 
free-will,  and  redemption  also,  and  this 
solely  from  the  Word,  1057-1060. 


Machiavelians.  The  society  from  ttie 
Machiavelians  in  the  spiritual  world, 
656,  659. 

Mackocosm.     See  Great  Heaven  and 

Great  World. 
Magpies  represent  those  who  believe  a 

thing  to  be  true  because  it  has  been 

asserted  by  a  man  of  authority,  74. 
Mahomet.    See  Mohammed. 
Mahomet  an  ism.  See  Mohammedatiisn*. 
Mahometans.    See  Mohammedans. 
Mammon.     The   ancients  called  those 

Mammons  with  whom  love  of  the  world 

was  the  ruling  love,  590. 
Man  was  created  a  form  of  Divine  order, 

104-106     Man  is  not  life  but  a  rccepta* 


INDEX. 


cle  of  life  from  God.  669-673,  924,  925. 
Man  is  a  receptacle  of  Love  and  Wis- 
dom ;  and  a  receptacle  becomes  an 
image  of  God  according  to  the  recep- 
tion, 82.  925.  Man  is  an  organ  recipient 
of  God,  and  he  is  an  organ  according  to 
the  quality  of  the  reception  56.  The 
whole  man  is  nothing  but  a  form  organ- 
ized to  receive  light  and  heat,  as  well 
from  the  natural  world  as  from  the 
spiritual,  672.  Man  is  not  man  from 
the  human  face  and  the  human  body, 
but  from  the  wisdom  of  his  understand- 
ing and  the  goodness  of  his  will,  601. 
Man  from  creation  is  the  least  effigy, 
image,  and  type  of  the  great  heaven, 
996.  Man  is  born  into  evils  of  every 
kind  from  his  parents,  7S0.  When  born, 
a  man  is  more  a  brute  than  any  animai, 
but  he  becomes  man  by  instruction  of 
various  kinds,  by  the  reception  of  which 
his  mind  is  formed,  601.  Man  is  not 
born  for  the  sake  of  himself,  but  for  the 
sake  of  others,  592-  Every  man  actually 
consists  only  of  such  things  as  are  in  the 
earth,  and  from  the  earth  in  the  atmos- 
pheres, 670.  Man  in  the  earthly  state 
may  be  compared  to  a  worm  and  in  the 
heavenly  state  to  a  butterfly,  18,  779. 
Man  has  been  so  created  that  he  is  in 
the  spiritual  world  and  in  the  natural 
world  at  the  same  time,  583  ;  because 
he  has  been  so  created,  there  have  been 
given  him  an  internal  and  an  external ; 
an  internal  by  which  he  may  be  in  the 
spiritual  world,  and  an  external  by  which 
he  m.iy  be  in  the  natural  world.  His 
internal  is  what  is  called  the  internal 
man,  and  his  external  what  is  called 
the  external  man,  583.  The  internal 
constitutes  the  man,  which  is  called  the 
spirit,  and  which  lives  after  death,  24. 
Every  man  as  to  his  spirit,  is  consociated 
with  his  like  in  the  spiritual  world,  and 
is  as  one  with  them,  24,630,  S:i.  Man's 
spirit  is  in  his  mind,  and  whatever  pro- 
ceeds from  him,  2^8,  260.  See  Mind. 
Man  as  to  the  interiors  of  his  mind  has 
been  born  spiritual,  consequently  for 
heaven,  while  yet  his  natural  or  externa! 
man  is  in  miniature,  816.  With  the 
wicked  the  internal  is  conjoined  with 
devils  in  hell,  and  with  the  good  it  is 
conjoined  with  angels  in  heaven,  631, 
811.  The  conjunction  between  men  and 
angels  is  very  close,  811.  If  angels  and 
spirits  were  removed  from  man,  he 
would  fall  down  dead  as  a  stock,  2  <2, 
811.  God  is  continually  working  for  the 
conjunction  of  love  and  wisdom  in  man ; 
but  man,  unless  he  look?  to  God  and 
believes  in  Him,  continually  works  fur 
their  division,  72.  God  is  in  every  man, 
evil  as  well  as  good,  but  man  is  not  in 
G<>d  unless  he  lives  according  to  order. 
109,  118.  The  absence  of  G.><i  in. in 
man  is  no  more  possible  than  the 
absence  of  the  sun,  by  its  heat  and  light, 


from  the  earth,  109.  Man  alone  re- 
ceives light  and  heat,  that  is,  wisdom 
and  love  immediately  from  the  Lord, 
672.  Man  is  endowed  with  ability  to* 
close  and  to  open  the  door  between  his 
thought  and  his  words,  and  between 
his  intentions  and  his  actions,  764.  All 
the  things  which  man  wills,  and  all  the 
things  which  he  understands,  flow-in 
from  without;  the  goods  which  are  of 
love  and  charity  and  the  truths  which 
are  of  wisdom  and  faith  from  the 
Lord,  but  all  that  is  contrary  to  them 
from  hell,  511.  Even'  man  enjeys  the 
power  of  understanding  truths  and  cf 
willing  goods,  60 1 .  Man  of  himself  does 
not  wish  to  understand  any  thing  but 
what  is  from  the  proprium  of  his  wi  1, 
399.  Man  can  acquire  faith  for  himself, 
504.  Man  can  acquire  charity  for  him- 
self, 505.  Mar?  can  also  acquire  for 
himself  the  life  of  faith  and  charity,  506. 
Yet  nothing  of  faith,  and  nothing  of 
charity,  and  nothing  of  the  life  of  either, 
is  from  man,  but  from  the  Lord  alone, 
507.  Man  was  created  to  receive  love 
and  wisdom  from  God,  and  yet  in  all 
likeness  as  from  himself,  and  this  for  the 
sake  of  reception  and  conjunction  ;  and 
therefore  man  is  not  born  into  any  love, 
nor  into  any  knowledge,  nor  even  into 
any  pow  er  of  loving  and  being  wise  from 
himself.  Wherefore,  it'  he  ascribes  all 
the  good  of  love  and  all  the  truth  of 
wisdom  to  God  he  becomes  a  living  man  ; 
but  if  he  ascribes  them  to  himself  he 
becomes  a  dead  man,  89.  Man  after 
death  is  none  the  less  a  man.  and  such 
a  man  as  not  to  know  that  he  is  not  still 
in  the  former  world ;  he  is  a  man  in  all 
things,  and  in  every  particular,  1055, 
1056.  After  death  the  regenerate  man 
passes  into  heaven,  to  the  Lord  Him- 
self ;  and  there  although  he  died  an  old 
man,  he  is  restored  to  the  morning  of 
his  life,  1028.  Man  without  instruction 
knows  nothing  at  all  about  the  modes  of 
loving  the  sex,  83.  Man  is  born  cor- 
poreal as  a  worm,  and  remains  corporeal 
unless  he  learns  to  know,  to  understand, 
and  to  be  wise  from  others,  83. 

Manc.ek  (The),  as  in  a  stable,  signified 
spiritual  nourishment  for  the  under- 
standing, 403. 

Makkiauk.  In  heaven  the  conjunction 
of  good  and  truth  is  called  the  heavenly 
marriage,  576.  All  the  intelligence  and 
wisdom  which  the  angels  h  ive  is  fioiu 
the  marriage  of  good  and  truth,  $7*. 
All  things  111  the  whole  heavm  and  all 
things  in  the  whole  world  are  from  crea- 
tion nothing  but  a  marriage  of  good  ami 
truth,  836.  In  every  thing  in  the  Word 
there  is  the  marriage  of  the  Load  and 
the  Church,  and  thence  the  MUlhgji  of 
good  and  truth,  370,  382  The  spiritual 
offspring)  which  are  horn  Irom  the  mar- 
n  1 1  j  1  ot  the  Lord  with  UH  chuich.  we  tht 


1192 


INDEX. 


goods  of  charity  and  the  truths  of  faith, 
443,  540.  Marriage  of  love  and  wisdom 
in  use,  990.  Nuptials  in  heaven  represent 
•  the  Lord's  marriage  with  the  Church  ; 
the  bridegroom  represents  the  Lord, 
and  the  bride  represents  the  Church, 
1009.  After  the  nuptials,  both  together 
(the  husband  and  his  wife)  represent  the 
church,  1010.  Consent  is  the  essential 
of  marriage,  and  ill  other  succeeding 
ceremonies  are  its  formalities,  101 1. 

Mary.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  the  Divine 
Truth  proceeding  from  Jehovah  the 
Father;  and  this  proceeding  is  the 
Power  of  the  Highest,  which  over- 
shadowed Mary,  243.  What  can  be 
more  ridiculous  than  that  the  soul  of  our 
Lord  was  from  the  mother  Mary?  142. 
It  is  believed  that  the  Lord  as  to  the 
Human  not  only  was  but  also  is  the  son 
of  Mary;  but  in  this  the  Christian  world 
is  under  a  delusion.  That  He  was  the 
son  of  Mary  is  true;  but  that  He  is  so 
still  is  not  true,  162.  The  Lord  never 
called  Mary  His  mother,  162.  The  Lord 
was  born  of  Mary,  but  when  He  became 
God  He  put  off  all  the  human  which  He 
had  from  her,  163,  1085.  By  Son  of 
Mary  is  meant  the  human  which  He 
assumed,  151.  See  Sou  of  Mary.  Let 
every  one  question  himself  whether  he 
has  conceived  and  cherishes  any  other 
idea  concerning  the  Lord,  as  the  son  of 
Mary,  than  as  of  a  mere  man,  754.  He 
who  believes  only  that  He  is  the  son  of 
Mary,  implants  in  himself  various  ideas 
which  are  hurtful  and  destructive,  490. 
The  Roman  Catholics  have  sanctified 
Mary  the  mother  above  the  rest,  and 
have  exalted  her  as  a  goddess  or  queen 
over  all  their  saints ;  when  yet  the  Lord, 
when  He  glorified  His  Human,  put  off 
all  of  His  mother,  and  put  on  all  of  the 
Father,  154.  Mary  in  heaven  said  that 
she  adores  the  Lord  as  her  God,  and  she 
is  unwilling  that  any  one  should  acknowl- 
edge Him  as  her  son,  because  in  Him  all 
is  Divine,  163. 

Masses  of  the  Catholics,  26=;. 

Master.  From  doctrine  it  is  known  that 
it  is  lawful  in  a  natural  sense,  but  not  in 
a  spiritual  sense,  to  call  any  one  master, " 
360. 

Material  things  originate  from  the  sub- 
stantial, 933.  Substantial  things  are  the 
beginnings  of  material  things,  410.  All 
things  in  the  spiritual  world  are  substan- 
tial, not  material,  934.  The  material  does 
not  enter  into  the  spiritual,  but  the  spirit- 
ual into  the  material,  834.  What  it  is  to 
meditate  spiritually  and  to  meditate  ma- 
terially upon  the  Word,  833.  They  who 
are  in  the  spiritual  world  are  spiritual 
men.  because  they  are  substantial  and 
not  material,  933,  410.  See  Substantial, 
Spiritual. 

Mattkr  is  an  aggregation  of  substances, 
.  410. 


Maxtm.    See  Canons. 

Means  (The)  of  salvation  are  nunifold, 
484,  511,  783,  913,  967.  They  are  given 
by  the  Lord  to  Christians  in  the  Word, 
and  to  Gentiles  in  the  religions  of  each, 
787. 

Meats  or  Food.  In  the  spiritual  world 
the  food  is  similar  to  the  food  in  our 
world,  but  it  is  from  a  spiritual  origin, 
and  is  given  from  heaven  by  the  Lord  to 
all  according  to  the  uses  which  thev  do, 
414.  Food  and  bread  in  the  spiritual 
sense  signify  the  good  of  love  and  charity, 
and  water  and  wine  signify  the  truth  of 
wisdom  and  faith,  519.    See  Food- 

Mediate.  There  is  everywhere  a  first,  a 
mediate,  and  an  ultimate;  and  the  first 
tends  and  passes  through  the  mediate  to 
its  ultimate,  347,  343. 

Mediation  signifies  that  the  Human  is 
the  medium  through  which  man  may 
come  to  God  the  Father,  and  God  the 
Father  may  come  to  man  and  so  teach 
and  lead  him  that  he  may  be  saved, 

227-  .  . 

Meditate  (To).  What  it  is  to  meditate 
spiritually  and  to  meditate  materially 
upon  the  Word,  833. 

Medullary  substance  of  the  brain,  498. 
See  Fibrillous. 

Melancthon.  As  soon  as  he  had  entered 
into  the  spiritual  world  he  continued  to 
write  on  justification  by  faith  alone,  re- 
jecting charity  and  good  works;  but 
after  the  New  Heaven  began  to  be 
established  by  the  Lord,  from  the  light 
of  this  heaven  he  began  to  think  that 
perhaps  he  might  be  in  error;  and  at 
last  he  saw  that  the  whole  Word  was 
full  of  love  to  God  and  love  toward  the 
neighbor,  1060. 

Melchisedek  represented  the  Lord,  962. 

Memorable  Relations  (The)  annexed 
to  the  chapters  are  not  inventions  of  the 
imagination,  1105.  They  were  related 
according  to  command,  312. 

Memorandum  (A),  1054. 

Memory  (The)  of  man  is  the  ground  of 
every  science,  and  thence  intelligence 
and  wisdom,  53.  Every  man  thinks 
from  the  things  in  the  memory,  290. 
The  memory  with  man  is  like  the 
stomach  connected  with  rumination  in 
birds  and  beasts;  the  human  under- 
standing is  like  the  stomach  itself  in 
which  food  is  digested,  290.  Whatever 
is  not  received  by  the  understanding, 
does  not  abide  in  the  memory  as  the 
thing  itself,  but  only  as  to  the  words, 
826.    Faith  of  the  memory,  491. 

Meninges  of  the  brain,  100. 

Mercury,  29. 

Mercy.  God  is  Mercy  itself  and  Pity 
itself,  because  He  is  Love  itself  and 
Good  itself,  219. 

Merit.  In  the  exercises  of  charity  man 
does  not  place  merit  in  works  while  he 
believes  that  all  good  is  from  the  l.»rd. 


INDEX. 


618,  619,  620.  Tt  is  hurtful  to  place 
merit  in  works  that  are  done  for  the 
sake  of  salvation  ;  for  in  this  are  hidden 
evils  of  which  he  who  does  so  knows 
nothing,  618.  Enumeration  of  those 
evils,  618-  To  think  that  men  come  into 
heaven,  and  that  good  is  to  be  done  for 
that,  is  not  to  regard  reward  as  the  end 
and  to  place  merit  in  works,  619;  they, 
too,  think  thus,  who  love  the  neighbor 
as  themselves  and  God  above  all  things  : 
these  do  not  trust  to  reward  on  account 
of  their  merit,  but  they  are  in  the  faith 
of  the  promise  from  grace.  With  them 
the  enjoyment  in  doing  good  to  the 
neighbor  is  a  reward,  619.  The  merit 
is  easily  washed  away  by  the  Lord  with 
those  who  are  imbued  with  charity  by 
acting  justly  and  faithfully  in  the  work, 
business,  and  office  in  which  they  are, 
and  toward  all  with  whom  they  have 
any  dealings;  but  merit  is  taken  away 
with  difficulty  from  those  who  believe 
that  charity  is  acquired  by  giving  alms 
and  relieving  the  needy,  622.  The  merit 
of  our  Lord  the  Saviour  is  redemption, 
which  was  a  work  purely  Divine,  856. 
The  Lord's  merit  cannot  be  applied, 
ascribed,  and  imputed  to  any  man,  any 
more  than  the  creation  and  preservation 
of  the  universe,  856,  857. 
Mesentery,  697. 

Messiah  was  Jehovah  God  in  Human 
form,  <;2o.  The  Jews  wished  for  a  Mes- 
siah who  would  exalt  them  above  all  the 
nations  in  the  whole  world,  and  not  for 
any  Messiah  who  would  provide  for  their 
eternal  salvation,  339.  The  Jews  did  not 
acknowledge  the  Messiah,  although  ail 
the  prophets  had  announced  His  advent ; 
why,  374.  By  the  Messiah  or  the  Christ 
is  meant  the  Divine  Truth,  145. 

Metaphysics,  30,  558.  Metaphysical 
things  are  in  darkness,  93. 

Metkoks  in  the  spiritual  world,  472.  940. 

M'CE  signify  the  devastation  of  the  church 
by  the  falsifications  of  the  truth,  337. 

Mich  aei.,  a  society  in  heaven,  i<;o.  Gabriel 
ai.d  Michael  are  not  the  names  of  two 
persons  in  heaven,  but  by  those  names 
are  meant  all  in  heaven  who  are  in  wis- 
dom concerning  the  Lord  and  worship 
Him,  430. 

MlCROCOSM.  See  Great  Heaven.  Why 
man  was  called  by  the  ancients  a  little 
heaven  and  a  little  world,  ill.  809. 

Middle.  As  long  as  man  lives  in  the 
world,  he  is  kept  and  he  walks  in  the 
middle  region  between  heaven  and  hell, 
and  is  there  in  spiritual  equilibrium, 
.vhich  is  his  free-will,  546. 

Mil  <  dm,  429. 

M  i. I.  (I!y)  and  bv  grinding  in  a  mill  is 

meant  tO  seek  from  the  Word  what  is 

serviceable  for  doctrine,  272. 
Mind  (mens).    The  mind  of  man  consists 

of   understanding  and  will,  252,  872; 

these  two  faculties  make  his  life ;  these 


are  distinct  from  each  other,  but  so 
created  as  to  be  one  ;  and  when  they 
are  one,  they  are  called  the  mind,  574. 
The  understanding  is  the  receptacle  of 
Divine  truth,  and  the  will  of  Divine 
good;  consequently  the  human  mind, 
which  consists  of  those  two  principles, 
is  no  other  than  a  form  of  Divine  truth 
and  Divine  good,  spiritually  and  nat- 
urally organized,  357.  The  human  mind 
is  organized  inwardly  of  spiritual  sub- 
stances, and  outwardly  of  natural  sub- 
stances, and  lastly  of  material  substances, 
69.  The  human  mind  is  a  spiritual 
organism  terminating  in  a  natural  organ- 
ism, 498.  The  human  mind,  is  formed 
into  three  regions,  according  to  three 
degrees,  56,  73.  108,  249,  573,  807,  1101. 
The  human  mind  is  divided  into  three 
distinct  regions,  as  a  house  is  divided 
into  three  stories,  and  likewise  as  the 
abodes  of  the  angels  into  three  heavens, 
309.  The  highest  region  of  the  mind  is 
called  heavenly,  the  middle  spiritual, 
and  the  lowest  natural,  249,  807;  how 
these  regions  are  opened,  73.  The  hu- 
man mind,  organized  according  to  the 
three  degrees,  is  a  receptacle  of  the  Di- 
vine influx,  56.  The  mind  of  man  grows 
like  his  body;  the  body  in  stature,  but 
the  mind  in  wisdom,  252;  the  latter  is 
exalted  from  region  to  region,  and  this 
exaltation  is  effected  as  man  procures 
for  himself  truths  and  conjoins  them  to 
good,  252-  The  mind  of  everv  man  is  his 
internal  man  which  actually  is  the  man, 
and  is  within  the  external  man  which 
makes  his  body,  258.  Man's  mind  is 
interiorly  spiritual  but  exteriorly  nat- 
ural, 673.  The  spiritual  mind  looks 
principally  to  the  spiritual  world  and 
lias  for  objects  the  things  that  are  there, 
whether  they  be  such  as  are  in  heaven 
or  in  hell ;  but  the  natural  mind  looks 
principally  to  the  natural  world  and  has 
for  its  objects  the  things  that  are  there, 
whether  they  be  such  as  arc  in  In  awn 
or  as  are  in  hell.  603.  The  mind  oJ  nun 
"lives  after  death  :  it  is  in  a  complete 
human  form,  and  then  is  rilled  a  spirit ; 
if  good,  an  angelic  spirit,  and  afterwards 
an  angel:  if  evil,  a  satanic  spirit.  Mid 
afterwards  a  satan,  258,  259.  What  is 
highest  in  man's  mind  is  turned  upward 
toward  God;  what  is  mediate  therein 
outward  toward  the  world;  arid  the 
lowest  there,  downward  into  the  body, 
724.  The  human  mind  is  like  soil,  in 
which  spiritual  and  n.itural  truths  .11  ■• 
implanted  as  seeds  and  they  may  he 
multiplied  without  end,  4.17.  The  hu- 
man mind,  however  highly  analytical  end 
elevated,  is  itself  finite,  and  the  fake* 
ness  in  it  cannot  be  removed,  45.  The 
minds  of  all  men  who  ilenv  the  samiitv 

of  the  Word  and  the  Divinit*  of  the 

Lord,  think  in  the  lowest  region,  140. 
Pyetendfi  flatterers,  liars,  and  hypo- 


1194 


INDEX. 


cntes  possess  a  double  mind,  or  their 
mind  is  divided  into  c«o  Minds  that  are 
not  in  accord,  623. 

Mind  {animus).  By  the  mind  of  man 
is  meant  his  love's  affection  and  the 
thought  therefrom,  528.  The  mind  of 
one  is  never  exactly  like  another's,  52. 
See  Mind  (mens). 

Minerva,  29,  265. 

Ministers.  Ministers  of  the  church; 
how  each  speaks,  255.  Ministers  who 
are  hyjiocrites,  544.  Ministers  of  state, 
888.    See  Priests. 

Miracles.  Divine  miracles  and  magical 
miracies,  151.  Divine  miracles  have 
been  done  according  to  Divine  order, 
but  according  to  the  Order  of  the  In- 
flux of  the  Spiritual  World  into  the 
Natural,  isr.  The  Lord  was  in  the  state 
of  glorification  or  union  with  the  Father 
when  He  did  miracles,  166.  Miracles 
are  not  now  wrought  as  formerly,  for 
the  reason  that  they  compel,  and  they 
take  away  free-will  in  spiritual  things, 
and  from  being  spiritual  they  make  man 
natural.  Every  one  in  the  Christian 
world  since  the  Coming  of  the  Lord  can 
become  spiritual,  and  he  becomes  spirit- 
ual solely  from  the  Lord  through  the 
Word,  703.  Miracles  were  wrought  be- 
fore the  Coming  of  the  Lord,  because 
those  of  the  church  were  then  natural 
men  to  whom  the  spiritual  things  which 
belong  to  the  internal  church  could  not 
be  opened,  for  if  opened  they  would 
have  profaned  them,  703.  They  who  do 
not  believe  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  would 
not  believe  on  account  of  miracles  any 
more  than  the  posterity  of  Jacob  did  in 
the  desert,  1104.    Miraculous  faith,  491. 

Mirror.  To  every  one  who  has  formed 
the  state  of  his  mind  from  God,  the 
Sacred  Scripture  is  like  a  mirror  before 
him  in  which  he  sees  God  ;  but  each  in 
his  own  way,  7.  The  truths  which  man 
learns  from  the  Word,  and  with  which 
he  becomes  imbued  by  a  life  according 
to  them,  compose  a  mirror  in  which  he 
sees  God,  7.  The  several  truths  of  the 
Word  are  so  many  mirrors  of  the  Lord, 
727,  1028.  Cognitions  concerning  God 
are  mirrors  of  God,  14.  Works  are  as 
mirrors  of  the  man,  528. 

MoAB  signifies  the  adulteration  of  good, 
334« 

Moguls.  The  Word,  with  those  who 
search  for  truths  of  faith  and  the  goods 
of  life  therefrom,  is  like  the  wealth  of 
the  Emperor  of  the  Moguls,  373. 

MoH  IMMBB  presided  at  first  in  the  spirit- 
ual world  over  the  Mohammedans;  but 
because  he  wished  to  rule  as  God  over 
all  things  pertaining  to  their  religion,  he 
was  ejected  from  his  seat,  1087.  See 
Mohammedans- 

Mohammedanism,  237. 

Mohammedans.  The  Mohammedans  in 
the  spiritual  world  appear  behind  the 


Papists  in  the  west,  and  form  as  it  were 
a  border  around  them,  1086.  The  Mo- 
hammedans are  hostile  to  the  Christians 
chiefly  on  account  of  the  belief  in  three 
Divine  persons,  and  the  consequent 
worship  of  three  Gods,  so  many  Cre- 
ators ;  and  to  the  Roman  Catho'ics, 
still  further  on  account  of  their  bending 
the  knee  before  images,  1087.  The  Mo- 
hammedans, like  all  nations  who  ac- 
knowledge one  God,  and  who  love 
justice,  and  do  good  from  religion,  have 
their  own  heaven,  but  it  is  outside  cf  the 
Christian,  1087.  The  Mohammedan 
religion  was  raised  up  from  the  Lord's 
Divine  Providence,  for  the  end  that  it 
might  blot  out  the  idolatries  of  so  many 
nations,  and  give  them  some  knowledge 
of  the  Lord  before  they  should  come 
into  the  spiritual  world,  which  they  do 
after  death,  1090.  This  religion  would 
not  have  been  received  by  so  many  king- 
doms if  polygamy  had  not  been  per- 
mitted, 1090.  _  Some  Mohammed  is  al- 
ways placed,  in  the  spiritual  world,  in 
view  of  the  Mohammedans;  it  is  not 
the  Mohammed  who  wrote  the  Koran, 
but  another  who  fills  his  office ;  nor  is 
there  always  the  same  person,  but  lie  is 
changed,  1086. 
Money.    See  Coins. 

Monks  in  the  spiritual  world,  1079.  The 
monks  when  they  enter  the  spiritual 
world,  search  for  the  saints,  especially 
the  saint  of  their  order,  but  they  do  not 
find  them,  1084.  There  are  converted 
monks,  1082. 

Moral.  There  is  the  spiritual  rational  and 
moral  man,  and  also  the  merely  natural 
rational  and  moral  man  ;  and  the  one  is 
not  known  from  the  other  in  the  world, 
761.  He  who  lives  according  to  human 
laws  and  Divine  laws  as  one  law  is  a 
truly  moral  man,  624.  Moral  life  when 
it  is  at  the  same  time  spiritual,  is  charity, 
622-624.  In  life's  first  period,  moral 
life  is  the  life  of  charity  in  outermosts, 
622.  With  those  who  love  truth  because 
it  is  truth,  morals,  theoretically  contem- 
plated and  perceived,  place  themselves 
in  the  second  region  of  the  mind,  309. 

Morality.  Merely  natural  morality  and 
rationality  are  in  themselves  dead,  548. 
No  one  from  the  morality  of  the  external 
man  can  form  a  conclusion  as  to  the 
morality  of  the  internal,  623. 

Morning.  The  Coming  of  the  Lord  is 
the  morning,  1025.  Morning  in  the 
Word  signifies  the  first  time  of  the 
church,  1026.  The  faith  in  three  Gods 
has  extinguished  the  light  in  the  Word, 
and  removed  the  Lord  from  the  church, 
and  has  thus  precipitated  its  morning 
into  night,  296. 

Moses.  See  Jews.  Moses  signifies  the 
historical  Word,  355. 

Motiiek  means  the  church;  why,  \  \2  ; 
also  the  communion  of  saints,  by  which 


INDEX. 


is  meant  the  Lord's  Church  spread  over 
all  the  world,  442. 

Motion.  In  all  motion  there  is  activity 
and  passivity,  783. 

Mountain  signifies  the  highest  heaven, 
338.  By  mountains  are  meant  the  higher 
th  ngs  of  the  church,  334. 

Multiplication.  Perpetual  multiplica- 
tion of  truth  and  thence  of  wisdom,  964. 

Murder  In  a  broader  natural  sense 
murder  means  enmity,  hatred,  and  re- 
venge, which  breathe  out  destruction, 
for  murder  lies  concealed  within  them, 
444.  In  the  spiritual  sense  murder  means 
all  modes  of  killing  and  destroying  the 
souls  of  men,  445.  In  the  heavenly 
sense,  to  kill  means  to  be  rashly  angry 
with  the  Lord,  to  hate  Him,  and  to  wish 
to  blot  out  His  name,  445. 

Muscle.  Its  composition,  249,  498.  United 
power  of  the  muscles  in  action,  500. 

Music  in  the  heavens,  1004. 

Myrrh  signifies  natural  good,  339. 

Mysteries  of  the  faith  of  the  present  day, 
1071. 


Name  without  the  reality  is  but  a  vain 
thing,  912.  The  name  means  the  quality 
of  any  one;  why,  911.  The  name  of 
Jehovah  God  is  in  itself  holy;  also  the 
name  of  Jesus,  433.  See  Jesus,  Jesus 
Christ.  The  Lord's  Divine  Human  is 
the  Father's  Name,  193  ;  this  Name  is 
hallowed  when  the  Father  is  acknowl- 
edged in  His  Human,  187.  The  Word, 
and  whatever  the  church  has  therefrom, 
and  thus  all  worship,  is  the  name  of 
God,  434.  See  Commandments.  The 
names  of  persons  and  places  in  the  Word 
do  not  mean  persons  and  places,  but  the 
things  of  the  church,  43^).  In  the  spirit- 
ual world  no  one  retains  the  name  which 
he  received  in  baptism  and  that  which 
lie  had  from  his  father  or  ancestors,  in 
the  world  ;  but  every  one  there  is  named 
according  to  his  quality,  and  the  angels 
are  called  according  to  their  moral  and 
spiritual  life,  435,  911. 

Nations  and  People.  In  the  Word  by 
nations  are  meant  those  who  are  in 
good,  and  in  the  opposite  sense  those 
who  are  in  evil  ;  and  by  people,  those 
who  arc  in  truths,  and  in  the  opposite 
sense  those  who  are  in  falsities.  Where- 
fore they  who  are  of  the  Lord's  spiritual 
kingdom  are  called  people,  and  they 
who  are  of  the  Lord's  heavenly  king- 
dom are  called  nations,  380.  Gentiles 
in  the  spiritual  world,  1091.  Among  the 
Gentiles  some  are  interior  and  others 
exterior,  10  »i.  There  is  not  a  nation  in 
all  the  world  wh'ch  cannot  be  saved  if 
they  acknowledge  God  and  live  well, 
975  All  nations  wh)  acknowledge  one 
God,  and  who  love  justice  and  do  pood 
from  religion,  have  their  own  heaven, 
1087. 


Nativity.    See  Birth. 

Natural  things  were  creattd  that  they 

might  clothe  spiritual  things,  130.  See 

Word. 

Naturalism,  121,  154,  490,  1032.  Ori- 
gin of  the  naturalism  which  reigns  at 
the  present  day,  5,  291,  483. 

Naturalists,  60,  297,  856.  Atheistic 
naturalists,  125,  266,  545,  1020. 

Natural  Man.  Exterior  men  are  sen- 
sual-natural, because  they  think  from 
the  fallacies  of  the  senses  of  the  body, 
1094.  Those  who  are  in  hell  are  tlie 
lowest  natural,  210. 

Natural  Man  (The)  viewed  in  himself, 
does  not  in  his  nature  differ  at  all  from 
beasts;  like  them  he  is  wild,  781,  763. 
The  natural  man  cannot  perceive  any 
thing  concerning  God,  but  only  some- 
thing concerning  the  world,  13.  They 
who  ascribe  all  things  to  nature,  cannot 
think  rationally  concerning  them,  still 
less  spiritually ;  but  they  think  sensu- 
ally and  materially,  16.  The  natural 
man  by  his  own  reason  can  apprehend 
nothing  else  than  what  is  of  nature,  35. 
The  natural  man  continually  acts  against 
the  spiritual,  and  thence  he  regards 
spiritual  things  as  ghosts  and  phantoms 
in  the  air,  220,  401,  543.  The  natural 
man  cannot  be  persuaded  that  the  Word 
is  the  Divine  Truth  itself,  in  which  are 
Divine  Wisdom  and  Divine  Life  ;  for  he 
looks  at  it  from  its  style,  in  which  he 
does  not  see  those  things,  323,  333,  5S5. 
'Ihe  merely  natural  man  does  not  think 
of  Divine  truths  except  from  the  things 
of  the  world,  thus  from  the  fallacies  of 
the  senses,  432,  586,  669.  The  natural 
man  regards  the  things  of  the  spirit,  or 
spiritual  things,  as  foolishness.  544.  The 
natural  man  looks  at  every  thing  spirit- 
ual inversely,  704.  The  merely  natiual 
man  can  see  evils  and  goods  in  others ; 
but  he  sees  no  evils  in  himself,  701. 
Truth  which  is  in  itself  truth  cannot  be 
recognized  and  acknowledged  by  a 
merely  natural  man,  1015  Before  re- 
generation the  natural  man  is  divided 
into  an  internal  and  an  external,  m& 
The  natural  man  with  its  lusts  must  ba 
subdued,  subjugated,  and  in  verted,  7-  1. 

Nature  is  the  receptacle  by  which  love 
and  wisdom  may  work  tlu-ir  itf,<:s  ,  r 
uses,  60.  Nature  of  itself  is  not  the 
operator  in  any  thing,  but  God  through 
nature,  15.  Nature  was  created  to  M 
subservient  to  the  life  which  is  from 
God,  Nature  is  separate  from  God, 

and  yet  He  is  omnipresent  in  it,  4<h 
Nature  in  itself  is  dead,  and  thus  it  does 
nothing  from  itself,  but  is  acted  upon  by 
life,  128.  Consequences  of  believing 
that  nature  is  the  creator  of  the  uulvMM 
an-,  that  the  universe  is  what  is  called 
God,  and  that  nature  is  its  essence,  2g;. 
Nature  with  its  time  and  space  could 
not  but  have  a  beginning :  not  *o  God, 


INDEX. 


Who  is  without  time  and  space ;  where- 
fore nature  is  from  God,  not  from  eter- 
nity but  in  time,  together  with  its  time 
and  space,  411.  AM  things  and  each 
thing  in  nature  correspond  to  spiritual 
things,  334.  The  spiritual  world  oper- 
ates upon  the  things  that  exist  and  are 
formed  in  the  world  of  nature  as  the 
human  mind  operates  upon  the  senses 
and  motions  of  the  body,  938.  The 
particular  things  of  nature  are  like 
tunics,  sheaths,  and  clothing  which  en- 
velop spiritual  things,  and  proximately 
produce  effects  corresponding  to  the 
end  designed  by  God  the  Creator,  938. 
Whether  nature  be  of  life,  or  whether 
life  be  of  nature,  59.  Concerning  the 
centre  and  the  expanse  of  nature  and 
of  life,  59,  62.  The  nature  of  the  spir- 
itual world  is  as  different  and  distinct 
from  the  nature  of  the  natural  world  as 
the  substantial  is  from  the  material,  or 
the  spiritual  from  the  natural,  or  the 
prior  from  the  posterior,  134.  Those 
who  acknowledge  nature  as  God,  have 
filled  up  the  interiors  of  their  reason  or 
understanding  with  worldly  or  corporeal 
things,  11.  Those  who  have  turned 
themselves  away  from  the  Divine,  while 
they  behold  the  wonderful  things  in 
nature,  cannot  think  rationally  concern- 
ing them,  still  less  spiritually,  16.  They 
put  off  the  nature  of  man,  and  put  on 
the  nature  of  beasts,  22.  The  essence 
or  nature  which  any  one  appropriated  to 
himself  in  the  world  cannot  be  changed 
after  death,  86S.  Wonderful  things  of 
nature,  15. 

Nazarites  (The)  represented  the  power 
of  the  Word  in  ultimates,  355. 

Neighbor.  Good  itself  is  essentially  the 
neighbor,  595,  602.  Every  man  indi- 
vidually is  the  neighbor  who  is  to  be 
loved,  but  according  to  the  quality  of 
his  good,  592,  596.  To  love  the  neigh- 
bor is  not  merely  to  will  and  do  good  to 
the  relative,  the  friend,  and  the  good 
man,  but  also  to  the  stranger,  the  enemy, 
and  the  bad  man,  593  ;  charity  is  exer- 
cised toward  the  latter  in  one  way,  and 
toward  the  former  in  another ;  toward  a 
relative  and  a  friend  by  direct  benefits  ; 
toward  an  enemy  and  a  wicked  man  by 
indirect  benefits,  which  are  conferred  by 
exhortation,  discipline,  punishment  and 
so  by  correction,  593.  A  smaller  or  a 
greater  society  is  the  neighbor  because 
it  is  man  collectively,  597,  598.  One's 
country  is  the  neighbor  more  than  a 
society,  598-  See  Country.  The 
church  is  the  neighbor  that  is  to  be 
loved  in  a  higher  degree,  and  the  Lord's 
kingdom  in'  the  highest,  599.  Love 
toward  the  Lord's  kingdom  is  love 
loward  the  neighbor  in  its  fulness;  for 
they  who  love  the  Lord's  kingddm  not 
only  love  the  Lord  above  all  things,  but 
they  also  love  the  neighbor  as  oneself, 


600.  The  conjunction  of  love  to  GoA 
and  love  toward  the  neighbor  comes  in 
this  way,  —  there  is  an  influx  of  God's 
love  toward  men,  and  the  reception  ol 
this  by  man  and  co-operation  in  him  i& 
love  toward  the  neighbor,  635.  To  love 
the  neighbor,  viewed  in  itself,  is  not  to 
love  the  person,  but  the  good  that  is  in 
the  person,  601,  602.  To  love  the  good 
in  another  from  good  in  oneself  is  gen- 
uine love  toward  the  neighbor,  602.  The 
man  who  loves  good  because  it  is  good, 
and  truth  because  it  is  truth,  loves  the 
neighbor  eminently,  603.  How  it  is  to 
be  understood  that  every  one  is  neigh- 
bor to  himself,  592.  The  Lord's  com- 
mandments all  relate  to  love  to  the 
neighbor,  being  in  the  sum  not  to  do 
evil  to  him,  but  to  do  him  good,  636. 

Neptune,  29,  265,  297,  429. 

Nero,  115 

Nerve.  Its  composition,  249,  498.  Fi- 
bril of  the  nerve,  386.    Optic  nerve,  527. 

New  Church.  The  Lord  has  foretold 
that  He  will  come  and  found  a  new 
church  which  is  the  New  Jerusalem, 
1041.  It  is  in  accordance  with  Divine 
order  that  a  new  heaven  should  be 
formed  before  a  new  church  on  earth, 
1046.  The  Lord  is  at  this  day  forming 
a  new  heaven  from  Christians  who  ac- 
knowledged in  the  world,  and  after  their 
departure  out  of  it  were  able  to  acknowl- 
edge, that  He  is  the  God  of  heaven  and 
earth,  1042.  As  the  new  heaven  grows, 
so  far  does  the  New  Church  come  down 
from  that  heaven,  1047.  The  New  Church 
is  the  Crown  of  all  the  churches  that  have 
hitherto  existed  on  earth,  1048-1053. 
This  New  Church  is  the  Crown  of  all  the 
churches,  because  it  will  worship  one 
visible  God,  in  Whom  is  the  invisible, 
like  the  soul  in  the  body,  1050.  They 
who  have  lived  a  life  of  charity,  and 
still  more  they  who  have  loved  truth 
because  it  is  truth,  in  the  spiritual  world 
suffer  themselves  to  be  instructed,  and 
accept  the  doctrinals  of  the  New  Church, 
1068.  A  New  Church  is  to  be  insti- 
tuted, 107.  What  must  be  done  before 
a  New  Church  can  be  instituted,  197. 

New  Jekusalem  means  a  New  Church 
which  is  to  be  established  by  the  Lord, 
329,  1043-1047.  See  New  Church. 
Why  the  New  Jerusalem  signifies  a 
new  church,  1043. 

Nice  (Council  of.)  It  was  called  to- 
gether in  order  to  cast  out  the  damnable 
heresy  of  Arius,  292,  848,  853,  854;  this 
was  done  of  the  Lord's  Divine  Provi- 
dence, since  if  the  Divinity  of  the  Lord 
is  denied,  the  Christian  church  is  left 
without  life,  853.  The  bishops  feigned 
a  Son  of  God  from  eternity,  Who  de- 
scended and  assumed  Humanity;  be- 
lieving that  they  thus  vindicated  thf 
Lord's  Divinity  and  restored  it  to  Him, 
and  not  knowing  that  God  Himself  tha 


INDEX. 


Creator  of  the  Universe  descended  in  ! 
order  to  become  the  Redeemer,  and 
thus  Creator  anew,  854  The  heretical 
doctrines  before  the  Nicene  Council,  and 
afterwards  the  heretical  views  that  arose 
from  that  council  and  after  it,  have 
extinguished  the  light  in  the  Word, 
and  removed  the  Lord  from  the  church, 
296,  339  The  Nicene  council  intro- 
duced three  Divine  persons  from  eter- 
nity, 229,  481,  689,  84S,  849,  850.  ^  The 
present  faith  of  justification  originated 
from  the  delibera;ions  and  decrees  of 
the  Council  of  Nice,  respecting  three 
Divine  persons  from  eternity,  339.  No 
other  Trinity  than  a  Trinity  of  Gods 
was  understood  by  those  who  were  in 
the  Nicene  council.  289,  295,  848  We 
ought  not  to  put  faith  in  councils,  but  in 
the  Lord's  Word  which  is  above  coun- 
cils, 690,  857-  There  have  been  two 
epochs  of  the  Christian  church,  one  ex- 
tending from  the  time  of  the  Lord  to 
the  Council  of  Nice,  and  the  other  from 
that  Council  to  the  present  day,  1022, 
294-  Since  the  Nicene  Council  no  one 
has  been  admitted  into  any  spiritual 
temptation  ;  why,  804.  See  A th.inasius, 
Creed. 

Nicene  Creed,  848.  See  Nice  {Council 
of). 

Night.    The  last  time  of  the  church  is 

called  night,  1022. 
Nothing  is  made  out  of  nothing,  122, 

124. 

Nyctalopia.  Visionary  and  preposter- 
ous faith,  which  is  the  appearance  of 
falsity  as  truth  from  ingenious  confirma- 
tion, may  be  compared  to  the  disease  of 
the  eye  called  nyctalopia,  493. 

O.  The  vowel  o  is  in  use  with  those  in 
the  third  heaven,  because  it  has  a  full 
sound,  403. 

Oak  (AS)  means  the  sensual  good  and 
truth  of  the  church,  333. 

Oath.  To  swear  by  God,  and  His  Holi- 
ness, the  Word,  and  the  Gospel,  in 
Coronations,  in  inaugurations  into  the 
priesthood  and  inductions  into  offices  of 
trust,  is  not  taking  the  name  of  God  in 
vain,  unless  he  who  takes  the  oath 
afterwards  casts  aside  his  promises  as 
vain,  433. 

ObhdibM OB<  The  human  rational  has 
hitherto  been  closed  up  by  the  universal 
dogma  that  the  understanding  is  to  be 
under  obedience  to  the  faith  of  the 
ecclesiastics,  1095. 

Object.  To  show  that  the  Divine  Trin- 
ity is  conjoined  in  the  Lord  is  the  prin- 
cipal object  of  this  work,  172. 

Occasional  INFLUX,  939. 

Occupations  of  the  minds  of  the  angels 
in  heaven,  935. 

Ocean.  All  whirlpools  and  ocean  sand- 
banks  spontaneously   follow   in  their 


motion  the  general  course  of  the  sun, 
1029. 

OCHIM.  77. 

Octavius  Augustus,  115. 
Odors  into  which  the  enjoyments  of  the 
loves  are  turned  in  heaven  and  in  hell. 

Offence.  An  identity  of  three  Divin* 
Essences  is  an  offence  to  reason,  37. 

Offices.  See  Functions.  Distinction  be- 
tween the  offices  of  charity  and  its  bene- 
factions, 607.  By  the  offices  of  charity 
are  meant  the  exercises  of  it  which  pro- 
ceed immediately  from  charity  itself « 
607. 

Oil  (By)  are  meant  such  things  as  are  of 
love,  810. 

Old  Men  signify  wisdom,  338.  Tn  heaven 
old  men  are  restored  to  the  morning  of 
their  life,  1028. 

Olive  Tree  (The)  signifies  the  heavenly 
good  and  truth  of  the  church.  333  ;  the 
good  of  love,  33S  ;  heavenly  good,  which 
is  that  of  the  highest  heaven,  813. 

Omnipotence  and  omnipresence,  by 
means  of  Divine  Love  and  Divine  Wis- 
dom, are  applicable  to  the  Divine 
Essence  and  Existence,  35.  Omnipo- 
tence, omniscience,  and  omnipresence 
pertain  to  the  Divine  Essence,  90. 
Omnipotence,  omniscience,  and  omni- 
presence belong  to  the  Divine  Wisdom 
from  the  Divine  Love,  but  not  to  the 
Divine  Love  by  means  of  the  Divine 
Wisdom,  00;  these  three  proceed  from 
the  Divine  Love  and  the  Divine  Wis- 
dom, scarcely  otherwise  than  the  power 
and  presence  of  the  sun,  by  means  of 
light  and  heat,  89.  God  is  omnipotent, 
omniscient,  and  omnipresent  by  means 
of  the  Wisdom  of  His  Love,  91.  By 
omnipresence  God  perceives  all  things 
by  omniscience  He  provides  all  things, 
and  by  omnipotence  He  operates  all 
things,  103.  Omnipresence,  omniscience, 
and  omnipotence  make  one,  one  implies 
another,  and  thus  they  cannot  be  sepa- 
rated, 103.  W  hat  omnipotence  is,  no- 
The  faith  of  this  day  with  regard  to 
omnipotence  is  absurd,  97.  The  omnipo- 
tence of  God  proceeds  and  operate*  ac- 
cording to  the  laws  of  His  order,  05, 
109,  no,  150,  701-704.  The  omnipo- 
tence of  God  cannot  proceed  t  xci-pt  t  v 
the  way  of  justice;  and  the  laws  of 
justic";  are  truths  which  cannot  be 
changed,  480-  It  cannot  change  evil 
into  uood,  96,  97,  701-704.  The  Divine 
Omnipotence  can  by  no  means  from 
itself  ku  out  to  the  contact  of  any  thing 
evil,  nor  promote  it  from  itself,  for 
evil  turns  iiseif  away,  05-  It  is  not  a 
contradiction  to  act  omnipotently  n- 
cording  to  the  laws  of  justice  with  judg- 
ment, or  according  to  the  laws  inscribed 
on  love  from  wisdom ;  but  it  is  ■  cou- 
tradiction  that  ( iod  can  act  contrary  to 
the  lawo  of  His  jiuhcc  and  love,  119. 


INDEX. 


Redemption  could  not  have  been  per- 
formed but  by  an  omnipotent  God,  210. 
God  by  His  omnipotence  could  not 
effect  redemption  except  by  means  of 
the  Human  ;  as  no  one  can  work  unless 
he  has  an  arm ;  and  His  Human  is 
called  in  the  Word  the  Arm  of  Jehovah 
(Isa.  x!.  10;  liii.  1),  144.  By  the  Son's 
sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Father 
is  meant  the  omnipotence  of  God  by 
means  of  the  Human  which  He  assumed 
in  the  world,  230  The  man  who  through 
falsities  concerning  the  spiritual  things 
of  the  church  has  become  natural,  can- 
not think  of  the  Divine  Omnipotence 
but  as  being  above  order,  and  thus  as 
apart  from  order,  704. 
Omnipresence  (The)  of  God  cannot  be 
comprehended  by  a  merely  natural  idea, 
but  it  may  to  some  extent  by  a  spiritual 
idea,  48.  God  is  everywhere  present  in 
the  whole  world,  and  yet  rot  any  thing 
proper  to  the  world  is  in  Him,  that  is, 
not  any  thing  which  is  of  space  and 
time,  50.  God  is  omnipresent  from  the 
firsts  to  the  lasts  of  His  order,  by  means 
of  the  heat  and  light  from  the  Sun  of 
the  spiritual  world,  102.  In  thosi  things 
which  are  contrary  to  order,  God  is 
omnipresent  by  a  continual  struggle  with 
them  and  by  a  continual  effort  to  bring 
them  back  to  order,  109.  The  Divine 
omnipresence  may  be  illustrated  by  the 
wonderful  presence  of  angels  and  spirits 
in  the  spiritual  world,  103.  See  Omnipo- 
tence- 

Omniscience  is  infinite  wisdom,  108.  God 
is  omniscient,  that  is,  perceives,  sees,  and 
knows  all  things,  because  He  is  Wisdom 
itself  and  Light  itself,  98.  See  Otnnipo- 
tence. 

One.    The  internal  and  external  man  can 

act  as  one  actually,  and  can  also  act  as 

one  apparently,  485. 
Only.    God  has  revealed  in  the  Word 

that  He  is  the  Only  which  is  in  itself, 

36' 

Operate  (To),  when  it  is  said  of  the 
Lord,  means  the  same  thing  as  sending 
the  Holy  Spirit,  253.  The  Lord  operates 
out  of  Himself  from  His  Father,  and 
not  the  reverse,  254.  The  Lord  operates 
those  virtues  which  are  meant  by  the 
sanding  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  those  who 
believe  in  Him,  250.  There  is  a  mutual 
Conjunction  wh'ch  is  not  effected  by 
action  and  reaction,  but  by  co-operation  ; 
for  the  Lord  acts,  and  man  receives 
action  from  the  Lord  and  operates  as 
from  himself ;  yes,  out  of  himself  from 
the  Lord,  526. 

Operation  (The  Divine)  is  effected  by 
the  Divine  truth  which  proceeds  out  of 
the  Lord,  240.  The  Lord  is  continually 
operating  in  man  for  his  salvation,  702. 
The  operation  of  man  from  the  Lord  is 
imputed  to  man  as  his,  inasmuch  as  he 
is  constantly  kept  in  freedom  of  will  by 


the  Lord,  526.  Operation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  what  it  is,  244-258.  Operation 
of  the  heart  and  lungs  in  the  body,  147. 

Opinion  (The  common)  concerning  the 
state  of  souls  after  death,  and  thence 
also  of  angels  and  spirits,  47- 

Opposites  are  what  are  without,  and  are 
contrary  to  those  things  which  are  within, 

101.  To  will  evil  and  to  do  good  are  in 
themselves  opposites,  615.  No  such 
things  as  are  in  heaven  appear  in  hell, 
but  only  the  opposites,  130-  Quality  is 
perfected  by  relative  differences  of  the 
more  or  less  opposite,  1024.  There  are 
relatives  in  each  opposite,  in  good  as 
well  as  in  evil,  and  in  truth  as  well  as  in 
falsity,  102.  The  relatives  in  hell  are 
all  opposite  to  the  relatives  in  heaven, 

102.  God  perceives  and  sees,  and  thence 
cognizes  all  the  relatives  in  heaven,  from 
the  order  in  which  He  is,  and  thereby 
perceives,  sees,  and  cognizes  all  the 
opposite  relatives  in  hell,  102.  See 
Relatives. 

Oral.    The  mere  oral  confession  that  one 

is  a  sinner  is  not  repentance,  733-736. 
Orchestras  in  the  spiritual  word,  941, 

1004. 

Order,  in  a  general  definition,  is  the 
quality  of  the  disposition,  determination, 
and  activity  of  the  parts,  substances,  or 
entities  which  make  the  form,  whence 
is  the  state;  the  perfection  of  which 
is  produced  by  wisdom  from  its  love, 
or  the  imperfection  of  which  is  forged 
by  the  unsoundness  of  reason  from 
cupidity,  92.  God  is  Order  because  He 
is  Substance  itself  and  Form  itself,  93, 
92,  705.  God  introduced  order  into 
the  universe  and  into  ail  and  every 
part  of  it  at  the  creation,  92,  93.  God 
created  man  from  order,  in  order,  and 
into  order,  in.  Divine  Love  ?>d  Divine 
Wisdom  are  the  two  things  Irom  which 
order  has  existed  and  by  which  it  sub- 
sists, 104.  No  creation  was  possible 
without  order,  702.  Various  laws  of 
order,  in,  149,  177.  The  laws  of  order 
in  the  church  are  as  many  as  there  are 
truths  in  the  Word,  94.  The  primary 
thing  of  order  is  for  man  to  be  an  image 
of  God,  702.  Man  is  so  far  in  God  as 
he  lives  according  to  order,  109.  To 
live  according  to  Divine  order  is  to  live 
according  to  the  commandments  of  God, 
157-  There  are  in  heaven  and  in  the 
world  successive  order  and  simultaneous 
order,  346.  In  successive  order  one 
thing  succeeds  and  follows  another,  from 
things  that  are  highest  even  to  the 
lowest:  in  simultaneous  order  one  thing 
is  next  to  another  from  the  inmost  even 
to  the  outermost,  346.  The  highest 
things  of  successive  order  become  the 
inmost  of  simultaneous  order,  and  the 
lowest  things  of  successive  order  become 
the  outermost  of  simultaneous  order, 
347.    The  consistence  of  all  things  de- 


INDEX. 


1 199 


pends  on  order,  908.    The  things  in  the  ' 
universe  were  all  and  each  created  into  . 
their  orders,  93,  121,  705.     Orders  are  ; 
manifold,  genera!  and  particular ;  there  I 
is  one  which  is  the  most  universal  of  ail, 
add  on  which  depend  the  general  and  I 
the  particular  in  connected  series,  908.  j 
Order  is  universal  from  being  in  the  j 
smal  est  particulars  severally,  99  Each 
particular  order  subsists  in  the  universal, 
93.    What  is  order  without  distinction  ? 
and  what  is   distinction  without  evi- 
dences? and  what  are  evidences  without 
signs  by  which  qualities  are  recognized? 
For  without  knowledge   of  qualities, 
order  is  not  recognized  as  order^  909. 
Organ.    Man  is  an  organ  recipient  of 
God.  56,  712  ;  and  he  is  an  orpan  accord- 
ing to  the  quality  of  the  reception,  56. 
God  pours  His  fife  into  the  organ  ar,d 
ever)'  thing  thereof,  as  the  sun  pours 
its  heat  into  the  tree  and  every  part  of 
it,  712. 

Organism.  The  spiritual  organism  of  the 
human  mind,  247,  498,  785;  it  consists 
of  perpetual  helices,  785.  .Spiritual 
organism  of  the  brain,  7S4. 

Organization.  The  life,  which  flows-in 
with  man,  is  varied  and  modified  ac- 
cording to  the  organizatiou  induced  by 
love,  651. 

Organs  (The).  Concerning  the  organs 
of  sense  of  the  body,  784. 

Orientals.  The  knowledge  of  corre- 
spondences remained  with  many  of  the 
people  of  the  East  even  to  the  Coming 
of  the  Lord,  338. 

Origin  of  love  and  wisdom,  71  ;  of  man, 
164;  of  faith,  490;  of  evil,  691;  of 
idolatries.  1088- 

Owls  represent  :he  speech  of  those  who 
are  not  willing,  and  who  are  not  able,  to 
perceive  truth,  but  only  falsity,  74. 

Ox  means  natural  affection,  333.  Oxen 
signified  the  powers  of  the  natural  man, 
338 


Palace  in  heaven,  998. 

Palladium,  296,  1020.     Palladium  on 

Parnassium,  921,  924,  927,  931. 
Pallas,  429. 
Pancreas,  100. 
Pantheon,  705. 

Panther.  The  man  who  has  not  been 
born  again  is  as  to  his  spirit  like  a 
panther,  859. 

Paper  let  down  from  heaven,  1103. 

Papists.    See  Catholics  \Roman). 

Paraclete.    See  Co»tforter. 

Paradise,  119,  649,  8S1,  737.  Paradisal 
joys,  979-988. 

Pai  kntal  Love.  A  love  implanted  in 
every  one  called  parental  love,  611,  440. 
Parental  love  exists  equally  with  the 
bad  and  the  good,  and  is  sometimes 
stronger  with  the  wicked,  611;  it  also 
exists  in  beasts  and  Lirds,  61 1. 


Parisians  in  the  spiritual  world,  1085. 

Parnassium,  921,  926. 

Parna-sus.  The  virgins  of  Parnassus, 
98.    See  also  402. 

Particulars  taken  together  are  called  a 
general,  99.  See  General.  Particulars 
adapt  themselves  to  their  general,  and 
the  general  disposes  them  into  form  so 
that  they  may  agree,  79.  Particulars 
resemble  their  universais,  55.  That  the 
several  particulars  may  be  held  in  their 
order  and  connection,  it  is  necessary 
that  there  should  be  universais  from 
which  they  exist  and  in  which  they  sub- 
sist; and  it  is  also  necessary  that  the 
several  particulars  should  in  a  certain 
image  answer  to  their  universais;  other- 
wise the  whole  would  perish  with  the 
parts,  961.    .^ee  Universal. 

Passion  of  the  Cross  (The)  was  the  last 
temptation  which  the  Lord  sustained, 
and  was  the  means  of  the  glorification 
of  His  Human,  212.  The  passion  of 
the  cross  was  not  the  act  of  redemption, 
but  the  act  of  the  glorification  of  His 
Human,  156,  200,  212,  218,  222;  536, 
785  Redemption  and  the  passion  of 
the  cross  are  two  distinct  things  and  not 
at  all  to  be  confounded,  787.  The  be- 
lief that  the  passiou  of  the  cross  was 
redemption  itself  is  a  fundamental  error 
of  the  church,  21S,  222;  from  this  be- 
lief have  sprung  close  bands  of  horrible 
falsities,  7^7.  They  who  have  confirmed 
in  themselves  the  faith  of  the  present 
day,  that  the  Lord  by  the  passion  of  the 
cross  took  away  all  the  sins  of  the 
world,  are  in  hypocritical  worship,  735. 
The  ansrels  in  heaven  cannot  think  of 
the  Lord's  passion,  but  of  Divine  Truth 
and  of  His  Resurrection,  956.  All 
things  of  the  passion  of  the  Lord  signi- 
fied such  things  as  belong  to  the  profa- 
nation of  the  Word,  215,  217. 

Passive.  See  Active.  The  passive  or 
the  dead  force  cannot  act  from  itself, 
but  must  be  actuated  by  the  active  or 
the  living  force,  812. 

Paul.  An  epistle  of  Paul  not  published 
during  his  life,  950.  How  the  passnue 
in  Paul's  Epist  e  to  the  Romans  uii. 
28)  ought  to  be  understood,  715.  • 

Peace.  There  is  peace  by  conjunction 
with  the  Lord,  because  there  is  protec- 
tion from  hell,  430,  805. 

Pegasus-  By  the  winged  horse  Pegasus 
the  ancients  understood  the  understand- 
ing of  truth,  by  means  of  which  is  wis- 
dom ;  by  his  hoofs  they  understood  the 
experiences  through  which  is  natural 
intelligence,  926.  See  also  402.  See 
Horse- 

Perceive.  Those  who  perceive  things 
exteriorly  are  in  no  light  of  truth, 
1094.  - 

Pbkception  is  from  affection,  363,  55a, 
945.  AH  things  of  wisdom  are  caifcd 
perceptions,  945.    There  must  be  per- 


1200 


INDEX. 


ception,  and  so  a  reception,  each  in 
man's  mind,  482.  Perception  is  with 
man  according  to  the  state  of  his  mind 
formed  by  doctrinals  ;  if  these  are  true, 
the  perception  becomes  clear  from  the 
light  which  enlightens ;  but  if  they  are 
false,  the  perception  becomes  obscure 
which  may  nevertheless  appear  as  if  it 
were  clear  from  confirmations,  258.  A 
man  has  general  perception  from  the 
influx  of  light  from  heaven  when  he 
hears  any  truth,  652  ;  what  a  man  has 
from  the  influx  of  light  from  the  world, 
is  his  own  perception,  652 ;  these  two 
perceptions,  namely  the  internal  and  the 
external,  or  the  spiritual  and  the  natural, 
make  one  with  the  wise,  652.  The  per- 
ception of  opposites  differs  from  the 
perception  of  relatives,  101.  Various 
perceptions  of  truth,  74. 

Perfection  of  life  consists  not  in  thought, 
but  in  the  perception  of  truth  from  the 
light  of  truth,  74.  One  degree  cannot 
be  perfected  and  elevated  to  the  perfec- 
tion of  another,  54.    See  Degrees. 

Pericardium,  100. 

Periods  of  Life.  There  are  four  periods 
of  life  through  which  man  passes  from 
infancy  to  old  age,  622,  1017.  Period- 
ical consummations,  1017. 

Peritonaeum,  100. 

Permission  of  Evil.  From  the  permis- 
sion of  evil,  in  which  permission  every 
one's  internal  man  is,  it  is  clearly  mani- 
fest that  man  has  free-will  in  spiritual 
things,  677-681.  The  laws  of  permis- 
sion are  also  laws  of  the  Divine  Provi- 
dence, 678. 

Persia.    King  of,  373 

Person.  A  definition  of  person,  that  it  is 
what  subsists  by  itself,  30,  176.  One 
person  cannot  go  forth  and  proceed 
from  another,  but  operation  can  go 
forth  and  proceed,  317.  The  Divine 
Trinity  is  in  one  Person,  949. 

Persuasion  emulates  faith  in  externals, 
483.  Persuasion  is  so  effective  in  the 
spiritual  world  that  no  one  can  resist  it 
or  speak  against  what  is  said ;  it  is  a 
kind  of  incantation,  1058.  The  dire 
persuasion  that  God  transfused  and 
transcribed  Himself  into  man  was  held 
by  the  men  of  the  most  ancient  church 
at  its  end,  when  it  was  consummated, 
670.  The  atheistic  naturalist's  persua- 
sion of  the  certain  truth  of  his  fantasy, 
1020. 

Perversion.  Principal  cause  of  the 
total  perversion  of  the  church,  218. 

Philistia  means  the  church  separated 
from  charity,  688. 

Philistines  (By  the)  is  signified  faith 
without  charity,  334.  The  Philistines 
signified  those  who  are  in  faith  separate 
from  charity,  337. 

Physical  Influx,  936. 

Physicians.  Opinions  of  certain  physi- 
cians on  conscience,  892,  893. 


Pia  Mater,  Dura  Mater,  346. 

Pillars  (The)  of  the  tabernacle  signified 
the  ulti mates  of  the  Word,  which  are 
the  truths  and  goods  of  the  sense  of  its 
letter,  353- 

Pineal  Gland,  942. 

Place  in  the  spiritual  world  is  not  place, 
but  is  an  appearance  of  place  according 
to  the  state  of  love  or  wisdom,  or  char- 
ity and  faith,  996.  To  be  transported 
from  place  to  place  as  to  the  spirit,  260. 
Every  man,  from  infancy,  even  to  old 
age,  is  changing  his  locality  or  situation 
in  the  world  of  spirits,  674.  Places  of 
instruction  in  the  spiritual  world,  875. 

Plagues  of  Egypt  compared  with  the 
plagues  in  the  Apocalypse,  851.  Each 
plague  spiritually  signifies  some  falsity 
which  continued  its  devastation  even  to 
destruction,  851. 

Plants.  Wonderful  things  in  the  pro- 
ductions of  plants,  15.  See  Vegetables, 
Vegetation. 

Plato,  12,  921,  926. 

Platter  (By  the)  is  meant  food,  and 

good  is  signified  by  food,  348. 
Pleasantness.    See  Enjoyments. 
Pleura,  100. 

Plurality  of  Gods.  Whence  it  arose, 
40,  401.    See  Polytheism. 

Pluto,  29,  265,  297,  429,  591. 

Politics.  With  those  who  love  truth 
because  it  is  truth,  political  things  re- 
side in  the  first  region  of  the  mind ; 
above  them  are  moral  and  theological 
things,  and  below  them  are  scientific 
things,  309.  See  Region.  With  poli- 
ticians the  love  of  ruling  from  the  love 
of  self  goes  higher  and  higher,  even  so 
that  they  wish  to  be  kings  and  emperors, 
and  if  possible  rule  over  all  things  in  the 
world,  and  be  called  kings  of  kings  and 
emperors  of  emperors,  878. 

Polygamy.  Why  polygamy  was  per- 
mitted in  the  Eastern  nations,  1090. 

Polytheism.  Its  origin,  401,  834.  See 
Plurality  <?/"  Gods. 

Poor  (The)  in  the  Word  signify  those 
who  are  not  in  cognitions  of  truth  and 
good,  609.  To  give  alms  to  the  poor  is 
a  benefaction  but  not  charity,  607,  622, 
640. 

Pope.  The  Papists  always  have  some 
representative  pontiff  set  over  them, 
whom  they  adore  with  similar  ceremony 
to  that  observed  in  the  world.  It  sel- 
dom happens  that  one  who  has  been  a 
pope  in  the  world  is  set  over  them,  1081- 
Add  transcription  and  you  will  be  a  vica- 
rious pope,  857. 

Poplar  Tree  (The)  signifies  the  natural 
good  and  truth  of  the  church,  333. 

Portuguese  Jews,  1096.    See  yews. 

Posterior.  All  posterior  things  are  re- 
ceptacles of  prior  things,  56.  What  is 
prior  is  more  universal  than  what^  is 
posterior,  35.  What  is  posterior  subsists 
from  what  is  prior  even  as  it  exists  frim 


INDEX. 


1 20 1 


it,  62.  Between  the  prior  and  the  pos- 
terior there  is  no  finite  ratio,  407.  They 
who  are  in  posterior  vision,  and  not  in 
any  prior  sight,  472. 
Posthumous-  Man's  mind  is  his  spirit, 
or  the  posthumous  man  that  lives  after 
his  departure  from  the  material  body, 
1079. 

Power  {Potentia).  All  the  power  of 
God  is  of  the  Divine  truth  from  the 
Divine  good,  147,  212.  See  Omnipo- 
tence. In  the  spiritual  world,  the  power 
of  truth  is  most  conspicuous,  147.  The 
inexpressible  power  of  the  Word,  343, 
358.  The  power  of  the  Word  is  in 
the  sense  of  its  letter,  because  the 
Word  is  there  in  its  fulness,  and  the 
angeis  of  both  of  the  Lord's  kingdoms 
and  men  are  together  in  that  sense,  356, 
365,  366.  The  power  of  the  Word  in 
ultimates  was  represented  by  the  Nazar- 
ites,  355.  The  Lord  acts,  and  man  acts 
from  the  Lord;  for  in  man's  passive 
there  is  the  Lord's  active;  wherefore 
the  power  to  act  aright  is  from  the 
Lord,  7S3.  Man  has  power  to  obey  and 
to  do,  1 1 2.  No  one  is  able  to  purify  him- 
self from  evils  by  his  own  power  and 
his  own  strength,  and  yet  it  cannot  be 
done  without  the  power  and  strength  of 
man  as  his  own,  617  ;  if  these  were  not 
as  his  own,  no  one  could  fight  against 
the  flesh  and  its  lusts,  but  to  do  this  is 
nevertheless  enjoined  upon  every  one, 
617.  Man  is  in  power  against  evil  and 
falsity  so  far  as  he  lives  according  to 
Divine  order,  107. 

Power  (The)  of  God  and  His  will  are 
one ;  and  because  He  wills  nothing  but 
what  is  good,  therefore  He  can  do  noth- 
ing but  what  is  good,  95.  Ability  to 
understand  truth,  and  to  will  it,  is  given 
to  every  man  and  to  devils  also,  and  is 
in  no  wise  taken  away,  679.  By  the 
power  of  the  Highest  is  meant  the  Di- 
vine good,  148;  also  the  Divine  Truth 
proceeding  from  Jehovah  the  Father, 
242. 

Prayers.  Before  washing,  or  purifica- 
tion from  evils,  prayers  to  God  are  not 
heard,  459.    See  Lord' s  Prayer. 

Preachers  (Hypocritical)  544,  24S,  249. 

Precious  Stones  signify  cognitions  of 
truth  and  good,  666.  Precious  stones 
represent  Divine  truths  translucent  from 
good,  352.  The  precious  stones,  of 
which  the  foundations  of  the  wall 
around  the  city  New  Jerusalem  are 
said  to  be  constructed,  signify  the  truths 
of  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Church,  35a 
Precious  stones  correspond  to  the  sense 
of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  1097.  The 
spiritual  origin  nf  precious  stones  is  from 
the  truths  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  of 
the  Word,  343,  350 

Predestination  is  abominable,  296;  de- 
testable. 685-689,  845  Predestination 
is  an  oits-pring  of  the  faith  of  the  church 

VOL.  III.  II 


of  the  present  day;  but  the  faith  of  the 
New  Church  abhors  it  as  a  monster, 
686.  There  must  necessarily  flow  from 
predestination  cruel  ideas  of  God,  and 
shameful  ideas  concerning  religion,  687. 
The  decree  of  the  Synod  of  Dort  re- 
specting predestination  is  not  only  an 
insane  but  also  a  cruel  heresy,  689.  See 
also  Relations,  113,  1063,  1071.  God 
cannot  predestine  the  soul  of  any  one  to 
eternal  death.  He  cannot  even  turn 
away  His  face  from  man  and  look  at 
him  with  a  stern  countenance,  96,  114. 
Every  man  has  been  predestined  to 
heaven,  and  no  one  to  hell;  but  a  man 
gives  himself  over  to  hell  by  the  abus<* 
of  his  free-will  in  spiritual  things,  691. 

Predictions  concerning  the  consumma- 
tion of  the  Christian  Church,  1018. 

Preparation.  Man  should  prepare  him- 
self'as  a  receptacle  into  which  God  may 
enter,  149,  166,  507.  Preparation  for 
heaven  or  hell  in  the  world  of  spirits, 
626,  996.  Preparation  of  the  Jews  for 
the  Coming  of  the  Messiah,  917-920. 
Preparation  for  a  new  spiritual  church, 
197. 

Presence.  The  Lord  before  His  Coming 
into  the  world  was  present  with  the  men 
of  the  church,  but  mediately ;  but  since 
His  Coming,  immediately,  173.  There 
is  a  universal  and  individual  presence  of 
the  Lord  with  man,  or  an  internal  and 
an  external.  With  those  who  only  un- 
derstand what  truth  and  good  are,  the 
Lord's  presence  is  universal  or  external, 
while  with  those  who  also  will  and  do 
the  truth  and  good  the  Lord's  presence 
is  both  universal  and  individual,  or  both 
external  and  internal,  965.  Where  the 
Lord  is  present,  there  He  is  with  Hii 
whole  essence,  513,  514.  The  Lord  is 
present  with  every  man,  urging  and 
pressing  to  be  received,  1027.  The 
Lord  is  most  fully  present  in  the  sense 
of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  and  He  teaches 
and  enlightens  men  from  it,  359,  362. 
The  Lord's  presence  in  the  Word  comes 
only  by  means  of  the  spiritual  sense, 
1041.  Difference  between  the  Presence 
and  the  Coming  of  the  Lord,  1035.  Won- 
derful presence  of  angels  and  spirits  in 
the  spiritual  world,  103.  Cause  of  tins 
presence,  103. 

Present  (The).  Since  God  is  in  all  time 
without  time,  therefore  in  His  Word  He 
speaks  of  the  past  and  of  the  future,  in 
the  present,  49. 

Preservation  is  perpetual  creation,  78, 
357.  It  is  unity  that  effects  the  preserva. 
tion  of  the  whole,  which  would  otherwise 
fall  asunder,  90S. 

Priesthood  signifies  Divine  good,  1961 
The  priesthood  of  Aaron  represented 
the  Lord  as  to  the  Divine  good  and  as 
to  the  work  of  salvation,  351.  The 
priesthood  is  to  be  honored  just  as  it 
serves,  599. 


1202 


INDEX. 


Priests  who  minister  only  for  the  sake  of 
gain  or  the  attainment  of  worldly  honor, 
and  who  teach  such  things  as  they  see 
or  may  see  from  the  Word  to  be  not 
true,  are  spiritual  thieves,  450,  452. 
Conscientious  priests,  605,  895.  Priests 
without  conscience,  542,  895.  Hypocrit- 
ical preachers,  544.  Priests  in  heaven, 
1012.  See  also,  224,  1092.  In  the  Word 
priest  signifies  Divine  good;  why,  196. 

Primary  (The)  is  the  all  in  the  secondary, 
559- 

Primeval  state  in  paradise,  691. 

Primitive.  The  substantial  is  the  primi- 
tive of  the  material,  134. 

Prince  of  the  World  (John  xii.  31)  sig- 
nifies hell,  199. 

Principal  and  instrumental,  60.  See 
Instrumental. 

Principles  and  Derivatives.  Deriva- 
tives have  their  essence  from  the  princi- 
ple, 295.  Faith  is  the  principle,  and 
doctrinals  are  derivatives,  295.  Spirits 
and  angels  are  in  principles,  but  men  in 
derivatives,  410.  Thewill  and  under- 
standing in  their  principles  are  in  the 
head,  and  in  their  derivatives  in  the 
body,  589,  259-  Derivatives  in  the  body 
are  formed  for  sensation  and  action,  259. 
To  make  derivatives  primitives,  is  to  turn 
every  thing  upside  down,  67. 

Prior-  They  who  are  in  posterior  vision, 
and  not  in  any  prior  sight,  472. 

Prisons  (Infernal)  879,  887.    See,  also, 

4*4»  777>  Io61- 
Progression  of  the  Lord  in  intelligence 

and  wisdom,  149.     Progression  of  the 

Lord  towards  union  with  the  Father, 

166.    Progress  to  the  infinite,  54. 
Prolific     The  prolific  principle  of  the 

seed  is  in  all  and  in  every  one  of  the 

things  pertaining  to  a  tree,  589. 
Prophecy  signifies  no  other  than  doctrine, 

251.    By  the  spirit  of  prophecy  (Apoc. 

xix.  10)  is  meant  the  truth  of  doctrine 

from  the  Word,  251. 
Prophesy  (To)  signifies  to  teach  doctrine, 

251. 

Prophets.  State  of  the  prophets  when 
they  saw  such  things  as  exist  in  the 
spiritual  world,  260.  Prophets  formerly 
signified  the  doctrine  of  the  church  from 
the  Word,  and  thence  they  represented 
the  church,  such  as  it  was,  by  various 
things,  and  even  by  things  unjust,  griev- 
ous, and  even  not  fit  to  be  mentioned, 
which  were  enjoined  on  them  by  God, 
215.  The  Lord  was  willing  to  be 
tempted  even  to  the  passion  of  the 
cross,  because  He  was  The  Prophet, 
214.  That  the  Lord  as  The  Prophet, 
represented  the  state  of  the  Jewish 
church,  as  to  the  Word,  is  manifest 
from  the  particulars  of  His  passion, 
217. 

Propitiation  signifies  the  operation  of 
clemency  and  grace,  lest  man  by  sins 
should  bring  himseif  into  condemna- 


tion ;  likewise  protection,  lest  he  should 

profane  holiness,  227. 

Propitiatory  (The)  or  mercy-seat  over 
the  ark  in  the  tabernacle  signified  pro- 
tection, lest  the  holiness  of  the  Word  in 
the  ark  should  be  profaned,  227,  920. 

Proprium.  Man's  proprium  is  the  lust 
of  his  flesh ;  and  whatever  proceeds 
from  this  is  spiritually  evil,  however 
good  it  seems  naturally,  545.  The  will 
of  man  is  his  proprium,  and  this  from 
nativity  is  evil,  and  thence  there  is  falsity 
in  the  understanding,  399,  873.  Man  of 
himself  does  not  wish  to  understand  any 
thing  but  what  is  from  the  proprium  of 
his  will ;  and  unless  there  be  some  other 
source  whence  he  may  know  it,  man 
from  the  proprium  of  his  will  would  not 
wish  to  understand  any  thing  but  what 
is  of  himself  and  the  world,  399.  What- 
ever proceeds  from  the  love  of  the  inter- 
nal will  is  man's  life's  enjoyment;  and 
because  the  same  is  the  esse  of  his  life, 
it  is  also  his  proprium;  and  from  this 
cause  whatever  is  received  from  the 
freedom  of  this  will  remains,  for  it  adds 
itself  to  the  proprium,  694.  Man's 
proprium  is  in  thick  darkness  as  to  all 
things  which  pertain  to  heaven  and  the 
church,  364.  A  man  is  whoily  such  as 
the  dominant  principle  of  his  life  is;  by 
this  he  is  distinguished  from  others ;  it  is 
his  proprium,  578. 

Providence  (Divine)  The  laws  of  per- 
mission are  also  laws  of  the  Divine 
Providence,  678. 

Province.  In  heaven  a  society  is  in  the 
province  of  the  liver,  or  the  pancreas,  or 
the  spleen,  or  the  stomach,  or  the  eye, 
or  the  ear,  or  the  tongue,  &c. ;  the 
angels  themselves  also  know  in  what 
realm  of  some  part  of  man  they  dwell, 
104. 

Prudence.     Does  it  come  from  God  or 

man?  887. 

Pulpit.  What  at  this  day  is  preached 
and  proclaimed  from  the  pulpits,  218. 
Pulpit  in  a  temple  in  the  spiritual  world, 
725,  1012. 

Punishments  (Infernal)  recur  to  eter- 
nity; why,  135. 

Pure.  The  angels  are  not  pure  in  ths 
sight  of  God,  206. 

Purgatory  is  a  fable  invented  by  the 
Roman  Catholics,  674. 

Purple  signifies  the  good  of  the  Word, 
349.  Purple  signifies  heavenly  good, 
354.  The  good  of  merit  appears  to  the 
angels  as  rust,  and  good  that  is  not  of 
merit  as  purple,  619.  They  who  have 
been  regenerated  by  the  Divine  good  of 
love,  in  heaven  walk  in  purple  raiment, 
914- 

Purses  full  of  silver  signified  cogmtior.s 
of  truth  in  great  abundance,  402. 

Pythagoras,  921. 

Pythons.  Who  they  were  who  were 
called  pythons  by  the  ancients,  454 


INDEX.  1 203 


Quality  is  derived  from  no  other  source 
than  from  form,  93.  The  quality  of 
the  form  is  its  state,  93.  Every  quality 
exists  by  varieties,  1024.  Quality  is  per- 
fected by  relative  differences  of  the  more 
and  the  less  opposite,  1024.  From  the 
quality  of  order  in  the  universe  there  is 
something  like  it  in  all  created  things  in 
the  world,  99. 

Quarters  in  the  spiritual  world,  674, 
675. 


Raphael,  364.    See  Michael. 

Rational.  How  the  rational  of  man  is 
illuminated,  349.  Above  the  rational  is 
spiritual  light,  and  below  the  rational 
is  natural  light,  471.  There  is  the 
spiritual  rational  and  moral  man,  and 
also  the  merelv  natural  rational  and 
moral  man  ;  and  the  one  is  not  known 
from  the  other  in  the  world,  761.  The 
natural  rational  can  confirm  whatever  it 
likes,  thus  falsity  equally  as  well  as 
truth,  1019.  They  are  in  the  spiritual 
rational  who  look  to  the  Lord  and  from 
Him  are  in  the  love  of  truth,  1019. 

Rationality.  There  are  two  ways  to 
rationality,  one  from  the  world,  the 
other  from  heaven,  761.  Merely  natural 
rationality  is  dead  in  itself,  548.  The 
devils  also  have  rationality ;  whence  it 
is,  724. 

Reaction.  From  the  reaction  of  evil  and 
falsity  against  His  good  and  truth,  thus 
against  Himself,  God  perceives  both 
the  quantity  and  the  quality  of  man, 
100. 

Reason  (Human).  There  is  no  nation 
having  sound  reason  which  does  not 
acknowledge  a  God,  and  that  God  is 
One,  10,  12.  An  identity  of  three  Di- 
vine Essences  is  an  offence  to  reason, 
37.  Human  reason  is  at  this  day  bound 
in  relation  to  the  Divine  Trinity,  like  a 
man  manacled  and  fettered  in  prison, 
286,  298.  When  faith  and  omnipo- 
tence are  named  reason  is  exiled,  103 1. 
From  both  of  these  words  (omnipo- 
tence and  faith)  reason  is  banished; 
and  when  reason  is  banished,  in  what 
does  the  thought  of  man  excel  the  reason 
of  a  bird  that  flies  over  his  head?  96. 
Human  reason  does  not  rest  unless  it 
see  the  cause,  56.  Enlightened  reason, 
from  very  nv>ny  things  in  the  world,  mav 
see  the  Infinity  of  God,  52.  Interior 
reason  of  judgment,  309. 

Receptacle.  Man  was  created  a  re- 
ceptacle of  Divine  l  ove  and  Divine 
Wisdom,  104,  511.  Man  is  not  life,  but 
is  a  receptacle  of  life  from  Cod,  669- 
672.  The  tilings  which  proceed  from 
the  sun  of  the  world  are  containers  or 
receptacles  of  life,  63. 

Reception  of  life  is  according  to  form,  516. 
Man  is  an  organ  recipient  of  Cod,  ami 
he  is  an  organ  according  to  the  quality 


of  reception,  56.  Reception  of  the  in- 
flux from  the  Lord ;  how  it  is  effected, 
634.  Reception  is  according  to  forms 
and  states,  63.  Even'  thing  spiritual  is 
received  in  what  is  natural  in  order  to 
be  any  thing  with  man.  The  naked 
spiritual  does  indeed  enter  into  man, 
but  it  is  not  received,  482. 

Reciprocal.  Conjunction  is  not  possible 
without  reciprocation,  795.  Man  thinks 
and  wills  as  of  himself ;  and  this  as  of 
himself  \%  the  reciprocal  element  in  con- 
junction, 795,  634.  Reciprocal  union  of 
the  Father  and  the  Son,  that  is,  the 
Divine  and  the  Human  in  the  Lord, 
160.  Reciprocal  conjunction,  160,  425, 
526,  527,  685,  713,  1050.  All  conjunction 
of  God  with  man  must  also  be  a  recipro- 
cal conjunction  of  man  with  God,  and 
there  cannot  be  this  reciprocation  on  the 
other  part  except  with  a  visible  God, 
1050.    See  Conjunction. 

Reciprocation.  There  are  two  kinds  of 
reciprocation  by  which  conjunction  is 
effected  :  one  is  alternate,  and  the  other 
is  mutual,  525. 

Recreations.    The  diversions  of  charity, 

612,  613,  614.  In  what  they  consisted 
in  the  primitive  church,  among  such  as 
called  themselves  Brethren  in  Christ, 

613,  614.    See  Charity. 

Redeem  (To)  signifies  to  liberate  from 
damnation,  to  deliver  from  eternal  death, 
to  rescue  from  hell,  and  take  away  cap- 
tives and  prisoners  out  of  the  hand  of 
the  devil,  201.  The  Lord  redeemed  not 
only  men,  but  also  angels,  205.  God 
could  not  redeem  men  except  by  the 
assumed  Human,  143.  The  Lord  is 
perpetually  redeeming  those  who  be- 
lieve in  Him,  and  keep  His  words,  786. 
He  is  redeemed  who  is  regenerated  by 
the  Lord,  913.  All  who  go  to  the  Holy 
Communion  worthily  become  His  re- 
deemed, 963.    See  Redemption. 

Redeemer.  By  the  Lord  the  Redeemer 
we  mean  Jehovah  in  the  Human,  139. 
The  Lord,  by  union  with  His  Father, 
became  Redeemer  to  eternity,  214,  805. 
See  Lord. 

Redemption  itself  was  a  subjugation  of 
the  hells,  and  an  establishment  of  order 
in  the  heavens,  and  thereby  a  prepara- 
tion for  a  New  Spiritual  Church,  197- 

200,  143,  146,  224,  357,  856.  The  Lord 
is  at  this  day  performing  a  redemption, 
which  He  commenced  in  the  fHU  Ijjfl 
together  with  the  Last  Judgment  which 
was  then  performed,  197  Without  re- 
demption, no  man  could  have  been 
saved,  nor  could  the  angels  have  con- 
tinued to  exist  in  a  state  at  mtc^i  tv, 

201,  202.  Without  redemption  bv  the 
Lord,  iniquity  and  wickedness  would 
spread  through  the  whole  Christian  orb, 
in  both  worlds,  the  natural  and  the 
spiritual,  204.  Redemption  was  1  \ork 
puiely  Divine,  20S.     Redemption  ilaell 


1204 


INDEX. 


could  not  have  been  effected  but  by 
God  incarnate,  210,  212.  Jehovah 
Himself  descended  and  assumed  the 
Human  for  the  purpose  of  accom- 
plishing redemption,  139,  140.  Re- 
demption pertains  to  the  priestly  and 
kingly  offices  of  the  Lord,  196.  Unless 
the  Lord  had  come  into  the  world  and 
wrought  redemption,  no  flesh  could  have 
been  saved,  301.  To  work  redemption 
means  to  found  a  new  heaven  and  a  new 
church,  301  ;  to  effect  this  the  Divine 
Good  does  not  avail,  but  the  Divine 
Truth  from  the  Divine  Good,  146.  In 
the  combats  or  temptations  of  men  the 
Lord  works  a  particular  redemption, 
as  He  wrought  redemption  that  em- 
braced the  whole  when  in  the  world, 
805.  The  passion  of  the  cross  was  not 
redemption,  212,  787.  Redemption  and 
glorification  are  two  things  distinct  from 
each  other,  but  yet  they  make  one  with 
respect  to  salvation,  212.  Where  the 
Lord  is  in  His  fulness  there  also  is  His 
whole  redemption,  963.  The  Lord  is  in 
the  Holy  Supper  in  His  fulness,  with 
His  whole  redemption,  962-C64.  Re- 
demption means  deliverance  from  hell, 
conjunction  with  the  Lord,  and  salvation, 
963.    Acts  of  redemption,  156. 

Red  Sea  signifies  hell,  852.. 

Reflect.  Thoughts  are  in  light,  but 
affections  are  in  heat ;  and  we  therefore 
reflect  upon  thoughts  but  not  upon  affec- 
tions, 552,  811. 

Reformation  according  to  the  laws  of 
order  ought  to  precede  regeneration, 
167,  168,  438,  793.  Reformation  is  of 
the  understanding,  438,  793.  The  in- 
ternal man  is  to  be  reformed  first,  and 
through  this  the  external,  438,  797-802. 
The  Lord,  through  the  spiritual  will,  re- 
forms and  regenerates  the  natural,  and  by 
means  of  this  what  is  sensual  and  volun- 
tary pertaining  to  the  body,  thus  the 
whole  man,  750.  Man  is  reformed  by 
combats,  and  victories  over  the  evils  of 
his  flesh,  814.  In  reformation  man  looks 
from  his  natural  state  toward  a  spiritual 
one  and  desires  it,  778.  This  state  is 
formed  by  means  of  truths  which  will 
belong  to  faith,  and  by  means  of  which 
he  looks  to  charity,  778.  A  man  who 
in  the  world  has  begun  upon  reforma- 
tion, can  after  death  be  regenerated,  778. 
As  long  as  any  one  sees  and  acknowl- 
edges in  mind  that  evil  is  evil,  and  that 
good  is  good,  and  thinks  that  good  ought 
to  be  chosen,  the  state  is  called  that  of 
reformation,  794.  No  one  can  be  said  to 
be  reformed  by  mere  cognitions  of  truths  ; 
for  man  can  apprehend  them,  and  also 
talk  about,  teach,  and  preach  them;  he 
is  a  reformed  man  who  is  in  the  affection 
of  truth  for  the  sake  of  truth,  796.  A 
man  can  reform  and  regenerate  himself 
as  of  himself,  provided  he  acknowledges 
in  heart  that  this  is  from  the  Lord,  828. 


In  the  state  of  reformation  man  is  in  full 

liberty  of  acting  according  to  the  rational 
of  his  understanding,  167  ;  in  this  state 
the  understanding  acts  the  first  part  and 
the  will  the  second,  167.  See  Regenera- 
tion. 

Reformation  (The).  When  the  Word 
was  almost  rejected  by  the  Papists,  by 
the  Lord's  Divine  Providence  the  Ref- 
ormation took  place,  whereby  the  Word 
was  drawn  from  its  concealment,  as  it 
were,  and  brought  into  use,  397. 

Reformed  (The)  see  the  Word  from  their 
doctrine,  and  explain  it  according  to 
their  doctrine,  361.  The  Reformed 
supported  contrition  instead  of  repent- 
ance, in  order  to  sever  themselves  from 
the  Roman  Catholics,  733. 

Reformers  of  the  Christian  Church, 
Luther,  Melancthon,  and  Calvin,  1057- 
1068. 

Refuge.  The  only  refuge,  that  one  may 
not  perish,  is  in  the  Lord,  204. 

Regenerate  (To).  To  be  regenerated 
means  to  be  born  again,  455.  Unless  a 
man  is  born  again,  and,  as  it  were, 
created  anew,  he  cannot  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God,  779-782.  God  cannot 
spiritually  regenerate  man,  except  so  far 
as  man  according  to  His  laws  regenerates 
himself  naturally,  116.  Man  ought  to 
introduce  himself  into  faith  by  truths 
from  the  Word,  and  into  charity  by 
good  works,  and  thus  reform  and  re- 
generate himself,  11 1.  The  Lord  re- 
generates man  by  faith  and  charity, 
246,  782,  914.  There  are  three  agents 
whereby  man  is  regenerated,  the  Lord, 
faith,  and  charity,  821.  969.  Because 
all  have  been  redeemed,  all  can  be  re- 
generated, each  according  to  his  state, 
785-788.  •  Every  one  is  regenerated  by 
abstaining  from  the  evils  of  sin,  and 
shunning  them,  728.  The  interm  1  man 
of  the  natural  must  be  first  regenerated, 
and  by  means  of  it  the  external,  799. 
To  regenerate  the  internal  by  meai  s  of 
the  external  is  contrary  to  order,  800. 
Man  can  be  regenerated  only  by  suc- 
cessive steps,  793,  813.  While  regener- 
ation is  taking  place,  a  combat  arises 
between  the  internal  and  the  external 
man,  and  the  one  that  conquers  rules 
over  the  other,  802-805.  _  The  regener- 
ate man  has  a  new  will  and  a  rtew 
understanding,  806-810.  With  the  re- 
generate man  the  Lord  through  heaven 
rules  the  things  which  are  of  the  world, 
809.  A  regenerate  man  is  in  communion 
with  angels  of  heaven,  and  an  unre- 
generate  man  in  communion  with  spirits 
of  hell,  811-813.  So  far  as  man  is  re- 
generated, sins  are  removed  ;  and  this 
removal  is  the  remission  of  sin,  814,  815, 
816.  While  man  is  regenerated  the 
Lord  is  indeed  present,  and  by  His 
Divine  operation  prepares  man  for 
heaven,  974.    The  regenerate  man  it 


INDEX. 


120" 


m  tlie  heat  of  heaven,  that  is  in  its 
love,  and  at  the  same  time  in  the  light 
of  heaven,  809.  A  man  can  reform  and 
regenerate  himself  as  of  himself,  pro- 
vided he  acknowledges  in  heart  that  it 
is  from  the  Lord,  828.  _  He  who  in 
the  world  has  not  entered  into  reforma- 
tion, cannot  be  regenerated  after  death, 
778.  In  the  Word,  the  regenerate  are 
called  sons  of  God,  and  born  of  God, 
780 

Regeneration  is  the  new  birth  from  the 
Lord,  738.  The  new  birth  or  creation  is 
effected  by  the  Lord  alone  through  char- 
ity and  faith  as  the  two  means,  man  co- 
operating, 782-785.  To  sav  that  regen- 
eration follows  the  faith  of  the  church  of 
the  day,  which  leaves  out  man's  co- 
operation, is  vanity  of  vanities,  783.  Re- 
generation is  effected  in  a  manner  anal- 
ogous to  that  in  which  man  is  conceived, 
carried  in  the  womb,  born  and  educated, 
789-793,  S15  The  first  act  of  the  new 
birth  is  called  reformation,  which  is  of  the 
understanding;  and  the  second  is  called 
regeneration,  which  is  of  the  will  and 
thence  of  the  understanding,  793-796, 
807.  Every  man  may  be  regenerated, 
each  according  to  his  state  ;  those  who 
constitute  the  Lord's  external  church  are 
regenerated  differently  from  those  who 
constitute  His  internal  church;  and 
this  variety  is  infinite  like  that  of  men's 
faces  and  their  minds,  786.  Man's 
regeneration  is  not  effected  in  a  mo- 
ment, but  by  successive  steps  from  the 
beginning  to  the  end  of  his  life  in  the 
world,  and  it  is  continued  by  combats, 
and  victories,  813,  815.  Regeneration 
begins  when  man's  will  is  to  shun  evil 
and  do  good,  794.  Regeneration  is 
formed  by  means  of  the  goods  of  char- 
ity, and  from  these  man  enters  into 
truths  of  faith,  778.  Regeneration  is  a 
state  of  love  from  the  will,  77S.  Re- 
generation is  the  means  of  salvation, 
and  charity  and  faith  are  the  means  of 
regeneration,  783.  In  the  state  of  regen- 
eration man  wills  and  acts,  and  thinks 
and  speaks,  from  a  new  love  and  a  new 
intelligence  which  are  from  the  Lord, 
167.  The  renunciation  of  the  devil 
(that  is,  of  evils  which  are  from  hell), 
and  faith  in  the  Lord,  perfect  regenera- 
tion, 914-  -So  fir  as  man  is  regenerated, 
or  so  far  as  regeneration  is  perfected  in 
him,  so  far  lie  attributes  nothing  of 
good  and  truth,  that  is.  of  charity  and 
faith,  to  himself,  but  to  the  Lord,  814. 
Regeneration  cannot  take  p'ace  without 
free-will  in  spiritual  things,  818-820. 
Regeneration  cannot  take  place  without 
truths  by  which  faith  is  formed,  and 
with  which  charity  conjoins  itself,  S21- 
824.  All  are  distinguished  in  heaven 
according  to  the  differences  of  their  re- 
generation, and  in  hell,  according  to 
the    differences   in   their   rejection  of 


it,  789.  There  is  a  correspondence 
of  man's  regeneration  with  all  things 
in  the  vegetable  kingdom ;  therefore 
also  man  is  described  in  the  Word 
by  a  tree,  his  truth  by  the  seed,  and 
his  good  by  the  fruit,  791.  In  the 
church  of  the  present  day  there  cannot 
be  a  knowledee  of  regeneration  ;  why, 
798.  In  the  Word  regeneration  is  de- 
scribed by  a  new  heart  and  a  new  spirit, 
780.  Regeneration  is  represented  by 
Baptism,  913-916.  The  whole  wor'd, 
from  what  is  first  to  what  is  last  in  it,  is 
full  of  representations  and  types  of  re- 
generation, 916. 
Region.  The  human  mind,  according  to 
the  three  degrees  of  love  and  wisdom,  is 
formed,  as  it  were,  into  regions,  73,  309. 
The  human  mind  is  distinguished  into 
three  regions,  the  highest  of  which  (this 
is  also  the  inmost)  is  called  heavenly, 
the  middle  spiritual,  and  the  lowest  nat- 
ural, 249,  56,  807,  812.  These  regions 
are  opened  successively  with  man,  73. 
The  mind  of  man  is  exalted  from  region 
to  region  ;  that  is,  from  the  natural  to 
the  spiritual,  and  from  this  to  the  heav- 
enly; and  in  thi*  region  man  is  called 
wise,  in  that  intelligent,  and  in  the  low- 
est knowing,  252.  The  true  light  of 
life  dwells  in  the  higher  regions  of  the 
mind,  71.  The  mind  is  divided  into 
two  regions;  one  region  which  is  the 
higher  and  more  internal  is  spiritual, 
and  the  other  which  is  lower  and  more 
external  is  natural,  603,  604,  808,  809. 
Three  regions  of  the  bodv,  588.  See 
Mind. 

Relation.  It  is  necessary  that  the 
several  particulars  should  in  a  cer- 
tain image  r-issver  to  (or  have  relation 
to)  their  univ<_rsals,  961.  See  Particu- 
lars. 

Relations  (Memorable).  See  Memo- 
rable Relations. 

Relatives  have  respect  to  the  disposition 
of  many  and  various  things  in  conven- 
ient and  agreeable  order,  102.  There 
are  relatives  in  each  opposite,  102.  See 
Opfiosites. 

Religion  is  to  shun  evil  and  do  good, 
562.  Religion  alone  renews  and  Km- 
erates  man  :  religion  occupies  the  highest 
seat  in  the  human  mind,  and  sees  under 
itself  the  civil  matters  pertaining  to  the 
world,  807,  1086.  By  the  things  of 
religion  there  is  conjunction  of  God 
with  man,  and  of  man  with  Hod.  420. 
All  who  do  good  from  religion,  not 
Christians  only  but  also  pagans,  ate 
acceptable  to  the  Lord,  752.  Whence 
have  sprung  the  different  religions  in 
the  world,  401. 

Ri.M  ssioN  or  Sins.  Purification  from 
evils  is  remission  of  sins,  according  to 
the  progress  and  incicase  <  f  111  in'  •  n  for- 
mation and  regeneration,  244,  817.  Th« 
remission  of  sins  is  not  the  extirpation 


1206 


INDEX. 


and  washing  away  of  them,  but  is  the 
removal  of  them  and  thus  their  sepa- 
ration, 817.  So  far  as  man  repents,  sins 
with  him  are  removed ;  and  so  far  as 
they  are  removed,  they  are  remitted, 
729,  827.  See  Repentance-  The  re- 
mission of  sins  is  not  instantaneous,  but 
follows  regeneration  according  to  the 

Progress  of  it,  817.  The  Lord  because 
[e  is  mercy  itself,  remits  their  sins  to 
all,  nor  does  He  impute  them  to  any 
one,  756,  595. 
Renovation  is  operated  by  the  Lord  in 
those  who  believe  in  Him.  and  who 
accommodate  and  dispose  themselves 
for  His  reception  and  abode,  244. 
Repentance.  Acts  of  repentance  are  all 
such  as  cause  a  man  not  to  will  and 
consequently  not  to  do  evils  which  are 
sins  against  God,  729.  Repentance  is  the 
first  of  the  church  with  man,  728-730. 
No  one  can  be  regenerated  before  the 
more  grievous  evils,  which  render  man 
detestable  in  the  sight  of  God,  are  re- 
moved, and  these  are  removed  by  re- 
pentance, 728.  There  are  many  things 
which  prepare  one  for  the  church,  as  he 
advances  in  the  first  stagesof  life,  and 
which  introduce  him  into  it :  but  acts 
of  repentance  are  what  make  the  church 
to  be  in  man,  728,  729.  For  repentance 
to  be  repentance  and  to  be  effective  in 
man,  it  is  necessary  for  it  to  be  of  the 
will  and  thence  of  the  thought,  and 
not  of  the  thought  alone,  729.  Re- 
pentance cannot  exist  unless  man,  not 
only  in  a  universal  way  but  also  in  par- 
ticulars taken  severally,  knows  that  he 
is  a  sinner,  731.  The  mere  oral  confes- 
sion that  one  is  a  sinner,  is  not  repent- 
ance, 733-736,  745.  Man  is  born  to 
evils  of  every  kind;  and  unless  by 
repentance  he  removes  them  in  part,  he 
remains  in  them ;  and  he  who  remains 
in  them  cannot  be  saved,  737-741-  It  is 
said  that  man  must  remove  evils,  be- 
cause the  Lord  does  not  do  it  immedi- 
ately without  man's  co-operation,  739. 
He  who  denies  and  rejects  sin  thinks 
nothing  of  all  that  is  railed  sin.  They 
who  do  not  wish  to  hear  any  thing  about 
repentance  become  fixed  in  their  pur- 
pose, 740-  They  who  by  repentance 
have  removed  some  evils  that  are  sins, 
come  into  the  purpose  of  believing  in  the 
Lord  and  loving  the  neighbor,  740.  Cog- 
nition of  sin,  and  the  examination  of  sin 
in  oneself,  begin  repentance,  741-744. 
Actual  repentance  is  to  examine  oneself, 
recognize  and  acknowledge  one's  sins,  to 
make  supplication  to  the  Lord,  and  be- 
gin a  new  life,  744-74/1  75 757»  7^7»  S26. 
Actual  repentance,  if  performed  at  re- 
curring seasons,  as  often,  for  instance,  as 
a  man  prepares  for  the  communion  of 
the  lio'.y  Supper,  if  he  aiterwards  ab- 
stains from  one  sin  or  another  that  he 
then  discovers  in  himself,  is  suinucl  to 


initiate  him  into  actuality  in  repentance, 
747,  767.  True  repentance  is,  to  examine 
not  only  the  acts  of  one's  life,  but  also  the 
intentions  of  his  will,  748-750.  After 
scrutiny  he  who  thinks  that  he  will  not 
do  evils  because  they  are  sins,  repents 
truly  and  interiorly,  748.  They  repent, 
also,  who  do  not  examine  themselves, 
but  yet  desist  from  evils  because  they 
are  sins;  and  they  repent  in  this  way 
who  from  religion  do  the  works  of 
charity,  751-754.  Actual  repentance  is 
an  easy  work  for  those  who  have  some- 
times practised  it  ;  but  it  finds  very 
great  resistance  in  those  who  have  not, 
757-760.  Actual  repentance  finds  very 
great  resistance  in  the  Reformed  Chris- 
tian world,  primarily  because  of  their 
belief  that  repentance  and  charity  con- 
tribute nothing  to  salvation,  757,  751, 
759.  One  who  has  never  practised  re- 
pentance, or  has  not  looked  into  and 
searched  himself,  at  length  does  not 
know  what  damnable  evil  is  or  what 
saving  good  is,  760-764.  Reformation 
and  regeneration  follow  repentance,  and 
by  repentance  they  gradually  advance, 
778.  Man  is  being  kept  continually  in 
a  state  in  which  repentance  and  conver- 
sion are  possible,  966.  Repentance 
preached,  764-769. 
Repetitions.  Many  times  in  the  Word 
there  are  two  expressions  which  appear 
like  repetitions  of  the  same  thing;  but 
they  are  not  repetitions,  but  one  refers 
to  good  and  the  other  to  truth,  but  they 
become  one  thing  by  conjunction,  378- 
381. 

Representations  of  Divine  Love,  76. 
Representations  of  the  two  states  of 
reformation,  168 ;  of  the  free-will  of 
man,  668 ;  of  the  two  sacraments,  Bap- 
tism and  the  Holy  Supper,  with  their 
uses,  898  ;  representations  of  Baptism 
as  regeneration,  915.  In  the  spiritual 
world  the  objects  which  appear  before 
the  angels  are  representations  of  intel- 
ligence and  wisdom  which  they  have 
from  the  Lord,  667. 

Representatives  are  such  things  in  the 
world  as  correspond  to  heavenly  things 
and  thence  signify  them,  401.  The 
human  form  which  Jehovah  God  put  on 
by  means  of  an  angel  and  in  which  He 
appeared  to  Moses  and  others,  was  rep- 
resentative of  the  Lord  VV'ho  was  tc 
come,  1049;  and  because  this  was  rep- 
resentative, therefore  the  things  of  theit 
church  were  one  and  all  made  repre- 
sentative, 1049.  All  the  ancient  churches 
were  churches  representative  of  spirit- 
ual things,  335,  1049.  When  the  Lord 
came  into  the  world  He  annulled  the 
representatives  which  were  ail  external, 
900. 

Resist  (To).  No  one  can  resist  evils  and 
the  falsities  thence  but  God  alone,  107. 
Man  ought  to  resist  evils  from  the 


INDEX. 


1207 


Enwer  and  strength  given  him  bv  the 
ord,  618. 

Respiration  of  every  membrane  in  the 
body  :  how  it  is  effected,  7S4.  Respira- 
tion foliows  thought  and  hence  speech, 
in  every  step,  679.  Without  free-will, 
and  this  in  every  particular  and  in  the 
most  minute  particulars  severally,  man 
would  no  more  breathe  than  a  statue, 
679. 

Rest.  The  seventh  day  signifies  man's 
conjunction  with  the  Lord  and  regener- 
ation thereby ,  when  he  is  regenerated 
he  has  rest,  438.    See  Sabbath 

Resurrection.  The  Lord's  rising  on 
the  third  day  signified  glorification,  or 
the  union  of  His  Human  with  the  Di- 
vine of  the  Father,  218.  Resurrection 
to  life  (John  v.  24)  signifies  salvation, 
869. 

Retribution  ;  Return  ;  See  Reward. 

Rkvelation.  Cognition  concerning  God, 
and  thence  an  acknowledgment  of  Him, 
is  not  attainable  without  revelation,  13. 
Man  by  the  revelation  which  is  given, 
is  able  to  approach  God  and  to  receive 
influx,  and  so  from  natural  to  become 
spiritual,  13.  The  revelation  belonging 
to  the  first  age  pervaded  all  the  world, 
and  the  natural  man  perverted  it  in 
many  ways,  13.  The  Word  is  the  crown 
of  revelations,  13.  There  is  a  revela- 
tion made  among  the  Africans  at  this 
day,  1095. 

Reward.  Good  is  not  to  be  done  for  re- 
ward, 619.  They  who  put  reward  in  the 
first  place  and  salvation  in  the  second, 
and  thus  seek  the  latter  for  the  sake  of 
the  former,  invert  order,  618.  To  think 
that  men  come  into  heaven,  and  that 
good  is  to  be  done  for  that,  is  not  to 
regard  reward  as  the  end,  and  to  place 
merit  in  works,  619  They  who  are  in 
spiritual  enjoyment  are  sorry  if  it  is  be- 
lieved that  their  doing  is  for  the  sake  of 
a  return,  620. 

Rich.  By  the  rich  man  (Luke  xvi.  19)  is 
meant  the  Jewish  nation,  which  is  called 
rich  because  they  had  the  Word,  in  which 
arc  spiritual  riches,  349,  374,  801. 

Riches.  No  man  of  sound  reason  can 
condemn  riches,  for  they  are  in  the  gen- 
eral body  like  the  blood  in  a  man,  590. 

Ride  (To)  signifies  to  instruct  in  Divine 
truths  from  the  Word,  1037.  To  ride 
upon  cherubs,  means  upon  the  ultimate 
sense  of  the  Word,  3S9. 

RjGHTSOUK.    See  Just. 

Righteousness  or  Justice  of  the  Lord 
{Jusiitia).  The  Lord,  by  the  acts  of 
redemption,  made  Himself  Righteous- 
ness, 155,  150,  157,  S57.  Righteousness 
is  doing  all  things  according  to  Divine 
order ;  and  reducing  to  order  those 
things  which  hive  fallen  out  of  order; 
for  righteousness  is  Divine  order  itself, 
156.  it  cannot  be  ascribed  to  man,  in- 
scribed upon  him,  adapted  and  conjoined 


to  him,  otherwise  than  light  can  be  to 
the  eye,  sound  to  the  ear,  &c,  157.  But 
it  is  acquired  so  far  as  man  exercises 
righteousness;  and  he  exercises  right- 
eousness as  far  as  he  acts  with  his  neigh- 
bor from  the  love  of  what  is  just  and 
true,  157.  In  the  good  itself  or  in  the 
use  itself  which  he  does,  righteousness 
dwells,  157,  The  laws  of  justice  are 
truths,  which  cannot  be  changed,  486. 
Rise  from  the  dead.  The  Lord  arose 
from  the  sepulchre  early  in  the  morning; 
why.  1026.  Man,  when  he  is  dead,  gen- 
erally revives  as  to  the  spirit  on  the  third 
day  after  the  heart  has  ceased  to  beat, 
412. 

Rites.  The  representative  rites  of  the 
church  in  the  course  of  time  began  to  be 
turned  into  what  was  idolatrous,  and  also 
into  what  was  magical,  337. 

Robe.    See  Tunic- 

Rock  (The)  (Matt.  xvi.  iS)  means  the  ar> 
knowledgmer.t  of  the  truth  that  Christ 
is  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  358,  488. 
Everywhere  in  the  Word  by  Rock  is 
meant  the  Lord  as  to  Divine  truth,  358. 

Royalty  signifies  Divine  truth,  196. 

Ruby  (The)  signifies  heavenly  good  which 
is  that  of  the  highest  heaven,  813. 

Rust.  The  good  of  merit  appears  to  the 
angels  as  rust,  619.    See  Purple. 


Sabbath  in  the  original  tongue  signifies 
rest,  437.  The  Sabbath  among  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  was  the  sanctity  of  sancti- 
ties, because  it  represented  the  Lord; 
the  six  days  represented  His  labors  and 
combats  with  the  hells;  and  the  seventh 
His  victory  over  them,  and  therefore 
rest,  437  When  the  Lord  came  into 
the  world,  and  the  representations  of 
Him  therefore  ceased,  that  day  became 
a  day  of  instruction  in  Divine  things, 
and  thus  also  a  day  of  rest  from  labors, 
and  of  meditation  on  such  things  as  re- 
late to  salvation  and  eternal  life  ;  as  also 
a  day  of  love  towards  the  neighbor,  437. 
In  the  highest  sense  Sabbath  signifies 
peace,  439.  The  Lord  calls  Himself 
the  Lord  of  the  Sabbath,  that  is,  of  rest 
and  peace,  440.  The  life  of  heaven  from 
the  worship  of  God  is  called  a  perpetual 
Sabbath,  991.  Celebration  of  the  Sab- 
bath in  heaven,  1012. 

Sacraments.  Baptism  and  the  Holy 
Supper  are  in  the  Christian  ( "hurch  like 
two  jewels  in  the  sceptre  of  a  king,  which, 
if  their  uses  are  unknown,  are  no  more 
than  two  figures  of  ebony  on  a  staff,  %rt- 
Without  an  apprehension  of  the  spirit- 
ual sense  of  the  Word,  no  one  can  know 
what  the  two  sacraments,  Baptism  and 
the  Holy  Supper,  involve  and  effect,  8-j;, 
898,  947;  they  contain  all  tilings  of  the 
internal  church  in  one  complex,  9°*- 
The  two  sacraments,  Baptism  KM  tha 
Holy   Supper,   arc   acknowledged  ia 


1203 


INDEX. 


Christendom  as  the  holiest  things  of 
worship;  but  who  knows  where  their 
holiness  resides  or  whence  it  is?  947. 
Difference  between  a  holiness  that  is 
merely  attributed  to  any  thing  and  a 
holiness  which  is  seen,  950. 

Sacsei  Scripture  (The),  or  the  Word, 
is  the  Divine  truth  itself,  321-324.  It 
teaches  that  there  is  a  God,  and  that  He 
is  One,  7.  All  the  Sacred  Scripture 
piophesied  concerning  the  Lord  and 
foretold  His  coming,  339.  The  Sacred 
Scripture  which  was  dictated  by  the 
Lord,  is  in  general  and  in  particular  a 
marriage  of  good  and  truth,  837.  The 
Sacred  Scripture  is  like  a  mirror,  in 
which  every  one  who  has  formed  the 
state  of  his  mind  from  God  sees  God, 
but  each  one  in  his  own  way,  7.  It  is 
the  fulness  of  God,  8. 

Saints.  The  Popish  saints  in  the  spirit- 
ual world,  1083-10^6.  See  Worship. 
The  gods  of  the  Gentiles  were  wor- 
shipped first  as  saints,  afterwards  as 
divinities,  and  lastly  as  gods,  429. 

Salvation  {Salvatio,  salvation  in  an  ac- 
tive sense).  Salvation  is  the  result  of 
reformation  and  regeneration  ;  it  is  the 
ultimate  end  of  the  Lord,  245.  By  the 
conjunction  of  man  with  God  is  given 
salvation,  158.  Without  reciprocal  con- 
junction of  man  with  the  Lord  and  of 
the  Lord  with  man  there  can  be  no 
reformation  and  _  regeneration,  conse- 
quently no  salvation,  685.  The  salva- 
tion of  men  is  a  continuation  of  creation, 
1034.    See  To  Save. 

Salvation  {Salus,  the  state  of  salvation). 
Salvation  and  eternal  life  are  one,  971. 
It  is  by  conjunction  with  God  that  man 
has  salvation  and  eternal  life,  521.  The 
Lord,  charity,  and  faith  are  the  three 
essentials  of  salvation,  627.  The  Lord 
is  Salvation  and  Eternal  Life,  251. 
Without  the  Lord  there  is  no  salvation, 
395.  The  Lord  wills  the  salvation  of 
all  ;  wherefore  the  salvation  of  all  is 
His  end,  245.  The  Lord's  coming,  re- 
demption, and  the  passion  of  the  cross, 
were  for  the  sake  of  the  salvation  of 
men,  245.  The  salvation  and  eternal 
life  of  men  are  the  first  and  last  ends  of 
the  Lord,  252.  The  salvation  of  the 
human  race  depends  on  the  reciprocal 
conjunction  of  the  Lord  and  man,  525. 
The  salvation  of  man  depends  on  the 
cognition  and  acknowledgment  of  God, 
158.  The  salvation  of  man  depends 
upon  actual  repentance,  744,  746.  What- 
ever Jehovah  commands.  He  commands 
for  the  sake  of  salvation,  429.  The 
means  of  salvation  are  manifold ;  but 
they  have  relation  one  and  all  to  living 
well  and  believing  aright,  thus  to  charity 
and  faith,  484,  J05.  As  a  temple  of 
God,  man  has  salvation  and  eternal  life 
for  liis  end.  intention,  and  purpose,  531. 
They  who  put  reward  in  the  first  place 


and  salvation  in  the  second,  and  thu« 
seek  the  latter  for  the  sake  of  the  formei, 
invert  order,  and  immerse  the  interior 
desires  of  their  mind  in  their  proprium, 
618.  See  To  Save.  Note  :"  The  Lord 
is  called  salvation  {salus)  from  salvation 
(or  saving,  salvatio),  and  from  His  being 
salvation  {salus)  with  man :  for  so  far  as 
He  is  with  man,  so  far  man  has  salva- 
tion {salus)"  A  p.  Ex.  n.  460 
Samson.  His  power  lay  in  his  hair ; 
why.  355- 

Sa notification  is  operated  by  the  Lord 
in  those  who  believe  in  Him,  and  who 
accommodate  and  dispose  themselves  for 
His  reception  and  abode,  244.  The  Lord 
is  the  all  of  sanctification,  251. 

Sanctitv.  The  Sabbath  was  the  sanctity 
of  sanctities,  437. 

Sapphire  signifies  spiritual  good,  which 
is  that  of  the  middle  heaven,  813. 

Satans.  They  are  called  satans  who 
have  been  in  falsities  and  thence  in 
evils,  416;  they  who  have  confirmed 
themselves  in  falsities  even  to  belief, 
138 ;  they  who  have  confirmed  them- 
selves in  favor  of  nature,  and  thence 
have  denied  God,  58.  No  satan  can 
bear  to  hear  any  truth  from  the  Word 
or  to  have  Jesus  named  ;  if  they  hear 
them  they  become  like  furies,  542,  1068. 
A  satan  can  understand  the  truth  when 
he  hears  it,  equally  with  an  angel,  but 
he  does  not  retain  it,  because  evil  ob- 
literates the  truth  and  induces  falsity, 
126.  They  who  acknowledge  the  Lord 
but  do  not  keep  His  commandments 
become  satans  after  death,  and  can 
counterfeit  an  angel  of  light,  252.  To 
him  who  introduces  himself  into  evil 
affections  by  confirmations  of  falsities 
and  by  an  evil  life,  a  spirit  from  hell  ad- 
joins himself ;  and  when  the  spirit  is 
joined,  man  enters  more  and  more  as  it 
were  into  fraternity  with  satans,  542. 
With  the  evil  the  internal  man  is  a 
satan,  and  while  living  in  the  body  is 
also  in  society  with  satans,  and  after 
separation  from  the  body  also  comes 
among  them,  584.    See  Devils,  Hell. 

Saturn,  29,  265,  429.  Saturnian  or 
golden  age,  924 

Save  (To).  All  can  be  regenerated  ;  and, 
because  regeneration  and  salvation  make 
one,  all  can  be  saved,  786.  Every  one 
can  be  regenerated,  each  according  to 
his  state,  786.  He  who  acts  well  and 
thinks  aright,  that  is,  who  lives  well 
and  believes  aright,  is  saved,  826.  The 
Lord  is  not  to  blame  if  man  is  not  saved, 
but  man  himself,  787.  The  man  who 
remains  in  his  evils  cannot  be  saved, 
737-741.  There  is  not  a  nation  in  all 
the  world  which  cannot  be  saved  if  they 
acknowledge  God  and  live  well,  9^5. 

SAVIOUR  (The)  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ; 
His  name  Jesus  also  means  salvation 
{salus),  251.    See  Lord. 


INDEX. 


1209 


SAXONY.    Prince  of  Saxony,  ic/o. 

Scarlet  (Double-dyed)  signifies  spirit- 
ual good,  354. 

Science  (Matters  of),  with  those  who 
love  truth  because  it  is  truth,  make  the 
door  to  political  things,  moral  things, 
and  the  tilings  of  theology,  which  ac- 
cording to  their  order  occupy  the  three 
regions  of  the  mind,  309. 

Scotland,  1076. 

Screech  Owls.  By  screech  owls  are  rep- 
resented the  speech  of  those  who  are 
not  willing,  and  not  able,  to  perceive 
truth,  but  only  falsity,  74. 

Second  Coming  of  '  thh  Lord.  See 
Coming  of  the  Lord. 

Seckets     See  Arcana. 

Seed.  There  is  a  kind  of  immensity  and 
eternity  implanted  in  every  seed,  as  well 
of  animals  as  of  plants,  52.  In  the  seed 
from  which  conception  takes  place,  there 
is  in  every  case  a  graft  or  offset  of  the 
father's  soul,  in  its  fulness,  within  a 
certain  envelope  of  elements  from  nat- 
ure, 165.  The  image  of  the  father  is  in 
its  fulness  in  the  seed,  because  the  soul  is 
spiritual  from  its  origin,  and  what  is  spir- 
itual has  nothing  in  common  with  space : 
wherefore  it  is  like  itself  in  little  com- 
pass as  in  great,  165.  See  Soul.  Man's 
seed  is  conceived  interiorly  in  the  un- 
derstanding, and  is  formed  in  the  will, 
and  is  transferred  therefrom  to  the 
testicle  where  it  clothes  itself  with  a 
natural  covering,  791.  Al!  things  that 
are  seen  in  the  natural  world  exist  and 
grow  from  seed,  1057.  In  the  seed  of 
the  tree  there  are  concealed,  as  it  were, 
the  end.  intention,  and  purpose  of  pro- 
ducing fruits  ;  in  these  the  seed  corre- 
sponds to  the  will  of  man,  530.  There 
is  a  sphere  about  every  particle  of  the 
dust  of  the  earth  ;  and  from  this  sphere 
the  inmost  of  every  seed  is  impregnated, 
70:.  Seeds  of  plants,  53.  Spiritual  seed 
is  the  truth  of  the  church  from  the 
Word,  604.  Seed  in  the  Word  means 
nothing  but  truth,  497.  The  seed  of 
man  (Daniel  ii.  43)  is  the  truth  of  the 
Word,  1023. 

Seneca,  400. 

Sensation.  From  what  sensation  results, 
784.  The  two  enjoyments  of  love,  from 
the  sensation  of  them,  are  called  good, 
68. 

Sen>e  of  the  Letter  of  the  Word  is 
the  basis,  the  container,  and  the  support 
of  its  spiritual  and  heavenly  sense,  343- 
346.  Divine  Truth,  in  the  sense  of  the 
ietter  of  the  Word,  is  in  its  fulness,  in 
its  holiness,  and  in  its  power,  £46-350. 
The  doctrine  of  the  church  is  to  be 
drawn  from  the  sense  of  the  letter  of 
the  Word,  and  confirmed  by  it,  35S,  $',2. 
The  Loid  is  most  fully  present  in  the 
sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  and  He 
teaches  and  enlightens  man  from  it. 
j$9.    Genuine  truth,  which  will  be  of 


doctrine,  does  not  apnear  in  the  sense 
of  the  letter  of  the  Word  to  any  bul 
those  who  are  in  enlightenment  from 
the  Lord,  3(12-365.  By  the  sense  of 
the  letter  of  the  Word,  there  is  conjunc- 
tion with  the  Lord,  and  consociation 
with  the  angels,  365-369.  The  things 
in  the  letter  of  the  Word  communicate 
one  and  all  with  heaven,  3S5.  The  sense 
of  the  letter  of  the  Word  is  a  guard  for 
the  genuine  truths  which  are  concealed 
within,  387.  This  sense  may  be  turned 
hither  and  thither,  and  explained  accord- 
ing to  one's  apprehension,  387,  340,  725  ; 
provided  this  is  done  in  application  to 
some  truth.  725.  If  the  sense  of  the 
letter  is  turned  to  the  false,  then  its  in- 
ternal holiness  perishes,  and  with  it  the 
externa!,  340.  That  the  sense  of  the 
letter  is  understood  in  one  way  by  .one 
person  and  in  a  different  way  by  another 
person,  does  no  harm  ;  but  it  does  harm 
if  a  man  introduces  falsities  that  are 
contrary  to  Divine  truths,  387.  The 
sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  is  com- 
posed of  such  things  as  are  called  ap- 
pearances and  correspondences,  867. 
Sense  (Spiritual  and  Heavenly)  of 
the  Word.  There  are  the  spiritual 
and  the  heavenly  senses  in  every  thing 
of  the  Word,  and  these  senses  are  in  the 
light  of  heaven,  363.  The  heavenly 
and  the  spiritual  senses  without  the 
natural  sense  are  not  the  Word,  347. 
That  there  is  a  spiritual  sense  of  the 
Word  within  its  natural  sense,  no  one  as 
yet  has  divined ;  why,  325,  334,  339. 
This  sense  does  not  appear  in  the  sense 
of  the  letter;  but  it  is  inwardly  in  it,  as 
the  soul  is  in  the  body,  as  the  thought 
of  the  understanding  is  in  the  eyes,  and 
as  the  affection  of  love  is  in  the  face, 
325.  It  is  in  each  and  every  thing  in 
the  Word,  326.  .No  one  can  see  the 
spiritual  sense  except  from  a  knowledge 
of  correspondences,  327,  339.  It  is  from 
the  spiritual  sense  that  the  Word  is  di- 
vinely inspired,  and  holy  in  every  word, 
332,  1099.  It  has  pleased  the  Lord  now 
to  reveal  the  spiritual  sense,  in  order  that 
it  may  be  known  where  in  the  Word  the 
Divine  holiness  is  concenled,  333  The 
spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  will  not  be 
given  to  any  one  heveifter  who  is  not 
in  genuine  truths  from  the  Lord,  340. 
362.  This  sense  consists  of  the  Divine 
truths  of  the  church,  340.  It  treats  o| 
the  Lord  alone,  and  rn  His  kingdom, 
341.  If  any  one  wishes,  finoM  himself 
and  not  from  the  Lord,  to  o|  en  tli.it 
sense,  heaven  is  closed  ;  and  when  it  ii 
closed  man  either  sees  nothing  of  truth, 
or  becomes  spiritually  insane,  14  !< 
The  naked  truths  themselves,  which 
are  enclosed,  contained,  clothed,  and 
comprised  in  the  iiteral  sense,  are  in 
the  spiritual  sense  oi  the  Word,  and 
the   naked   j;oods    are    in    its  he.iv- 


T2I0 


INDEX. 


enly  sense,  348.  The  spiritual  -ense  is 
guarded  by  the  Lord  as  the  angelic 
heaven  is  guarded,  for  heaven  is  in  it. 
362.  Doctrine  is  not  gathered  by  means 
of  that  sense,  but  only  illustrated  and 
corroborated,  362.  See  Sense  0/  the 
Letter  of  the  Word.  The  things  which 
are  hid  in  the  spiritual  sense  are  not 
apparent,  except  to  those  who  love 
truths  because  they  are  truths,  and  do 
goods  because  they  are  goods,  373.  In 
the  spiritual  sense  Divine  truth  is  in  its 
light,  and  in  the  heavenly  sense  Divine 
goodness  is  in  its  heat,  427.  Without 
an  apprehension  of  the  spiritual  sense  of 
the  Word,  no  one  can  know  what  the 
two  sacraments,  Baptism  and  the  Holy 
Supper,  involve  and  effect,  897,  898,  899, 
947.  The  spiritual  sense  has  been  dis- 
closed at  the  present  day  for  the  New 
Church,  for  the  sake  of  its  use  in  the 
worship  of  the  Lord.  8-)9  The  spirit- 
ual sense  is  now  first  disclosed,  because 
there  has  hitherto  been  Christianity  only 
in  name,  and  with  some  persons  some 
shadow  of  it,  948.  By  the  glory  and 
power  in  which  the  Lord  is  to  come 
(Matt.  xxiv.  30)  is  meant  the  spiritual 
sense  of  the  Word,  1037-1039.  The 
Lord's  presence  in  the  Word  comes 
only  by  means  of  the  spiritual  sense, 
104 1.  By  means  of  the  spiritual  sense 
the  Word  is  a  conjunction  of  the  men  of 
the  church  with  the  Lord,  and  also  a 
consociation  with  angels ;  and  the  holi- 
ness of  the  Word  resides  in  that  sense, 
1099.  The  internal  or  spiritual  sense  is 
the  spirit  which  gives  lite  to  the  letter, 
324- 

Senses,  Sensations.  The  sensations  of 
light  and  sound  are  from  life :  their 
forms  from  nature,  60.  Reciprocal  con- 
junction between  the  senses  and  their 
organs,  527.  Falsities  cohere  with  the 
fallacies  of  the  senses,  310. 

Sensual  (The)  is  the  ultimate  of  the  life 
of  man's  mind,  adherent  to  and  coher- 
ent with  the  five  senses  of  his  body, 
762.  The  ultimate  of  the  understand- 
ing is  what  belongs  to  natural  knowl- 
edge ;  the  ultimate  of  the  will  is  sen- 
sual enjoyment,  763. 

Sensual  Man  (The)  is  the  lowest  natu- 
ral man,  586.  He  is  called  a  sensual 
man  who  judges  of  all  things  by  the 
senses  of  the  body,  and  who  believes 
nothing  but  what  he  can  see  with  ihe 
eyes  and  touch  with  the  hands,  586, 
762.  The  sensual  and  corporeal  man, 
viewed  in  himself  is  wholly  animal,  and 
only  differs  from  a  brute  animal  in  being 
abie  to  speak  and  reason,  431,  456,  763. 
The  interiors  of  the  mind,  which  see 
from  the  light  of  heaven,  are  closed  in 
the  sensual  man,  so  that  he  there  sees 
nothing  of  the  truth  which  pertains  to 
heaven  and  the  church,  586,  762.  Sen- 
sual men  reason  sharply  and  ingeniously, 


because  their  thought  is  so  near  to 
speech,  almost  in  it ;  and  as  it  were  in 
the  lips  ;  and  because  they  place  all  in- 
telligence in  speech  from  memory  alone, 
586,  762.  Sensual  men  are  shrewd 
and  crafty  above  all^  others,  586,  762. 
The  interiors  of  their  minds  are  foul 
and  filthy,  inasmuch  as  through  them 
they  communicate  with  the  hells,  586, 
762.  Men  of  science  and  erudition, 
who  have  deeply  confirmed  themselves 
in  falsities,  and  still  more  they  who  have 
confirmed  themselves  against' the  truths 
of  the  Word,  are  more  sensual  than 
others,  587,  762.  The  hypocritical,  the 
deceitful,  the  voluptuous,  the  adulter- 
ous, and  the  avaricious  are  for  the  most 
part  sensual,  587,  762.  The  condition  in 
the  spiritual  world,  of  those  who  have 
become  corporeal-sensual,  by  confirma- 
tions in  favor  of,  nature,  134.  They 
who  reason  from  sensual  things  only, 
were  called  by  the  ancients  serpents  of 
the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and 
evil,  587,  763.  All  those~who  are  in  the 
love  of  ruling  from  the  love  of  self  are 
sensual  men,  591. 

Sensual  things  are  in  the  thoughts  from 
the  senses  of  the  body,  60.  Sensual 
things  mean  the  things  presented  to  the 
senses  of  the  body  and  imbibed  through 
those  senses,  587.  By  sensual  things 
man  communicates  with  the  world,  and 
by  the  rational  things  above  them,  with 
heaven,  587,  763.  Sensual  things  minis- 
ter in  furnishing  such  things  from  the 
natural  world  as  are  of  service  to  the 
interiors  of  the  mind  in  the  spiritual 
world,  587,  763.  There  are  sensual 
things  which  minister  to  the  understand- 
ing, and  there  are  sensual  things  which 
minister  to  the  will,  587,  763.  Unless 
the  thought  is  elevated  above  sensual 
things,  man  has  little  wisdom,  587,  763. 
Sensual  things  ought  to  be  in  the  last 
place,  and  not  in  the  first ;  with  a  wise 
man  they  are  in  the  last  place,  and  are 
subject  to  more  internal  things  :  but  with 
an  unwise  man  they  are  in  the  first  place, 
and  have  dominion,  588,  763. 

Sentence  The  faith  with  that  to  which 
it  conjoins  itself,  makes  the  sentence. 
If  true  faith  conjoins  itself  with  good, 
sentence  is  made  for  eternal  life ;  but  if 
faith  conjoins  itself  with  evil,  sentence  is 
made  for  eternal  death,  870,  872. 

Series.  The  arrangement  of  all  things 
into  series,  498.  The  organization  of 
the  brain  consists  in  an  arrangement  of 
all  things  in  series,  as  it  were  in  fascicles, 
and  the  truths  which  are  of  faith  are  so 
disposed  in  the  human  mind,  498- 
The  glandular  substance  cf  the  brain  is 
disposed  into  clusters  like  grapes  on  a 
vine ;  those  clusterings  are  its  series, 
49S.  The  medullary  substance  of  the 
brain  consists  of  perpetual  bundlings  of 
fibrils  issuing  from  the  glandules  of  tha 


INDEX. 


121  I 


glandular  substance;  these  bundlines 
are  its  series,  498.  All  the  vi-cera  and 
organs  cf  the  body  correspond  to  the 
series  into  which  the  mental  organism  is 
disposed,  499.  There  is  not  any  thing 
in  universal  nature  that  is  not  fascicu- 
lated into  series,  499.  The  universal 
cause  is,  that  Divine  truths  have  such  a 
conformation,  499.  When  multiplied 
series  cohere  as  one,  one  thing  strength- 
ens and  confirms  another,  499.  There 
are  various  series  in  geometry  which  go 
on  to  infinity,  54. 

Serpents  signify  the  prudence  and  also 
the  cunning  of  the  sensual  man,  338. 
The  Serpent  (Gen.  iii.  5)  means  the 
devil  as  to  the  love  of  self  and  the 
pride  of  one's  own  intelligence,  89. 
Serpents  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil ;  who  were  so  called  by 
the  ancients,  454,  542,  587. 

Servants  are  those  who  are  not  con- 
joined with  the  Lord,  169. 

Seventh  Day  (The)  signifies  man's  con- 
junction with  the  Lord,  and  regenera- 
tion thereby.  438. 

Several,  Severally.   See  Particulars. 

Sex.  In  trees  and  in  ail  the  other  sub- 
jects of  the  vegetable  kingdom,  there 
are  not  two  sexes,  a  masculine  and  a 
feminine,  but  every  one  of  them  is  mas- 
culine ;  the  earth  alone  or  the  soil,  is 
the  common  mother,  thus  as  the  woman, 
791. 

Shade-    The  Lord  enlightens  not  only  | 
the  internal  man  but  also  the  external 
natural  ;   and  unless  the  two  are  en- 
lightened at  the  same  time,  the  man  is 
as  it  were  in  the  shade,  174- 

Shf.ba.  The  gold  of  Sheba  is  the  wisdom 
from  Divine  Truth,  956. 

Sheep  means  charity,  333. 

dheepfoi.d.  To  enter  into  the  sheepfold 
is  to  enter  into  the  church,  and  likewise 
into  heaven,  541. 

Shining  Property  of  Fire.  To  this 
corresponds  something  most  interiorly 
affecting  the  understanding  of  man,  70. 
See  Burni?ig  Property  of  Fire. 

Shortening  the  Days  (Matt.  xiv.  22) 
(Beans  to  end  the  church  and  establish  a 
new  one,  301. 

Snows  and  Games  in  heaven,  1004. 

Shun.  The  primary  thing  in  charity  is  to 
shun  evils,  751. 

Side  (The)  of  the  Lord.  The  piercing 
the  side  of  the  Lord  signified  that  they 
totally  extinguished  all  the  truth  of  the 
Word  and  a'l  the  good  of  it,  217. 

Sidon,  334.    See  Tyre. 

Sign  (The).  P>y  the  sign  of  the  Son  of 
M  m  in  heaven,  is  meant  the  appearing 
of  Divine  Truth  in  the  Word  from  Him, 
330.  Sign  of  the  cross  on  the  forehead 
in  Baptism.  911.    See  Cross. 

Sight.  When  their  inmost  sight  is 
opened,  the  angels  recognize  their  own 
image  in  the  thingsth.il  surround  them, 


105.  Spiritual  sight  which  is  that  of 
the  understanding  and  thus  of  the  mind, 
and  natural  sight  which  is  the  sight  of 
the  eye  and  thus  of  the  body  mutually 
correspond.  492.  The  sight  of  the 
spirit  is  veiled  over  by  the  natural  sight, 
ioj-5-  The  sight  of  the  body  emulates, 
in  some  respects,  the  sight  of  the  mind, 
573.  In  the  mind  the  first  sight  is  that 
of  perception,  and  the  ultimate  sight, 
that  of  the  eye,  710.  They  who  are  in 
posterior  vision,  and  not  in  any  prior 
sight,  472. 
Silver  signifies  spiritual  good,  873. 
Simon  the  Magician,  536. 
Simple  in  Spirit.  By  these  are  meant 
in  the  Word  those  who  will  well  and 
think  rationally,  and  consequently  act 
well  and  talk  rationally;  they  are  called 
simple,  because  they  are  not  double 
minded,  623.  He  only  is  single  minded 
whose  external  thinks  and  speaks  and 
wills  and  acts  from  the  internal ;  these 
also  are  meant  by  the  simple,  249. 
Simultaneous.  From  the  successive  is 
formed  the  simultaneous,  and  this  in  all 
and  in  each  thing  of  the  natural  world, 
and  in  all  and  in  each  thing  of  the 
spiritual  world,  347.  See  Order. 
Sin.  The  evil  of  sin  is  no  other  than 
evil  against  the  neighbor ;  and  evil 
against  the  neighbor  is  also  evil  against 
God,  which  is  sin,  742.  Sins  are  not 
abolished  but  removed,  756.  See  Con' 
I  fessiou,  Remission,  Repentance. 
Singing  in  heaven,  1004,  1007. 
Single,  Singly.  The  single  parts  all 
taken  together  are  called  a  universal,  as 
particulars  taken  together  are  called  \ 
general,  99.  See  Universals:  also 
Particulars. 
Sirens  know  how  to  induce  upon  them- 
selves by  means  of  fantasies  all  the 
habits  and  forms  of  beauty  and  adorn 
ment,  136. 

Sit  (To)  at  the  right  hand  of  God  ;  what 

is  meant,  229. 
Six  Days  of  Labor  signify  the  combat 
against  th:-  flesh  and  its  lusts,  and  at 
the  same  time  against  the  evils  and  fal- 
sities which  are  in  man  from  hell,  438. 
Skull,  346. 

Si.EFp.  In  the  Word,  natural  life  is 
likened  to  sleep,  and  spiritual  life  to  a 
state  of  wakefulness,  810. 
Sleep  (To).  By  sleeping  (in  the  parable 
of  the  Virvins)  is  meant  the  life  of  man 
in  the  world,  which  is  natural,  332. 
Smell  (Sense  of)  in  the  Word  signifies 

perception,  772. 
Smoke  (  The)  seen  in  the  hells  arises  from 
falsities  confirmed  by  re.tsonings,  263. 
710.  See  Flame- 
Sockty  (A)  is  like  one  man:  and  those 
w  ho  enter  into  it  compose  as  it  were  one 
body,  and  are  distinct  from  each  other 
like  the  members  in  one  body,  597. 
There  is  no  society  in  heaven  which 


1212 


INDEX. 


does  not  correspond  to  some  member, 
viscus,  or  organ  in  man,  104.  Heaven, 
although  distinguished  into  innumerable 
societies,  still  appears  before  the  Lord 
as  one  Man,  501.  All  who  are  of  the 
same  religion  are  disposed  into  societies  : 
in  heaven,  according  to  the  affections  of 
love  tc  God  and  toward  the  neighbor; 
and  in  hell,  into  congregations  accord- 
ing to  the  affections  that  are  opposed  to 
those  two  loves,  and  so  according  to  the 
lusts  of  evil,  907.  The  societies  in 
heaven  are  as  many  as  the  stars  in  the 
firmament  of  the  world,  120.  Man  in 
the  world  is  in  society  with  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  world  of  spirits,  and  ac- 
cording as  his  spirit  changes  state  he 
changes  societies,  675  ;  his  spirit  is  even 
seen  in  the  angelic  or  infernal  societies. 
24.  ^  All  the  societies  in  the  world  of 
spirits  are  wonderfully  arranged  accord- 
ing to  the  natural  affections,  good  and 
evil,  412.  See  World  of  Spirits.  Uses 
are  the  bonds  of  society :  there  are  as 
many  of  these  bonds  as  there  are  good 
uses,  and  these  are  infinite  in  number, 
1006.  See  Uses.  Without  external 
bonds  not  only  would  society  cease  to 
exist,  but  the  whole  human  race  also 
would  perish,  699.  Man  is  as  it  were 
society  in  miniature.  Tf  he  did  not  deal 
with  himself  in  a  spiritual  manner  as 
the  wicked  in  a  great  society  are  dealt 
with  in  a  natural  manner,  he  would  be 
castigated  and  punished  after  death, 
747.  Every  one  comes  into  that  society 
in  heaven  of  which  he  is  a  form  in  his 
individual  effigy,  9  )j. 

Socinia  nism.  Whence  it  is,  154;  an 
abominable  heresy,  541. 

Socinians  and  Artan -.  Arius  and  his 
followers  denied  the  Divinity  of  Jesus 
Christ,  848,854;  and  thus  destroyed  the 
church,  292.  Persuasion  emulates  faith 
in  externals,  but  because  in  its  internals 
there  is  nothing  spiritual,  there  is  there- 
fore nothing  saving.  Such  is  faith  with 
all  who  deny  the  Divinity  of  the  Lord's 
Human  ;  such  was  the  Arian  faith,  and 
such  also  is  the  Socinian  faith,  483. 
One  who  appropriates  to  himself  the 
ideas  concerning  the  Lord  that  He  is  a 
man  and  not  God,  introduces  himself 
into  companionship  with  the  Arians  and 
Socinians  who  in  the  spiritual  world  are 
n  hell,  541. 

Socinus,  266. 

Socrates,  921. 

Soldier.  It  is  glorious  for  a  soldier  to 
shed  his  blood  for  his  country,  599. 

Son  of  God.  (The)  is  Jehovah  God  in 
His  Human,  151-155,227  The  first  ele- 
ment of  faith  in  the  Lord  God  the 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ  is  the  acknowl- 
edgment that  He  is  the  Son  of  God. 
This  was  the  first  element  of  faith  which 
the  Lord  revealed  and  announced  when 
He  came  into  the  world,  487,  537.    Jt  is 


contrary  to  what  is  natural  and  rationav 
to  think  that  any  Son  was  born  of  God 
from  eternity,  43.  That  any  Son  born 
from  eternity  descended  and  assumed 
the  Human,  utterly  falls  as  erroneous; 
God,  Who  is  one,  descended  and  became 
Man,  142,  143,  854.  The  Apostolic 
church  did  not  acknowledge  a  Son  of 
God  born  from  eternity,  but  only  the 
Son  of  God  born  in  time,  S53.  In  the 
Word  the  regenerate  are  called  sons  of 
God,  780,  975. 

Son  of  Man  (The)  is  the  Lord  as  to  the 
Word,  151,  398.  By  the  sign  of  the  Son 
of  Man  in  heaven,  is  meant  the  appear- 
ing of  Divine  Truth  in  the  Word  from 
the  Lord,  330. 

Son  of  Mary  (The)  is  properly  the  hu- 
man which  the  Lord  assumed,  151.  He 
who  believes  only  that  the  Lord  is  the 
Son  of  Mary  implants  in  himself  various 
ideas  concerning  Him  which  are  hurt- 
ful and  destructive  of  salvation,  489. 
From  this  common  saying  in  the  mouth 
of  all,  that  the  Lord  is  called  the  Son  of 
Mary,  many  enormities  have  flowed 
into  the  church,  154.  That  the  Lord 
was  the  Son  of  Mary  is  true ;  but  that 
He  is  so  still  is  not  true,  162. 

Sophi  of  ancient  times  in  a  society  in 
heaven,  935  ;  in  the  spiritual  world,  920- 
925- 

Sores  signify  interior  evils  and  falsities 
destructive  of  good  and  truth  in  the 
church,  852. 

Soul  (The)  is  the  very  essence  of  man, 
and  the  body  is  its  form,  182.  The  soul 
is  in  the  w  hole  and  in  every  part  of  man, 
187.  The  soul  is  the  man  himself,  be- 
cause it  is  the  inmost  man  ;  therefore 
its  form  is  fully  and  perfectly  the  human 
form,  946,  9.  It  is  a  form  of  all  things 
of  love  and  all  of  wisdom,  945.  The 
soul  is  a  human  form,  from  which  noth- 
ing whatever  can  be  taken  away,  and  to 
which  nothing  whatever  can  be  added  ; 
and  it  is  the  inmost  form  of  all  the  forms 
of  the  whole  body,  946.  The  soul  of 
man  is  not  life,  but  a  recipient  of  life, 
42.  It  is  not  life,  but  it  is  the  nearest 
receptacle  of  life  from  God,  and  thus 
God's  dwelling-place,  946.  The  soul  of 
a  child  is  from  the  father  and  his  body 
is  from  the  mother,  187.  The  body  is 
from  the  soul,  142.  The  soul  is  in  the 
seed  of  the  father,  and  it  is  clothed  with 
a  body  in  the  mother,  151.  Man  begins 
from  the  soul,  which  is  the  very  essence 
of  the  seed:  this  not  only  initiates  but 
also  produces  in  its  own  order  the  things 
which  are  of  the  body,  284.  In  the 
womb  of  a  mother  nothing  is  pre- 
pared but  the  body,  conceived  and  de- 
rived from  the  soul,  285.  That  human 
souls  were  created  from  the  beginning 
of  the  world,  and  enter  into  bodies  and 
become  men,  is  among  the  fables  of 
the  ancients.  2S8.    The  soul  acts  in  the 


INDEX. 


body  and  upon  the  body,  yet  not  through 
the  body  ;  the  body  acts  out  of  itself 
from  the  soul;  why,  257.  The  soul 
which  is  from  the  father  is  the  man  him- 
self, and  the  body  which  is  from  the 
mother  is  not  the  man  in  itself,  but  is  from 
him.  The  body  is  only  a  covering  of 
the  soul,  composed  of  such  things  as  are 
of  the  natural  world  ;  but  the  soul  is 
of  such  things  as  are  in  the  spiritual 
world,  164  Every  man,  after  death, 
puts  off  the  natural,  which  he  had  from 
the  mother,  and  retains  the  spiritual, 
which  he  had  from  the  father,  together 
with  a  kind  of  border  from  the  purest 
things  of  nature,  around  it ;  but  this  bor- 
der, with  those  who  come  into  heaven, 
is  below,  and  the  spiritual  above  ;  but 
the  border  with  those  who  come  into 
hell  is  above,  and  the  spiritual  below, 
164.  What  is  believed  respecting  the 
state  of  souls  after  death  at  this  day, 
1030,  103 1. 

Sound  (Thk)  of  a  man's  voice  and  speech 
is  heard  only  as  a  simple  sound,  and 
yet  when  the  ange's  hear  it  they  per- 
ceive in  it  all  the  affections  of  his  love, 
515;  they  have  cognition  of  his  love 
from  the  sound  of  his  voice,  and  of  his 
intelligence  from  his  speech,  1040.  The 
sound  of  spiritual  language  differs  from 
the  sound  of  natural  language,  408. 

Space  and  Time.  There  are  two  things 
peculiar  to  the  natural  world  which 
cause  all  things  there  to  be  finite ;  one 
is  Space,  and  the  other  is  Time,  44. 
Spaces  and  times  were  created  together 
with  this  world  and  make  it  finite  ;  their 
two  beginnings  are  Immensity  and 
Eternity,  44,  50.  There  is  nothing  of 
space  in  God's  immensity,  and  nothing 
of  time  in  His  eternity,  50.  Times  and 
spaces  were  introduced  into  the  woild 
that  one  thing  might  be  distinguished 
from  another,  46  Times  were  intro- 
duced into  the  natural  world  by  the 
rotation  of  the  earth  about  its  axis ; 
spaces  were  introduced  inn  the  nat- 
ural world  by  the  earth's  being  formed 
into  a  globe,  and  filled  with  various 
kinds  of  matter,  47.  The  spiritual  world 
is  not  in  space  and  time,  as  the  natural 
world  is,  but  is  in  the  appearance  of 
these  two,  411  The  appearances  of 
spaces  and  limes  in  the  spiritual  world 
are  according  to  the  differences  of  the 
states  in  which  are  the  minds  of  spirits 
and  angeis  there ;  those  appearances 
are  real,  because  constant  according  to 
their  state,  47.  God  is  present  in  space 
without  space,  and  in  time  without  time, 
49.  Spaces  and  times  cannot  be  predi- 
cated of  love  and  wisdom,  but  instead 
of  them  states,  63. 

Sprf.ch  is  nothing  but  the  form  of  sound. 
Sound  corresponds  to  affection,  and 
speech  to  thought,  552.  Take  sound 
away  from  speech  and  we  have  nothing 


left,  552.  Spiritual  speech  embraces 
thousands  of  things  which  natural  speech 
cannot  express,  553-  In  the  natural 
world  man  has  twofold  speech,  because 
his  thought  is  twofold,  external  and  in- 
ternal, in.  See  Language. 
Sphere  (The)  of  Divine  Love  pervades 
the  universe,  and  affects  every  one  ac- 
cording to  his  state ;  not  only  the  good 
but  also  the  evil ;  and  not  only  men,  bui 
also  beasts  and  birds  of  every  kind,  76. 
The  sphere  of  the  extension  of  good  is 
infinite;  for  this  sphere  from  the  in- 
most fills  the  universe  and  all  and  every 
thing  therein,  95.  There  continually 
proceeds  from  the  Lord  a  Divine  heav- 
enly sphere  of  love  toward  all  who 
embrace  the  doctrine  of  His  church, 
and  who  obey  Him,  as  little  children  in 
the  world  obey  father  and  mother,  apply 
themselves  to  Him,  and  wish  to  be  in- 
structed by  Him,  443  ;  from  this  heav- 
enly sphere  arises  a  natural  sphere, 
which  is  one  of  love  towards  infants  And 
children  ;  this  is  most  universal,  443-  In 
the  spiritual  world  there  exhales  from 
every  one  the  sphere  of  his  love,  which 
spreads  itself  round  about  and  affects, 
and  causes  sympathies  and  antipathies. 
By  these  spheres  the  good  are  separated 
from  the  evil,  4A0.  The  will's  affections 
and  the  thoughts  of  the  understanding 
which  are  from  these,  make  a  spiritual 
sphere  around  them,  which  is  felt  in 
various  ways  ;  but  in  the  world  this  spir- 
itual sphere  is  absorbed  by  the  material 
body,  and  encloses  itself  within  the  nat- 
ural sphere  which  then  flows  out  from 
man,  596.  There  emanates  from  every 
man  a  spiritual  sphere,  which  is  ot  his 
love's  affection  and  the  thought  there- 
from ;  and  it  interiorly  affects  his  asso- 
ciates, especially  at  feasts  ;  it  emanates 
through  the  face  as  well  as  by  the 
respiration.  613.  Every  metal  and  every 
stone,  precious  and  common,  freely  ab- 
sorbs the  ether,  exhales  what  is  nat- 
ural to  itself,  throws  off  what  is  worn 
out,  and  restores  itself  with  what  is  new  ; 
hence  there  is  a  magnetic  sphere  about 
the  magnet,  an  iron  sphere  about  iron, 
&c,  701  ;  from  this  sphere  the  inmost 
of  every  seed  is  impregnated,  and  what 
is  prolific  vegetates,  701,  1048.  There 
is  actually  a  sphere  elevating  all  to 
heaven,  that  proceeds  continually  from 
the  Lord  and  fills  the  whole  Datura] 
world  and  the  whole  spritual  world. 
All  those  who  believe  in  the  Lord  and 
live  according  to  His  precepts,  enter 
that  sphere  or  current  and  are  lifted  ; 
but  they  who  do  not  behove  are  un- 
willing to  enter,  but  remove  to  the  sides, 
and  aire  there  carried  away  by  a  stream 
that  sets  toward  hell,  S70.  The  spheres 
in  the  spiritual  world  which  tlow  forth 
from  the  Christendom  of  to-day,  show 
Manifestly  ">  Wkal  Ihicll  darkness  the* 


1214 


INDEX. 


are  respecting  the  Lord,  regeneration, 
and  the  conjunction  of  faith  and  charity, 
822  ;  the  sphere  belonging  to  the  con- 
junction of  faith  and  charity  invades 
men  in  the  natural  world,  and  extin- 
guishes the  conjugial  torches  between 
truths  and  goods,  823  ;  the  angels  com- 
plain greatly  of  these  spheres,  and  pray 
tn  the  Lord  that  they  maybe  dissipated, 
823.  The  spheres  of  spiritual  truths 
there  are  as  yet  few,  — only  in  the  new 
heaven,  and  with  those  beneath  heaven 
who  are  separated  from  the  dragonists, 
823.  The  sphere  of  infernal  spirits  con- 
joins itself  with  man's  sensua'.s,  from 
behind,  586,  763. 

Spider.    The  wonders  of  the  spider,  474. 

Spirals.    See  Helices. 

Spirit  Man's  spirit  is  a  receptacle  of 
the  life  of  the  mind,  670.  It  is  the 
mind  of  man  which  lives  after  death  and 
then  is  called  a  spirit ;  if  good,  an  an- 
gelic spirit,  and  afterwards  an  angel  ;  if 
evil,  a  satanic  spirit,  and  afterwards  a 
satan,  258.  Man's  spirit  is  created  from 
finite  things,  which  are  spiritual  sub- 
stances, that  are  in  the  spiritual  world, 
and  also  are  brought  together  into  our 
earth  and  stored  therein.  670.  The  life 
of  a  spirit  is  love's  affection  and  the 
thought  therefrom,  832.  After  the  spirit 
is  separated  from  the  body  it  comes  into 
full  liberty  to  act  according  to  its  affec- 
tions and  the  thoughts  therefrom,  880. 
The  novitiate  spirit  is  conducted  into 
various  societies,  412.  It  is  the  spirit  in 
you  which  thinks  what  it  wills,  and  wills 
what  it  loves,  and  this  is  its  life's  en- 
joyment, 769.  Man's  spirit  is  constantly 
in  company  with  its  like  in  the  spirit- 
ual world,  and  by  means  of  the  ma- 
terial body  with  which  it  is  encompassed 
it  is  with  men  in  the  natural  world,  673. 
The  reason  why  man  does  not  know 
that  he  is  in  the  midst  of  spirits  as  to 
his  mind,  is  that  the  spirits  with  whom 
he  is  in  company  in  the  spiritual  world 
think  and  speak  spiritually;  but  man's 
spirit,  so  long  as  he  is  in  the  material 
body,  thinks  and  speaks  naturally,  673, 
811.  Everyman  attaches  to  himself  a 
spirit  similar  to  the  affection  of  his  will, 
and  to  the  perception  of  his  understand- 
ing that  comes  from  this,  ^41.  After 
death  men  are  called  spirits  because 
they  are  then  spiritual  men,  773.  All 
m  the  spiritual  world  are  consociated 
with  their  like  in  the  natural  world,  235. 
The  spirits  cannot  be  seen  by  men ; 
why,  673.  They  are  called  angelic  spir- 
its who  are  preparing  for  heaven,  in  the 
world  of  spirits,  553.  The  spirits  of  hell 
cannot  see  any  thing  at  all  that  is  done 
in  heaven,  IOI.  It  is  a  peculiarity  of 
the  spiritual  world  that  a  spirit  thinks 
himself  to  be  such  as  his  dress  is  ;  this 
i;  because  the  understanding  clothes 
every  ont  there   888.    By  being  in  the 


spirit  is  meant  a  state  of  mind  separate 
from  the  body,  260.  That  the  spirit  of 
man  signifies  such  things  as  are  of  the 
mind,  is  evident  from  the  Word,  259. 
See  Mind. 

Spiritual  (The)  is  active  or  is  a  living 
force  ;  the  natural  viewed  in  itself  is  pas- 
sive or  is  a  dead  force,  812.  The  dis- 
tinction between  the  spiritual  and  the 
natural  is  not  as  between  the  purer  and 
the  less  pure ;  the  distinction  is  like  that 
between  the  prior  and  the  posterior  be- 
tween which  there  is  no  finite  ratio,  407. 
The  natural  can  by  no  subtilization  ap- 
proximate the  spiritual,  so  as  to  become 
spiritual,  407.  Every  thing  spiritual  is 
received  in  what  is  natural  in  order  to  be 
any  thing  with  man,  482.  All  the  spirit- 
ual that  man  has  is  from  the  father,  and 
ail  the  material  is  from  the  mother,  152, 
164.  The  spiritual  body  must  be  formed 
in  the  material  body :  how  formed,  789. 
The  things  which  are  from  the  Sun  of 
heaven  are  called  spiritual ;  and  the 
things  which  proceed  from  the  sun  of 
the  world  are  containers  or  receptacles 
of  life,  and  are  called  natural,  63.  Spirit- 
ual things  are  above  natural  things,  126. 
Spiritual  things  ascend  into  the  highest 
region  of  the  mind  and  take  form  there, 
694.  The  natural  man  regards  spiritual 
things  as  ghosts  and  phantoms  in  the  air, 
220.  A  man  of  the  natural  world  does 
not  see  a  man  of  the  spiritual  world,  nor 
the  reverse  ;  why,  407.  The  thoughts 
of  the  spiritual  man  are  incomprehensi- 
ble and  ineffable  to  the  natural  man,  409. 
The  spiritual  is  inwardly  in  the  natural 
with  those  who  are  in  faith  in  the  Lord 
and  at  the  same  time  in  charity  towards 
the  neighbor,  509.  It  is  the  internal 
man  that  is  called  the  spiritual  man,  584. 
The  spiritual-natural  man,  811  The 
spiritual-moral  man,  522,  761.  The  spir- 
itual-rational man,  522,  761. 

Spiritual  World  and  Natural 
World.  There  are  two  worlds,  the 
spiritual  world  in  which  angels  and 
spirits  are;  and  the  natural  world  in 
which  men  are,  120.  In  each  world 
there  is  a  sun ;  and  the  Sun  of  the  spirit- 
ual world  is  pure  love,  but  the  sun  of 
the  natural  world  is  pure  fire,  120,  121. 
The  centre  of  life,  which  is  the  Sun  of 
the  angelic  heaven,  is  the  Divine  Love 
proximately  proceeding  from  God,  Who 
is  in  the  midst  of  that  Sun  ;  the  expanse 
of  that  centre,  which  is  called  the  spirit- 
ual world,  is  thence ;  from  that  Sun  ex- 
isted the  sun  of  the  world,  and  from  this 
its  expanse,  which  is  called  the  natural 
world,  63,  64.  See  Spiritual  Sun.  The 
spiritual  world  has  such  a  connection 
with  the  natural  world  that  thev  cannot 
be  separated,  201,  123.  By  the  spiritual 
world  are  meant  both  heaven  and  hell, 
630.  All  things  which  are  in  the  spirit- 
ual world  are  spiritual,  and  affect  the 


INDEX. 


interna!  man  and  make  its  will  and  un- 
derstanding, 3%  There  are  two  things 
peculiar  to  the  natural  world,  which 
cause  all  things  there  to  be  finite ;  one 
is  space  and  the  other  is  time,  44.  The 
spiritual  world  is  not  in  space  and  time, 
as  the  natural  world  is,  but  it  is  in  the 
appearance  of  these  two,  411  ;  these  ap- 
pearances are  according  to  the  differ- 
ences of  the  states  in  which  are  the 
minds  of  the  spirits  and  angels  there, 
47.  See  Appearances.  There  is  not 
any  thing  in  the  natural  world  which  is 
not  also  in  the  spiritual  world ;  but  they 
differ  in  origin,  305,  343»927*  933>  K>56- 
The  quarters  in  the  spiritual  world  are 
not  like  those  in  the  natural  world,  and 
abodes  according  to  the  quarters  are 
abodes  according  to  the  reception  of 
faith  and  love;  they  are  in  the  east 
who  excel  in  love,  and  they  are  in  the 
south  who  excel  in  intelligence,  1069. 
In  the  spiritual  world  all  things  in  the 
distance  appear  according  to  correspond- 
ences ;  which, when  they  appear  in  forms, 
are  called  representations  of  spiritual 
things  in  objects  similar  to  those  that 
are  natural,  557.  In  the  spiritual  world 
those  who  close  the  higher  regions  of  the 
mind  towards  God  and  open  its  lower 
regions  for  the  devil,  appear  in  the  dis- 
tance like  wild  beasts,  22.  All  things 
which  are  seen  in  the  spiritual  world  are 
instantaneously  created  by  the  Lord ; 
while  al!  things  that  are  seen  in  the 
natural  world  grow  from  seed,  1056. 
There  is  a  spiritual  world,  and  from  the 
interior  this  operates  upon  and  actuates 
the  things  that  exist  and  are  formed  in 
the  world  of  nature  and  upon  its  earth, 
as  the  human  mind  operates  upon  the 
senses  and  motions  of  the  body,  938. 
The  internal  man  is  in  the  spiritual 
world  and  the  external  in  the  natural 
world,  630. 

Spurious  Spurious  charity,  628,  634- 
Spurious  faith,  491,  540. 

Stars  (The)  are  so  many  suns;  and 
thence  so  many  systems,  53.  Every 
society  of  heaven,  to  those  who  are 
under  heaven,  sometimes  shines  like  a 
star,  267.  Comparison  with  a  new  star, 
appearing  in  the  starry  heaven,  and 
which  afterward  was  darkened,  294,  405. 
The  star  which  went  before  the  wise 
men  from  the  Eist,  when  the  Lord  was 
born,  signified  knowledge  from  heaven, 
358.  By  the  stars  are  meant  cognitions 
of  truth  and  good,  330. 

Stark y  Heavkn.  In  the  starry  heaven 
there  are  earths,  53. 

State  is  predicated  of  love,  of  life,  of  wi  - 
dom,  of  affections,  of  joys  in  genftl  J  ol 
good  and  truth,  49.  There  are  two 
states  of  thought  in  man,  an  external 
and  an  internal  ;  man  is  in  the  cxter  al 
state  in  the  natural  world;  he  is  in  the 
internal   state   in   the  spiritual  WtH  <!. 


1073.  The  Lord,  while  He  was  in  the 
world,  was  in  two  states,  which  are 
states  of  exinanition  and  glorification, 
165.  Every  man  who  from  natural  is 
becoming  spiritual  undergoes  two  states 
a  state  of  reformation,  and  a  state  of  re- 
generation, 167,  168,  77S.  The  states  of 
men  after  death,  412.  The  state  of  those 
who  have  confirmed  themselves  from 
the  Word  in  falsities  of  doctrine,  who 
are  especially  those  who  have  done  so  in 
favor  of  justification  by  faith  alone,  412  ; 
of  those  who  have  not  practised  charity 
from  religion,  752.  The  state  of  those 
who  are  to  come  into  the  Lord's  New 
Church,  503.  Spaces  and  times  cannot 
be  predicated  of  love  and  wisdom  ;  but 
instead  of  them,  states,  63.  The  state 
of  every  nation  and  people  in  general  in 
the  spiritual  world,  1057. 
Statue  (The)  which  Nebuchadnezzar 
saw  in  a  dream  represented  the  four 
churches  which  succeeded  each  other, 
105 1. 

Statutes.  The  statutes  according  to 
which  the  worship  of  the  ancient  church 
was  instituted  consisted  of  mere  corre- 
spondences; so  did  all  things  of  the 
church  with  the  sons  of  Israel,  335. 
There  appear,  at  one  extremity  of  the 
spiritual  world,  two  statues  M  mon- 
strous human  form,  by  which  those 
seem  to  themselves  to  be  devoured  who 
think  vain  and  foolish  things  concerning 
God  from  etemitv.  51. 

Stealing.    See  Theft. 

Stock.  There  is  such  union  between  the 
souls  and  minds  of  men,  and  the  souls 
and  minds  of  angels  and  of  infernal 
spirits,  that  if  they  were  removed  from 
man,  he  would  fall  down  dead  as  a 
stock,  202.    See  Spirit. 

Storge.    See  Parental  Love- 

Strapismus.  Purblind  faith,  which  is  a 
faith  in  any  other  than  the  true  God, 
and  with  Christians  in  any  but  the  Lord 
God  the  Saviour,  may  be  compared  to 
the  fault  in  the  eye  which  is  called  stra- 
bismus 493 

Strength.    See  Potver. 

Style  The  style  of  the  Word  appears 
foreign,  321 ;  yet  it  is  the  Divine  style 
itself,  with  which  no  other  can  be  com- 
pared, however  sublim?  and  excellent  it 
may  seem,  323.  Although  the  style  ol 
the  Word  seems  commonplace,  still  it 
conceals  within  it  Divine  wUdom,  and 
all  angelic  wisdom,  325.  The  style  ol 
the  Word  is  such  that  holiness  is  in 
every  sentence,  and  in  every  word,  ye* 
in  some  places  in  the  very  letters,  373. 
The  Word  in  heaven  is  HI  UN  ■  ■ 
spiritual  style,  which  is  wholly  different 
from  the  natural  style,  370. 

Styx,  34.    Stygian  waiers  303, 

Suiijif  tion.  Wonderful  subjection  of  all 
hell  to  heaven,  of  evil  to  good,  and  ol 
f  iK'.ty  to  truth,  961. 


I2l6 


INDEX. 


Subjugation  of  the  Hells,  197-201. 
Subordination  of  the  three  universal 

loves,  5S7,  588-59i- 
Subsistence  is  perpetual  existence,  62, 

73,  357. 

Substance  and  Form.  The  one  God  is 
Substance  itself  and  Form  itself;  He  is 
the  only,  the  very,  and  the  first  Sub- 
stance and  Form,  33,  45,  66.  God  is 
Substance  itself,  because  all  things 
which  subsist  existed  and  exist  from 
Him  ;  Form,  because  all  the  quality  of 
substances  arose  and  arises  from  Him, 
and  quality  is  derived  from  no  other 
source  than  from  form,  93.  Every  sub- 
stance is  a  form ;  and  the  quality  of 
the  form  is  its  state,  the  perfection  or 
imperfection  of  which  results  from  the 
order,  93.  A  substance  is  not  any  thing, 
unless  it  also  be  a  form  ;  of  a  substance, 
unless  it  be  a  form,  nothing  can  be 
predicated;  and  this,  because  it  has  no 
quality,  is  in  itself  nothing,  35.  Unless 
spiritual  substances  were  together  with 
material  things,  no  seed  could  be  im- 
pregnated from  the  inmosts.  and  then 
in  a  wonderful  manner  grow  up,  with  no 
departure  from  the  right  way,  from  the 
first  shoot  even  to  fruit  and  to  new  seed, 
670.  There  is  no  substance  in  the  cre- 
ated universe  which  does  not  tend  to 
equilibrium  in  order  that  it  may  be  in 
freedom,  697.  Material  things  originate 
from  the  substantial.  933.  God  first 
made  His  infinity  finite,  by  substances 
emitted  from  Himself,  from  which  ex- 
isted His  proximate  encompassing 
sphere,  which  makes  the  Sun  of  the 
spiritual  world ;  and  afterwards,  by 
means  of  that  Sun,  He  perfected  other 
encompassing  spheres,  even  to  the  last, 
which  consists  of  things  quiescent;  and 
thus,  by  means  of  degrees,  He  made 
the  world  finite  more  and  more,  56. 
Substantial  (The)  is  the  primitive  of 
the  material,  154.  The  nature  of  the 
spiritual  world  is  as  different  from 
the  nature  of  the  natural  world  as  the 
substantial  is  from  the  material,  or  the 
spiritual  from  the  natural,  or  the  prior 
from  the  posterior,  134.  All  things  in 
the  spiritual  world  are  substantial,  not 
material.  Hence  it  is  that  ail  things 
which  exist  in  the  natural  world  are 
found  in  the  spiritual  world  in  their  per- 
fection, and  many  things  besides,  933, 
39,  121.  Material  things  originate 
from  the  substantial,  933.  As  there  is 
substantial  extense  in  heaven,  therefore 
angels  dwell  separately  and  distinctly 
from  each  other,  yea,  more  distinctly 
than  men  who  have  a  material  extense, 
47.  Spirits  and  angels  are  substantial 
and  not  material,  410;  they  are  in  a 
substantial  body,  and  men  in  the  natural 
world  are  in  a  material  body  which 
invests  the  substantial,  1063,  1056,  134. 
The  substantial  man  sees  the  substan- 


tial man  just  as  clearer  as  the  material 
man  sees  the  materia.  But  the  sub- 
stantial man  cannot  see  the  material 
man  nor  the  material  man  the  substan- 
tia], owing  to  the  difference  between 
what  is  material  and  what  is  substan- 
tial, 1056,  134,  1 100.  Man  lives  a  man 
after  death,  with  the  sole  difference  that 
he  then  lives  a  substantial  man,  not  a 
material  man  as  before,  1 100.  Life  is  in 
every  substantial  and  material  part  of 
man  although  it  does  not  mingle  itself 
therewith,  49. 

5un.  The  sun  of  the  natural  world  which 
is  pure  fire,  is  from  the  Sun  of  the 
angelic  heaven,  which  is  the  Divine 
Love,  63,  72.  The  sun  of  the  created 
world  consists  of  created  substances,  the 
activity  of  which  produces  fire,  672. 
The  sun  from  which  nature  takes  its  rise 
and  its  essence,  is  pure  fire,  17.  The 
heat  and  light  from  the  sun  are  the  two 
essentials  and  universals,  by  means  of 
which  all  and  every  thing  upon  the 
earth  exists  and  subsists,  66,  444.  All 
things  which  exist  by  means  of  the  sun 
of  the  natural  world  are  material,  and 
are  called  natural,  121.  The  heat  and 
light  from  the  sun  of  the  natural  world 
have  nothing  of  life  in  them,  but  they 
serve  the  spiritual  heat  and  light  as  re- 
ceptacles for  the  conveyance  of  them  to 
man,  as  instrumental  causes  always  serve 
their  principals,  508.  But  that  the  Lord 
might  operate  upon  animate  things,  and 
also  things  inanimate,  He  created  the 
sun,  to  be  in  the  natural  world  as  a 
father,  the  earth  being  as  a  mother. 
For  the  sun  is  as  a  common  father,  and 
the  earth  as  a  common  mother,  from 
whose  marriage  exists  all  the  vegetation 
that  adorns  the  surface  of  our  planet, 
443.  The  sun  of  the  world  with  all  its 
essence  which  is  heat  and  light  is  per- 
ceived to  flow  into  every  tree  and  flower, 
and  into  every  stone  common  as  well  as 
precious,  every  object  taking  its  portion 
from  this  common  influx,  513. 

Sun  (The)  of  the  spiritual  world. 
The  Sun  from  which  all  spiritual  things 
flow  forth,  is  pure  love  from  Jehovah 
God,  Who  is  in  the  midst  of  it,  123,  127. 
The  Divine  itself  which  immediately 
encompasses  the  Lord  makes  the  Sun  of 
the  spiritual  world,  858.  It  is  the  circle 
most  closelv  encompassing  the  Lord, 
emanating  from  His  Divine  Love,  and 
at  the  same  time  from  His  Divine  Wis- 
dom, 514.  The  Sun  is  of  the  substance 
which  has  gone  forth  from  Him,  the 
essence  of  which  is  love,  55.  God  first 
made  His  infinity  finite,  by  substances 
emitted  from  Himself,  from  which 
existed  His  proximate  encompassing 
sphere,  which  makes  the  Sun  of  the 
spiritual  world,  56,  122-124.  From  the 
Sun  of  the  spiritual  world  proceeds  heat 
which  in  its  essence  is  love,  and  lighl 


IXDEX. 


121? 


■which  in  its  essence  is  wisdom,  70,  102, 
121,  508,  876.  Out  of  the  Sun  of  the 
spiritual  world,  by  means  of  its  heat  and 
light,  the  universe  was  created,  55.  The 
two  things  which  proceed  from  the  Sun 
of  the  spiritual  world,  and  thence  all 
the  things  which  exist  there  by  means  of 
them  are  substantial,  and  are  called 
spiritual,  121.  The  heat  and  light  from 
the  Sun  of  the  spiritual  world  have  life 
in  them  ;  their  life  is  from  the  Lord, 
Who  is  in  the  midst  of  that  Sun,  50?. 
From  the  Sun  of  heaven  the  Divine 
love  proceeds  as  heat  and  the  Divine 
wisdom  as  light;  these  two  flow  into 
human  minds  and  vivify  them  accord- 
ing to  the  quality  of  the  form,  each 
form  taking  from  the  common  influx 
what  is  necessary  for  itself,  513,  514, 
876.  They  flow  into  all  and  every 
thing  of  the  universe,  and  affect  them 
most  interiorly,  70.  God  is  omnipres- 
ent from  the  firsts  and  the  lasts  of  His 
order,  by  means  of  the  heat  and  light 
from  the  Sun  of  the  spiritual  world,  in 
the  midst  of  which  He  is :  by  means  of 
this  Sun  order  was  made,  and  from  it 
He  sends  forth  heat  and  light,  which 
pervade  the  universe  from  the  firsts  to 
the  lists  of  it,  and  produce  life,  102. 
The  Sun  of  the  spiritual  world  does  "not 
appear  to  rise  and  set,  nor  to  be  borne 
along,  but  it  remains  stationary  in  the 
east,  :n  the  middle  degree  bstween  the 
zenith  and  the  horizon,  47.  The  Sun 
of  the  spiritual  world  is  distant  from 
the  angels  as  the  sun  of  the  natural 
world  is  from  men ;  if  God,  Who  is  in 
the  midst  of  that  Sun,  were  to  come  ner.r 
to  the  angels,  they  would  perish  as  men 
would  if  the  sun  of  the  world  were  to 
come  near  to  them,  919,  ^58,  523,  1092. 

Suppers  which  are  diversions  of  charitv 
are  among  those  only  who  are  in  mutual 
love  from  similar  faith,  612.  With 
Christians  of  the  primitive  church,  sup- 
pers signified  consociations  and  conjunc- 
tion :  for  evening,  when  they  took  place, 
signified  this  state.  613.    See  Fk     i  . 

Supplication.  There  are  two  duties 
incumbent  on  man,  Supplication  and 
Confession.  The  Supplication  will  be 
that  the  Lord  maybe  merciful,  may  give 
power  to  resist  the  evils  of  which  man 
ln>  repented,  and  supply  inclination  and 
affection  for  doing  good,  755. 

S'PRA-Lapsarians.    113,  304,  686. 

SwaMMPRDAM,  792. 

Swedknborg.  It  pleased  the  Lord  to 
open  the  sight  of  his  spirit  and  so  intro- 
mit him  into  the  spiritual  world,  1032, 
1 105.  It  was  granted  him  to  be  together 
with  angels  and  spirits  in  their  world 
with  them,  1037,  1105.  It  was  given 
him  by  the  Lord  to  see  wonderful  things 
in  the  heavens  and  below  the  heavens, 
and,  as  commanded,  he  relates  what  has 
been  seen,  312  ;  who  could  have  known 


such  things,  had  not  the  Lord  opened 
the  sight  of  some  one?  446.  He  has 
conversed,  in  the  spiritual  world,  with 
apostles,  deceased  popes,  emperors,  and 
kings ;  with  the  founders  of  the  present 
church,  Luther,  Calvin,  and  Melanc- 
thon ;  ar.d  with  others  from  countries 
widely  separated,  103  ;  with  all  his  rela- 
tions and  friends,  and  likewise  kings 
and  dukes,  also  with  learned  men,  who 
have  met  their  fate,  and  this  now  con- 
tinually for  twenty-seven  years,  412, 
1032,  1 105.  He  could  become  present 
to  those  who  are  in  other  planets  of  this 
system,  and  also  to  those  who  are  in 
the  planets  of  other  solar  systems,  103. 
He  was  at  the  same  time  in  the  natural 
world  and  in  the  spiritual  world,  407, 
1105.  It  was  often  given  him  to  see  in 
societies  the  spirits  of  persons  still  liv 
ing,  some  in  angelic  societies  and  some 
in  infernal ;  and  to  converse  with  them 
for  several  days,  24.  He  rambltd 
through  various  places  in  the  spiritual 
world,  for  the  purpose  of  observing  the 
representations  of  hea  venly  things,  which 
are  there  exhibited  in  many  places,  402. 
He  was  in  the  state  in  which  the  proph- 
et! were  when  they  saw  such  things  as 
exist  in  the  spiritual  world;  with  this 
difference,  that  he  was  in  the  spirit  and 
at  the  same  time  in  the  body,  and  only 
sometimes  out  of  the  body,  260.  After 
Swcdenborg  returned  from  the  state  of 
the  spirit  into  the  state  of  the  body,  he 
wrote  out  the  things  which  were  seen 
and  heard,  S40.  The  Lord  disclosed  tc 
him  the  spiritual  sense  of  His  Word  in 
which  Divine  truth  is  in  its  light,  104 1. 
The  Lord  had  prepared  him  for  this 
office  from  earliest  youth,  1 104.  Swe- 
denborg  from  his  infancy,  had  not  been 
able  to  admit  into  his  mind  any  other 
idea  than  that  of  one  God,  27.  He 
had  meditated  about  the  creation  f>>r  a 
long  time,  but  to  no  purpose,  before 
he  was  admitted  by  the  l-< -rd  into  the 
spiritual  world,  122.  The  state  in 
which  he  was,  while  thinking  what 
God  was  from  eternity;  what  He  did 
before  the  world  was  created,  51,  411 
As  Swedenbon:  had  often  thought,  and 
from  knowledge  and  then  from  per- 
ception and  at  last  from  interior  light, 
had  acknowledged,  that  man  has  very 
little  wisdom,  it  was  granted  him  to 
see  the  Temple  of  Wisdom  in  the 
spiritual  world,  554.  He  was  sudden- 
ly seized  with  a  disease  almost  dead- 
ly; a  pestilential  smoke  was  let-in  on 
him  from  the  Jerusalem  which  is  called 
Sodom  and  Kgypt  (Apoc.  xi.  8)  :  he  lay 
in  his  bed  three  days  and  a  half.  1  his 
happened  to  him  while  the  eleventh 
chapter  of  the  Apocalypse  was  ex- 
plained, 704.  While  h'?  read  the  Word 
through  from  the  first  chapter  of  Isaiah 
to  the  last  of  Ma  lac  hi,  and  the  Psalm* 


1218 


INDEX. 


of  David,  and  kept  his  thought  on 
their  spiritual  sense,  it  was  given  him  to 
perceive  clearly  that  every  verse  com- 
municated with  some  society  in  heaven, 
39S,  365  The  twelve  apostles  were 
sent  to  him  by  the  Lord,  while  he  was 
writing  on  the  subject  of  faith  in  the 
Lord  God  the  Saviour,  4S4.  The  an- 
gels said  that  they  had  not  before  known 
the  differences  between  the  spiritual  and 
the  natural,  because  there  had  not 
before  been  given  the  means  of  com- 
parison, with  any  man  who  was  in  both 
worlds  at  the  same  time  ;  and  the  differ- 
ences cannot  be  known  without  com- 
parison and  relation,  410;  see  also  407, 
408.  He  testifies  that  the  Lord  mani- 
fested Himself  before  him ;  likewise 
from  the  first  day  of  that  call  he  has  not 
received  any  thing  which  pertains  to  the 
doctrines  of  the  New  Church  from  any 
angel,  but  from  the  Lord  alone  while  he 
read  the  Word,  1041.  He  asserts  in 
truth  that  the  Relations  annexed  to  the 
chapters  are  not  inventions,  but  were 
truly  seen  and  heard:  not  in  any  state 
of  the  sleeping  mind,  but  in  a  state  of 
full  wakefulness,  1105.  It  was  enjoined 
on  him  by  the  Lord  to  make  public 
various  things  from  what  he  had  seen 
and  heard,  both  concerning  Heaven  and 
Hell,  and  coi.cerning  the  Last  Judg- 
ment, and  also  to  explain  the  A pocalypse, 
1032.  He  says,  speaking  of  how  the 
Lord  reduced  all  things,  both  in  heaven 
and  in  hell,  into  order,  "  I  have  seen  and 
do  see  every  day  the  Divine  omnipo- 
tence of  the  Lord  in  this  thing,"  209. 
Swedenborg's  natural  thought  concern- 
ing the  trinity  of  persons  and  their 
unity,  and  concerning  the  birth  of  a  Son 
of  God  from  eternity,  was  from  the  doc- 
trine of  faith  in  the  church  which  has 
its  name  from  Athanasius,  43. 

Sword  (The)  vibrating  in  the  cherub's 
hand  signified  that  the  sense  of  the  let- 
ter of  The  Word  can  be  turned  hither 
and  thither  provided  this  be  done  in  ap- 
plication to  some  truth,  725. 

Sympathy  and  Sympathetic.  All  con- 
junction is  from  no  other  source  than  the 
reciprocal  accession  of  one  to  another, 
while  they  both  wiil  one  thing  ;  thence 
is  effected  something  sympathetic,  160. 
Sympathies  derive  their  origin  from  no 
other  source  than  the  sphere  of  Divine 
Love,  which  pervades  the  universe,  76. 
In  the  spiritual  world  there  exhales  from 
every  one  the  sphere  of  his  love,  which 
spreads  itself  round  about,  and  affects, 
and  causes  sympathies  and  antipathies, 
460.    See  A  ntipathies. 

Synod  of  Dort.  Predestination  was  there 
firmly  established,  686,  1020.  See  Pre- 
destination. 

Svnonymes.  There  are  in  the  Word  two 
expressions  which  appear  as  synony- 
mous, when  yet  they  are  not  so  ;  tor  one 


is  predicated  of  good,  and  in  the  opjic- 
site  sense  of  evil,  but  the  other  is  pred- 
icated of  truth,  and  in  the  opposite 
sense  of  lalsity,  378. 
System  (Theological).  The  whole  sys- 
tem of  the  theology  of  the  present  day 
is  dependent  on  the  imputation  of  the 
merit  of  Christ,  ^45. 


Tabernacle  (The)  built  by  Moses  in  the 
wilderness  represented  heaven  and  the 
church,  353.  The  holiness  of  this  whole 
tabernacle  was  from  nothing  else  than 
the  law  which  was  in  the  ark,  420.  By 
the  temple  was  represented  the  heaven 
in  which  the  spiritual  angels  are,  and  by 
the  tabernacle,  the  heaven  where  the 
heavenly  angels  are,  354,  312.  See 
Temple. 

Table  (The)  upon  which  was  the  shew- 
bread,  represented  and  thence  signified 
the  inmost  of  heaven  and  the  church, 

353- 

Tables  of  the  Law.  There  were  two 
tables,  one  for  God  and  the  other  for 
man,  423,  424,  633.  In  the  hand  of 
Moses  the  two  tables  of  the  law  made 
one,  on  the  right  side  of  which  was 
written  what  is  written  concerning  God 
and  on  the  left  side  what  is  concerning 
men,  633  ;  this  was  done  in  order  that 
the  tables  so  united  should  represent  the 
conjunction  of  God  with  men,  and  the 
reciprocal  conjunction  of  men  with  God, 
633.    See  Decalogue,  Commandments. 

Tares  (Matt-  xiii.  24-30,  39,  40)  mean 
the  falsities  and  evils  of  the  former 
church,  1047. 

Tartarus,  34. 

Tartary.  That  ancient  Word  which  was 
in  Asia  before  the  Israelitish  Word  is 
still  preserved  there  among  the  people 
who  live  in  Great  Tartary,  405,  395. 
Situation  of  the  people  of  Great  Tartary 
in  the  spiritual  world,  406.  See  Aticient 
Word. 

Teach.  The  Lord  teaches  every  one  by 
the  Word,  and  He  teaches  him  from  the 
cognitions  which  are  with  the  man,  and 
does  not  infuse  new  ones  immediately, 

34*.  '-'-.2.3 

Teacher.    To  call  any  one  teacher  is 
lawful  in  a  natural  sense,  but  not  in  i. 
spiritual  sense,  360.     In  the  spiritual 
world  children  are  instructed  by  teach 
ers,  832-835. 

Teeth.  Reasoning  from  the  fallacies  of 
the  senses  corresponds  to  the  teeth,  5S7. 
Gnashing  of  teeth  is  collision  of  fal- 
sities with  each  other,  and  also  of  the 
false  and  the  true,  587. 

Temple  (A)  is  called  holy  not  from  itself 
but  from  the  Divine  that  is  there  taught, 
875.  A  temple  is  to  be  consecrated,  213. 
How  man  becomes  a  temple  of  God,  531. 
By  the  temple  at  Jerusalem  was  repre- 
sented heaven  and  the  church ;  but 


INDEX. 


I2ig 


especially  the  heaven  where  the  spirit- 
ual angels  are,  354.  See  Tabertiacle. 
The  Divine  Human  of  the  Lord  was 
signified  by  the  temple  at  Jerusalem  in 
the  highest  sense,  354.  The  interiors 
of  the  temple  represented  the  interiors 
of  heaven  and  the  church  ;  its  exteriors 
represented  and  signified  the  exteriors 
of  heaven  and  the  church,  354-  By 
temple  (Matt.  xxiv.  2)  is  meant  not  oniy 
the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  but  also  the 
church,  292.  Temple  in  heaven,  1012. 
Temples  in  the  world  of  spirits,  221- 
224.  Description  of  a  magnificent  temple 
signifyi.ig  the  New  Church,  725. 

Temptation  is  the  conflict  of  the  spirit 
and  the  flesh  ;  and  this,  when  it  is  spir- 
itual, draws  from  the  spring  of  con- 
science, but  if  it  is  natural  merely,  it 
originates  from  diseases,  S94,  895.  With 
the  regenerate  there  springs  up  dissen- 
sion between  the  new  will  which  is 
above,  and  the  old  will  which  is  below; 
after  this  dissension  of  the  wills,  a  com- 
bat arises  which  is  what  is  called  spirit- 
ual temptation  ;  but  this  temptation  or 
combat  does  not  take  place  between 
goods  and  evils,  but  between  the  truths 
of  good  and  the  falsities  of  evil ;  why, 
802.  Man  has  not  a  sense  of  combat 
except  as  in  himse'f,  and  as  remorse  of 
conscience ;  nevertheless  it  is  the  Lord 
and  the  devil  that  fight  in  man,  and  they 
fight  for  dominion  over  him,  or  as  to 
who  shall  possess  him,  803.  Man  is  to 
fight  wholly  as  of  himself,  for  he  has 
free-will  to  act  for  the  Lord,  and  also  to 
act  for  the  devil :  he  is  for  the  Lord  if 
he  abides  in  truths  from  good,  and  for 
the  devil  if  he  abides  in  falsities  from 
evil,  803.  No  one  has  been  admitted 
into  any  spiritual  temptation  in  ail  the 
ages  reckoned  from  that  when  the 
Nicene  Council  introduced  the  faith  of 
three  Gods ;  for  if  any  one  had  been  ad- 
mitted, he  would  have  succumbed  imme- 
diately, 804.  A  conjunction  of  heaven 
and  the  world  is  effected  with  man  by 
means  of  temptation,  804  In  tempta- 
tions man  to  appearance  is  left  to  him- 
self alone,  although  he  has  not  been  left, 
for  God  is  then  most  really  present  in 
man's  inmosts,  and  supports  him  ; 
wherefore,  when  any  one  conquers  in 
temptation  he  is  most  intimately  con- 
joined with  God,  213  The  passion  of 
the  cross  was  the  last  temptation  which 
the  Lord  underwent  in  the  world  ;  and 
He  then  was  most  intimately  united  to 
God  His  Father,  213. 

TbN  ->i unities  all,  424. 

Terminus,  -iSj. 

Testament.  What  makes  the  distinction 
between  the  Old  Testament  and  the 
New  is  that  in  so  many  places  in  the 
New  the  Lord  taught  brotherly  love, 
that  is  charity,  594. 

Tes  i  imuny.    Why  the  decalogue  is  called 


I  the  testimony.  423,  453,  633.  In  the  Word 
testimony  signifies  the  confirmation  and 
witnessing  of  the  articles  of  the  covenant, 
423.  Covenant  signifies  conjunction, 
and  testimony  signifies  life  according 
to  the  compact,  633.  By  the  testimony 
of  Jesus  (Apoc.  xix.  10)  is  meant  con- 
fession from  faith  in  Him,  251.  In  the 
heavenly  sense  to  bear  witness  means  to 
speak  the  truth,  and  testimony  means 
the  truth  itself,  453.  To  bear  false  wit 
ness ;  see  Commandments. 

Theft  or  Stealing.  The  command- 
ment not  to  steal  extends  itself  to  all 
imposture,  illegitimate  gain,  usury,  and 
exaction ;  and  also  to  fraudulent  prac- 
tices in  paying  duties  and  taxes,  and  in 
discharging  debts,  450.  What  theft 
signifies  in  the  spiritual  and  the  heavenly 
senses ;  see  Commandtitents. 

Themis,  265. 

Theological.  With  those  who  love  truth 
because  it  is  truth,  theological  things  rise 
up  even  into  the  highest  region  of  the 
mind ;  moral,  political  and  scientific 
things  place  themselves  beneath,  300, 
680.  With  others  theological  things 
in  the  mind  are  put  below  scientific, 
political,  and  civil-moral  things ;  they 
speak  from  these  in  temples  and  in  com- 
panies, when,  nevertheless,  as  soon  as 
they  are  in  freedom,  which  is  the  case  at 
home,  they  laugh  at  those  things  which 
they  have  preached  in  public,  saying  in 
heart  that  theological  things  are  spe- 
cious snares  for  catching  doves,  249. 

Theology.  Without  truths  there  is  no 
theology ;  and  where  there  is  not  this 
there  is  no  church,  822,  824.  The  ac- 
knowledgment of  God  from  cognition  of 
Him  is  the  very  essence  and  soul  of  all 
things  in  universal  theology,  6.  From 
the  idea  prevailing  at  the  present  day  con- 
cerning God  and  concerning  redemption, 
ail  theology  has  from  spiritual  become  in 
the  lowest  degree  natural,  220.  The  im- 
putative faith  of  the  merit  of  Christ  is  the 
head  of  the  theology  of  the  present  day, 
861,  300;  if  this  head  or  pillar  were  re- 
moved all  would  fall  asunder,  861.  See 
Imputation. 

TaisyBS,  Thev  who  confirm  falsities  of 
every  kind,  regarding  truths  as  of  no 
moment,  and  who  discharge  the  offices 
of  the  priesthood  only  for  the  sake  of 
gain  and  to  attain  honor,  arc  spiritual 
thieves,  452,  450. 

Think  (To)  spirituallv  is  to  think  without 
time  and  space,  and  to  think  naturally 
is  to  thwik  with  time  and  spac<*,  4 1 1.  To 
think  without  understanding  is  like  see- 
ing without  the  eye,  2S3.  Man  thinks 
wholly  as  of  himself,  when  yet  he  thinks 
from  God,  724. 

Thokax     See  Chest. 

Thorns  and  Thistli's  (Gen.  iii.  5,  18) 
mean  all  evil  and  the  faisit)  fium  ib 
699. 


1220 


INDEX. 


Thought  comes  from  perception,  and  per- 
ception from  affection,  363,  552.  There 
is  not  the  least  thought  but  from  the 
influent  enjoyment  of  the  will,  776. 
Thought  is  so  far  the  man,  in  quantity 
and  quality,  as  it  adjoins  to  itself  the 
will,  494.  Every  thought  of  the  under- 
standing is  in  space  without  space,  and 
in  time  without  time,  103.  The  thought 
of  the  understanding  ought  to  lead  the 
love  of  man's  will,  271.  Where  there  is 
no  thought  there  is  no  idea,  476.  There 
are  two  states  of  thought  in  man,  an 
external  and  an  internal;  these  states 
make  one  with  the  good  but  not  with  the 
wicked,  1073.  Man's  thought  is  two- 
fold, external  and  internal,  179.  A  man 
can  speak  from  internal  thought  and  at 
the  same  time  from  external  thought, 
and  he  can  speak  from  external  thought 
and  not  from  the  internal,  yes,  contrary 
to  the  internal,  179  Interior  thought 
is  called  perception,  808  Man  can  in  a 
moment  or  two  think  and  conclude  what 
he  cannot  by  the  lower  thought  express 
in  a  brief  hour,  808.  Thought  from 
confirmed  appearance  is  fallacy,  650. 
Thought  is  the  seat  of  purification  and 
excretion  of  the  evils  resident  in  man 
from  his  parents  ;  wherefore  if  the  evils 
that  a  man  thinks  of,  were  imputed, 
reformation  and  regeneration  could  not 
be  effected,  874.  Spiritual  thoughts  are 
thoughts  of  thoughts,  and  by  them  are 
expressed  the  qualities  of  qualities,  and 
the  affections  01  affections  j  consequently 
spiritual  thoughts  are  the  beginnings 
and  the  origins  of  natural  thoughts,  409. 
See  Idea. 

Three  means  what  is  complete  and  per- 
fect, and  also  all  at  once,  344,  553.  This 
number  is  used  where  a  work  finished 
and  perfect  is  treated  of,  345. 

Thlmmim.    See  Urim  and  Thummim. 

Thunder.  The  flashing  of  the  light  as 
of  lightning  and  the  rolling  of  the  air  as 
of  thunder  were  correspondences  and 
thence  appearances  of  the  contest  and 
collision  of  arguments,  on  one  side  in 
favor  of  God,  and  on  the  other  in  favor 
of  nature,  125. 

Tigers.  Diabolical  love  causes  its  lusts 
to  appear  in  the  distance  in  hell  like 
various  species  of  wild  beasts,  some  like 
tigers,  77. 

Time.  See  Space  and  Time.  Times  in 
the  spiritual  world  are  not  distinguished 
into  days,  weeks,  months,  and  years,  be- 
cause the  Sun  there  does  not  appear  to 
rise  and  set,  nor  to  be  borne  along,  but 
it  remains  stationary,  47.  See  Sun 
{spiritual}.  Times  were  introduced  into 
the  natural  world  by  the  rotation  of  the 
earth  about  its  axis,  46.  God  is  in  space 
without  space,  and  in  time  without  time, 
49. 

To-day  (Psalm  it.  7)  signifies  not  from 
eten.ity,  but  in  time,  162. 


Tortoises  represent  those  of  the  clergy 
who  altogether  separate  faith  from  char- 
ity and  its  good  works,  654. 

Tower.  By  the  tower  built  in  the  land 
of  Shinar  is  meant  an  inroad  of  the  hells 
upon  the  heavens,  205. 

Transcription.  To  imputation,  appli- 
cation, and  ascription,  only  add  tran~ 
scriplion,  and  you  will  be  a  vicarious 
pope,  857. 

Tr  ansfiguration.  The  Lord  when  trans- 
figured before  Peter,  James,  and  John, 
represented  the  Word,  355.  The  three 
disciples  were  then  in  the  spirit,  261. 
What  the  Lord  was,  as  the  Word  in 
ultimates,  He  showed  to  the  disciples 
when  He  was  transfigured,  389. 

Tree.  A  tree  signifies  man,  87,  667. 
The  tree  as  to  its  seed  corresponds  to 
the  will  with  man;  in  the  branches, 
branchlets,  and  leaves,  the  tree  corre- 
sponds to  the  understanding  in  man ; 
in  bearing  blossoms,  and  yielding  fruit 
the  tree  corresponds  to  good  works  with 
man,  530.  All  things  which  belong  to 
a  tree  correspond  to  truths,  and  the  fruit 
to  good,  168.  The  state  of  man, is  like 
the  state  of  a  tree,  72,  168,  530,  791. 
The  Tree  of  Life  signifies  man  living 
from  God.  87  ;  the  Lord  in  man  and  man 
in  the  Lord,  666:  also  that  intelligence 
and  wisdom  are  from  God,  887.  To  eat 
from  the  tree  of  life  signifies  the  recep- 
tion of  eternal  life,  89.  By  the  way  of 
the  tree  of  life  is  signified  entrance  to  the 
Lord,  which  men  have  through  the  truths 
of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  387. 
By  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good 
and  evil  is  signified  the  man  believing 
that  he  lives  from  himself,  and  not  from 
God,  87.  The  tree  of  the  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil  means  man  not  in  the 
Lord  but  in  his  proprium,  666 ;  it  signi- 
fies the  belief  that  intelligence  and  wis- 
dom were  from  man,  887.  Eating  of 
the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and 
evil  means  the  appropriation  of  evil,  666  ; 
it  also  signifies  the  reception  of  damna- 
tion, 88.  Those  who  speak  falsities 
from  deceit  or  design,  and  utter  them  in 
a  tone  imitative  of  spiritual  affection, 
and  especially  if  they  mingle  with  them 
truths  from  the  Word  wlvch  they  thus 
falsify,  were  called  by  the  ancients  ser- 
pents of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil,  454 ;  also  they  who  rea- 
soned from  sensual  things  only,  and 
against  the  genuine  truths  of  the  Word, 
and  thus  of  the  church,  5S7,  763.  Those 
two  trees,  one  for  life  and  the  other  for 
death,  represented  man's  free-will  in 
spiritual  things,  668,  690. 

Triarchy.  The  Trinity  which  the  pres- 
ent Christian  church  has  embraced,  car- 
be  conceived  by  human  minds  only  as  a 
triarchy,  288. 

Trine.  In  every  complete  thing  there  is 
a  trine,  which  is  called  the  firsts  the 


INDEX. 


1221 


mediate,  and  the  ultimate ;  also  end, 
cause,  and  effect,  344,  555.  There  are 
three  things  which  as  one  flow  from  the 
Lord  into  our  souls;  these  three  as  one, 
or  this  trine,  are  love,  wisdom,  and  use, 
1003. 

Trinity.  There  is  a  Divine  Trinity  which 
is  the  Father,  Son.  and  Holy  Spirit,  281, 
2^2  These  three,  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Spirit,  are  the  three  essentials  of 
one  God,  which  make  one,  as  the  soul, 
body,  and  operation  in  man,  284,  28?, 
290  A  Divine  Trinity  is  in  the  Lord 
God  Jesus  Christ,  3,  152,  240,  287,  319, 
1013,  1050.  The  Faiher  in  Him  is  the 
Divine,  the  Son  the  Divine  Human,  the 
Hoiy  Spirit  the  proceeding  Divine,  152, 
316.  The  three  essentials,  which  are 
called  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit,  in  the  Lord  are  one,  241,  284. 
The  Divine  Trinity  is  in  the  Lord  God 
the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  soul, 
body,  and  proceeding  operation  are  in 
man,  6.  Before  the  world  was  created, 
there  was  not  this  Trinity;  but  after  the 
world  was  created,  when  God  b.cime 
incarnate,  it  was  provided  and  made; 
and  then  in  the  Lord  God,  the  Re- 
deemer and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  286 
A  trinity  of  Divine  persons  from  eternity, 
or  before  the  world  was  created,  is,  in 
the  ideas  of  thought,  a  trinity  of  Gods; 
and  this  cannot  be  abolished  by  the  oral 
confession  of  one  God,  288,  290.  From 
the  division  of  the  Divine  Trinity  into 
three  persons,  a  sort  of  frenzy  has  gone 
forth  into  the  whole  of  theology,  and 
thus  into  the  church,  5,  37,  243,  291.  A 
trinity  of  persons  involves  the  idea  of 
three  Gods,  29,  285  287,  288,  290,  291, 
304.  The  truth  is  that  the  division  of 
God,  or  of  the  Divine  essence,  into  three 
persons,  each  of  whom  by  himself,  or 
sing'y,  is  God,  leads  to  the  denial  of 
God,  25.  A  trinity  of  persons  was  un- 
known in  the  Apostolic  church ;  but 
was  first  broached  by  the  Nicene  council, 
and  from  that  was  introduced  into  the 
Roman  Catholic  church,  and  from  this 
into  the  churches  that  were  separated 
from  it,  291,  292,  293.  From  the  Nicene 
trinity  and  the  Athanasian  together,  a 
faith  arose  which  perverted  the  whole 
Christian  chinch,  29-;.  2r/>,  297.  The 
council  of  Nice  introduced  the  dogma 
of  three  Divine  persons  from  eternity, 
because  they  did  not  rightly  search  the 
Word,  and  th  refore  they  found  no  other 
refuge  from  the  Arians.  That  they  after- 
ward combined  into  one  God  those  three 
persons,  each  one  of  whom  is  God  by 
himself,  was  from  a  fear  that  they  should 
be  regarded  as  guilty  of  a  belief  in  three 
Gods,  and  reproached  for  it  by  every 
rational  religious  person,  850.  Human 
reason  is  at  this  day  bound  in  relation  to 
the  Divine  Trinity,  like  a  man  manacled 
and  fettered  in  pi  lbon  i  when  yet  the 


Divine  Trinity  in  the  minds  of  men  of 
the  church  ought  to  shine  like  a  lamp, 
since  God,  in  His  Trinity,  and  in  the 
Unity  of  it,  is  All  in  all  the  sanctities  of 
heaven  and  the  church,  286.  There  is 
no  other  way  to  understand  the  Divine 
Trinity,  than  for  man  to  go  to  the  Lord 
God  the  Saviour  and  read  the  Word 
under  His  auspices,  282.  The  Divine 
Trinity  is  like  a  pearl  of  the  greatest 
value  ;  but,  when  divided  into  persons,  it 
is  like  a  pearl  divided  into  three  parts, 
which,  consequently,  is  utterly  and  mani- 
festly ruined,  305.  From  a  trinity  of  per- 
sons, each  one  of  whom  singly  is  God, 
have  existed  many  discordant  and  hete- 
rogeneous ideas  about  God,  which  are 
hallucinations  and  abortions,  303,  304. 
They  who  confirm  themselves  in  the 
error  that  three  Divine  persons  have 
actually  existed  from  eternity,  become 
more  and  more  natural  and  corporeal, 
and  then  cannot  interiorly  comprehend 
any  Divine  truth,  431. 
Tripersonate,  221. 

Triplicity.  In  every  created  thing  there 
is  triplicity,  249. 

True  (The),  or  Truth  (Verum).  All 
that  which  proceeds  from  wisdom  is 
called  truth,  67.  Truth  is  supposed  to 
be  only  a  word  spoken  by  some  one  in 
authority,  which  ought  therefore  to  be' 
done;  consequently,  to  be  like  nitre 
breath  from  the  mouth,  or  sound  in  the 
ear,  when  yet  truth  and  good  are  the 
first  principles  of  all  things  in  both 
worlds,  the  spiritual  and  the  natural ; 
and  by  means  of  them  the  universe  was 
created,  and  by  means  of  them  the  uni- 
verse is  preserved,  356,  357.  See  Truth, 
{veritas).  That  truth  which  in  itself  is 
truth  cannot  be  recognized  and  acknowl- 
edged by  a  merely  natural  man,  nor  can 
it  be  given  him  by  God  because  it  falls 
into  the  inverse  and  becomes  falsity, 
1015.  The  understanding  is  the  recep- 
tacle and  habitation  of  truth,  147.  There 
is  no  truth  which  does  not  derive  its 
quality  from  the  bosom  of  good,  280. 
Truth  without  good  is  not  truth  in  spirit, 
and  good  without  truth  is  not  good  in 
spirit;  and  so  the  one  makes  the  other, 
649.  The  truths  which  will  be  of  faith 
flow-in  by  hearing,  and  so  arc  im- 
planted in  the  mind;  but  man  by  these 
truths  is  only  disposed  for  receiving  the 
influx  from  God  through  the  soul,  0. 
When  the  church  or  the  man  of  the 
church  is  in  truths,  then  the  Lord  flows 
into  his  truths  with  goodi  M»d  \  nines 
them,  377.  Truths  send  out  light  from 
them  elves;  for  the  Sun  from  which  the 
lights  of  truths  flow  forth  is  the  Lord  in 
the  spiritual  world,  Ba  j,  822.  No  one  is 
in  truths  but  he  who  yv-,  t..  tin-  1  old 
immediately,  Ko».  Without  truths  there 
is  i>n  COgnittOfl.  of  th<-  lord:  also  th^re 
I     is  not  faith,  and  so  there  is  not  charity  ; 


1222 


INDEX. 


consequently  without  truths  there  is  no 
theology ;  and  where  there  is  not  this, 
there  is  no  church,  822.  The  truths  of 
the  sense  of  the  "letter  of  the  Word,  are 
in  part  nnt  naked  truths,  but  are  ap- 
pearances of  truth,  347.  Truths  applied 
to  confirm  false  doctrines  become  truths 
falsified,  274-280.  Truths  are  not  only 
covered  over  by  falsities,  but  they  are 
also  obliterated  and  rejected,  374.  See 
Good  and  Trtith,  Divine  Good  and 
Divine  Truth. 
Trust.  Love  is  not  love  without  trust, 
973-  r  . 

Truth  {Veritas)-  The  truth  of  wisdom 
in  heaven  is  light,  549.  Every  truth  in 
the  Word  and  from  the  Word  gives 
light,  496.  Truth  shining  is  faith  in 
essence,  500.  Truths  open  the  under- 
standing, 726.  The  Lord's  words  are 
truths,  496,  493.  Truths  are  to  be 
taken  from  the  Word,  493.  The  several 
truths  of  the  Word  are  so  many  mirrors 
of  the  Lord,  727.  Truths  teach  not  only 
that  man  ought  to  believe,  but  also  in 
whom  he  ought  to  believe,  and  what  he 
ought  to  believe,  493.  When  man  learns 
truths  from  the  W  ord,  he  comes  into 
communion  and  consociation  with  the 
angels  more  than  he  knows,  493.  Truths 
do  not  actually  live  until  they  are  in 

■  deeds.  Truths  abstracted  from  deeds 
are  of  the  thought  only,  494.  The 
essentials  of  faith  are  truths,  494.  Truth 
cannot  be  broken  up,  or  cut  in  halves  so 
that  one  part  of  it  may  look  to  the  left 
and  another  to  the  right,  and  still  remain 
Its  own  truth,  537.  An  abundance  of 
truths,  coherent  as  if  bundled  together, 
exalts  and  perfects  faith,  496-500.  The 
innumerable  truths  of  faith  make  as  it 
were  one  body,  537.  The  truths  of  faith, 
however  numerous  they  are,  and  how- 
ever diverse  they  appear,  make  one 
from  the  Lord,  501.  The  truths  of  faith 
not  only  illuminate  charity,  but  they  also 
qualify  it,  and  moreover  nourish  it,  535. 
He  who  goes  to  the  Lord  and  worships 
Him  alone,  comes  into  the  power  of 
recognizing  all  truths,  502.  Every  man 
whose  soui  desires  it  can  see  the  truths 
of  the  Word  in  light,  826.  See  True, 
Truth  (verum). 

fun  ban.  In  the  spiritual  world  certain 
ones  who  were  not  intelligent  wore  tur- 
ban?, because  they  were  bald,  120.  See 
Baldness. 

Tukti.es.    Sec  Tor  to  is. -s. 

Twelve  signifies  all  the  things  of  truth 
from  good,  351,  352. 

Tyre  and  Sidon  signify  the  cognitions  of 
good  and  truth,  334.  Tyre  signifies  the 
church  as  to  cognitions  of  truth  and 
good,  by  which  is  wisdom?  666,  353, 
388.  The  king  of  Tyre  signifies  the 
Word,  where  and  whence  the  cognitions 
of  truth  and  good  are,  388. 

Tziim,  77,  220. 


Ultimate.  In  every  thing  Divine  thera 
is  a  first,  a  mediate,  and  an  ultimate,  343. 
The  ultimate  is  the  container,  the  basis, 
and  the  support,  344-  The  ultimate  of 
the  understanding  is  what  belongs  to 
natural  knowledge,  the  ultimate  of  the 
will  is  sensual  enjoyment,  763. 

Unanimity,  because  it  is  the  agreement 
of  several,  and  at  the  same  time  of  each 
one  from  himself  and  by  himself,  does 
not  accord  with  the  unity  of  God,  but 
with  a  plurality,  41. 

Understanding.  From  the  light  of  the 
spiritual  Sun  man  has  understanding 
and  wisdom,  66.  The  understanding  is 
one  of  the  two  universals  of  every  man's 
life ;  it  is  the  receptacle  and  abode  of  his 
intelligence,  1040.  The  understanding 
is  the  receptacle  of  wUdom  and  of  faith, 
66,  511.  There  is  in  man  a  higher  and 
a  lower  understanding,  1078.  The  faith 
of  God  enters  into  man  through  a  prior 
way,  but  cognitions  concerning  God  enter 
through  a  posterior  way ;  and  there  is  a 
meeting  of  the  influxes  in  the  midst  of 
the  understanding;  and  natural  faith, 
which  is  only  persuasion,  there  becomes 
spiritual ;  wherefore  the  human  under- 
standing is  as  a  refining  vessel,  in  which 
the  change  is  effected,  14.  From  spirit- 
ual freedom,  man  has  a  perception  of 
what  is  good  and  true,  just  and  right,  in 
civil  matters,  which  perception  is  under- 
standing itself  in  its  essence,  680.  The 
understanding  has  no  authority  over  the 
will,  383.  The  understanding  is  subject 
to  the  will ;  for  it  merely  teaches  and 
shows  what  is  to  be  done  from  the  will, 
399.  The  understanding  can  be  elevated 
above  the  lusts  of  the  will,  and  not  only 
see  but  also  moderate  them,  781.  Man 
can  rise  as  to  the  understanding  almost 
into  the  light  in  which  the  ar.gels  of 
heaven  are,  807.  The  church  is  such  with 
man  as  his  undemanding  of  the  Word 
is,  372-376.  The  understanding  closed 
by  religion  is  as  blind  as  a  mole,  835. 

Union,  Unition.  No  union  or  conjunc- 
tion between  two  is  given,  unless  in  turn 
they  accede  one  to  the  other,  160.  _  The 
union  of  the  Father  and  the  Son  in  the 
Lord  was  effected  by  the  acts  of  redemp- 
tion, 158.  This  union  is  glorification, 
158,  165.  It  is  like  that  of  the  soul  and 
the  body,  159.  The  unition  of  the 
Human  of  the  Lord  with  the  Divine  of 
His  Father  was  done  successively,  and 
was  fully  completed  by  the  passion  of 
the  cross,  212,  214. 

Unity  of  God,  6-25.  It  is  most  inte- 
riorly inscribed  on  the  mind  of  every 
man,  since  it  is  in  the  midst  of  all  the 
things  which  flow  into  the  soul  of  man 
from  God,  38.  By  the  division  of  the 
unity  of  God,  true  faith  is  broken  in 
pieces,  539.  Every  thing  which  is  di- 
vided, unless  it  depend  upon  one,  would 
of  itself  fall  to  pieces,  12. 


INDEX. 


1223 


Universal.  The  single  parts  all  taken 
together  are  c<d  ed  a  universal,  as  par- 
ticulars taken  together  are  called  a  gen- 
eral, 99.  A  universal  together  with  all 
its  several  parts  is  a  work  cohering  as 
one,  so  that  one  part  cannot  be  touched 
and  affected  without  some  sense  of  it 
being  communicated  to  all  the  rest,  99. 
He  who  knows  universals  can  afterward 
comprehend  the  particulars  severally, 
876.  All  single  particulars  depend  on 
universals,  as  contents  on  their  con- 
t  a. tiers,  960.  See  Singulars.  The 
universals  of  the  world  are  perpetual 
types  of  the  infinity  of  God  the  Creator, 
55.  The  universals  of  herwen  are  these 
three  loves, — the  love  of  ruling  from 
the  love  of  use,  the  love  of  possessing 
the  goods  of  the  world  from  the  love  of 
performing  uses  by  means  of  them,  and 
love  truly  conjugial,  876.  The  univer- 
sals of  hell  are  these  three  ioves,  —  the 
love  of  ruling  from  the  love  of  self,  the 
love  of  possessing  others'  goods  from 
the  love  of  the  world,  and  scortatory 
love,  876.  The  essentials  of  the  church 
are  three,  namely,  God.  charity,  and 
faith  ;  and  ail  things  in  the  church  have 
relation  to  those  three  as  their  univer- 
sals, 960,  953,  967.  The  faith  of  the 
New  Heaven  and  the  New  Church,  in 
the  universal  form,  and  in  the  particular 
form,  i,  2. 

Universal  Loves.  There  are  three 
universal  loves,  the  love  of  heaven, 
the  love  of  the  world,  and  the  love  of 
self,  572,  5S8.  These  are  the  funda- 
mental loves  of  all,  572.  They  are  in 
every  man  from  creation,  and  therefore 
from  birth,  and  when  they  are  rightly 
subordinated  they  perfect  him,  and 
when  not  rightly  subordinated  they  per- 
vert hm,  573,  588.  They  are  rightly 
subordinated  when  the  love  of  heaven 
makes  the  head,  the  love  of  the  world 
the  breast  and  the  abdomen,  and  the  love 
of  self  the  feet  and  their  soles,  573,  588, 
591,  722. 

Universe.  By  the  universe  are  meant 
both  worlds,  the  spiritual  and  the  natu- 
ral, 124.  No  one  can  obtain  for  himself 
a  just  idea  concerning  the  creation  of  the 
universe,  unless  some  universal  cogni- 
tions, previously  acquired,  put  the  under- 
standing into  a  state  of  perception,  120. 
This  creation  described  in  five  Rela- 
tions, 122-138.  God  did  not  create  the 
univer>e  out  of  nothing;  He  created  it 
from  the  Divine  love  by  the  Divine 
wisdom,  124.  The  universe  was  cre- 
ated by  God  that  uses  might  exist;  also, 
the  universe  may  be  called  a  theatre  of 
uses,  106.  God  created  the  universe  by 
the  Divine  truth  :  and  all  the  laws  of 
order,  by  which  He  preserves  the  uni- 
verse, are  truths,  148,  357.  The  uni- 
verse ir  like  a  stage,  upon  which  are 
continually  exhibited  testimonies  that 


there  is  a  God,  and  that  He  is  one,  14. 
Unless  God  were  one,  the  universe 
1  could  not  have  been  created  and  pre- 
served, 20.  The  universe  is  the  work 
of  God,  and  the  habitation  of  His  love 
and  wisdom,  22.  The  universe  is  a 
work  cohering  from  firsts  to  lasts,  be- 
cause it  is  a  work  comnrising  ends, 
causes,  and  effects,  in  an  indissoluble  con- 
nection, 78.  God  from  Himself  intro- 
duced order  into  the  universe,  and  also 
into  all  and  every  part  of  it,  93.  The 
things  in  the  universe  were  all  and  each 
created  into  their  orders,  93.  Ail  things 
iu  the  universe  that  are  in  Divine  order 
have  relation  to  good  and  truth,  573. 
See  Creatable,  Creation.  Shu. 

Urim  and  Thummim  represented  the  re- 
splendence of  D.vine  truth  from  Divine 
good  in  ukimates  ;  for  Urim  is  shming 
fire,  and  Thummim  is  resplendence  in 
angelic  language,  and  integrity  in  the 
Hebrew,  352. 

Use  is  to  discharge  the  works  of  one's 
function  faithfully,  sincerely,  and  dili- 
gently, 1003.  Whether  it  is  said  use  or 
good,  it  is  the  same,  603.  Good  and  use 
are  one,  864.  Use  is  actual  love  of  the 
neighbor,  882.  There  is  not  a  single 
thing  in  the  universe,  in  which  is  not 
hidden  a  use,  more  or  less  remote,  for 
man,  21.  All  heaven  is  nothing  but  a 
containant  of  use,  from  firsts  to  lasts, 
8:2.  Every  angel  is  an  angel  according 
to  use,  934.  The  kingdom  of  Christ  is 
a  kingdom  of  uses.  987.  The  universe 
may  be  called  a  theatre  of  use-,  106. 
To  perform  uses  is  to  do  goods;  and 
according  to  the  quantity  and  quality  of 
the  use  in  goods,  so  far  in  quantity  and 
in  quality  the  goods  are  goods,  603. 
There  takes  place  a  determination  to 
uses,  according  to  doctrinals  as  means, 
531.  There  are  three  things  which  as 
one  flow  from  the  Lord  into  our  souls , 
these  three  as  one  are  love,  wisdom,  and 
use,  1003.  Love  and  wisdom  do  not 
exist  except  ideally  when  only  in  the 
affection  and  thought  of  the  mind  ; 
but  they  exist  in  use  really,  1003,  10ft. 
The  love  of  use,  and  consequent  earnest 
application  to  use,  holds  the  mind  to- 
gether, and  prevents  its  dissipating  itself, 
and  wandering  about,  and  drinking-in 
all  the  cupid  ties  which  flow-in  through 
the  senses  from  the  body  and  from  the 
world.  1003.  Uses  are  the  bonds  of 
society  ;  there  are  just  as  many  of  these 
bonds  as  there  are  good  uses,  and  the-e 
are  infinite  in  number,  1000.  There  are 
spiritual  uses,  which  pertain  to  love  to 
God  and  love  toward  the  neighbor ; 
trlere  are  moral  and  civil  uses  which 
pertain  to  the  love  of  the  society  and 
state  in  which  a  man  is;  there  are  nat- 
ural uses,  which  pertain  to  the  love  of 
the  world  and  its  necessities;  and  there 
are  bodily  uses  which  pertain  to  th» 


1224 


INDEX. 


love  of  self-preservation  for  the  sake  of 
higher  uses.  1006.  Every  love  regards 
uses  as  its  end ;  the  love  of  heaven 
regards  spiritual  uses,  the  love  of  the 
world  natural  uses  Which  may  be  called 
civil,  and  the  love  of  self  corporeal  uses 
which  may  also  be  calied  domestic,  done 
for  oneself  and  his  own,  572,  573.  Every 
man  both  good  and  bad  performs  uses  ; 
the  uses  are  performed  from  the  love  of 
self  or  from  the  iove  of  uses,  883.  Every 
one  who  believes  in  the  Lord  and  shuns 
evils  as  sins,  performs  uses  from  the 
Lord;  but  every  one  who  does  not  be- 
lieve in  the  Lord  and  does  not  shun 
evils  as  sins,  performs  uses  from  himself 
and  for  his  own  sake,  8S3.  As  far  as 
uses  are  performed  from  the  love  of 
them,  so  far  that  love  increases,  and 
with  it  wisdom,  882.  The  three  uses  of 
Baptism,  906,  910,  912,  913. 

Valleys  signify  the  lowest  things  of  the 
church,  334. 

Vari  ations.  The  form  or  recipient  state 
induces  variations,  516. 

Variety  exists  in  all  things,  and  by  means 
of  varieties  every  quality,  1024.  All 
variableness  is  in  the  subject  in  which 
God  js,  5i6.  The  variety  of  regenera- 
tion is  infinite  like  that  of  men's  faces 
and  their  minds,  786.  Variety  of  minds 
[atiimi]  1017.  Variety  of  climates  in 
the  natural  and  spiritual  worlds,  305. 

Vegetables.  In  the  vegetable  kingdom 
every  herb  is  cognized  from  its  fruit 
and  seed,  in  which  its  essence  is  innate, 
247.  In  trees  and  in  all  other  subjects 
of  the  vegetable  kingdom,  there  are  not 
two  sexes,  a  masculine  and  a  feminine, 
but  every  one  of  them  is  masculine  ;  the 
earth  alone,  or  the  soil,  is  the  common 
mother,  thus  as  the  woman,  791.  The 
root  is  a  kind  of  heart,  the  leaves  are 
for  lungs ;  the  blossoms  which  precede 
the  fruit  are  means  for  straining  the  sap, 
which  is  its  blood,  and  of  separating  its 
grosser  from  its  purer  parts,  and  the 
fruit  in  which  the  seeds  are  perfected, 
may  be  compared  to  the  testicle,  792. 
The  vegetative  soul,  which  governs 
inmostly  in  every  particle  of  sap  or 
its  prolific  essence,  is  from  no  other 
source  than  from  the  heat  of  the  spirit- 
ual world ;  whicli  heat,  because  it  is 
from  the  spiritual  Sun  there,  aspires 
to  nothing  but  generation,  792.  How 
animals  and  vegetables  of  every  kind 
were  produced  by  God,  12S.   See  Pla?iis. 

Vegetation.  There  can  be  no  vegeta- 
tion without  light  from  the  sun,  824. 
From  the  influx  of  the  heavenly  sphere 
into  the  natural  world,  exist  the  wonder- 
ful progressions  of  vegetation,  from  seed 
to  fruit,  and  to  new  seed,  443.  The  dis- 
tinctions between  the  processes  of  vege- 
tation and  those  of  human  prolification, 
791.    See  Sphere. 


Veils  (The)  of  the  Tabernacle  signified 

the  ultimates  of  the  Word,  354. 
Venus,  29,  265. 

Verse.  Every  verse  of  the  Word  com- 
municates with  some  society  of  heaven, 

398,  366. 
Vertumnt,  127. 
Vespasian,  38. 

Victory.  After  victory  in  temptations 
God  takes  away  grief  from  the  soul, 

213. 

View.    See  Vision. 

Vine  (The)  signifies  the  spiritual  good 
and  truth  of  the  church,  333  ;  it  signi- 
fies truth  from  the  good  of  love,  338. 
The  fruit  of  the  vine  (Matt.  xxvi.  29) 
signifies  the  truth  of  the  New  Church 
and  of  heaven,  95S. 

Virgins  signify  affections  for  truth,  33S ; 
also  the  church,  1010.  They  who  merely 
understand  and  talk  about  truths  and 
goods  are  like  the  foolish  virgins  who 
had  lamps  but  no  oil  (Matt.  xxv.  1-12) ; 
while  they  who  not  only  understand  and 
talk  about  them  but  also  will  and  do 
them,  are  the  wise  virgins  who  were 
admitted  to  the  wedding,  965. 

Virtue.  The  Divine  Virtue  and  Opera- 
tion are  meant  bv  the  Holy  Spirit,  244, 
247.  Virtues  which  the  Lord  operates 
in  those  who  believe  in  Him,  and  who 
accommodate  and  dispose  themselves 
for  His  reception  and  abode,  244. 
Moral  virtues,  622,  1005.    See  Power- 

Viscera,  256.    See  Series,  Society. 

Visible.  View.  It  pleased  Jehovah 
God  to  descend  and  assume  the  Human, 
and  thus  exhibit  Himself  to  view,  and  to 
evince  that  God  is  not  a  thing  of  reason- 
ing, but  the  Itself,  266.  Jehovah  God 
by  His  Human  sent  Himself  into  the 
world,  and  made  H>mself  visible  to  the 
eyes  of  men  and  thus  accessible,  317, 
266,  754.  864,  1050.  The  New  Church 
will  worship  one  visible  God,  in  Whom 
is  the  invisible,  like  the  soul  in  the 
body,  1050. 

Vision.  Wherein  consisted  the  state 
called  in  the  Word,  Vision  0/  God,  260. 
Preposterous  vision,  1094.  They  who 
are  in  posterior  vision,  and  not  in  any 
prior  sight,  472. 

Vivification  is  operated  by  the  Lord  in 
those  who  believe  in  Him,  and  who  ac- 
commodate and  dispose  themselves  for 
His  reception  and  abode,  244. 

Vowel  A  vowel,  which  serves  for  tone, 
signifies  something  of  affection  or  love, 
32.  In  the  third  heaven  the  angels 
cannot  utter  the  vowels  i  and  e,  but 
instead  of  them  y  and  eu  ;  the  vowels 
a,  o,  and  u  are  in  use  with  them,  be- 
cause they  have  a  full  sound,  403. 

Wakefulnhss.  In  the  Word,  spiritual 
life  is  compared  to  wakefulness,  810. 

See  Sleep. 

Wars  (The)  of  Jehovah  mean  the  com- 


INDEX. 


1225 


bats  of  the  Lord  with  the  hells,  and  His 
victories  over  them,  when  He  should 
come  into  the  world,  394.  The  iVars 
of  Jehovah  was  the  name  of  one  of  the 
books  of  the  ancient  Word,  404. 

Washing  (Spiritual)  is  purification  from 
evils  and  falsities,  thus  regeneration, 
899.  Among  the  children  of  Israel 
natural  washings  represented  and  sig- 
nified this  purification,  900,  901. 

Water,  in  the  Word,  signifies  truth  in 
the  natural  or  external  man,  246,  780. 
By  living  water,  is  signified  the  truth  of 
the  Word,  322.  Waters  in  the  spiritual 
world  are  correspondences,  766 

Way.  By  the  way  of  the  tree  of  life  is 
signified  entrance  to  the  Lord,  which 
men  have  through  the  truths  of  the 
spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  387.  Ways 
in  the  spiritual  world,  830.  A  paved  way 
in  the  north,  through  which  all  pass 
who  depart  from  the  natural  world,  267, 
268. 

Wedding  in  the  Word  signifies  the  mar- 
riage of  the  Lord  with  heaven  and  the 
church,  by  the  good  of  love  and  the 
truth  of  faith,  332.  The  wedding  gar- 
ment (Matt.  xxii.  11-13)  is  faith  in  the 
Lord  as  the  Son  of  God,  the  God  of 
heaven  and  earth,  and  one  with  the 
Father,  543.  Weddings  in  heaven,  1007, 
roo8,  1009.    See  Marriage. 

Well  (To  do).  Good  works  are  to  do 
well  from  willing  well.  529. 

West.  In  the  spiritual  world  in  the  west 
dwell  those  who  are  in  evil,  67s. 

Wheat  (Matt.  xiii.  24-30)  means  the 
truths  and  goods  of  the  new  church, 
1047. 

Whoredom  signifies  the  falsification  of 
the  understanding  of  the  Word,  that  is, 
of  its  genuine  truth,  375. 

Wicked  or  Bad.  The  wicked  obstruct 
the  way  and  shut  the  door,  that  God 
may  not  enter  into  the  lower  regions  of 
their  mind,  516. 

Widows  in  the  Word  mean  those  who  are 
without  truths  and  still  desire  them,  6a-). 

Wife,  in  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word, 
signifies  the  truth  of  faith,  535.  The 
wife  of  the  Lamb  is  the  New  Church 
and  not  the  former  church,  443.  A 
chaste  wife  signifies  the  conjunction  of 
good  and  truth,  403. 

Will.  Will,  viewed  in  itself,  is  noth- 
ing but  the  affection  of  some  love,  775. 
Will  or  endeavor  is  in  itself  ;ict,  because 
it  is  a  continual  effort  to  act,  which  be- 
comes an  act  in  externals  when  the 
conclusion  is  reached,  556.  The  inten- 
tions of  the  will  are  to  be  examined 
because  the  love  has  its  seat  in  the  will, 
749.  Man's  will  is  twofold,  interior 
and  exterior,  or  of  the  internal  and  of 
the  external  man,  693.  Whatever  pro- 
ceeds from  the  love  of  the  internal  will 
is  man's  life's  enjoyment  ;  and  because 
the  same  is  the  esse  of  his  life  it  is  also 

VOL.  III.  I 


his  proprium,  694.  The  will  of  the  in- 
ternal natural  man  inclines  to  evils  of 
every  kind ;  and  the  thought  from  it  in- 
clines to  falsities,  also  of  every  kind,  799. 
Thought  is  not  imputed  to  any  one,  but 
will,  872,  873,  874.  The  will  is  the  esse  or 
the  essence  of  man's  life  ;  the  under- 
standing is  the  existere  or  the  existence 
therefrom ;  and  as  an  essence  is  nothing 
unless  in  some  form,  so  the  will  is 
nothing  unless  in  the  understanding, 
873.  In  the  spiritual  world  no  one  can 
do  any  thing  contrary  to  his  own  will; 
why,  95.  How  the  bodily  will  is  formed 
by  man,  799.  The  Lord's  will  is  the 
exercise  of  charity  according  to  the 
truths  of  faith,  971. 
Will  and  Understanding.  The  will 
with  man  is  the  very  esse  of  his  life,  but 
the  understanding  is  the  existere  of  life 
therefrom,  575.  The  will  and  the  un- 
derstanding are  the  two  essentials  and 
universals  by  which  human  minds  exist 
and  subsist,  66.  When  the  will  and  un- 
derstanding are  one  they  are  called  the 
mind,  574.  The  will  is  the  receptacle 
and  habitation  of  love,  and  the  under- 
standing of  wisdom,  66,  392,  960,  1040 ; 
also  the  will  is  the  receptacle  of  Divine 
good  and  the  understanding  of  Divine 
truth,  357,  511,  575,  873,  960,  1040.  In 
the  cerebellum  dwells  the  love  of  the 
will,  and  in  the  cerebrum  the  thought 
of  the  understanding,  271.  The  will  is 
the  very  house  in  which  man  dwells, 
and  the  understanding  is  the  hall  through 
which  he  goes  out  and  comes  in,  750- 
All  things  in  man  refer  themselves  to 
the  understanding  and  the  will,  357, 
575.  The  will  and  the  understanding 
make  man's  spirit ;  for  in  them  reside 
his  wisdom  and  intelligence,  also  his 
love  and  charity,  and  in  general  his  life, 
575.  The  understanding  is  where  the 
germination  of  the  intelligence  and  wis- 
dom, and  the  will  is  where  their  fructifi- 
cation takes  place,  53.  The  will  forms 
itself  in  the  understanding,  and  so  goes 
forth  into  the  lit;ht,  873.  The  will 
moves  the  understanding  to  think.  776. 
It  is  the  part  of  the  understanding  to 
think,  and  of  the  will  to  do,  252,  399. 
The  will  is  the  man  himself,  and  it  dis- 
poses the  understanding  at  its  pleasure 
383,  874.  The  understanding  merely 
teaches  and  shows  what  is  to  be  done 
from  the  will,  309,  494,  873,  H74.  The 
will  searches  the  understanding  fof  the 
means  and  modes  of  ai  riving  at  its  ends 
which  are  effects,  and  in  the  understand- 
ing it  places  itself  in  the  light,  530.  The 
will  and  the  understanding  make  one 
when  the  man  forms  his  understanding 
from  genuine  truths,  which  is  done  to 
appearances  as  by  himself,  and  when 
his  will  is  filled  with  the  good  of  love, 
which  is  done  bv  the  Ixird,  377.  Thero 
is  no  solitary  will,  and  therefore  it  does 


1226 


INDEX. 


not  produce  any  thing ;  nor  is  there  a 
solitary  understanding,  nor  does  it  pro- 
duce any  thing ;  but  all  production  is 
effected  by  both  together,  and  is  effected 
by  the  understanding  from  the  will,  534. 
If  the  will  and  understanding  become 
separated,  the  understanding  becomes 
nothing,  and  presently  the  will  likewise, 
518.  The  will  of  man  is  his  proprium, 
and  this  from  nativity  is  evil,  and  thence 
there  is  falsity  in  the  understanding, 
399,  799,  8:6,  873,  874-  Since  man's 
will  is  itself  evil  from  birth,  and  as  the 
understanding  teaches  what  good  and 
evil  are.  it  foilows  that  he  must  be^  re- 
formed by  means  of  the  understanding, 
794.  If  the  will  were  not  held  in  check 
by  means  of  the  understanding,  man 
left  to  the  freedom  of  his  will  would 
rush  into  abominations,  795.  Unless 
the  understanding  could  have  been 
perfected  separately,  and  the  will  by 
means  of  it,  man  would  not  be  man  but 
a  beast,  795.  In  the  state  of  refor- 
mation the  understanding  acts  the  first 
part  and  the  will  the  second  ;  in  the 
state  of  regeneration  the  will  acts  the 
first  and  the  understanding  the  sec- 
ond, 167.  The  regenerate  man  has  a 
new  will  and  a  new  understanding, 
438,  S06-810,  874.  Man  is  in  quality 
such  as  his  will  is,  and  not  such  as  his 
understanding  is,  inasmuch  as  the  will 
easily  carries  over  the  understanding  to 
its  side  and  enslaves  it,  724.  The  un- 
derstanding in  every  man  is  capable  of 
elevation  according  to  cognitions,  but 
not  the  will  except  by  a  life  according  to 
the  truths  of  the  church  and  of  reason, 
724.  Freedom  resides  in  man's  will  and 
understanding,  698.  Whatever  man  does 
from  freedom  of  will  according  to  the 
reason  of  the  understanding,  is  per- 
manent, 651.  Properties  of  the  will 
and  understanding,  S73.  The  will  with- 
out understanding  is  like  the  eye  without 
sight ;  and  the  two  without  action  are 
like  a  mind  without  a  body,  555. 

Wine  signifies  Divine  truth,  955,  957. 

Wisdom.  See  Love  and  Wisdom  ;  Di- 
vine Love  and  Divine  Wisdom-  Wis- 
dom consists  of  nothing  but  truths  ;  it  is 
the  complex  of  all  truths,  67.  It  is 
genuine  wisdom  for  a  man  to  see  from 
the  light  of  heaven  that  what  he  knows, 
understands,  and  is  wise  in,  is  as  little 
compared  with  what  he  does  not  know 
and  understand  and  in  which  he  is  not 
wise,  as  a  drop  to  the  ocean,  554.  Man 
is  in  wisdom  concerning  good  and  truth, 
from  the  Divine  omniscience,  so  far  as 
he  lives  according  to  Divine  order,  107. 
Man  cannot  be  interiorly  in  any  truth  of 
wisdom  unless  from  God,  because  God 
has  Omniscience,  that  is,  infinite  wis- 
dom, 107.  As  far  as  the  human  mind  is 
elevated  to  the  higher  degrees,  so  far 
it  is  elevated  into  wisdom,  because  so 


far  into  the  light  of  heaven,  108,  763. 
Spiritual  wisdom  is  the  wisdom  of  wis- 
dom, thus  inexpressible  by  any  wise 
man  in  the  natural  world,  409.  The 
wisdom  of  the  heavenly  angels  surpasses 
that  of  the  spiritual  angels  almost  as  the 
wisdom  of  the  spiritual  angels  surpasses 
the  wisdom  of  men,  371,  409.  Wisdom 
increases  with  the  angels  to  eternity; 
and  the  wiser  they  become,  the  more 
clearly  they  see  that  wisdom  is  without 
end,  427.  The  Word  of  the  Lord  is  a 
great  deep  of  truths,  from  which  is  all 
angelic  wisdom,  497.  Wisdom  is  from 
no  other  source  than  Divine  truths, 
analytically  distributed  into  forms,  by 
means  of  the  light  flowing-in  from  the 
Lord,  497.  Unless  the  thought  is  raised 
above  sensual  things,  man  has  little 
wisdom,  763.  In  every  man  of  sound 
mind  there  is  a  faculty  of  receiving  wis- 
dom from  the  Lord,  that  is,  of  multiply- 
ing the  truths  from  which  it  is  to  eternity, 
963 ;  there  is  this  perpetual  multiplica- 
tion of  truth  and  thence  of  wisdom,  with 
the  angels,  and  also  with  men  who  are 
becoming  angels,  964.  Man  as  first 
created  was  imbued  with  wisdom  and 
its  love,  not  for  the  saka  of  himself, 
but  for  the  sake  of  its  communication 
with  others  from  himself,  1006.  The 
seat  of  wisdom  is  in  use,  1006.  Where 
the  good  of  love  is,  there  wisdom  dwells 
at  the  same  time;  but  where  there  are 
truths,  there  no  more  of  wisdom  dwells 
than  there  is  of  the  good  of  love  at  the 
same  time,  371. 

Wise  Men.  They  who  knew  the  corre- 
spondences of  the  Ancient  Word,  were 
called  wise  and  intelligent,  and  after- 
wards diviners  and  Magi,  405,  336,  338. 
From  what  the  wise  men  of  ancient 
times  inferred  four  ages  of  the  world, 
1024.  Sophi  in  the  spiritual  world,  920- 
925.  Sophi  of  ancient  times  in  a  society 
in  heaven,  935. 

Wolfius,  150,  476,  938. 

Wolves.  Diabolical  love  causes  its  lusts 
to  appear  in  the  distance  in  hell  like 
various  species  of  wild  beasts,  some  like 
wolves,  77. 

Wonderful  Things,  341-343,  367,  371, 
542,  544,  5S5,  751,  764-768,  1028, 1029. 

Word  See  Sacred  Scripture.  The 
Word  is  the  Divine  Truth  :tself,  145, 
32 1-324 ;  for  it  was  dictated  by  Jehovah 
Himself,  145,  321.  In  it  are  Divine 
Wisdom  and  Divine  Life,  323.  It  is  the 
crown  of  revelations,  13.  Because  it 
passed  through  the  heavens,  even  into 
the  world,  it  became  accommodated  to 
the  angels  in  heaven  and  also  to  men 
in  the  world,  145,  324,  326.  God  spake  in 
ihe  Word  according  to  appearances,  227 
The  Word  could  not  be  written  other- 
wise than  by  representatives,  which  are 
such  things  in  the  world  as  correspond 
to  heavenly  things  and  thence  signify 


INDEX. 


1227 


them,  401.  There  is  infinity  in  every 
part  of  the  Word  ;  that  is,  it  contains 
innumerable  things,  which  not  even 
angels  can  exhaust,  427,  407.  There  is 
in  the  Word  a  spiritual  sense  in  which 
Divine  truth  is  in  light,  and  a  natural 
sense  in  which  Divine  truth  is  in  shade, 
145.  In  the  Word  there  is  a  spiritual 
sense,  hitherto  unknown,  324.  The 
spiritual  sense  is  not  that  which  shines 
forth  from  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the 
Word  when  any  one  is  studying  and 
explaining  the  Word  to  confirm  some 
dogma  ot  the  church;  this  sense  may 
be  called  the  literal  and  ecclesiastical 
sense  of  the  Word;  but  if  the  spiritual 
sense  does  not  appear  in  the  sense  of 
the  letter  it  is  inwaTdly  in  it,  as  the  soul 
is  in  the  body,  325.  The  Word  by  the 
spiritual  sense  communicates  with  the 
heavens,  325,  398.  The  spiritual  sense 
is  in  each  and  every  thing  in  the  Word, 
326,  327,  328.  By  correspondences  the 
natural  sense  of  the  Word  is  turned  into 
the  spiritual  in  heaven,  947.  The  Word 
is  written  by  mere  correspondences,  325, 
335.  It  is  from  the  spiritual  sense  that 
the  Word  is  divinely  inspired,  and  holy 
in  every  word,  332,  1099.  The  style  of 
the  Word  is  such  that  holiness  is  in 
every  sentence,  and  in  every  word,  yes. 
in  some  places  in  the  very  letters,  323, 
370.  The  Word  conjoins  man  with  the 
Lord  and  opens  heaven,  323.  The  Word 
in  its  ultimate  sense  is  natural,  in  its 
interior  sense  it  is  spiritual,  and  in  its 
inmost  sense  it  is  heavenly,  and  in  each 
one  of  these  senses  it  is  Divine,  326, 
350,  427,  1038.  The  sense  of  the  letter 
of  the  Word  is  the  basis,  the  container, 
and  the  support  of  its  spiritual  and 
heavenly  sense,  343,  344>  345-  The 
Word  without  the  sense  of  its  letter 
would  be  like  a  palace  without  a  founda- 
tion, that  would  vanish  away,  345.  By 
the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word, 
there  is  conjunction  with  the  Lord,  and 
consociation  with  the  angels,  365-369, 
395.  39^»  398,  1099.  The  Word  in  the 
letter  mentions  only  such  things  as  are 
the  externals,  yes,  such  as  are  the  most 
external  things  of  worship,  and  spiritual 
things  which  are  internal  are  meant  by 
them,  609.  Without  doctrine  the  Word 
is  not  understood,  359,  360,  361.  Doc- 
trine is  to  be  drawn  from  the  sense  of 
the  letter  of  the  Word,  and  to  be  con- 
firmed by  it,  3'-2.  The  Word  is  in  all 
the  heavens,  and  angelic  wisdom  is  from 
it,  3r*)t  37°-  The  Word  in  heaven  is 
written  in  a  spiritual  style,  which  is 
wholly  different  from  the  natural  style; 
as  to  the  literal  sense  it  is  similar  to  our 
Word,  while  at  the  same  time  it  cor- 
responds to  it ;  and  thus  they  are  one, 
37<\  17 1.  The  Word  which  is  in  our 
world  is  similar  to  the  Word  in  heaven 
in  this,  that  the  simple  understand  it 


simply,  and  the  wise,  wisely ;  but  this 
comes  in  another  way,  371.  A  copy  of 
the  Word  written  by  angels  inspired  by 
the  Lord,  is  kept  with  every  larger  soci- 
ety in  its  sacred  repository,  371.  In 
the  spiritual  world  the  Word,  in  the 
shrines  of  the  temples  there,  shines  be- 
fore the  eyes  of  the  angels  like  a  great 
star,  and  sometimes  like  the  sun  ;  also 
from  the  bright  radiance  round  about  it, 
there  appear  as  it  were  most  beautiful 
rainbows,  341.  If,  in  the  spiritual  world, 
any  one  who  is  in  falsities  looks  at  the 
Word  as  it  lies  in  the  holy  place,  thick 
darkness  spreads  before  his  eyes,  and 
consequently  the  Word  appears  to  him 
black,  and  sometimes  as  if  covered  over 
with  soot,  342.  The  church  is  from  the 
Word,  and  it  is  such  with  man  as  his 
understanding  of  the  Word  is,  372,  373. 
The  man  who  does  not  read  the  Word 
under  the  Lord's  auspices,  but  under 
the  auspices  of  his  own  intelligence, 
believes  himself  to  be  a  lynx,  and  to 
have  more  eyes  than  Argus,  when  vet 
he  inwardly  sees  no  truth  whatever,  but 
only  what  is  false,  284.  A  man  can 
violate  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word, 
if  he  has  a  knowledge  of  correspond- 
ences, and  wishes  by  it  to  investigate 
the  spiritual  sense  from  his  own  intelli- 
gence, 341.  The  truths  of  faith  and  the 
goods  of  charity  are  the  universals  of 
the  Word,  372.  In  every  thing  in  the 
Word  there  is  the  marriage  of  the  Lord 
and  the  church,  and  thence  the  mar- 
riage of  good  and  truth ;  why,  376- 
382.  There  is  everywhere  in  the  Word 
a  conjunction  of  charity  and  faith,  528. 
All  truths  which  conduce  to  salvation 
are  in  the  Word,  403.  The  Word  is 
the  covenant  itself  which  the  Lord  made 
with  man  and  man  with  the  Lord ;  for 
the  Lord  descended  as  the  Word,  that  is 
as  Divine  Truth,  976.  The  Word  is 
the  only  medium  by  which  man  draws 
near  to  the  Lord,  and  into  which  the 
Lord  enters,  244.  In  the  Word  alone  is 
spirit  and  life,  369.  Without  free-will  in 
spiritual  things  the  Word  would  be  of 
no  use,  6S1.  Many  things  in  the  sense 
of  the  letter  of  the  Word  are  appear- 
ances of  truth,  in  which  genuine  truths 
lie  concealed,  3S4.  The  sense  of  the 
letter  is  a  guard  for  the  genuine  truths 
which  are  concealed  within,  that  they 
may  not  be  injured,  387.  The  Lord  in 
the  World,  fulfilled  all  things  of  the 
Word,  and  thereby  became  the  Word, 
that  is,  the  Divine  truth,  also  in  ulti- 
mate*, 389-392.  By  means  of  the  Word 
those  also  have  light  who  are  out  of  the 
church,  and  have  not  the  Word,  395, 
3°'',  307.  It  is  enough  that  there  be  » 
church,  where  the  Word  is  although  it 
Consist  of  comparatively  few.  }qs  ;  still 
bv  the  Word  the  Lord  is  prev:nt  in  th« 
whole  world,  for  by  it  heaven  is  con- 


1228 


INDEX. 


joined  with  the  human  race,  395.  When 
the  Word  with  the  Jewish  nation  was 
wholly  falsified  and  adulterated,  and  as 
it  were  made  of  no  effect,  then  it  pleased 
the  Lord  to  descend  from  heaven,  and  to 
come  as  the  Word,  and  to  fulfil  it,  and 
Ihereby  to  restore  and  re-establish  it, 
and  again  to  give  light  to  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  earth,  398.  Lest  the  gen- 
uine understanding  of  the  Word  should 

Eerish,  and  thus  the  church,  therefore  it 
as  pleased  the  Lord  now  to  reveal  the 
spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  398.  Now 
it  is  lawful  to  enter  into  the  mysteries  of 
the  Word  which  have  been  heretofore 
shut  up;  for  its  several  truths  are  so 
many  mirrors  of  the  Lord,  727.  If 
there  were  not  a  Word,  no  one  would 
have  a  knowledge  of  God,  of  heaven  and 
hell,  of  the  life  after  death,  and  still  less 
of  the  Lord,  399,  400,  401.  Wonderful 
things  concerning  the  Word  from  its 
spiritual  sense,  341.  Inexpressible 
power  of  the  Word,  356.  There  are  in 
the  Word  two  expressions  which  appear 
like  repetitions  of  the  same  thing,  and 
yet  they  are  not  one  thing,  but  they  be- 
come one  thing  by  conjunction  ;  there 
are  also  words,  which,  because  they 

Eartake  of  both  good  and  truth,  are  used 
y  themselves,  others  not  being  joined 
with  them,  378.  It  is  not  allowable  to 
argue  with  those  who  have  confirmed 
themselves  in  the  opinion  that  without 
the  Word  man  would  be  able  to  know 
the  existence  of  God,  from  the  Word, 
but  from  the  natural  light  of  reason 
399- 

Words.  The  Lord's  words.  (John  xv.  7) 
are  truths,  496.  In  the  Word  every  word 
is  a  container  and  support  for  spiritual 
and  heavenly  things,  359. 

Work.  Every  Divine  work  is  complete 
and  perfect  in  the  ultimate,  344.  In 
every  work  that  proceeds  from  man, 
there  is  the  whole  man  such  as  he  is  as 
to  the  mind,  or  such  as  he  is  essentially, 
528.  Works  are  essentially  of  the  will, 
formally  of  the  understanding,  and  actu- 
ally of  the  body,  530.  Man  ought  to 
introduce  himself  into  charity  by  good 
works,  in.  Good  works  are  to  do  well 
from  willing  well,  529,  604.  Charity  and 
works  are  distinct  from  each  other  like 
will  and  action,  529.  Merely  natural 
works,  972.  The  works  of  the  law  do 
not  mean  the  works  of  the  law  of  the 
decalogue,  but  the  works  of  the  Mosaic 
law  for  the  Jews,  4S2,  716.  See  Charity, 
Good  Works,  Merit- 

Work  (To).  God  is  continually  working 
for  the  conjunction  of  love  and  wisdom 
in  man ;  but  man,  unless  he  looks  to  God 
and  believes  in  Him,  continually  works 
for  their  division,  72.    See  Operate. 

Workman.  A  workman  or  an  artist,  if 
he  does  his  work  uprightly  and  honestly, 
«  ;n  the  exercise  of  charity,  606. 


World  of  sptrits  (The)  is  mediate  be- 
tween heaven  and  hell,  267,  412,  674, 
773,  830.  All  the  societies  in  the  world 
of  spirits,  which  are  innumerable,  are 
wonderfully  arranged  according  to  the 
natural  affections,  good  and  evil.  The 
societies  arranged  according  to  natu- 
ral good  affections  communicate  with 
heaven,  and  the  societies  arranged  ac- 
cording to  evil  affections  communicate 
with  hell,  412.  Different  states  through 
which  the  novitiate  spirits  pass,  before 
going  either  to  heaven  or  to  hell,  412. 
To  those  who  are  there,  the  world  of 
spirits  appears  as  a  great  orb,  674;  into 
this  interspace,  from  hell  exhales  evil  in 
all  abundance  ;  and  from  heaven,  on  the 
other  hand,  good  flows-in  thither  in  all 
abundance,  674.  _  Every  man,  from  in- 
fancy to  old  age,  is  changing  his  locality 
or  situation  in  the  world  of  spirits,  674. 
In  the  East  dwell  those  who  are  in  good 
from  the  Lord  ;  in  the  North  dwell  those 
who  are  in  ignorance ;  in  the  South, 
those  who  are  in  intelligence ;  and  in 
the  West,  those  who  are  in  evil,  675. 
All  who  are  in  that  great  interspace  are, 
as  to  their  interiors,  conjoined  either 
with  angels  of  heaven  or  devils  of  hell, 
675.  Every  man  after  death  comes  into 
the  world  of  spirits,  and  then  is  alto- 
gether like  himself,  such  as  he  was 
before;  and  at  his  entrance  he  cannot 
be  restrained  from  conversing  with  de- 
ceased parents,  brothers,  relatives,  and 
friends,  204.  Since  the  last  judgment 
which  took  place  in  the  year  i7S7,  the 
state  of  all,  and  therefore  of  the  Papists, 
is  so  changed  that  they  are  not  allowed 
to  band  themselves  together  as  formerly 
and  care  is  taken  that  they  shall  not  form 
for  themselves  artificial  heavens  as  for- 
merly, 1079,  1080. 

Worm.  Procreation  of  worms,  670.  Won- 
derful things  about  the  silk-worm,  20, 
474,  916,  1048. 

Worship  by  sacrifices  was  known  before 
the  Word  was  given  to  the  Israelitish 
nation  through  Moses  and  the  prophets, 
392.  Worship  before  the  Coming  of  the 
Lord  consisted  in  types  and  figures  which 
represented  true  worship  in  its  just  effigy, 
*73»  3i7>  33  5>  9°°>  9"3-  Jehovah  God 
made  Himself  visible  and  thus  accessi- 
ble in  a  human  form  to  the  ancients,  but 
then  through  an  angel;  this  form  was 
representative  of  the  Lord  Who  was  to 
come,  317.  The  representative  rites  of 
the  church,  which  were  correspondences, 
in  the  course  of  time  began  to  be  turned 
into  what  was  idolatrous,  337,  401.  The 
two  sacraments  of  Baptism  and  the 
Holy  Supper,  viewed  in  the  spiritual 
sense,  are  the  holiest  things  of  worship, 
898.  The  worship  of  saints  is  such  zp 
abomination  in  heaven  that  when  it  is 
merely  heard  of  it  excites  horror,  1084. 
Worship  of  God  in  the  heavens,  101*. 


INDEX. 


1229 


If  a  doctrine  were  put  forth  soiely  from 
rational  light,  would  it  not  be  that  one- 
self should  be  worshipped  ?  There  can  be 
no  other  worship  from  what  is  proper  to 
man,  not  even  the  worship  of  the  sun 
and  moon,  401.  The  worship  of  the 
Papists  in  the  spiritual  world,  108 1, 
1084. 

Wr  \th.  Why  it  is  said  in  the  Apocalypse, 
The  wrath  0/ the  Lamb,  858. 

Writing  in  heaven,  370,  403,  40S.  Writ- 
ings in  the  spiritual  world,  1056. 

Xenophon,  921. 

Y.  In  the  third_  heaven  the  angels  can 
not  utter  /,  but  instead  of  ity,  403. 

Year.  Every  year  begins  with  spring, 
1024.  The  last  judgment  took  place  in 
the  spiritual  world  in  the  year  1757; 
see  pp.  1033,  105S,  1079,  1096-  In  the 
year  1770  the  twelve  disciples  were  sent 
by  the  Lord  into  the  whole  spiritual 
world  to  preach  the  Gospel,  1054,  5,  172. 

Youth.    See  A  dolescence. 


Zral.  viewed  in  itrelf  is  a  violent  heating 
of  the  natural  man ;  if  there  is  within  it 


the  love  of  truth,  then  it  is  like  the 
sacred  fire  which  flowed  into  the  apos- 
tles;  but  if  the  love  of  falsity  lies  in- 
wardly concealed,  it  is  then  like  fire 
imprisoned  in  wood,  which  bursts  forth 
and  burns  the  house,  248-  They  who 
have  genuine  charity  have  a  zeal  foi 
what  is  good  :  that  zeal  in  the  external 
man  may  seem  like  anger  and  flaming 
fire,  but  its  flame  is  extinguished  and  it 
is  quieted  as  soon  as  the  adversary  re- 
turns to  reason,  594.  With  those  who 
have  no  charity,  zeal  is  anger  and  hatred  ; 
for  from  these  their  internal  is  heated 
and  set  on  fire,  594.  Disposition  is  from 
the  affection  of  the  love  in  the  will ;  the 
enjoyment  coming  from  this  love  dis- 
poses ;  if  this  is  from  the  love  of  evil  and 
thence  of  falsity,  it  excites  a  zeal  which 
outwardly  is  stern,  rough,  burning,  and 
flaming  ;  and  inwardly  it  is  anger,  rage, 
and  unmercifuiness :  but  if  it  be  of  good 
and  thence  of  truth,  it  is  outwardly  mild, 
smooth,  thundering,  and  flashing;  and 
inwardly  it  is  charity,  grace,  and  mercy, 
258.  Zeal  is  excited  in  the  breasts  of 
enthusiasts,  and  also  in  those  who  are 
in  extreme  falsities  of  doctrine,  248. 

Zios  signifies  the  church,  666. 

Zonks  in  the  spiritual  world,  305. 


INDEX 

TO 

PASSAGES  QUOTED  FROM  THE  WORD. 


N.B.     The  asterisk  (*)  affixed  to  some  of  the  numbers  here  referred  to,  denotes  thai 
the  passage  is  tJierei}i  more  fully  explained. 


GENESIS. 


Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

26,  27 

20,  34* 

xiv. 

18-20 

264,  715* 

ii. 

7 

48*,'  470 

XV. 

16 

755 

iii. 

5 

48,  380* 

xvii. 

10,  II 

675 

23,  24 

260* 

xviii. 

21 

755 

22 

48 

xxviii. 

12,  13 

24 

iv. 

14-17 

466 

xli. 

8 

156 

v. 

I 

48 

xlviii. 

5.  14 

247 

1 1 

706,  708 

EXODUS. 


Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers 

iii. 

2-4.  14.  15 

19 

xii. 

7»  *3>  22 

706 

xix. 

10,  11,  15 

284 

12,  13 
16-18 

284 

284 

20-23 

284 

XX. 

2-14 

284 

3 

9,  291 

xxi. 

6 

106 

xxiii. 

21 

299 

xxiv, 

3-" 

706 

XXV. 

16 

284 

17-21 

284 

17-22 

2O0 

284 

xxvi. 

1 

284 

ti  3'i  36 

220 

Chap. 
XXVI. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

31 

260* 

33  r 

284 

xx  ix. 

12,  1 6,  20, 

21  706 

xxxi. 

I56 

ft 

284 

xxxii. 

12,  14 

226 

15.  10 

284 

xxxiii. 

5 

689 

1S-23 

69I 

20 

I24,I35.37C  A 

20-23 

28 

xxxiv. 

IS 

3'°.  314 

264 

3 

286 

29-35 

2S4 

XXXV. 

5,21.  19 
20,  38 

495 

xi. 

2S4 

1  * ;  1 


1232 


INDEX  OF  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


Chap. 

i. 

ii. 

iii. 

iv. 

x. 

xvi. 


Verses. 

5.  «.  15 

1-  11 
11-16 

6,  7,  17,  i! 

6 

2-  14 


Numbers. 

7c6 
707 
707 
706 
223 
284 


LEVITICUS. 


Chap. 

xvi. 

xix. 

xx. 

xxi. 

xxii. 

xxiv. 


Verses. 
12 

23 
6 

6,  8,  17,  21 
4,  6,  7 
5 


Numbers. 
706 

468,  675 

3H 
707 
707 
707 


Chap 
ii. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

I 

2S4 

vi. 

I-2I 

223 

vii. 

89 

260,  284 

ix. 

15,  16 

35.  36 

284 

X. 

284 

adv. 

18 

226 

xxi. 

14,  15 

265 

27-30 

265,  279 
264 

xxi  i. 

13,  18 

40 

264 

NUMBERS. 


Chap, 
xxiii. 


xxv. 
xxviii. 


Verses.  Numoers. 

3,  5, 8, 16, 26  264 
1,2, 14,29,30  264 


7,  is 
19 

1,  13 
3,  15 
17 
i-3 
2 


265 
226 
264 
265 
264 
264 
707 


DEUTERONOMY. 


Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Number^ 

iv. 

II 

284 

xvi. 

2,6,  II, 

15,  16  298 

13 

286 

xviii. 

15-19 

129 

v. 

6-18 

284 

xxiii. 

10-26 

569 

19-23 

284 

xxiv. 

16 

226 

vi. 

4,  5 

6,  81,  369 

XXX. 

6 

675 

vii. 

5 

264 

xxxiL 

7,8 

264 

viii. 

707,709 

xxxiii. 

13-17 

247 

X. 

\e 

675 

26 

776 

xii. 

5,  "-13, 1 

3  298 

28 

190 

3 

264 

xxxiv. 

9 

I56 

Chap, 
iii. 


Verses. 

1-17 

2 

5-20 


Numbers, 
284 
285 
284 


JOSHUA. 

Chap. 


Verses. 

I-20 

12 


Numbers. 
284 

265,  279 


Chap, 
xvi. 


Verses. 
17 


Numbers. 
223 


JUDGES. 


Chap, 
xvi. 


Verses. 
29 


Numbers. 
627 


Chap, 
iii. 

v. 
vi. 


Verses. 
1-8 


1  to  end 


Numbers. 
211 


284 


I  SAMUEL. 

Chap, 
v. 
v. 
vi. 
xx. 


Verses. 
II,  12 
4 

3-5 
5,  12- 


Numbcrs. 

691 

630 

595 
211 


INDEX  OF  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE.  1271 


2  SAMUEL. 


i 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

17,  18 

26S.  27Q 

vi. 

6  7 

691 

vi- 

I  —  IQ 

284 

xxiii. 

1  A 

ioy,  704 

7 

284 

1  KINGS. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Number*. 

vi. 

7,  29,  30 

221 

xvii. 

21 

211 

19 

284 

xviii. 

34 

211 

29.  32>  35 

260 

XX. 

35-38 

I30 

viiL 

3-9 

284 

2  KINGS. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

ft!  1 

.N  umbers. 

ii. 

23,  24 

22  ? 

iv. 

38-43 

I48 

JOB. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

6 

729 

xii. 

7-9 

308* 

n. 

1 

729 

xxvi. 

8,9 

776 

PSALMS. 

Chap 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

i. 

h  3 

468 

li. 

1 1 

158 

ii. 

6,  7,  12 

IOI 

17 

156 

7,  12 

30,  342,  384 

lii. 

8 

468 

v. 

6 

322 

By. 

6 

495 

xviii. 

10,  11,  13 

260,  776 

lv. 

iS 

303 

35 

136 

lix. 

5 

93 

43 

251 

Ex. 

7 

247 

x\k. 

1 

780 

lxvii. 

3— 5 

251 

14 

83.  294 

lxviii. 

3 

252 

15 

188 

4 

776 

xxii. 

9 

583 

8 

93 

xxiv. 

8,  10 

Il6 

34 

776 

xxxi. 

5 

K 

lxxi. 

6 

583 

xxxii. 

2 

'J6 

lxxii. 

2 

5i 

xxxiii. 

6 

87,  224 

13-16 

706* 

10 

251 

txxvui.  8 

156 

xxxvi. 

6 

51 

9 

247 

xxxvii. 

6 

51 

41 

93 

xli. 

13 

93 

lxxx. 

1 

260 

xliv. 

14 

251 

17 

136 

22 

310 

lxxxv. 

8,  10 

303 

xlv. 

3-7 

86,  116 

lxxxix 

14 

Si 

9-16 

748 

xc. 

4 

30 

xlvi. 

764 

xcix. 

1 

260* 

xlvii. 

3.  8,9 

251 

cii. 

18 

573.  773 

9 

495 

civ. 

16 

468 

li. 

7 

671 

28 

573.  773 

cS 

252 

cvi. 

4,  5 

251 

10-12 

[43.  573. 

773 

cviii. 

8 

247 

1234        INDEX  OF  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


Chap.  Verses. 
CX.  I,  2 

3 
4 

cxi.  6 
cxiv.  7 
cxix.      7,  164 
exxx.  5-8 


Numbers. 
101,  102,  I36 

764 

264,  715 

2^ 
583 

5* 
764 


Chap.  Verses, 
exxx.      7,  8 
exxxii.  2 

..  7,8 
exxxvii.  5-7 
exxxix.  8 
cxlviii.  1-12 
9 


Numbers. 

83 

Il6 

284 

782 

62 

308 

468 


ISAIAH. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Verses 

rs  umbers. 

i. 

A 
4 

93,  251 

xxii. 

1 1 

2C2 

A    IC— l8 
4,  O  AO 

329,  459 

l88 

l6 

671 

xxiv. 

782 

l6-l8 

|  329,  435,  483 

XXV. 

1  7 

6 

2CI 

(  536,  671 

708 

5i,  95 

r\ 

y 

82    l88   ''OA  fi^C 
O^,  IOO, 

in 

124 

xxvi. 

8  T1 

298 

iii 

9 

782 

9 

x43,  r44 

i  v. 

2  "2 

782 

18 

A 
4 

671 

xxvii. 

6  7 

1 10 

C 
J 

213,  776 

xxviii. 

7.  8 

172.  6S1 

I  2 

354 

T  C 

"322 

IQ 

9l 

22 

/JJ 

on 
J° 

761 

xxix. 

t  n 

93 

3 

780 

XXX. 

9 

3Z- 

vii. 

A4 

82 

1 1,  12 

viii. 

22 

761 

26 

109,  164 

ix. 

1—1 

251,  270 

30,  98,  113,  116 

xxxii. 

17,  l8 

303' 

6 

xxxiii. 

c 

5 

^  I 

294,  307,  786 

1 1 

k6 

6,7 

51,  82,  101,  188 

20 

782  780 

303,  625 

1  j 

I56 

I A    I  C 
1 4,  O 

628 

xxxiv. 

1 

2  C  I 

J 

C  6 
5,  0 

251 

T  T     T 1— T C 
X1»  X3  O 

C7C 

20 

93 

XXXV. 

IO 

755 

xxxvii. 

12 

782 

XI. 

h  2»  4,  5 

139 

xl. 

3 

8l  82 

188 

•2    C    TO    I  T 

j  88,  294,  625 

t' 

7S9 

3,  5 

82,  780 

10 

354 

xli. 

O— T  T 

82' 

10 

251 

20 

573,  773 
1S8 

xii. 

3 

190 

xlii. 

6 

6-8 

82 

xiii. 

9-11 

198 

5 

773 

9,  13 

689 

6,8 

251,  2S5,  780 
116 

xiv. 

2,  6,  7 

251 

13 

12 

276 

H,  15 

93 

29 

487 

xliii. 

3 

93 

xvii. 

7 

93 

1,  7 

573,  773 

xviii. 

2,  7 

251 

9 

251 

xix. 

1 

776 

11 

83,  188,  294 

23-25 

200 

14 

83,  93'  294 

XX. 

2,  3 

130 

lxiv. 

2 

294,  583 

3 

211 

xliv. 

(  6,  13,  19,  102 
1  188,  261,  294 
(625 

xxi. 

10,  17 

11,  12 

93 
764 

6 

INDEX  OF  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE.  12^ 


Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

xliv. 

II,  15 

93 

liv. 

8 

83,  188 

OA 

z4 

(  13,  21,  83,  188 

lv. 

1 

70S 

(  294 

4 

251 

26 

782 

Ivii. 

15 

I56 

xlv. 

14,  is 

6,  21,  188,  294 

lviii. 

8 

780 

14,  21 

21 

1 1 

477 

II 

93 

lix. 

Sr 

487 

18 

773  M 

16,  17,  20 

116 

21,  22 

6,  83,  188,  294 

19-21 

139 

xlvi. 

3 

583  00 

lx. 

1 

780 

xlvii. 

4 

83,  93,  1 88,  294 

16 

83,  188,  294 

xlviiL 

11 

780 

lxi. 

1 

139,  188 
156 

12 

102 

3 

13 

136 

lxii. 

1-4,  11,  12 

7S2,  789 

T  1 

i  83,  93,  188,  294 

8 

136 

I298 

lxiii. 

i-9 

95,  116* 

xlix. 

7 

83,  93.  188,  294 

9 

92 

22 

251 

10,  11 

158 

26 

83,  1 88,  294,  625 

16 

(  83,  113,  1 88,  294 

L 

1 

306 

I  299,  3°7,  583 

li. 

3 

252,  467 

t  7—  t  n 

\  107,  3°3>  7Si 

11 

252 

lxv. 

1  782 

lii. 

if  2,  6,  9 

782 

18 

573,  773 

7 

303 

21,  23 

304 

liii. 

4-1 1 

130 

lxvi. 

7-10 

252,  583 

12 

104* 

IO 

583 

liv. 

(83,  93,  113,  188 
I  294,  625 

16,  l8 

780,  7S2 

5 

JEREMIAH. 


Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap, 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

ii. 

13 

190 

xvi. 

9 

252 

22 

671 

xvii. 

8 

468 

Hi. 

6,  8 

3H 

1 1 

527 

17 

782,  789 

13 

190 

iv. 

I 

51 

xxii. 

3,  13,  15 

51 

4 

675 

xxiii. 

5,6 

(  51,  82,  95,  177 

14 

671,675 

}  137,  iSS,  294,625 

27 

755 

14 

314, 782 

3i 

310 

14,  32 

322 

v. 

If  7 

314,  782 

23,  24 

30 

vi. 

6,7 

782 

XXV. 

1  ■> 

252 

22 

251 

14 

643 

vii. 

2-4,  9-1 1 
17,  18 

329,  536 

xxix. 

23 

314 

782 

xxxi. 

9 

190, 247 

34 

252 

20 

247 

viii. 

6-8 

782 

33,  34 

354.  7S0% 

10 

322 

xxxii. 

19 

376.  643 

IX. 

5,6 

322 

xxxiii. 

10,  1 1 

252» 

10,  n-15 

782 

15 

I  Si,  S2,  1  iS^ 

24 

51 

xi. 

16 

468 

xlvi. 

5,  10 

1 16 

xii. 

3 

310 

\!\  iii. 

45i  46 

265 

xiii. 

9,  10,  14 

7S2 

L 

34 

83,  18S,  294 

27 

3»4 

29 

9J 

XIV. 

16 

782 

1236        INDEX  OF  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


LAMENTATIONS. 

Chap.  Verses.  Numbers, 
iv.         21  252 


EZEKIEL. 


Chap. 

Verses. 

N"umbers. 

Chap. 

i>  uuiucia* 

-  A  3 

3*4 

iii. 

12,  14 

I  C7 

xxviii. 

I2—l6 

260,  467 

iv. 

I  — I  7 

I  20 

12  11 

2 TO  a67 

vii. 

6  7  ic 

76a 

11—  I  5 

772 

a 
0 

t  r  7 

XXX. 

9    1  Q 

689 

9 

260 

15,  16 

583 

ix. 

1 

260 

xxxi. 

3,  8»  9 

467 

xi. 

1,  24 

157 

18 

467 

I43»*  705 

xxxii. 

7-9 

I98 

O  "7      T  T 

130 

xxxiv. 

11  12 

689 

xiii. 

156 

171 
1  /  1 

xvi. 

I  c   22.  21 

314 

xxxvi. 

I5 

2CI 

xvii. 

24 

468 

26,  27 

iai  6or  7oc 

260 

xxxvii. 

I-I4 

534,  594 

•2  T 

143  *  156,  601 

xxxvi  ii. 

14,  l6,  l8 

XX. 

4/ 

468 

xxxix. 

T  l—O  T 

706 

xxi. 

7 

156 

xli. 

l8-20 

260 

DANIEL. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

ii. 

31-35 

275 

vii. 

113,416,  625, 

35.  44 

625,  761 

H 

251 

43>  44 

788 

viii. 

2 

157 

iv. 

l3 

93 

4 

lS7 

25,  20 

644 

14,  26 

764 

v. 

12 

156 

ix. 

25»  27 

752 

vii. 

1,  2,  7,  13 

157 

27 

378,  755.  761 

7,  23 

761 

xii. 

3 

000 

9 

223 

4 

788 

HOSEA. 

Ch<ip. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

i. 

2-9 

130 

V. 

9,  11-14 

247 

2 

247 

vi. 

4 

247 

ii 

2,  5 

306,  583 

10 

247,  3H 

51 

vii. 

1 

3l8 

iii. 

i-3 

130,  247* 

ix. 

^ 

247 

i  v. 

9 

64,  376,  643 

xi. 

•  247 

IC 

114 

xii. 

1 

247* 

v. 

3 

1 14,  247 

xiii. 

4 

6,  21,  83,  188, 

4,  5 

156,  247 

13 

583 

JOEL. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

i. 

16 

252 

ii. 

17 

251 

ii. 

I,  2,  11 

689 

iii. 

2,  4 

689 

2 

198 

15 

I98 

9 

318 

17-20 

782,  7S9 

INDEX  OF  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE.         1 237 


Chap, 
v. 


Verses. 
13,  18,  20 
18,  20 
24 


Numbers. 
689 
761 
51 


AMOS. 


Chap. 

Verses. 

Number*. 

vi. 

12 

viiL 

1 1 

707 

ix. 

2 

62 

0BAD1AH. 

Verse.  Number. 

5  318 


L,;iap. 
i. 

iii. 


Verses. 

17 

9 


Numbers. 
21  I 
226 


JONAH. 


Chap  Verses, 
iv.  2 


Number*, 

226 


Chap. 

ii. 

iv. 


Verses. 
II 
I,  2 
4 


Numbers. 
I56 
782 
304* 


MICAH. 

Chap. 


Verses. 

5 

12 


Number*. 

298 
322 


Chap, 
iii. 


NAHUM. 

Verse. 
4 


Number. 
314 


HABAKKUK. 

Chap.       Verse.  Number. 

iii-        3  93 


Chap, 
i. 


Verses. 
IO-15 
18 
9 


Numbers. 
82,  689 

755 
251 


ZEPHANIAH. 

Chap, 
iii. 


Verses. 

5 

14-17,  20 


Number*. 

764 
7S2 


ZECHARIAII. 


Clnp. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

i. 

6 

376,  439.483,643 

ix 

I  I 

1,8 

157 

13 

ii. 

1 

157 

X. 

7 

iii. 

1 

1Sl 

xi. 

4,  5 

iv. 

12 

156 

xii. 

1 

vi. 

1,  2 

157 

3.  6,  10 

vii. 

12 

527 

xiv. 

14,  26 

viii. 

1 

190 

7-9 

3»  20-23 

782 

8,  11,  12 

19 

252 

9 

22 

251 

MALACHI. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

i. 

II-I3 

298 

iii. 

4 

ii. 

12 

688 

iv. 

5,6 

iii. 

1 ,  2 

92,  2S5,  688 

Numbers. 
285,  706 
247 
247 
3IO 

143 

782 
82 

782 

6,  iSS,  625 


N  limber*. 

782 

6S8 


1238        INDEX  OF  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


MATTHEW. 


Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

i. 

20,  25 

82,  140,  188 

xii. 

46-49 

I02,  306 

22,  23 

823 

xiii. 

3.  4 

375 

ii. 

I,  2,  Q-Il 

205 

9,  23 

376 

iii. 

2 

1 13,  600 

14,  15 

7,  232 

6 

677 

23                347,  376,  483 
24,  30,  39,  40  784* 

7 

689 

10 

468 

25-31 

532 

II 

144,  684 

0  r\     a  r\  at 

3°,  4°,  41 

3°,  °53 

8,  12 

481 

J1,  5Z 

200  %  /inr, 

"£yu,  4yy 

ic 

95* 

11 
JJ 

-  211 

iv. 

16,  17 

164,  188,  142 

18 

606,  729 

1.  6 

142 

AO 
4W 

7Cs 

/  J  j 

4 

219 

4y 

nfl  7SC 

16 

270 

C7 

T  2Q 

1 7 

528 

xiv. 

0  i 
OO 

o4^ 

17,  23 

1 13 

XV. 

l8,  I9 

67C 

v. 

I56,  226 

xvi. 

n  16  t8 

34^ 

10 

96 

16,  18 

^•^4,  j/y 

II,  12 

440 

27 

3/u,  44u>  4°3,  °4j 

17  l8 

262,  581 

xvii. 

i-5 

222,  261.*  142 

2o 

96 

26 

298 

2 1  22 

27'  18 

■^OQ* 

owy 

xviii. 

20 

208  682 

111.  126 

28  22 

/inn  c?n 

4°y,  i>39 
226 

40Q 

xix. 

tlC 

4"?.  i6a  AO  I 

to,  ov4,  4y* 

2Q 

72Q 

2  C 

4C2 

XX. 

462,  708 

19,  20 

3l8 

28 

7DQ 

/wy 

22 

40 1 

•3 1 

298 

2A 
^4 

181  ci6 

xxi. 

1 1 

1 2Q 

416 

IQ 

676 

vii. 

I,  2 

226* 

11— AA 
jj  4f 

a8i 

4°  J 

7  8 

226* 

xxii. 

2—1  3 

i;8.  180 

7 

459 

37-40 

j  287,  369,  357,  483 

12 

4 1  I.  AAA 

15,  l6 

38I,*'  590 

AT— a6 

102 

l6-l8 

4^  c,  468 

xxiii. 

8—10 

226 

IQ-/>I 

376 

Q 

306 

IQ  20 

722 

lJ»   AJ>  -J 

AC2 

22.  21 

517,  C67,  6SI 

25,  26 

(  215*  326,  435 

24—26 

"3A7  17C 
•34/,  J/j 

Villa 

"3A2 

25-28 

673 

ix. 

T  C 
A  J 

2C2    170  78l 

37,  38 

782 

.  17 
1  / 

7§4 

xxiv. 

3 

755,  757,  764 

12 

777 

9,  10 

682 

1<Z 

in 

12,  14,  15 

378,  434 

X. 

12—14 

I01 

15 

755,  758,  782,  34 
384,  761 

22 

682 

15,  21,  29 

"?Q 

J7 

5^2* 

21,  22 

182,  598,  758 

40 

92 

29-31 

198,  271,  764 

xi. 

27 

III,  113,  370 

301* 

30 

625,  776,  780 

xii. 

I-I4 

3i 

791 

31 

299 

37,  39,  44,  46  764 

33 

468,  483 

XXV. 

1 

748 

34,  35 

653 

I-I3 

<  199  *  527,  687 

39 

314 

I  7i9,  723 

INDEX  OF  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


Chap. 
XXV. 


Verses. 

3 

14-34 
16-18 

25 

31,  etc 

33 
34 

26-28 

28 
29 
34 

39-44 


Numbers. 
676 

462,  483 

379 

527 
643 
643 

440, 536, 729 
703, 704, 706, 716 
730* 
285, 730 
708 

211 
211 


Chap, 
xxvi. 


Verses. 
54-56 
63,  64 

40,  43, 
43 

46,  47 

3 
16 

18 

19 

20 


54 


Numbers. 

262 

136,  342,  776 

342 

342 

104* 

211 

686* 
"3 

98,  104,  in,  113 
133,  137,354,370 
459,  78i 
164,  677 

139,  188,  755,  76 


MARK. 


Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers 

i. 

4 

690 

xii. 

29,  3° 

8l 

8 

I44* 

xiii. 

26 

764 

8,9 

677,  684 

31 

190 

10,  1 1 

164,  342 

xiv. 

21 

262 

H,  15 

113,  528 

25 

708 

15 

58l 

22-24 

703,  704,*  716 

ii. 

19,  20 

252,  783,  784 

24 

706* 

iii. 

11 

342 

36 

704 

iv. 

3,  16,  31,  32 
38,  39 

290 

6l,  62 

342,  776 

123 

XV. 

28 

262 

vii. 

i-4,  14,  15 

67I 

34 

I04* 

6 

452,  517 

39 

342 

ix. 

2 

26l 

xvi. 

2,  9 

764 

7 

342 

15 

113.573.  6S7 

X. 

45 

709 

16 

685* 

xi. 

13 

527 

19 

136 

xii. 

29 

6 

LUKE. 


Chap 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

i. 

14 

252 

V. 

34,  35 

252,  783 

31-35 

188,  342 

vi. 

1-6 

30I 

34,  35 

(  82,  92,  98,  III 

6-12 

& 

(  140,  158,  164 

20 

41,67 

158 

33-36 

439 

76 

81,  6S8 

37 

226 

ii. 

19,  21 

221 

44.  45 

373 

25 

158* 

46-49 

375,  4Sj,  681 

30-32 

85,  251 

89* 

vii. 

16 

129 

40,  52 
42,  4(3,  47 

27 

688 

89* 

viii. 

20,  21 

102,  376,  453 

iii. 

8,9 

483,  528 

28 

342 

16 

144,  689 

ix. 

29 

2<>l 

18 

298 

32 

777 

19,  21 

85 

35 

342 

2 r,  22  • 

144,  342 

X. 

5.6 

303 

IV. 

16-21 

188,  262,  301 

18 

116 

24 

129 

25-28 

2S7 

16-22,  32 

89* 

27 

411 

1240       INDEX  OF  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

X. 

30,37 

378,  410 

XX. 

41-44 

102 

xi. 

44 

452 

xxi. 

i-3 

459 

xiii. 

3 

528 

20-22 

782 

10-19 

290,  30I 

27 

764, 776 

26,  27 

567,  723 

xxii. 

17,  18,  20 

706,  708 

33 

129 

19 

703, 704, 709, 716 

xiv. 

i-7 

301 

37 

262 

XV. 

7 

528 

69 

136 

xvi. 

13 

437 

70 

342 

17 

262,  288,  341 

xxiii. 

28-30 

782 

19,  20 

215* 

xxiv. 

25-27 

262 

26 

455.  475»*  651 

26 

128,  262 

31 

500 

31 

777 

xvii. 

34 

761 

37-39 

109 

xviii. 

8 

384,  764 

39 

170 

xix. 

13-26 

462,  483 

44,  45 

262,  288 

41-44 

782 

47 

528,  581 

JOHN. 


Chap, 
i. 


Hi. 


Verses. 
I,  2 

1.  3 


Numbers. 

26l 

85 


19,  21 
21 


27 
29 


I,  3,4,  IO,  14  50 

1-4 

1,  3,  10 
i,  4 
h  5,  9 
1,  4,  9,  M 

1,  14 

9 
12 

12,  13 

14,  18 

18 

32,  33 
32,  34,  35 
34,  49 
3>  4 
19,  21 

23 

3,  5,6 
5 

15,  16 

16,  18 

17,  18 


]  39,  190,  224,  354 
}  716,  474,  777* 
76,  87,  224 
3?,  358 
209 
780 

3,  in,  140,  261 
777,  786 
85,  354,  776 
298,  682 
729 

188,  342 

98,  107,  135,  153 

339,  787 
164 
in 
342 
102 

21 1,  221 

682 

572,*  577* 
144,  572* 
f  159,  107,  337 
(  483,  772 
137,  188,  342 
298,  652,  772 
107,  298,  337 
342,  384,  682 
85 
377 

8,  359,  439,  663 
252,  783 


Chap, 
iii. 


Verses. 

35 
36 

6,  10,  14 
14 

36 

9-19 

19-27 

21 

25 

26 

29 
37 
27 

27,  32,  etc. 

28,  29 
33,  35 
35»  37 
40 

46 

47,  48 

48,  51, 
5i  Q 
53-58 

56 

63 
68 
69 
24 

37,  38 


5S 


Numbers. 
J  III,  113,  153 
I  188,  379,  716 
j  2,  IO7,  337,  384 
i  483,  722 

I90 

239 

483 

301 

342 

358 

342 

j  21,  25,39,  40,  I53 


474 

153 
787 


483 


\  358,  461, 
483,  643 
107,  135, 
339,  37o, 
239,  707 
703 

107,  337 
107,  358 
337,  358 
2,  107,  337, 
722 

107,  339, 
107,  337 
707 

494  707 
706* 
(  100,  113,  368 

(371-  372,*  725 
153,  190,  199,214 
239,  358,  618 
196 
342 
226 

107,  190,  337,  358 


570 


INDEX  OF  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


24I 


Chap, 
vii. 


Verses. 

39 

48,  49 
5 

12 

15 
19 
24 

31-36 

36 

44 

56,  58 
4 
5 
5 

31 
41 

1,  10 
1,  2-9,  11 

1,  9 

2,  3,  11 
3-5 

9 
10 

11,  17 

18 

30 

34,  35 

3,  5,  36 
11 

25,  26 

52 
2 

24 

27,  28 

28 

3i 

32 

34 

35,  36,  46 
36 

44 

45 
46 

47,  43 
17 

18 
20 

31,  32 
34,  35 


Numbers. 
140,  149,  153, 

188 
288 
288 

107,  358,  474 
652 

98,  IO7 

107,  337,  3S4 

495 

106 

310,  322 

109 

761 

85 
35B 

376,  483,  722 


322 

370,  457 


107, 

318, 
538 
380 
300 
682 

37o,  457 
3io,  358 

131 

709 
126 

98,  in,  188,379 
716 

262,  288 

99,  37i,  379 
215 

107,  337,  358 
483,  722 

729 
215 
762 
128 

299 
116 
652 

262,  288 
776 

85,  618 
107,  337 
188 

107,  "3,  307 
370 

107,  354 
226,  652,  772 

347,  376,  483 
262 

98,  107 

128 

357 


Chap. 


Verses. 
6 

6,  7,  9 
6-1 1 

6-  15 
7 

7-  12 

8-  10 
9 

10,  11 

1 1,  20 

13,  H 

15-  21 

16-  19 

18,  20,  28 

19 

20 

20,  23 
21-23 
26,  27 
27 

1,  2,  5 
4 

4,  5 
4-6 
5 

5,6 

6 


9 

14-16 

25 
26 

7 
8 
1 1 
13 

13-15 
14,  15 
15 

26,  27 
28 

33 
1 

1,  5 


10 

9,  15, 
12 


Numbers. 
(  85,  107,  l8S,  190 
]  354,  358,370, 474 
(  777 

339,  379,  7S7 

538 

159 

107 

307 

in,  18S,  294,  307 

98,  113,  538 

99,  37i,  379,  7i6 
153 

153,  299 

376 

139 

188 

358 

107,  36S,  370,  458 
7S7 

231,371 

3-9,  339,  359,  369 
376,  458,  4S3 
139,  153,  188,303 
599 

107,  354,  7cS 
70 

100,  1 1 1,  113,  347 
368,371,439,  45^ 
462,  7S7 

18S,  524,  725 
8,  354,  359,  459 
539,  663 
120,  462,  584 

33,  37o,  653 
226,  349 
376, 4S3 
357 
483 

262,  288 
139,  153,  »3S 
139,  153,  l83 
337,  384 
116 

139 

119,  1 38 
93,  379.  7i6 
»54» 

3 

116,  303 

37i 

128 

98,  104,*  111 
1 13- 354 
9<).  »  3S,  37' 
104 


INDEX  OF  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


Numbers. 

Chap. 

21 

QQ 

77 

xix. 

21-23,  26 

43.  170.  787 

XX. 

23 

IO7 

26 

298 

9 

262 

11 

704 

24 

262 

xxi. 

26,  27 

102 

Verses. 
28-37 
II-I5 
19-21 
22 

31 

15-17 
22 


Numbers. 
262 
170 
303 

140,  146,  153,  188 

188,  298,  337,  342 

358,  682 

211 

764 


ACTS. 


Versos. 
IO,  II 

3.  4 

38 

19 

5 

9 

37 

20 


Numbers. 

764 

146 

52! 

52*o 
378 

378 

342 

342 


Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

xvi. 

30»  31 

338 

xvii. 

30 

528 

xviii. 

2K 

690 

xix. 

3-6 

690 

XX. 

21 

4,  175.  528 

21 

107,  137,  338 

xxvi. 

20 

528 

ROMANS. 


Verses. 

u 

6 

22-26 


Numbers. 
342  . 
376,  643 
506 

376,  506 
338 


Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

iii. 

28 

288  * 38S* 

viii. 

31 

506 

19,  20 

687 

xii. 

4,5 

372 

xiii. 

8-10 

33°,  444,  506 

1  CORINTHIANS. 

Verses.  Numbers.  Chap.  Verses. 

24,  25  704  xiii.  13 

27  372 


Numbers. 
506,  722,  797 


Verses. 
9-n>  13 

10 


2  CORINTHIANS. 

Numbers.  I  Chap.       Verses.  Numbers. 

342  V.  16,  17  601* 

376,506,643         I  17  573  *  687 


Verses. 
15,  16 
20 
I 


GALATIANS. 


Numbers. 
288,  338  *  506 
338,  342 
311 


Chap. 
V. 


Verses. 
6 
17 
15 


Numbers. 
338,  675 
327 

675,  687 


Verses. 
23 

20-22 


Numbers. 
372 

374 


EPHESIANS. 


Chap.  Verses. 

iii.  9 

iv.  4,  6,  12, 


13 


Numbers. 

354 

379,  342 


Chap, 
iii. 


PHILIPPIANS. 

Verse. 

9 


Numbers. 

338,  354 


INDEX  OF  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


I  2d 


Chap, 
ii. 


COLOSSIANS. 

Verse.  Numbers. 

I  IOI,  109,  HI,  137,  18S 
*  (  294,  379,  638,  655,  798 


Chap, 
iii. 


2  TIMOTHY. 


Verse. 
15 


Number. 

33S 


HEBREWS. 


Verses. 
14 

6,  8,  10 

6 

20 


Numbers. 

342 

715 

311.342 
715 


Chap, 
viu 


Verses. 

i,  10,  11,  15 

17,  21 
3 

29 


N  umber*. 

715 

342 
342 


Verses. 

I4>  15 

22 


Numbers. 

327 

376 


JAMES. 


Chap, 
ii. 


Verses. 
5,  17-26 
21-23 


Numbet* 

506 

643 


Chap, 
ii. 


2  PETER 

Verse. 

9,  10 


Number. 
327 


Verses. 

8 
24 
3 
15 

20,  21 
2,  12,  1; 
^3 


Numbers. 
342 

371,  458 
371 

342,368,371,379 
458 

338,  342 
342 


I  JOHN. 

Chap. 


Verses. 


Numbers. 

3,  85,  101,  109 
iii,  137.  34-.  154 
367,  560,  722,  726 
777,  798 

109,  in,  204,  ;=;S 
560,  638,  65s,  6&J 


REVELATION. 


Verses. 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Verses. 

Numbers. 

5-7,  10-13 

625 

ii. 

18 

342 

7 

776  . 

iii 

4 

298,  682,*  686 

8,  11 

19,  I02,  26; 

1 

4,  12 

300 

8,17 

13 

5,  12,  21 

610 

10 

157 

14 

573.  777 

13-16 

26l 

15,  16 

437 

12,  13,  17 

102 

15.  19 

528 

14 

223,  64I 

20 

(  100,  285,359,  371 

17 

225 

)  462,  720,  715 

3 

682 

V. 

6 

3" 

4,  5 

52S 

9 

251 

6 

378 

vL 

9-1 1 

119 

7 

467,  606,  6l0 

"  5->7 

124,  641,  691 

8 

26l 

vii. 

»4 

706 

11,  17,  26 

6lO 

'7 

190 

13,  1 6,  zz 

528 

i.\. 

■ 

113  46a 

1244        INDEX  OF  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


Chap. 

Verses, 

Numbers. 

Chap. 

Numbers. 

x. 

2SI 

xix. 

10 

I  AO* 

xi. 

4 

8 

468 

311 

II 
14 

307 

686* 

t  e 

in  788 

T7  T8 

7°5 

19 

285 

XX. 

7,8 

384 

xii. 

7.  1 1 

706 

8  Q 

388 

IO 

"3 

12,  13 

(  107,  376,  44O,  483 

II.  17 

I  AO 

I  2 

619 

XXI. 

I  2 

Il8 

xiii. 

IA 
/  2 

848 

I,  2,  9,  IO 

(  2C2   707  62C  7tSl 
i  7QO 

8 

311 
107 

I.  ^ 

2 

IO7,  687 
307,  783 

xiv. 

A 
t 

748 

-2 
•3 

l87 

8 

314 

"2.  24.  26 

78Q 

12 

338 

6 

I02,  26l 

"2  76  AAO 

O  TO 

107  783 

14 

776 

17-22 

37,  187,  217 

IQ,  20 

179 

23,  24 

780 

XV 

ic8  188 

Tf)7 

xvi. 

16 

It"? 

xxii. 

I.  2 
1,  ^- 

687 

xvii. 

I  2 

1  lA 

I 

190 

3 

157 

2 

467 

8,  14 

107,  724 

6,  7,  12,  16 

[764 

xix. 

2 

3M 

I  7,  20,  2 1 

7 

307,  783,  790 

12 

102, 376, 483, 643 

8 

686 

13 

19,  261,  625 

9 

783*  79i 

16,  17,  20 

252, 625, 783, 790 

t H k  a ni 


DATE  DUE 

GAYLORD 

PRINTED  IN  U.S.A. 

